Old Yarra Cobras Football Club Explained

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Clubname:Old Yarra Cobras
Fullname:Old Yarra Cobras Football Club
Nicknames:Cobras
Season:2023
Afterfinals:VAFA

2nd
VAFAW: 2nd

Home&Amp;Away:VAFA

3rd
VAFAW: 2nd

Topgoalkicker:VAFA

Jack Hall (38 goals)

Founded:19 September 2022
League:VAFA

Division 1
VAFAW: Premier

Coach:VAFA: Nathan Monaco
VAFAW: Michael Wines
Captain:VAFA: Nick Zappala
VAFAW: Hilary Donelan
Ground:Swan St, Southbank

The Old Yarra Cobras Football Club is an Australian rules football club that currently competes in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). The club was formed in 2022 following a merger of Manningham Cobras and Yarra Old Grammarians.

The club's men's team currently competes in Division 1 of the VAFA, while the women's team is in the Premier Division of the VAFA Women's (VAFAW) competition.

History

Manningham Cobras

The Manningham Cobras Amateur Football Club was formed in 1996 as the Bulleen Cobras following a merger of Canterbury North Balwyn United and Bulleen United.[1]

Canterbury North Balwyn United was formed in 1977 following a merger of Canterbury Presbyterian and North Balwyn. The new club joined the Eastern Suburbs Churches Football Association (ESCFA) the same year before later entering the VAFA in 1993.[1]

Bulleen United was formed in 1961 as Bulleen Presbyterian Methodist Football Club, nicknamed the Bulls, and entered the ESCFA. In 1975, the club was renamed to Bulleen United and joined the VAFA. Its first premiership came in 1978, with a victory in the F Section reserves grand final.[1]

In 1996, the two clubs merged and formed the Bulleen Cobras for the 1997 season.[2] The club changed its name to Manningham Cobras in 2009.[1]

Yarra Old Grammarians

The Yarra Old Grammarians Football Club, nicknamed the Bushrangers, was founded as the Yarra Valley Old Boys by former students of Yarra Valley Grammar in 1993. The club was admitted to the VAFA the same year, with Wayne Reddaway as senior coach and Jarrod Dickson as captain, joining the newly-formed F2 Grade.[3]

The club was renamed to Yarra Old Grammarians (also known as Old Yarra Grammarians) ahead of the 2017 VAFA season.[4] [5]

Merger and new club

Following the conclusion of the 2022 VAFA season, Manningham merged with Yarra Old Grammarians in order to keep both clubs viable on and off-field.[6] [7] On 19 September 2022, the formation of Old Yarra Cobras was announced.[8] [9]

In the club's first season in 2023, it made the Division 2 Grand Final but was defeated by Parkside by three points. However, the club was still promoted to Division 1 for the 2024 season.[10]

Seasons

style=background:#F0E68CPremiersstyle=background:#C0BFBDGrand Finaliststyle=background:#D0E7FFMinor premiersstyle=background:#96CDCDFinals appearancestyle=background:#FFCCCCWooden spoon

Men's

Seniors

YearDivisionCoachCaptainBest and fairestLeading goalkickerGoals
align=center 2023 align=center style=background:#C0BFBD; align=center 3rdalign=center 12align=center 5align=center 1Nathan MonacoNick Zappala;
Tom Bell
Jack Hallalign=center 38align=center
align=center 2024 align=center align=center TBAalign=center align=center align=center Nathan MonacoNick Zappalaalign=center align=center

Women's

Seniors

YearDivisionCoachCaptainBest and fairestLeading goalkickerGoals
align=center 2023 align=center style=background:#C0BFBD; align=center 2ndalign=center 15align=center 2align=center 1Michael WinesHilary DonelanIliana Zafirioualign=center 36align=center
align=center 2024 align=center align=center TBAalign=center align=center align=center Michael WinesHilary Donelanalign=center align=center

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Club history . Old Yarra Cobras . https://web.archive.org/web/20240610092749/https://oycfc.com.au/club-info/club-history/#canterbury-1945-1977 . 10 June 2024.
  2. Web site: A BRIEF HISTORY . Victorian Amateur Football Association . 9 June 2024 . 9 April 2009.
  3. Web site: Official Website of the Bushrangers. Yarra Old Boys Football Club . https://web.archive.org/web/20170411201031/http://www.yvobfc.com.au/ . 11 April 2017.
  4. Web site: YARRA OLD GRAMMARIANS . Australian Football . https://web.archive.org/web/20240610092411/https://australianfootball.com/clubs/stats/Yarra+Old+Grammarians/1786/2021 . 10 June 2024.
  5. Web site: Old Yarra Cobras . Victorian Amateur Football Association . 10 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240610093115/https://www.vafa.com.au/clubs/old-yarra-cobras/ . 10 June 2024.
  6. Web site: How the formation of the Old Yarra Cobras happened.. . Victorian Amateur Football Association . https://web.archive.org/web/20240526102303/https://www.vafa.com.au/news/2022/11/04/how-the-formation-of-the-old-yarra-cobras-happened/ . 26 May 2024 . 4 November 2024.
  7. Web site: Yarra Old Grammarians and Manningham Cobras set for merger . Herald Sun . 10 June 2024 . 5 September 2022.
  8. Web site: OLD YARRA COBRAS FOOTBALL CLUB . AFL Victoria . https://web.archive.org/web/20240526102535/https://cdn.aflvic.com.au/raw/old-yarra-cobras-fc-senior-assistant-coach-2024-2-1.pdf . 26 May 2024.
  9. Web site: Old Yarra Cobras get ‘reward for effort’ in debut match after merger off-season . Herald Sun . 10 June 2024 . 19 April 2023.
  10. Web site: 2023 Division 2 Men's . GameDay.