Cobden wing attack Amy Hammond to line up in Hampden league grand final

Hammond hadn't expected to return to the Bombers' top grade side in 2023 but made a mid-season return following the birth of her second child, son Parker, in April.

Now, the mother-of-two - she also has Elsie, 21 months - is gearing up for Saturday's open netball decider against South Warrnambool.

She is determined to bring a maiden flag back to Bomberland after playing in two of their past three grand final defeats - 2018 and 2019.

"To win one with the girls at Cobden, it would be Cobden's first ever A grade premiership and it's been a long time coming," Hammond told The Standard. "I don't know if words could describe how good it would be."

The agile wing attack, who has speed to burn, returned to Cobden in 2023 alongside partner Jesse Williamson following a season at Colac in the Geelong Football League.

Hammond, who won the Hampden league best and fairest in 2019, said the move was spurred by "having a crack" at the GFL before Williamson's football connection lured them back to the Bombers.

Hammond's brother Jack also returned to the club - where their dad Stephen won a Maskell Medal - this year after three seasons at Tongala in the Murray Football League.

The 24-year-old made her long-awaited on-court return for Cobden against South Warrnambool in round nine - albeit in division one - before joining the open squad from round 12.

"I probably didn't think I'd be back in open, I thought I'd just stay in div one as I didn't know how my body would hold up after having my second baby... but it was fine," she said.

A runner, Hammond kept up the past-time throughout her pregnancy, making her speedy return to the court possible for someone who "hates watching netball on the sidelines".

"I had my six-week check-up after having the baby and they said 'yeah, you can ease back into it' and I think I played netball that week," she said with a laugh.

With fitness no issue, Hammond said she had to work to build back her strength.

"The first few games, I felt a bit weak," she said. "I think that's just from not playing for a while, my core strength was very weak but after a few weeks it got better and now I feel back to normal."

With Cobden goal attack Jaymie Finch playing alongside Hammond at Colac last season, it made the transition back into the Bombers' attack fairly seamless.

"We've got a good connection and hadn't really lost it because we've played together for a very long time now," Hammond said of Finch.

"Getting back and playing with her was good, it was quite easy, we can read off each other quite well."

Having played alongside several Cobden teammates in the past also helped.

"We've all played together at some stage, so we've all got a connection even if someone was away for a year," she said.

Hammond, who recently completed her teaching degree, said a similar start to the Bombers' opening quarter blitz against Koroit in the preliminary final was needed to topple South Warrnambool in the decider.

"If we come out firing like we did against Koroit, we should take it up to them," she said.

She is expecting the Cobden faithful to be loud and proud on Saturday as the club chases three netball flags.

"I think we've got three buses coming down," she said. "It's going to be a big crowd, Cobden are always great supporters.

"They'll be there nice and earlier and be there until after open."

The open grand final starts 1.45pm on Saturday, September 23.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: