The Cockburn Cougars women have put themselves in a position to defend their NBL1 West championship with their charge getting underway on Friday night on the road to the Warwick Senators.
The Cougars made history last year by finishing in top spot in the women’s competition for the first time and going on to reach a first ever Grand Final, and topping it off with the memorable championship triumph.
Having that target on their backs this season has been a different challenge for the Cougars, but they have handled it well to finish the regular season in third position with a 16-4 record.
That has included winning eight of the last nine games of the season with the lone loss coming by just a solitary point against the regular season champion Rockingham Flames.
Now the playoffs get underway for Cockburn this Friday night up against the Warwick Senators on Friday night at Warwick Stadium. A win for the Cougars will mean they host a preliminary final next Saturday night while a loss means a home semi-final having earned a double chance.
HEAD COACH TYRONE THWAITES
Last year for the Cockburn Cougars was all about creating history and this year has been about dealing with having that target on their backs as defending champions.
Coach Tyrone Thwaites always knew it would be a different experience for the Cougars and it has had its challenges, but he likes the way they have handled it and grown throughout 2024.
“It does feel different to last year and I think that’s because we don’t have an underdog status anymore,” Thwaites said.
“Last year I think we were the team that probably surprised everybody and there was a sense of us proving ourselves in the playoffs. I still think we have a sense of proving ourselves, but we’re not coming from the position of an underdog and more of being the hunted from Round 1.
“That’s been a real challenge for us this year and one that I think we’re really risen to across the course of the season.”
Thwaites always knew there would be the natural challenges this year as defending champions, but it also took some time for the Cougars to get their line-up settled this season.
Daniel Raber did miss the first four games and Maria Blazejewski the first 11 while Steph Gorman also missed the first two, and Alex Ciabattoni three of the first six.
Jessie Edwards has then only been available for 12 of the 20 games while Jewel Williams and Regan Turnour-McCarty are the only two players who have been there for each and every match.
Despite that, the Cougars still finished at 16-4 in third spot and Thwaites liked the momentum they take with them into the finals.
“It has taken a little while to get to where we would have liked and that’s mainly driven because of personnel coming and going across those first six weeks especially,” Thwaites said.
“It made things very challenging for us but ultimately I think we have gotten better as the year has gone on and the games we’ve lost this year we still feel like we lost them ourselves as opposed to anybody actually beating us.
“The one exception might have been Willetton early in the piece, but the two Rockingham games and the Warwick one, we feel like we lost ourselves.
“We know what our best looks like and we think our best is the best in the competition, but it’s a case of us making sure that we are mentally focused and really disciplined when it comes to the playoffs.”
Looking at Friday night’s opponents the Warwick Senators, and Thwaites is fully aware of the challenge ahead of the Cougars starting with his battle with Brad Robbins in a match up of the last two winners of the Coach of the Year award.
While Thwaites will have his team focused on doing their best to quell the influence of Chloe Forster, Stacey Barr and Karly Murphy from the Senators, he knows they also can’t sleep on Nat Burton, Nicole Jorre de St Jorre, Kyana Weir and Izzy Miotti.
“You don’t finish 17-3 unless you’re good at basketball so they are a very good team and Robbo is as good as any coach in the league, and deservingly won Coach of the Year,” Thwaites said.
“I felt like he or Craig (Mansfield) were the two leading candidates and either of them would have been well deserved. He has also been great to coach against and he makes adjustments, he shifts and pivots, and we’re expecting the same sort of thing this week after playing them twice.
“They’re not an easy team to play and while we think we match up nicely against them, we do know that they have a big three and some role players. If you can navigate their big three and make them somewhat inefficient their role players have to be exceptional.
“That’s what we’ll be trying to do and we’ll try our best to make life difficult for Karly Murphy, Chloe Forster and Stacey Barr. We’ve had some success on Chloe and Stacey this year, but Karly is the one we have to deal with after having a really good, underrated year.”
CO-CAPTAIN JEWEL WILLIAMS
Cougars co-captain Jewel Williams has continued her growth into a standout all-round guard this season coming off her brilliant Grand Final performance last year, and has turned herself into an emerging leader too now 151 games into her NBL1 West career.
She’s now looking forward to getting the finals underway on Friday night, but there’s that natural trepidation about what lies ahead too.
“There’s definitely a mixture of excitement and anticipation coming into finals this year, especially considering our success last season,” Williams said.
“I think we are confident in ourselves and our abilities, but we understand the job that needs to be done isn’t going to be easy.
“We are just focused on building on what has worked for us, while making any necessary adjustments to our game to aim for another strong finals campaign.”
It hasn’t always been a smooth ride for the Cougars as defending champions this season but Williams has been impressed with the way they have overcome plenty to still finish at 16-4 and in third position.
While even coming off the championship last year, she has no doubt they have continued to grow in 2024 not only with the additions of Alex Ciabattoni, Daniel Raber, Regan Turnour-McCarty and Maria Blazejewski, but the growth within those championship players too.
“Finishing third with a 16-4 record is a reflection of our team’s resilience and adaptability,” she said.
“The second half of the season seen us really understand how to play with Maria and Dani, and integrating them brought a new sort of dynamic and strength to the group which has been really important in our success.
“Overall, the season has been very positive for us. We have had some tough losses, but it has led to significant growth as a group and there is a very positive momentum for us heading into finals.”
Williams is looking forward to the opportunity ahead for the Cougars this Friday night but at the same time fully aware of the challenge that the Senators present.
In the back court for her, that means she’ll spend time with some emerging stars like Chloe Forster and Kyana Weir, and the veterans Nicole Jorre de St Jorre and even two-time MVP Stacey Barr.
“Facing Senators on Friday is both a challenge and a big opportunity for us. They have such a strong core group and have had yet another successful season, so we are definitely locked in for this one,” she said.
“I think we’ve proven our resilience and capabilities throughout the season, and with the momentum we have been building together as well as some amazing performances across the playing group for the year, we are confident in our preparation and strategy.
“It’s a tough match up, but we’re ready to rise to the occasion and secure a home final.”
No matter what happens on Friday night the Cougars will have a home final next at Wally Hagan Stadium.
That will either be a semi-final to earn the right to play either Rockingham or Perry Lakes in a preliminary final or to go straight into hosting their own preliminary final on Saturday night.
Williams is looking forward to that home final but obviously is hoping it’s the preliminary final on the Saturday night.
“We would obviously love to win and secure a home final, and we aren’t really thinking about getting a second chance. It’s sort of an all or nothing game,” Williams said.
“Last season playing our finals at home was crucial to our success. You get to have a familiar environment, you don’t have to travel as far and we are lucky enough to get the support of the best fans in the league!
“Playing at home really boosts our morale and performance which makes it so important that we give our all in this game to secure ourselves a major advantage for the prelim finals.”
STAR CENTRE JESSIE EDWARDS
Cougars centre Jessie Edwards is now 206 games into her career in the NBL1 West and after being such a key part of the championship triumph last year, she is excited at the chance to try and go back-to-back over the next three weeks.
“It’s really exciting to be heading into finals again, we are all excited about the possibility of a back to back, but this year we are at a different position on the ladder, which is a great reminder of how hard we will have to keep working throughout this whole finals series,” Edwards said.
“There’s some great teams we will be playing against, including Warwick in our first match so we are going to have to bring it each and every game.”
Not only has this Cougars team of 2024 clicked well together once everyone has settled in to their roles and positions, but Edwards has no doubt how well they all get along with each other is a big reason for their success on the floor.
“Everyone in our team is so lovely, and having Dani and Maria join us and fit right in is exactly what you want,” Edwards said.
“I know Tyrone always recruits for personality as well as skills, so I wasn’t surprised when these two girls came in and were absolute ballers and also great people.
“Their unique skillsets really gives us a great boost and help us to be so competitive. I think we have a very strong bench, which is one of our biggest advantages.”
The first challenge this finals series for the Cougars is the Senators and Edwards is looking forward to that test.
“The match up with Senators is going to be a fun match to watch, I think they’re a great team with a lot of talented players and a smart coach,” she said.
“Each time we play them it’s a battle for both sides, and I think it won’t be any different on Friday.”
On a personal front, Edwards will be spending plenty of time matched up with former Perth Lynx/West Coast Waves teammate, her Lynx assistant coach and long-time rival Nat Burton.
Any time Edwards comes up against the for Opals Olympian and it’s a battle she looks forward to, and this week is no different.
“Another match up with Nat, I always enjoy playing against players who are around my height, I don’t get to do that very often!,” Edwards said.
“I always enjoy playing against Nat, I’ve known her since I was a development player and she was a player at West Coast Waves. I’m looking forward to playing against her again.”
