Posted on 14 March, 2024
The Yarra Valley Waste Kilsyth Cobra VYC Men’s and Women’s teams have been announced for the 2024 Big-V season.
This years teams feature a combined 27 former and current Kilsyth junior athletes, highlighting the depth, development and pathway opportunities from the Junior Cobra program.
The Cobra Men boasts 10 returners from last years roster, which finished with the league’s second best regular season record and finished as championship runners-up.
2023 leading scorer Ben Bara, along with Isaiah Harvey and Wyatt Stewart lead a skilled backcourt group, and are well supported by returning wings Tom Ghosn, Nick Day, and Macauley Haig. Team MVP Lachie Vander Vorm and Hamish Macdonald headline the Cobras frontcourt following impressive 2023 campaigns, and are joined once again by Tom Carruthers and Sam Trezise. Exciting prospects Brody Hull and Isaac Ghosn round out the playing roster, making the full-time jump to VYC following a standout 2023 with the Cobras U18 program.
Seth McCubbin, Nathan Blackman and Hayden House – all members of the Cobras U20 state championship winning team in 2023 – will serve as Development Players for the 2024 season. Zach Moult returns for a fourth season as head coach of the Men, with Assistant Coaches Al McAughtry and Ben Ahale also returning to the sidelines.
The Cobra Women return six players from their 2023 team, and feature an injection of youth and talented prospects for the season ahead. Headlining the returning group is NBL1 Cobra and U20 state representative Hannah Day, alongside the speedy point guard duo of Olivia Jennings and Kiara Shae Ryan-Bader, while Katie Wilson, Caitlyn Shannon and Kayla Murphy are back to anchor the frontcourt following promising 2023 seasons.
Jade Grybas, Tasha Holly, Keely Pfander and Brylee Anderson complete the Cobras young, exciting backcourt rotation, while rounding out the frontcourt group is U18 Victorian Country State representative Lily Exton, and Mariah Derksen, who returns to Kilsyth following a US collegiate stint at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs.
Rick Foley will lead the Cobra Women for a second season, and is once again supported by Assistant Coach Michael Walsh and newcomer, Jennifer Rushgrove.
The Cobras tip-off their 2024 regular season on the road on Saturday night, with the Men heading to Ballarat to take on the Miners, while the Women take on the Waverley Falcons.
