By Colin MacGillivray

Southern Mallee Giants sent a warning to the rest of the Wimmera Football League by leaving Horsham in the dust at the weekend.

Led by coach Coleman Schache and a four-goal performance from Josh Webster, the Giants quickly overcame a three-point quarter time deficit to win 15.14 (104) to 7.5 (47) at Horsham City Oval.

The visitors piled on 13 goals to four after the first break, with Schache and Webster joined by other standout performers Lou White and Leigh Stewart.

Aiden Yelland equaled Webster’s tally with four goals.

For the Demons it was defender Ben Lakin who stood up as his side struggled. Lakin has been a clear standout in an otherwise tough year for Horsham, alongside coach Deek Roberts.

Roberts kicked three goals but finished the game on the bench after being hurt in a tackle.

The game highlighted the vastly different trajectories of both sides, with the Giants now having won four of their past five matches and the Demons having lost four of their past six.

Horsham is now in real danger of dropping out of the top five, leading sixth-placed Horsham Saints by only about two percentage points.

The Saints did their own finals chances no harm with a 10.11 (71) to 6.6 (42) win against Nhill. Recruit Angus Martin had his best game in a Saints uniform with five goals, stretching the Nhill backline with his height and power.

Coach Luke Fisher also hit the scoreboard while Alexander McRae played one of his best games of the season.

Ben Jones, Darcy Honeyman and a three-goal performance by Scott Hughes led Nhill’s effort.

Warrack Eagles suffered a similar fate to the Tigers in their match against Stawell.

The match was poised to be an arm wrestle with both sides kicking 3.3 in the first quarter, but the Eagles were unable to produce another goal for the rest of the match.

Big-bodied Warrior Tom Taurau was given free reign across the ground and put his stamp on the game with four goals in the 17.12 (114) to 3.11 (29) win.

Also kicking multiple goals for Stawell were Cody Driscoll, five, David Andrivon, three, Jay Moody and Tom Eckel, two each.

Jake Peters kicked two of the Eagles’ first quarter goals, with the other coming from coach Ryan McKenzie in a best on ground performance for the team.

Ararat overcame a spirited Dimboola in the final match of the round, riding the momentum of a four-goals-to-one first quarter to an 11.12 (78) to 9.5 (59) win.

Midfield-forward Jack Ganley was at his best with three goals, taking his season tally to 19. Also prominent were midfielder Daniel Mendes and forward Cooper Heard, who booted two goals.

Matthew Rosier and Mitch Jorgensen helped keep the Dimboola scoreboard ticking with two goals each, while small forward Darcy Dubois and midfielder Ben Miller were both in the action.

The 1-10 Roos will host the slumping Eagles at the weekend with a rare chance to get another win on the board.

Southern Mallee Giants will try to sustain the momentum of their win against Horsham as they take on undefeated Minyip-Murtoa at Hopetoun, Horsham will travel to Stawell’s Central Park and Ararat will be at home to Horsham Saints. Nhill has a bye.

Dimboola kept a faint glimmer of hope for a 2019 Wimmera Netball Association finals berth alive with an impressive upset win against Ararat on Saturday.

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