A 10-goal haul to coach Tom Williamson propelled Ararat to an ominous 106-point win over Southern Mallee Thunder in a one-sided round of Wimmera league football.

The Rats, who finished the game with 40 scoring shots to 19, scored a percentage-boosting win that has resulted in reclaiming top spot on the ladder.

The Rats shot out to a 19-point lead by quarter time, with Williamson opening his account early in the match at Alexandra Oval.

He booted two goals in the first and second quarters, before kicking just one in the third, and then piling on five majors in the last term, when the match was a foregone conclusion.

Ararat, through the work of ultra-consistent midfielder Ben Taylor, the talented Naish McRoberts and stand-in ruckman Baydn Cosgriff held a commanding 49-point lead at half-time.

Williamson told 3WM Local Football Live it was the first time the Rats had put together four quarters of footy – and in a scary proposition for the rest of the competition, still have at least two key players in forward Tom Mills and usual ruckman Cody Lindsay to come back into the side.

Williamson was quick to acknowledge the Rats’ midfield who set him up perfectly with plenty of inside 50s to take advantage of.

But it was the Rats’ defenders who Williamson praised most.

“Obviously going into the game – they’re a very strong clearance side – they’ve obviously got a pretty handy ruckman in Kieran Delahunty so we knew they were going to get the ball in there through clearance and I thought our backs’ ability to compete and then our spread off them and our ability to make Alexander Oval big, they just couldn’t defend off the back of it and a lot of our ball movement just opened up off the back of that,” he said. 

Williamson said the three games ahead before finals facing Nhill, Minyip-Murtoa and Horsham Saints would be the perfect lead into this year’s finals series.

“ We’re building in our back half of the year. We’re going to get all our players back and to have strong competition is exactly what we want,” he said.

For the Thunder, who was best served by Harry McLeod, Angus McSweyn and Billy Lloyd, they will look to quickly move on and focus on this Saturday’s game against Warrack Eagles, who will also be smarting from a loss to Horsham Demons.

It was anyone’s game in the first half, albeit the Demons did not capitalise in the second half, kicking one goal, six points against the home side’s one goal.

But Horsham took its chances in the third term, outscoring the Eagles 20-3, before continuing on in the final term to win 60-25.

In other games, Nhill was far too good for Dimboola, taking home a 104-22 win.

Lachlan Gill, Xavier Bone and Darcy Honeyman were standouts for the Tigers, with Frazer Driscoll and Drew Schneider booting three goals each.

Stawell held onto third spot, four points ahead of Nhill, with a 75-point win over Minyip-Murtoa.

Cody Driscoll and Paul Summers kicked five goals each but it was Josh Fowkes, Tom Eckel and Zac Marrow who impressed most as the Warriors led all day.

Oscar Gawith with six goals, along with Nic Ballagh and Lachie Johns put in solid efforts for the Burras, who, along with Dimboola, are yet to score a win in season 2026. 

The Burras and the Roos, who drew last time they played, face each other this weekend, while Horsham Saints come off a bye to host Stawell.

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