{"id":118711,"date":"2026-01-18T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballarat\/?p=118711"},"modified":"2026-01-14T21:05:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T10:05:30","slug":"old-and-young-are-fuel-for-cobras-excitement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballarat\/sport\/old-and-young-are-fuel-for-cobras-excitement\/","title":{"rendered":"Old and young are fuel for Cobras’ excitement"},"content":{"rendered":"
BACCHUS Marsh coach Dennis Armfield has expressed significant eagerness and confidence ahead of his players’ return to the training track on Monday night, building on past momentum and the integration of new recruits.<\/p>\n
The Cobras’ return comes after an invigorating pre-Christmas training block in which they averaged 60 players on the track, in part fuelled by the club’s first finals appearance last season since 2018.<\/p>\n
Into his third year at the helm at Maddingley Park, former Carlton forward and cult hero Armfield could not be happier with how the pre-season has unfolded to date.<\/p>\n
“If I am honest, the boys have really applied themselves \u2026 we’ve been averaging about 60 blokes at training most sessions pre-Christmas, which is a really good turnout considering cricket and other commitments,” Armfield said.<\/p>\n
“The good thing is I am into my third year, so the game plan now doesn’t need to be coached, it just needs to be fine-tuned and knuckled down on.<\/p>\nABOVE: After contesting BFNL finals last year for the first time since 2018, Bacchus Marsh is eager to take another big step forward in 2026. Photo: BACCHUS MARSH FNC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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“That makes the ability to get started and get going straight away a lot easier.”<\/p>\n
While the Cobras took great strides in Armfield’s second year, occupying a spot in the top six for the bulk of the year, finishing the regular season 8-10 (after four wins in 2024), and playing their first final in seven years against Melton, he is determined to not let complacency creep in.<\/p>\n
“My first year was a bit of a reality check \u2013 for me personally and probably for us as a club,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Last year, the steps that we took and what we saw with our old boys being able to step up and our youth starting to get that 20 to 30 games into them and realise they can play at the level now was really pleasing.<\/p>\n
“To get a taste of finals was a great reward for the hard work.<\/p>\n
“But we as a club are not silly enough to think that it will be handed to us again in 2026.<\/p>\n
“You look at the things that have been happening around our competition, it’s going to spice up again, which is what we want for the competition and the Ballarat Football Netball League.<\/p>\n
“It’s going to be another very competitive year and the gap from the top to the bottom is going to close again.<\/p>\n
“It’s going to be exciting to see where the cookie crumbles.”<\/p>\n
In a pre-season during which player losses have been limited and the Cobras have brought in a solid mix of youth and experience, including some former premiership players, Armfield is chuffed with his recruiting haul.<\/p>\n
Equally as pleasing is the progression of the Cobras’ homegrown youth.<\/p>\n
“A big song and dance can be made about recruits. I’m excited to have a mixture of returning players in the Griffiths brothers (Sam and Billy), coming back from Gordon. That just shows what we have been able to do culturally, to have guys want to come back,” Armfield said.<\/p>\n
“Hamish Coulton, a premiership player for us (in 2016) \u2026 it’s great to have guys like this coming back, plus Joel Freeman.<\/p>\n
“It was sad to see Joel go, but to have him back, you have four recruits that are all one-pointers, and that’s a nice spot to be in.<\/p>\n
“To have JT, Jaydn Trowsdale, back as well \u2026 he was part of that successful year \u2026 these guys have come back with that ‘we know what it takes to win’ attitude and that has really taken our young boys along with them.<\/p>\n
“We’ve also got Zach Vesty and Hugh Canning across as young guys who are looking to take their game to another level, so they are very hungry to make a mark.<\/p>\n
“As a coach, you lick your lips when you have excited, young kids coming in.”<\/p>\n
Emerging players tipped to take another step forward in 2026 include Ethan McKercher, who played 12 games including the Cobras’ final, and booted three goals in the round 18 win over Sebastopol that clinched a finals berth; Kade Hilton (five senior games last year, one reserves, six under-18.5); and Isaac Nixon, when not lining up with Werribee’s VFL team.<\/p>\n
With just a handful of senior appearances to his name over the last two years, Ben Locke has been one of the standouts on the training track, with Armfield describing his pre-season as phenomenal.<\/p>\n
Significant outs include Josh Goble and livewire Jake McCreery, who finished last season with 30 goals and 11 appearances in the Cobras’ best players, but who has returned to Adelaide ahead of the birth of his and partner Zoe’s child and has signed with Sunraysia league club Red Cliffs as a playing assistant coach.<\/p>\n
Armfield is rapt the Cobras have been given the honour of opening the season in a standalone Good Friday clash against East Point at Eastern Oval.<\/p>\n
As part of a partnership between the clubs, the Cobras and Kangaroos clashed on Good Friday last season at Maddingley Park, with East Point prevailing by 17 points.<\/p>\nINSET: 2016 premiership player Jadyn Trowsdale has returned to the Cobras following a stint in the Western Football Netball League that netted him team of the year honours and a club best and fairest. Image: SUPPLIED<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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It will be the first step in a season in which Armfield is expecting wins to be at even more of a premium than last year, with plenty of clubs making big moves on the recruiting front in what is sure to again boost the standard of the BFNL competition,<\/p>\n
“I’m just excited to be part of the competition, Armfield said.<\/p>\n
“Our boys are now hitting that mature age. I said when I took over that we were probably two or three years behind (2024 premiers) Melton in what they’ve been able to do and the experience they’ve got.<\/p>\n
“But I think we are starting to scratch the surface of that. Am I realistic and know we still have some work to do? Yes.<\/p>\n
“We are coming up [to] a Darley that lost just one game (in 2025) and coming up [to] an East Point that have been able to do it year-in, year-out.<\/p>\n
“They (East Point) have lost some players, but that doesn’t mean they can’t shake it still.<\/p>\n
“Then there is North Ballarat that have recruited very well and are coached by a very good coach.<\/p>\n
“Not only that, but a Sunbury team also that gets two of its stars back that they didn’t have towards the back of the year.<\/p>\n
“Redan is going to be a great unknown \u2013 they’re youthful and talented and their 18s and reserves are super strong. I won’t underestimate them.<\/p>\n
“Lakers have brought four or five in and what Rohan (coach Rohan Brown) has been able to do has been commendable. It’s an exciting competition.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BACCHUS Marsh coach Dennis Armfield has expressed significant eagerness and confidence ahead of his players’ return to the training track on Monday night, building on past momentum and the integration of new recruits. The Cobras’ return comes after an invigorating pre-Christmas training block in which they averaged 60 players on the track, in part fuelled […]<\/p>\n
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