Round 1 - Preview

Season 2007 gets underway

Round 1 Wimmera Hockey Association - Nhill

Hundreds of junior and senior hockey players, support staff, and spectators will hit the school grounds of Nhill tomorrow launching the 2007 Wimmera district hockey season. With the drought affecting so many sports grounds throughout the region we are lucky to have the option of playing many of the games on grounds irrigated with bore water in Nhill, Kaniva, and Yanac. The extra travelling will be a significant issue for the Warracknabeal and Horsham teams.

In the juniors, last years rising stars the Nhill Leopards take on the Horsham Black Hawks. Prior to this last year’s premier’s the Kaniva Raiders meet the Kangaroos in what will be another good match. Two of last year’s highfliers the Warriors and the Bombers play each other, both have lost key players to senior ranks. In the other game the Revengers and Bandits will fight for first points. The Kookaburras have the bye.

Anticipation of the new Kaniva men’s team has been somewhat offset by the disappointment of losing the Nhill men. Kaniva was set to play Nhill in the first round, but will now have the bye. We will have to wait until next week to get a look at Kaniva. Dimboola men, with the association’s leading men’s player Tim Jorgenson, have the chance to start the year on a good note. A strong performance against the reining men’s premiers Yanac Tigers will certainly do that. Yanac’s has two new players in forward Matt Kube from the Warriors and Jamie Harding across from Nhill Leopards. Warracknabeal Hoops and Horsham Hurricanes are set to continue their rivalry in what should be an exciting match. The Hoops got past the Hurricanes in last year’s preliminary final and will be keen to maintain their edge. The Hurricanes welcome Tim Nooteboom and Ash Clark up from juniors.

Kaniva women will want to atone for last year’s finals disappointments. Losing on penalty flicks after extra time is not the way a team wants to lose finals, but it was good to watch. The game against last year’s runners up, Nhill Thunderbirds, promises to be a beauty. Reining women’s premiers Warracknabeal begin their quest for yet another premiership with a game against the Horsham Highlanders. Warracknabeal are likely to be the benchmark again, while the Highlanders have a host of new faces: Kate Rhook, Kate Ferrier, and Ellie Morrow, plus several juniors, and much to prove. Yanac women meet Dimboola in what should be a closely fought match. Yanac welcome defender Anne Blackwood up from the Warriors.