Football
30 May, 2025
Close contest expected between Burras and Saints
It'll be a battle between the fifth-placed Horsham Saints and fourth-placed Minyip Murtoa that could well be the game of the round for the Wimmera Football Netball League this Saturday.
The Burras hold the advantage, with a record of 3/2 and a bye, while the Saints are 3/3 this season.
Last Saturday, Minyip Murtoa got closer than any other team has this season to defeating the juggernaut that is Ararat, losing by just 20 points.
The Saints also had a win but against the Thunder by 37 points.
Coach of the Horsham side, Ben Knott, said Minyip Murtoa was a side that was not only strong but that had recruited well in the off-season.
"They are well-coached so they are always hard to play anyway, and now they have some offensive weapons too," Knott said.
"We are just looking for another challenge; we've had four weeks of close games so hopefully we can have another one.
"It is an interesting week, though, because there are four teams on 12 points and they all play each other.
"It'll shape the ladder a bit, this week."
After four matches having been decided by less than 20 points already this season for the Saints, Knott said it would be a bit better on the heart if they could have some more comfortable wins.
"But we take what we can get at the minute," he said.
"We have those close games against Dimboola and Stawell, and to be fair we had chances to win but there was a bit of pressure with a young group and we didn't handle it all that well.
"Dimmie and Stawell are experienced sides and got the better of us, and we learnt from that, got a close one against Warrack, which was pleasing, and then took that form into the Thunder on Saturday.
"We train for close games, though, put it that way.
"We think the competition is even and we are prepared for close games."