Australian Football

Bacchus Marsh

The current incarnation of the Bacchus Marsh Football Club, known as the Cobras, was formed in 1979 when Ballarat Football League club Maddingley merged with Bacchus Marsh of the Ballarat and Bacchus Marsh Football League (BBMFL). Both of those clubs trace their history to the 1910s, and both competed in the Bacchus Marsh Football League from 1913 until 1972, when they joined the Ballarat Football League.

Initially known as Maddingley-Bacchus Marsh the ‘Maddingley’ part of their name was dropped in 1983. The seniors went close to claiming a flag in both 1995 and 1999, when they contested the grand final only to lose to North Ballarat and Sunbury respectively. The under eighteens won the club’s first premiership at any level when they went top in 1987. Finally, in 2016, the Cobras broke through for a first ever senior grade premiership when they trounced Sunbury in the grand final by 55 points, 13.21 (99) to 5.14 (44). A year later they again made it as far as the grand final but opponents Darley proved to have their measure and triumphed by 50 points. This was followed by a drop to fifth place in 2018 and a wholly disquieting drop to last place after a winless 2019 campaign.