Expanding the playing field – Hockey Victoria’s bold ambition to grow the game

Hockey Victoria is in the final stages of refreshing its strategy and in the next month will release its plan to 'strengthen the core' and ‘expand the playing field’ over the next four years. 

The Melbourne Cobras initiative is part of our bold ambition to grow the game through Northwest Metropolitan and Regional Victoria over the next decade.

Inspired by the recent growth in hockey clubs and participants in outer suburban Melbourne and significant population growth projections in outer suburban and regional centres, the Melbourne Cobras initiative plans to accelerate both participation and community and commercial outcomes for the sport of hockey in Victoria.

The initiative, which includes working towards the establishment of a second Hockey One team in Victoria, aims to encourage aspiring women and men athletes across the fast-growing Indian diaspora to participate in hockey.

HV envisage the initiative will drive interest in partnerships and collaboration both locally and overseas, thus providing a platform for HV to generate new business and re-invest into the game here in Victoria.

Central to this vision is the planned development of a high-performance hockey centre in Cloverton. This facility, a collaborative effort between Mitchell Shire Council and HV, has the vision to serve as the home of the Melbourne Cobras and its associated pathway programs.

Quote from Tracey Drake, Hockey Victoria Chair:

“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.”

“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.”

See Labor’s press release here

Quote from Andrew Skillern, Hockey Victoria CEO:

“We 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.”

More information will come in the next few months regarding Hockey Victoria’s Strategic Plan 2025-2028 and the role the Melbourne Cobras will play in realising our vision.

About Hockey Victoria:
Hockey Victoria is the State Sporting Association responsible for the delivery of all Hockey in Victoria. We administer and develop competition and events for 15,000 participants from over 140 clubs across the state. With 90,000 registered participants nationally in 2024, hockey remains one of Australia’s most popular participation sports.

Additionally, HV manage the Men’s & Women’s Hockey Club Melbourne teams that play in the national Hockey One League. In 2024 HC Melbourne Men won the Hockey One title. The teams play in a series of home and away matches, one of the few competitions nationwide that boast both Men & Women featuring consecutively on the same day, every round. All Hockey One matches are broadcast live on 7plus offering great exposure for the sport.

About Hockey One:

Hockey One (H1) is Australia’s highest level hockey competition for both male and female players with a host of international talent across the league. There are currently seven (7) teams, each with a men’s and a women’s team playing under the same team name including Adelaide Fire, Canberra Chill, NSW Pride, Brisbane Blaze, Perth Thundersticks, Tassie Tigers and Hockey Club Melbourne.

The league which is now going into its fifth season is seeing a rise in international players, profile and broadcast. The games have been internationally broadcast across Asia, Africa, USA and the Middle East.

ENDS

Media Contact:
Patrick Rebakis
Hockey Victoria Marketing & Communications Manager
Email: prebakis@hockeyvictoria.org.au
P: 3 9448 2102