THE GRAND final has arrived for the 2025 Big V Youth Championship Women’s competition, with the Kilsyth Cobras set to go head to head with the Keilor Thunder for the ultimate prize this weekend, in a fitting conclusion to a close season.

Both the Cobras and the Thunder were dominant in their respective preliminary final wins last weekend, and will now play in a rematch of the qualifying final matchup between these two teams a few weeks ago, in which the Cobras were far too good, claiming a 33-point win at home.

Although Kilsyth will certainly enter the match as favourites given its home court advantage at Kilsyth Sports Centre and its performance the last time these teams met, big occasions such as a Grand Final can often yield strange results, and the Thunder have shown that at their best, they can take on anyone in the competition, but it will require that level of play.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will highlight a key player for each team, who will undoubtedly play a vital role in getting their respective teams to victory on the biggest stage, starting with a star guard for the Cobras.

Kilsyth Cobras – Hannah Day

Although her preliminary final performance may have been overshadowed by a whopping 25-rebound double-double from Lily Exton, Day still has the capability to tear games apart, and seems poised to do so tomorrow evening. She sets up Kilsyth’s offence, and is instrumental in getting the team’s production going on that side of the ball.

Day showcased her scoring ceiling the last time these teams played, dropping a game-high 28 points as the Cobras dominated the Thunder, with the star guard leading the way. She shot 10/15 from the field, but it was her efforts from behind the arc that proved defining, with day knocking down eight triples in a sharpshooting display that helped break the game open.

She was involved less as a scorer in the preliminary final, but was still impactful in other areas of the game, recording four rebounds and five assists to go with her 13 points, doing whatever the team needed to get over the line. If Day can reach the scoring heights of the last clash between these two sides, it will go a long way in Kilsyth lifting the trophy on Saturday night.

Keilor Thunder – Macey Boyle

The Thunder captain has set the tone for her side over the past couple of weeks, doing a bit of everything to breathe some life into her side after a disappointing start to their postseason campaign. Her return to the team has been a true turning point for Keilor, and if the Thunder are to get the job done on the big stage, she will have to be heavily involved.

Boyle missed the the first final against the Cobras, and her absence was notable, with the team lacking composure at times. The Thunder were convincingly overrun by the Cobras, but adding the captain back into the rotation will be huge for their championship hopes.

She returned to the fold in the semi finals, and made an immediate impact, stuffing the stat sheet with 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as the Thunder kept their season alive with a win over the Altona Gators. Although it was not her most efficient scoring night from the field, she was still able to have a well-balanced impact and lift her team to victory.

Boyle took things to the next level in their preliminary final clash against the Melbourne Tigers, proving a dominant force in the match and showing just how she can break a game open. The Thunder skipper posted 27 points (10/16 FG), 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in one of the best individual outings of the season. If she can continue to have such a balanced output, it will give Keilor a massive chance against the Cobras.