Cobden unsure whether Mark Marriott will play at club in 2024

Bombers playing-coach Brody Mahoney confirmed Mark Marriott was the only player yet to have re-committed following a successful year that saw the club play and win a final for the first time since 2017.

Marriott, who returned to the Bombers last season after winning their best and fairest in 2021, played 10 games for the club in 2023 and was named in the best players on seven occasions.

He also played five games for Geelong's VFL side and represented the Hampden league in the under 23 match against the Ballarat league.

"He (Marriott) has finished at Marcus Oldham (agricultural college in Geelong) for this year, he's just weighing up a couple of options whether to go home or whether to hang around," Mahoney told The Standard.

"I'm not 100 per cent sure what he's planning on doing VFL-wise and all that kind of stuff. But he's got a few decisions that he needs to make, so we're just kind of letting him be.

"He's been away from home for a few years so it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up back in Benalla. They have a massive beef and crop farm I believe up there. He'd be probably hanging out to get back up, he's pretty close with his family so he's probably wanting to get back up there and dip the toes in the family business.

"We're kind of hoping as a club he hangs around for another year but it's just one of those ones. We probably won't know for quite a while."

Mahoney said his side was in the process of talking to potential recruits but hadn't added anyone yet.

"Now we're speaking to a handful of fellas that we think we'll need to take our squad to that next level," he said.

"It's been really good, been really positive the few guys that we've spoken to."

The Bombers mentor said the club had achieved its "main goal" of re-signing most of the club's youthful list from last season.

He pointed to the club's success at senior and reserve level as causes for optimism.

"We've got the list and the depth with our seniors and reserves both finishing off quite well," he said.

"I think there's 14 kids coming up from the 18s so that adds to more depth and quite a few of them are very handy under 18 players so that'll be quite good for us.

"It'll help push and drive our older guys in our seniors. Not that we've got an old list. There's one bloke over 30 next year."

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