Weekly Times |
WIMMERA Football League administrators have hailed this season the closest in 20 years.
At the halfway point of the season, Western Vic Football general manager Stephen McQueen said the race for the premiership was wide open.
“That is the best competition we’ve had for 20 years and that’s not an exaggeration at all,” McQueen said.
“The crowds are showing it by walking through the gates and there’s a lot more talk about the league in general.”
Interest in the Wimmera league had been tested in recent years due to Horsham’s 10 consecutive premierships from 2003-2012 and Dimboola’s dominance last year.
But McQueen said most clubs — aside from struggling Stawell and Nhill — could beat any opponent on any day.
On Saturday, second-placed Warrack Eagles inflicted Horsham’s first loss of the season, fuelled by an eight-goal-to-three second half and Jae McGrath’s six-goal haul.
And Horsham Saints, under new coach and former AFL player Shayne Breuer, defeated reigning premier Dimboola by five goals.
Breuer played 125 AFL games for Geelong and Port Adelaide between 1994 and 1999.
The Saints’ win derailed Dimboola’s efforts to get its season back on track after a shaky start.
“The Saints should be the ones who end up sixth (outside finals) on paper,” McQueen said.
“But Shayne Breuer has just turned them around.
“It’s a pretty different side to last year — there’s a lot of kids in there and he’s just got them playing good footy.
“I imagine he’ll be aiming for the next couple of seasons, not so much this year.
“They could make the finals (this season), but give them a couple of years and if the kids stick around, they’ll be a real force.”
McQueen said Minyip-Murtoa, sitting fifth on the eight-team table after an 83-point triumph over Stawell at the weekend, was “probably the second-best side”.
“And even Stawell; if they had a decent target upfront they’d be right up there with them.
“I was watching them against Dimboola a couple of weeks ago and they had as much of the ball and it was zipping up and down ...but they just couldn’t score.”
Two games next round could help shape the final five.
Minyip-Murtoa hosts sixth-ranked Dimboola at Murtoa in the WorkSafe Game of the Month on Saturday, with former Essendon champion Terry Daniher to speak at a luncheon before the game.
And Horsham Saints will play Horsham in the second half of the split round on June 29.
