After crowning the leading teams in the competition after the recent grand finals, the Wimmera hockey community gathered to acknowledge the leading individual achievements for the season.
The Yanac Tigers won the premiership in the Open competition, Kaniva won their second Women’s title, and the Yanac Warriors competed the perfect season by winning the Under 16 grand final.
As this year marked the fifty years since the formation of the Wimmera Hockey Association from the old Horsham Women’s Hockey Association in 1974, a highlight of the evening was a gathering of nine of the Association’s fifteen Life Members to cut a cake to mark the occasion.
Those present in the evening were Clint Beattie (Kaniva), Helen Cannell (Nhill), Jean Darnell (Horsham), Christine Dufty (Nhill), Simon King (Warracknabeal), Sally Klinge, Casey Phelan (Warracknabeal), Launa Schilling (Horsham), and Jenny Smith (Horsham). Several other Life Members who could not attend the function were at the grand finals during the day.
Later in the evening, another deserving individual was added to their ranks when Rachel Clark from the Nhill club was presented with this award for more than twenty years of service to the Association. This has included filling the role of official historian since the position was created in 2012, researching and recording the Association’s history, publishing a dozen season round-up books and one celebrating fifty years of the WHA, and taking charge of the compilation of all of the Association’s annual vote counts and other awards over many seasons.
Newly appointed WHA Life Member number 16, Rachel Clark.
The individual awards across the three competitions featured a mix of previous winners and some fresh faces, with all clubs well represented amongst the top honours.
The Open Best and Fairest had a clear winner in Lachlan Mills (Kaniva Cobras) on forty-five votes, well ahead of joint runners-up Shaun Alexander (Yanac Tigers) and Tim Jorgensen (Warrack Hoops) on twenty-four votes each. Next on the leaderboard were the Nhill Rangers’ duo Jason Reichel and Brett Tischler, tied on twenty-one votes.
This was the second time Mills has won this award, having previously received it in 2019.
In a close count in the Women’s Best and Fairest, Dimboola’s Jennie Hauselberger won the award for the first time with fifty-nine votes, four ahead of Horsham’s Hannah Werner, with former winner Erin Alexander (Yanac) only four votes further back.
Top – The leading players in the Women’s competition for 2024 - (from left) Joint leading goal scorer, Caitlyn Alexander - Best and Fairest, Jennie Hauselberger - B&F Runner-up, Hannah Werner – joint leading goal scorer, Erin Alexander, Goal keeper of the Year, Melanie Bentley.
In a revamp of the voting in the mixed Under 16 competition this season, umpires were asked to vote separately for boys and girls, resulting in a full vote count for each rather than the combined voting system of previous years.
This gave an exciting finish in the girls’ award, with last year’s joint winner, Ellie Williamson (Warrack Revengers), winning by one vote ahead of Horsham’s Hannah Mackereth. In the Boy’s count, last year’s runner-up, Deegan Clark (Nhill Leopards), won with seventy-three votes, narrowly edging out three-time winner Charlie White from Kaniva, who polled seventy votes.
The leading goalkeepers were recognised, with Nhill’s Kayden Rowe receiving an impressive fourth consecutive Open Division trophy, having also previously received this award in the Under 16 competition in 2019, and Warracknabeal’s mother and daughter combination of Melanie and Madisson Bentley won the Women’s and Under 16 awards respectively.
The Annie Anderson Memorial Goalkeeper Encouragement award went to Rebecca-May Williams, who, in her first season playing hockey, stepped into the role for the re-formed Dimboola Kangaroos, developing her skills and confidence as the season progressed.
Officials play a vital role in any competition, and each year the WHA acknowledges the efforts of all umpires and presents an Encouragement Award to one who has made an outstanding contribution in this area, and this year’s recipient was Thomas Batchelor from the Horsham club.
Two umpires reached significant milestones during this season, with Launa Schilling reaching 200 games and Clint Beattie umpiring his 400th game in the Wimmera in the last round of the season.
The Association also presents up to four Encouragement Awards to recognise contributions across a variety of areas, including representing the Association beyond the local competition, supporting hockey activities at the club or association level over several years, and being a positive role model for others involved in the sport.
This year, the Junior Girl’s Award was presented to Ellie Williamson from the Warracknabeal Club for her contribution as a player for both her club’s Under 16 and Women’s teams, filling a leadership role within her junior team, playing at the Junior Country championships and Junior State Championships, and although still a junior player, she has stepped up and taken a leadership role in the Under 12 Development Program and taken up umpiring.
The Senior Male award went to Thomas Batchelor from Horsham. Although still Under 18, he has risen up the ranks from the Under 12 Development Program in 2016 to be appointed captain of the Horsham Hurricanes’ Open team this season. Along the way, he has played in the Junior Country, Junior State, and Senior State Championships, is a developing umpire, and is a former winner of the goal scoring in the Under 16 competition.
The Senior Female recipient was Jennie Hauselberger, who was instrumental in returning Dimboola teams to the Women’s and Under 16 competitions this year for the first time in several seasons.
The Association’s Annual General Meeting was also held, with the leadership team for 2025 elected. The key roles will be filled by Brad Alexander (Yanac) as President, Jennie Hauselberger (Dimboola) as Vice-President, Donna Krelle (Kaniva) will continue as Secretary/Treasurer, Rachel Clark (Nhill) as records secretary and historian, and Simon King (Warracknabeal) will handle media. The Horsham club will fill the roles of Junior Development and Umpires’ Convenor.
Wimmera Hockey Association - 2023 Awards
- Open -
Grand Final - Yanac Tigers 3 defeated Warracknabeal Hoops 0
Best and Fairest (Aitken-Findlay Award) - Lachlan Mills (Kaniva Cobras)
Runner-Up Best and Fairest (Aitken-Findlay Award) - Shaun Alexander (Yanac Tigers) and Tim Jorgensen (Warrack Hoops)
Leading Goal Scorer - Shaun Alexander (Yanac Tigers) - 9 goals
Open Goalkeeper of the Year - Kayden Rowe (Nhill Rangers)
Best on Ground in Grand Final - Rourkey Crook (Yanac Tigers)
- Women -
Grand Final - Kaniva 2 defeated Yanac 1
Best and Fairest - Jennie Hauselberger (Dimboola Roos)
Runner-up Best and Fairest - Hannah Werner (Horsham Jets)
Leading Goal Scorer - Caitlyn Alexander (Yanac) and Erin Alexander (Yanac) - 14 goals
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year - Melanie Bentley (Warracknabeal)
Best on Ground in Grand Final - Mikayla Mackley (Yanac)
- Under 16 -
Grand Final - Yanac Warriors 5 defeated Nhill Leopards 3
Boys Best and Fairest - Deegan Clark (Nhill Leopards)
Boys Best and Fairest Runner-up - Charlie White (Kaniva Raiders)
Girls Best and Fairest - Ellie Williamson (Warrack Revengers)
Girls Best and Fairest Runner-up - Hannah Mackereth (Horsham Bombers)
Boys Leading Goal Scorer - Archie Zanker (Yanac Warriors) - 46 goals
Girls Leading Goal Scorer - Imogen Hedt (Yanac Warriors) - 4 goals
Under 16 Goalkeeper of the Year - Madisson Bentley (Warrack Revengers)
Best on Ground in Grand Final - Archie Zanker (Yanac Warriors)
- WHA Encouragement Awards -
Under 16 Girls - Ellie Williamson (Warracknabeal)
Senior - Jennie Hauselberger (Dimboola)
Senior - Thomas Batchelor (Horsham)
Umpire Encouragement Award - Thomas Batchelor (Horsham)
Umpires 200 Club - Launa Schilling (Horsham)
Umpires 400 Club - Clint Beattie (Kaniva)
Annie Anderson Memorial Goalkeeper Encouragement Award - Rebecca-May Williams (Dimboola Kangaroos)
2024 Open Best and Fairest, Lachie Mills.
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