The Rats have given themselves the best opportunity possible at a top three finish after beating a competitive Nhill side on Saturday.
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Ararat made the long road trip north in poor form, with three losses in its last four games and missing a significant portion of senior players.
“Going in with a fairly inexperienced side I was a little nervous,” Ararat coach Shane Fisher said.
“To hang on for another win was a great effort.”
The Rats got off to the ideal start against a dangerous Tigers outfit, booting four goals to one with the wind in the first term, with 10 scoring shots.
“It was pleasing to get off to a strong start. We had a much smaller midfield compared to some big bodies for Nhill so to get on top there early was crucial,” Fisher said.
The Tigers hit back in the second term but still trailed by 17 points at the major break.
Ararat got back on top again in the third quarter but inaccuracy in front of goal prevented the lead getting any bigger than 25 points.
The home side finished with a wet sail, keeping Ararat goalless but it was to no avail. Ararat came away with a 8.18 (66) to 8.7 (55) victory.
Jake Robinson, Harry Ganley and Riley Taylor all impressed Fisher while Cody Lindsay and Dylan Woods played their first senior games for Ararat.
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“To debut another couple of kids is great. That is about six kids we have debuted this year,” Fisher said.
It was the final home and away game of the season for the Rats who enjoy the bye in next weekend’s final round.
The Rats avoided major injuries yesterday and could welcome back a plethora of players into their side in the first week of finals.
They will be relying on Minyip-Murtoa to beat Horsham Saints to claim a top three finish. The Saints sit above Ararat by 14 per cent.
“The bye could not have come at a better time. We will be preparing for an elimination final but hoping the Saints slip up and let us back into the top three,” Fisher said.
“Our improvement has been huge this season and to go from three to 11 wins in one year is massive.”
Ararat has enjoyed a strong season in all football grades, with the under-14 and under-17 teams winning their respective minor premierships and the reserves finishing third.
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