With the winter sports season fast approaching, many teams and players are putting the final touches on their preparations with practice matches before the serious games start.
The Wimmera Hockey Association’s Open division team had a hit out against their counterparts from the North Central Hockey Association on Sunday afternoon at the Dimboola Health and Fitness Centre, and in a close-fought encounter, the visitors came away with a victory.
Although the three-goal margin was not the result the locals were aiming for, it was a keenly contested match. Many players enjoyed their first competitive hit out for the year, with some still needing to work on their fitness before the season commences.
This match is intended to be the start of the local representative side’s journey towards entering the Senior Country Championships, which are to be held at the State Hockey Centre at Parkville in Melbourne in June for the first time since Covid.
The Wimmera Hockey Association winter season starts in a couple of weeks’ time with the opening matches, also to be played at Dimboola, on Friday, 26 and Saturday, 27 April, when Women’s and Under 16 teams from the Dimboola club will be welcomed back into the competition after several years off.
The highlight of the first round will be the re-match of the 2023 grand finals in both the Women’s and Under 16 competitions when Yanac and Kaniva teams clash in each division.
The meeting of the reigning grand finalists in the Open competition, Yanac Tigers and Warracknabeal Hoops, will take place on Anzac Park in Warracknabeal the following weekend.
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