The Rats have yet to win a game so far this season and are currently sitting second last on the Wimmera Football League ladder. 

The injury list is long after just six rounds of football, much to the despair and frustration of Rats coach David Hosking. 

“It’s nobody’s fault, where we’ve ended up,” Hosking said. 

“It just worries me that we’ve got a lot of younger players and this is denting their confidence when it shouldn't be.” 

Hosking made it clear that he didn’t want to make excuses for the losses, but he did point out the effect they are having on the younger Rats’ brigade. 

“Liam Arnott, Aussie Hamilton, Josh Driscoll, Tom Mills – all of these kids have played less than 10 senior games,” the Rats’ coach said.

“The reality is they’re not quite ready for it yet. I really feel for them, it’s not their fault.” 

Joining that extended injury list on Saturday was Gordon Laurie, a player the Rats really couldn’t afford to lose. Usually a forward player, Laurie was outstanding as a ruckman the week before in the absence of Andrew Pickles. 

Again standing in for Pickles, Laurie broke down with a hip flexor injury at the end of the first quarter. The impact was felt throughout the rest of the match.

The Rats led by a goal at half-time before a tight tussle in the third term saw Warrack Eagles level the scores at three-quarter-time. Warrack Eagles booted three goals to one in the final term to run out winners, 11.9 (75) to 9.6 (60). 

Jack Ganley and Lachie Hamilton managed to bag four goals each for the Rats while Jake Robinson received best-on-ground votes. Ganley along with Stephen Phillips, Dan Mendes, Alan Batchelor and James Laidlaw all stood tall on what was a tough day in Warracknabeal.  

Hosking is taking some heart from his side’s performance during this season, despite the string of losses. 

“If you look at those six losses, only those against Minyip-Murtoa and Stawell blew out. The other four were not massive,” he said. 

“It’s not like we’re being killed each week. If we hadn’t had those injuries prior to, or on game day, we could have won those. 

“But that’s footy. We’ve got to understand that, work with it without getting down in the mouth about it.”