Hockey
16 September, 2024
Yanac men, Kaniva women and Yanac juniors crowned premiers
Three big grand finals brought the Wimmera hockey season to an end in style at Dimboola on Saturday, with the Yanac Tigers continuing their dominance of the Open competition, Kaniva Women earning their second premiership in three seasons, and the Yanac Warriors completing the season undefeated in the Under 16s division.
- Open -
Another chapter was written for one of the Wimmera’s longest-running sporting dynasties with the Yanac Tigers winning their twenty-first premiership in the thirty-five seasons of the competition, defeating long-time rival, the Warrack Hoops.
The Tigers started strongly, with Todd Alexander converting a penalty corner midway through the first quarter to put the reigning premiers in the lead, and in a worrying sign for the challengers, their key midfielder Tim Jorgensen left the field minutes later, struggling with a hamstring injury.
A second goal just before quarter time, when Raine Mackley got onto a pass from Brad
Alexander, saw the Tigers hold a comfortable lead at the first break.
Although the Tigers continued to control much of the play in the second quarter, the Hoops’ game picked up with some solid defence, preventing any further scoring again before halftime, and this continued into the third quarter, with the Hoops taking the challenge up to the Tigers, but they couldn’t breach the leader's defence.
The Tigers took a firm grip on the title when Rourkey Croot, who would be later selected as
the Player of the Match, scored their third goal late in the quarter.
The momentum of the last quarter was halted when a player was stuck by the ball, but after a brief delay, the game continued with the Hoops fighting desperately to get onto the scoreboard. They fought the game out to the end but could not reduce the deficit, and the game finished as a three-goal victory for the Tigers.
Along with Rourke Croot, Todd Alexander and veteran Kim Croot were selected as the premiers’ best players, and the Hoops’ consistent captain Sandon Schultz, Jayden Smith, and reliable defender Caleb Baldock were the runner-up’s best.
This extends the Tigers' current streak to eight consecutive grand final victories, plus one minor premiership title in the Covid-interrupted 2021 season, while the Hoops, who boast the next-best record in the competition, remain on five premierships from seventeen season deciders against the Tigers.
- Women -
In a game that promised to be the most closely contested for the day, the Kaniva and Yanac teams did not disappoint in the Women’s grand final. The scene was set perfectly with a head-to-head record of two wins to Yanac, one to Kaniva, and one drawn encounter in their four meetings in 2024 before Saturday, and on the scoreboard, a total of only one goal separated the two across these four games.
Kaniva captain Lisa Stimson opened the scoring with a goal in the first quarter, and one each to her teammate Imogen Williams and Yanac centre-half back Erin Alexander, saw Kaniva hold a one-goal lead at halftime.
In a very even third quarter in which both teams earned and successfully defended two penalty corners each, the scores did not change going into the last period of play.
The last quarter saw a fierce battle as both teams struggled to gain control, but neither could exert their dominance and with Yanac needing to score to at least force the game to a shootout and Kaniva only needing to prevent this, it was in intense seventeen minutes of hockey that ultimately ended with no further scoring and Kaniva winning the title.
Yanac’s Mikayla Mackley was awarded the Jane Gregson Memorial medal as the Best on the Ground, but had some strong challengers in Kaniva full back Sharon Williams, forwards Lisa Stimson and Sigourney Williams, and from her own team, Erin Alexander played a strong game in the midfield and Caitlyn Alexander dominated from centre-forward.
After several seasons of struggling to field a team and enduring many significant losses, the Kaniva team is now beginning to make their presence felt with their third consecutive grand final appearance since Covid restrictions denied them another in 2021.
From this, they have won two premierships and finished runner-up twice, making them the most successful team in this division over the last five seasons, and with the squad they have developed over this time, there is no reason why they won’t be a serious challenger again in 2025.
- Under 16 -
The leading two teams in the Under 16 competition set the standard for the day with a remarkable display of hockey skills and teamwork, which shows great potential for the growth of the competition as these players progress to the senior ranks over the coming seasons.
The Nhill Leopards were always facing a tough challenge when they ran onto the field to take on the undefeated Yanac Warriors, but they were not daunted by the task and took the game right up to their more fancied opponents.
The younger Leopards started strongly and were the first on the scoreboard when Oliver Bone found the goals from a penalty corner in the second quarter.
In a competitive third quarter, the Warriors slowly began to take control with goals to Nathan Pedie and Sean Pedie to take the lead at the last break, but only by one goal.
The scores were again tied early in the last quarter when Oliver Bone scored his second goal, but goals to Yanac’s Henry Zanker and then Archie Zanker saw them move back into the lead several minutes later. A second score for the match by Nathan Pedie gave the Warriors a three-goal lead with five minutes of play remaining.
A late goal to the Leopard’s captain, Deegan Clark, reduced the margin back to two goals with several minutes to play, but despite their best efforts, they could not score again, and the Warriors finished with the win.
Archie Zanker topped off an excellent personal season with the Peter Colbert medal as the Best on the Ground, while Henry Zanker and Nathan Pedie also made significant contributions and regular leaders in the Leopards team, Deegan Clark, Oliver Bone, and Thar Shu Bee stood out.
“You are only as good as your weakest player” summed up this game, as it was not just dominated by the top-age players on both sides, but many of the younger ones also made a significant impact on the game.
This was the Warriors’ sixth title since 2018, and while this was the Leopard's first grand final appearance in that time, their keen young squad has the potential to make their mark over the next few seasons.
Wimmera Hockey Association – Grand Final Results
- Open –
Yanac Tigers 3 (Goals – Todd Alexander, Rourkey Croot, Raine Mackley; Best – Rourkey
Croot, Todd Alexander, Kim Croot) defeated Warrack Hoops (Best – Sandon Schultz,
Jayden Smith, Caleb Baldock)
Best on Ground - “Life Members’ Medal” – Rourkey Croot (Yanac Tigers)
- Women –
Kaniva 2 (Goals – Imogen Williams, Lisa Stimson; Best – Sharon Williams, Lisa Stimson,
Sigourney Williams) defeated Yanac 1 (Goal – Erin Alexander; Best – Mikayla Mackley, Erin
Alexander, Caitlyn Alexander)
Best on Ground – “Jane Gregson Memorial Medal” – Mikayla Mackley (Yanac)
- Under 16 –
Yanac Warriors 5 (Goals – Nathan Pedie 2, Henry Zanker, Archie Zanker, Sean Pedie; Best
– Archie Zanker, Henry Zanker, Nathan Pedie) defeated Nhill Leopards 3 (Goals – Oliver
Bone 2, Deegan Clark; Best – Deegan Clark, Oliver Bone, Thar Shue Bee)
Best on Ground – “Peter Colbert Meda” – Archie Zanker (Yanac Warriors)