By Lauren Henry

Horsham Saints returned to the winners’ list with a three-point victory against Minyip-Murtoa in Wimmera football league action on Saturday.

Playing at Murtoa, the Burras kicked the first two goals of the match, but it was the Saints who came out firing in the first quarter.

Kicking with the aid of a slight breeze, the Saints took an 11-point lead into the first break.

Minyip-Murtoa hit back in the second term to reduce the margin to two points at half time.

Horsham Saints senior coach Ben Knott said it was a team effort from his young chargers.

“Both teams had their chances to win and we were fortunate enough to be the ones in front when the siren went,” he said.

“We felt we were sort of getting back to our best sort of footy, which we don’t think we’ve really played too much of this year.

“So that’s pleasing that we’re starting to find a bit of form.”

Knott hailed the performance of the tall yet mobile Cody Bryan in the ruck as key to the Saints’ win.

“Cody’s had a really good three weeks in the ruck,” he said.

“It’s probably not his natural position, but, out of necessity, we’ve had to throw him there and he took a couple of games to get into it, but he’s started to grab the opportunity with both hands and he’s leading from the front.”

Jordy Keyte, Sam Clyne, Mitch Martin, Gage Wright and Pat Knott were also important to the Saints’ performance, which keeps them in touch with the top five.

Knott said the Saints, who have been hit hard by injuries this season, would look forward to a week off with the general bye for the King’s Birthday weekend before tackling Dimboola the following weekend.

The Saints celebrated their club’s clean sweep of wins with a Hall of Fame night on Saturday evening, with three inductees celebrated – Phil Short, Leo McKinnon and Shayne Breuer, while Hall of Fame inductee Daryl Martin was elevated to legend status.

Another team to bounce back in round seven was Stawell, who thumped Warrack Eagles by 72 points.

The Warriors had 10 individual goal-kickers with James Sullivan, Marlon Motlop and Aiden Graveson among the best.

Stawell sits second on the ladder, only by percentage to ladder-leader Ararat, who scored a strong win against Dimboola.

After a close first term, the Rats kicked six goals in the second quarter to take a 28-point lead into the main break.

A steady, yet inaccurate in front of goals, second half sealed the win for the reigning premiers, who were led by Adam Haslett, Ben Taylor and Alex Van Opstal.

For Dimboola, coach Jack Landt, with four goals, was among the best, along with Andrew Moore and Dylan Landt.

Southern Mallee Thunder was too good for Nhill, taking a 45-point win at Davis Park.

The Thunder was 20 points up at half time before cruising to victory as Brad Lowe kicked four goals to be named best on ground, ably supported by the usual suspects in Sam White, Coleman Schache, Billy Lloyd and coach Kieran Delahunty.

For the Tigers, Jack Mason, Darcy Honeyman and their only multiple goal-kicker Daniel Batson, two goals, were the best.

This weekend is a bye for Wimmera league, before round eight on June 15 where Horsham Saints host Dimboola, Ararat play Nhill, Southern Mallee Thunder play Stawell at Beulah and Horsham travel to Warrack Eagles. Minip-Murtoa has another bye.

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