A is for Ambition and A-Grade for the Cobras

Under the guise of club legend Michael Wines, the Old Yarra Cobras have set themselves the task of reaching the VAFA Women’s William Buck Premier section within 2 years. 

What might be considered by some as lofty standards. For the VAFA’s newly amalgamated club between Yarra Old Grammarians and Manningham Cobras it is well within reach. 

Wines joined VAFA Media’s For the Love of the Game podcast discussing how the women’s arm of the Old Yarra Cobras will be incorporated into the clubs new entity. It will all start this week at pre-season training, on the track “we’ll look to train once a week with the men in the pre-season, we’ll run some little drills to integrate the two teams because it is one club” he said. 

The decision to merge the two clubs allows Manningham to have a women’s team of their own, an exciting prospect for the Cobras. “I’m sure some of the girls are excited to meet some of the new guys and it’s great for the Cobras to have a women’s team as well” Wines said. 

After finishing the abandoned 2021 season with three wins and seven losses Yarra Old Grammarians again competed in Premier B Women’s in 2022, holding their own finishing outside the top four with six wins and eight losses. Natural progression, and improvement. As well as the benefit of playing consistent and regular footy. 

In 2023 they will remain in Premier B Women’s. Due to the merger, the Cobras will have uninterrupted access to Doncaster Reserve as their home ground without having to make way for the men’s side. Not only will the ground they call home be solely theirs, Wines sees it as an advantage to help grow the amount of players the Cobras can call upon with the intention to have a thirds side competing in the new year. 

“We get our mitts on our own home ground, we can train when we want, we’re looking to have three teams,” said Wines. 

The club has a positive winning record at Doncaster Reserve making the ground a fortress, and a nightmare for travelling clubs. In their Premiership year of 2019 they went through the home and away season undefeated at home.  

“We are a club that’s a family, that’s built on success, coming first and living those values…” Wines explained.

The eyes are on the prize firmly in 2023, the coach is confident he can lead his girls to the promised land again and achieving the goal the club has set for themselves “it’s only exciting times ahead, we’re aiming for Premier A, whether it’s next year or the year after we will make it.”

Read more about the how the merger between Yarra Old Grammarians and Manningham Cobras happened in 2022.