Bacchus Marsh is finding form at the right time of the season and is just a win away from a grand final appearance in AFL Goldfields Women’s Football League.
The Cobras entered the division 2 finals on the back of a bye in the final round, but had won their past three matches to finish third.
With a double chance in their hands, the Cobras had nothing to lose against Drysdale Hawks on Sunday afternoon.
The Cobras produced one of their best performances of the season, winning 6.14 (50)-1.4 (10).
The Cobras did most of the damage in the first half, kicking 5.7 to 1.2 to lead by 31 points at half-time.
Cobras’ coach Hayley Gossow was thrilled with the result.
“We had a real good win which was pleasing,” she said.
“We had a bye in the final round but played Drysdale the week before that so it’s a second straight time we’ve played them.
“They had beaten us twice, but we beat them by eight points and it gave us confidence.
“Everything just clicked today.”
Madalyn Clarke, who took out the division 2 leading goalkicker award, kicked three goals in the win.
Jacinta Reid, Clarke and Emily Crawford were named the Cobras’ best.
Gossow said Zhoe Clarke and Elise Korteman were also standouts.
The win is the Cobras’ first ever finals win. They lost an elimination final last year.
With all teams playing finals this season, Gossow said their aim had been to finish in the top three and earn a double chance.
Now she knows if they show the form they did at the weekend the side is a chance to make the grand final.
First they need to get past Carisbrook, who finished top of the ladder, only percentage ahead of Drysdale.
The winner of the semi-final goes through to the grand final, the loser to the preliminary final.
Carisbrook, which had a bye in the first week of the finals, had two losses for the season, the most recent in round 11 to the Cobras.
“We’ve only had one win against them, the last time we played them,” Gossow said.
“Anything can happen in finals like it was shown today.
“We’ll focus on this week and hopefully we can get another win.”
In other results, Gisborne easily accounted for Redan Gold in the elimination final, winning 8.2 (50)-0.2 (2).
The Bulldogs now face Drysdale for a spot in the preliminary final.
Meanwhile, Cobras duo Abby Bertram and Zhoe Clarke were named in the AFL Goldfields team of the year on Friday night.
The team is a combined division 1 and 2 team.
