By Colin MacGillivray

If Friday’s season-opening clash between Stawell and three-time reigning premier Ararat was anything to judge by, Wimmera Football Netball League spectators are in for a treat in 2026.

In front of a strong crowd at Stawell’s North Park, the Warriors shocked the Rats to win 11.20 (86) to 12.9 (81).

It was Ararat’s first home-and-away loss since June 2024 after the team went through last season undefeated before dropping a semi final against the Southern Mallee Thunder – eventually rebounding to defeat the Thunder in the grand final.

From early in the first quarter of Friday’s match, the Warriors made it clear they had come to win.

Bolstered in the offseason by the return of club stalwart and former coach Tom Eckell – who last year won a best-and-fairest award with St Albans in the Essendon District league – the Warriors won plenty of ball out of the middle.

However, the team struggled to finish off its strong play, kicking a wayward 2.8, while at the other end of the field Ararat capitalised on its opportunities with 2.1.

Stawell co-coach James Sullivan said he was unable to fault the effort of his players despite the early misses.

“I spoke to the boys at quarter time and just said ‘look, we’re doing a lot right – keep doing what we’re doing’,” he said.

“I didn’t want to be too down on the fact that we weren’t able to convert and I thought if we kept doing what we were doing, then those opportunities would come for us.”

The scoreboard started to look healthier for the Warriors as the likes of full forward Paul Summers and Harry Grintell – a recruit who only appeared once with Stawell last season amid duties with VFL side Werribee – began converting.

After leading by five points at half time, Stawell extended its advantage to 17 at the final change.

“We spoke at half time to address a few things that weren’t working for us. Obviously there was a lot that was going right, but we had a slight breeze in that third quarter that we wanted to take advantage of,” Sullivan said.

“I spoke to the boys about taking the game on – getting speed on the ball and moving it quickly to give the forwards a look.”

After Cody Driscoll kicked the first goal of the last quarter from point-blank range to extend Stawell’s lead to 24 points, the Warriors looked halfway home.

But inaccuracy reared its head again as the team was unable to close the door on Ararat, which surged through coach Tom Williamson and half-forward Brody Griffin.

Williamson’s game-high fifth goal brought the Rats to within eight points early in time on, and Hugh Toner had the reigning premiers within a kick when he goaled moments later.

But the Warriors defended superbly in a frantic final few minutes, forming a wall across half back and refusing to surrender any more deep forward entries to Ararat.

With recruits Sunny Brazier and Daniel Guccione featuring among Stawell’s best players, Sullivan said signs for this season were promising.

“They’re only going to get better each week. From the way we finished up last year, we knew what areas we needed to address and where we were lacking a little bit,” he said.

“We were pretty confident with what we’d done over the pre-season and in our practice matches, but until you start playing the real stuff and come up against a quality outfit like Ararat, you’re never too sure.”

In a blow to Stawell, half back Ethan Marrow suffered an ankle injury and is likely to miss at least one match pending the outcome of scans this week.

Stawell and Ararat will both have a break this weekend as the rest of the league’s teams kick off their seasons.

Plenty of intrigue will surround Nhill’s clash with Southern Mallee Thunder at Davis Park.

The Tigers were only one win from a grand final appearance last season and have recruited strongly, while the Thunder is firmly tipped to remain among the league’s top sides after a runner-up finish in 2025.

Other games will see the Horsham Saints host Warrack Eagles at Coughlin Park, and the Horsham Demons take on Minyip-Murtoa at Horsham City Oval.

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