Cobras turn focus to breaking another drought

BACCHUS Marsh will ride a wave of support and excitement into its first BFNL A-grade netball final in six years this weekend against North Ballarat

The Cobras – the Cinderella story of 2025 – will be making their first finals appearance since 2019.

It follows a remarkable season in which they broke droughts on a regular basis following a string of winless seasons.

The Cobras had not won an A-grade game in six years before their one-goal breakthrough in round two against Redan.

Even then they had to wait, with the result not finalised until the Monday night after the game, after a scoring glitch was uncovered.

Having wound up their home and away season commitments with a hard-fought 48-35 win at Sebastopol, giving them 10 wins in total, the Cobras are primed for their Sunday showdown against the Roosters at Eastern Oval.

It’s the moment the Cobras and their coach Nichole Gleeson have been waiting for since officially sewing up their drought-breaking finals berth with a round 15 win against Melton.

“I definitely had all confidence that our girls had what it took to get to finals,” a proud Gleeson said after last Saturday’s hard-fought win.

“Where we go from here, we’ll be happy with whatever happens, to be quite honest.

“We’ve worked so hard for this moment – we’ve come from the bottom, but have worked so hard at it.

“We’ve run out full 60-minute games each week.

“These girls are winners in my eyes, even before we get to finals. I couldn’t be more excited.”

The only downside for Gleeson is the absence of injured pair, wing attack Kaila Saker (fractured finger) and mid-season recruit Melissa Prismall.

“It’s been another hurdle we have had to overcome, but the adjustments the girls have made is a credit to themselves,” she said.

“Those injuries unsettled us a bit at times, but we are a strong group.”

The Cobras’ trademark fighting spirit was again on show last Saturday, as they fought hard to brush off a spirited Sebastopol, who led 10-8 at quarter-time and trailed by only two goals (22-20) at half-time.

They found their groove in the third quarter, setting up a match-winning break with a 14-3 term.

 

“The girls were a bit nervous to begin with; we didn’t exactly know what we were coming up against,” Gleeson said.

“We have been watching Sebas’ progress through the season and they have done well.

“But I thought we got the momentum back in the second quarter and were strong from there.”

Centre Ally Keating was a clear standout for the Cobras, while Kimberly Phillips led all scorers on court with 31 goals at 84 per cent.

In the absence of Saker and Prismall, Holly Keating made the move from her preferred wing defence position to assume the wing attack role and had her usual strong influence on the game.

Keating, the Cobras’ captain, who followed her coach to Bacchus Marsh this season from Melton, said she was ‘overwhelmed’ to be playing finals.

“To come from the bottom to fifth is unbelievable,” she said.

“The support for us from Bacchus Marsh is unbelievable; they are just such a beautiful club.

“They really get behind us.”

The dependable and versatile 24-year-old said the trust in each other and the belief in their ability to play finals had driven the Cobras all season.

“You have to be confident. I’m very proud of the girls,” Keating said.

“We’re hopeful. I think we will be very competitive against North.

“Either way it will be a good experience for us.”

North Ballarat holds a 2-0 edge over Bacchus Marsh this season, winning by 11 goals at Mars Stadium in round five and by four goals at Maddingley Park in round 12, after the Cobras led by two goals at three-quarter-time.

In other week one finals, top-of-the ladder Sunbury and Darley clash on the Devils’ home court and Redan and Lake Wendouree meet at Bacchus Marsh, with both games on Saturday.

Aiming to go back-to-back, Sunbury warmed up for its finals campaign with a 107-24 triumph over Melton.

The win was highlighted by a personal milestone for Lions goal shooter Bec Hicks, who registered her 1000th goal.

Week one finals tips: Sunbury, Redan, Bacchus Marsh.