Yanac Tigers win record-breaking 20th Wimmera hockey premiership

In a close finish to a very competitive season, the two senior games were decided in a shootout after finishing tied at full time, and although the Under 16 match was decided at the end of the fourth quarter, it was still a very close and entertaining encounter.

By winning all three premierships on offer, the home club achieved the 'trifecta' for the fourth time, and they remain the only club to have achieved this feat.

The Open final was the sixteenth time that the Yanac Tigers and Warrack Hoops had played off for the premiership in the thirty-four years of the competition, and they maintained their record of putting on a top display when they meet, regardless of whether it is in a regular season match, or a season decider.

After four quarters of determined hockey, the teams were still locked together on the scorecard, with neither team able to breach their opponent's defence, forcing the game into a penalty shootout where a single attacker has eight seconds to take on the goalkeeper in an attempt to score.

Both teams missed their first attempts, with the Tigers taking the lead after their second attempts.

After going goal-for-goal in the next two rounds, another goal in the Tigers' last attempt put them two goals ahead, with the Hoops only having one shot left.

With a scoreline of four goals to two, the Tigers won their 20^th premiership, eclipsing the Warracknabeal Women's previous record of 19 to become the most successful team in Wimmera hockey history, and this was an eighth consecutive title, which is also a record.

After playing out a full-time draw when they met in the semi-final that Kaniva then won in a shootout, the scene was set for another top season decider in the Women's division.

Both teams enjoyed periods of attack in the first quarter but remained scoreless at quarter time. Yanac gained the advantage late in the second quarter, and while the balance of play remained even after this, Kaniva was able to equalise just before three-quarter time to set up a big last quarter, but just like two weeks ago, the deadlock could not be broken before full time.

After four shootouts each, the scores were still tied at two all, and when Kaniva missed their fifth shot, it was down to Yanac's last attempt to get a result or take the game to a sudden-death shootout.

Yanac earned the premiership with a successful fifth shot, defeating Kaniva for the first time in five meetings this year. This title is Yanac's ninth overall and sixth in the last ten seasons.

The Yanac Warriors and Kaniva Raiders set a high standard when they opened proceedings with a top encounter to decide the Under 16 premiership.

The Warriors were peaking at the right end of the season after spending much of the year in third place on the ladder they put in a late surge to claim top spot three rounds before the finals, and the young Raiders, over half of whom are still eligible to play in the Under 12 Development Program, had already exceeded expectations by making it this far.

In a great competitive game of hockey by both sides, Yanac gained a two-goal advantage by halftime, extending it to three by the final whistle to win their thirteenth premiership.

Despite the loss, with the Raiders not losing any top-age players for next season, they are already looking good to go one better next season.