General News
7 April, 2021
Bombers ready for Eagles challenges
COBDEN coach Adam Courtney is looking forward to witnessing just how much development his young group has made this weekend.
COBDEN coach Adam Courtney is looking forward to witnessing just how much development his young group has made this weekend.
The Bombers open its 2021 campaign against North Warrnambool at Cobden Community Bank Reserve on Saturday, with Courtney looking forward to seeing how much his side has improved since it last featured competitively in 2019.
Having implemented a new game plan that season, Courtney said with a further two pre-seasons under its belt, Cobden could now hopefully see the fruits of his labour.
However, he knows the Bombers can expect the side’s game style to have both good and weaker moments, yet he was confident his group has a good grasp of what is required for it to succeed.
“It has been a long 18 months since we played but it’s given us two pre-seasons to work on our game style which we reckon we’ve got working pretty well,” Courtney said.
“We’re looking forward to now showcasing it and I think it will continue to develop over the season.
“We have a really tough first four weeks against four really good sides so we understand that there is going to be times that it is going to break down.
“But we’ve been working really hard on it and drumming into the players the style we want to play. We’re going to be pretty aggressive with that.”
Courtney said he expected the opening four weeks of the season to give his club a gauge of where it fits in the league’s pecking order.
He said the Bombers finished its more recent campaign in style but knows it was facing a litmus test of sorts early.
“We finished off 2019, even though it is a long time ago, winning three of our last five games and over that season the development of our game plan really improved as the year went on,” Courtney said.
“We’ve got good personnel back in the side but there’s nothing tougher than North Warrnambool up first and then a night game against Camperdown before we play the reigning premiers Koroit and then Port Fairy the following week.
“It’s going to be really good to see where we are at. If we can be two and two after those four weeks heading into the first bye we’ll be really happy.”
Meanwhile, the club’s open netball side will step out for the first time under mentor Sophie Hinkley against the Eagles.
Hinkley, who was set to coach last year before the season was cancelled, is expecting North Warrnambool to produce a tough test first-up for her squad.
She said both sides were talent-laden and matched up well against the other, with Cobden to use the clash to better determine where it currently stands.
“Obviously they’ve got more height at both ends than we do but other than that it will be a really great first high intensity hit-out,” Hinkley said.
“I always envisage North being one always pushing for finals and every time you play them they compete really well so it’s certainly going to be a great indicator for us.
“They’re always a fit and young team so it’s going to be a good one for us to gauge where we are at with our fitness and basic skills.”
Hinkley said the club was still yet to finalise its line-up but would take seven players into the contest.
She said selection would be based on training and practice match performances, adding it was likely the Bombers would blood youth in the opening round.
Hinkley said the addition of those younger faces was adding extra excitement within the playing group which is keen to get back on court for the first time in 18 months.
“I think we’re all in a bit of disbelief that netball’s about to be here,” she said.
“We got to training last week and we were all like ‘oh my goodness we’re playing netball next week’.
“We’re definitely excited and feeling very lucky that it’s come around. We haven’t had any spanners in the works too which has been good because it’s been a long time coming.”