PREMIERSHIP contender Cobden has consolidated its credentials after welcoming midcourter Alicia Blain back into the line-up.
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Blain played her first open-grade game of the season on Saturday against Warrnambool after recovering from off-season surgery.
Cobden coach Sophie Hinkley said Blain, who plays alongside sister Sophie, gave the Bombers a boost in their 55-36 win at Reid Oval.
"She had broken her ankle in our trials in December," she said.
"It was a longer recovery for her than we were anticipating so it was great for her to come back and give us that flexibility."
Warrnambool threw the challenge down to Cobden in the first half.
The Blues were just two goals down at quarter-time and one at the main break before the Bombers kicked away.
"We did have to work hard. We had things that had been working really well for us in previous games that weren't working as well," Hinkley said.
"It was a great opportunity for us to show that depth and different options we have and for us to problem-solve on the court.
"It was a really beneficial game for us to work through."
In-form Warrnambool goal keeper Amy Wormald caused headaches for Cobden.
She kept Emily Finch quiet in the first half before the goal shooter spent the third quarter on the bench.
Hinkley teamed with Jaymie Finch that term before Emily was injected back into the contest.
"Em came out in the last quarter and adapted and worked through that," she said.
Meanwhile, Koroit overcame a four-goal three-quarter-time deficit to defeat North Warrnambool Eagles 41-39.
Saints co-captain Kasey Barling said it was a special result.
"We were down by six at some stage. It felt like a final - there was a big, loud crowd there for both clubs," she said.
"Momentum kept shifting but I am really, really proud of how both teams played considering we had a few changes we don't normally have."
Co-captain Molly McKinnon missed with an ankle injury and goal shooter Nell Mitchell played but was recovering from illness.
"The silver lining was Indi O'Connor stepped up and played in that goal attack role and she was just incredible," she said.
"Thirteen years old and she held her own and played four quarters in goal attack and we made a change in goal shooter as well and brought Lou Brown on in the last quarter for a different match-up and that also paid off as well.
"Ash Evans came on in centre at one stage as well. We had changes and it just showed the depth of our team is really great."
Barling said the Saints' composure stood out with a teenage attacking half.
"I was just so proud of them. They would've been nervous. It was close for the entire game and would've come down to right at the end," she said.
"We only got the lead in the last few minutes and for them to not throw the ball away in the last few minutes was awesome."
In other games, ladder-leader South Warrnambool defeated bottom-placed Portland 70-30 and Hamilton Kangaroos accounted for Terang Mortlake 69-43.
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