Sport
27 February, 2026
GALLERY: Four just pipped at Country Week
The opening day brought a mix of early nerves and quick adjustments.
LONG rallies and plenty of laughs defined Country Week 2026, with four St Arnaud teams producing a remarkable collective performance across five gruelling days of tennis.
St Arnaud Men’s, St Arnaud Reserves, Better After Dark and St Arnaud BOAT all flew the flag proudly, each reaching the finals stage after a tournament full of tight sets, heat-soaked afternoons and momentum swings.
The opening day brought a mix of early nerves and quick adjustments. The Reserves settled quickest, edging out Mt Prospect Old Timers in a narrow finish, while the Men’s team pushed quality opposition before falling short in a string of close contests.
The BOAT women announced themselves immediately, sweeping past Cobram to finish day one on top of the ladder. Better After Dark began with a sharp three-sets-to-one win, signalling they would be a genuine threat.
As day two unfolded, consistency became the key. The Reserves held their nerve in tight moments to stay in the hunt, while Better After Dark rebounded strongly to upset the ladder leaders in the morning before storming into the top four that afternoon. St Arnaud BOAT also dug deep late in the day to record a vital overall win.
With temperatures soaring to 40 degrees, day three was postponed. The enforced rest proved valuable, with all St Arnaud teams returning refreshed for Thursday’s resumption.
The Reserves produced one of their finest displays to lock in second spot and a semi-final berth behind composed doubles teamwork. The BOAT women mirrored that result, finishing runners-up in their section on the back of accurate lobs, steady placement and strong team harmony.
Better After Dark thrived once finals began, surviving a tense semi-final full of momentum shifts to earn their place in the grand final. The Men’s side also peaked at the right time, combining improved team combinations with growing confidence to squeeze into finals action.
In a stunning overall achievement, all four St Arnaud teams made the finals.
Silverware, however, remained just out of reach. The margins were agonisingly small -
Better After Dark lost the grand final by four games, St Arnaud Reserves were beaten by just two games,
St Arnaud Men’s and St Arnaud BOAT fell short by a single game each.
Across all four finals, St Arnaud sides were edged by a combined total of only eight games, underlining how fiercely contested the week had been.
Read More: Local