A bold plan to bring Mitchell Shire, Cloverton and Australian hockey to the international stage has been concocted, with the announcement of a funding promise to help develop a high-performance hockey centre in the town central to plans announced on Thursday.
Through the strategy, the creation of the Melbourne Cobras would bring a national and an international audience to the town, through the Cobras’ entrance in the Hockey One competition – Australia’s premier domestic hockey league.
Founded in 2019, the competition currently has seven teams participating from across the country, but an eighth team would establish a cross-town rivalry with defending men’s champions HC Melbourne, as well as eliminate a bye as a result.
There are three competitions that comprise Hockey One, with the men’s and women’s playing to win their respective tournaments, while the combined scores of both teams are formatted for the One Hockey Cup.
Games are broadcast across Asia, Africa, the USA and the Middle East, as well as locally on 7Plus.
The strategy of bringing the Cobras into the competition would be an unique, Australian-first strategy.
The priority of the Cobras is to capitalise on the sport’s popularity in India, with a fast-growing Indian-based population in the north-western region of Melbourne central to the location of the proposed high-performance facility in Cloverton.
The establishment of the Cobras will aim to encouraging aspiring women and men in the Indian diaspora to participate in hockey.
Hockey coverage, particularly in the Hockey India League, saw over 40 million viewers tune in throughout India across the 2024-25 season, highlighting the sport’s popularity in the country, with Hockey Victoria and the Hockey One competition desperate to cash in to build their worldwide footprint.
It is the second major sporting facility to be planned in the Mitchell Shire in recent months, with Melbourne Victory in February announcing plans to build their high-performance facility in Beveridge.
If re-elected, the Albanese Government, in an announcement on Thursday, would contribute $500,000 to help Hockey Victoria establish the Cobras’ men’s and women’s programs across the next four years.
That will come as part of Hockey Victoria’s Strategic Plan, which is due to be released soon from 2025 to 2028, with the establishment of the Cobras playing a major role in the plan.
Member for Gellibrand, Tim Watts and Member for McEwen, Rob Mitchell, jointly commissioned the announcement with members from Hockey Victoria and Mitchell Shire Council CEO Mary Agostino.
Mr Mitchell says it was a historic moment for McEwen.
“I’m proud that Labor is supporting Hockey Victoria to establish international-standard Indian-Australian hockey teams – a fantastic initiative that will strengthen community ties through our shared passion for the sport,” he said.
“This is a further example of the Albanese Government’s commitment to Melbourne’s Indian-Australian community, while also creating an opportunity to host world-class sporting teams right here in McEwen.”
Mr Watts says the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games will play a major role in constantly building up the sporting community.
“In the ‘green and gold decade’ leading towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, sports diplomacy plays an important role in our engagement with our region, and particularly with India,” he said.
“The Melbourne Cobras will be an important platform for building relationships not just between professional hockey leagues in Australia and India, but also between the Australian and Indian people.”
Hockey Victoria Chair Tracey Drake says the Cobras initiative was something to be proud of.
“Melbourne Cobras is a first for sport in Australia. It is a genuine opportunity for us to work beyond our traditional networks towards a shared purpose, with government, commercial partners and other sports, for the benefit of hockey and the broader Victorian public,” she said.
“Today we welcome the Albanese Labor Government’s support of our vision with their election commitment of $500,000 towards the establishment of the Melbourne Cobras.”
Hockey Victoria CEO Andrew Skillern says the Cobras will be a ‘symbol’ of the region.
“Hockey Victoria would like to thank the Albanese Labor Government for their support of our vision to establish Australia’s first Indian-centric sports franchise. The Melbourne Cobras will become a symbol of aspiration to the fast-growing Indian diaspora in the north-west of Melbourne and regional Victoria,” he said.
