Cougar warrior returns as a super mum

Featured image: @tomreesmedia

Nobody would have batted an eyelid had Taryn Priestly ended her NBL1 West career just shy of 350 games following the 2024 Grand Final and then becoming a mum, but she is such a competitive beast she wanted to show she could return with Cockburn Cougars.

After returning to Cockburn in 2024 for the first time since 2018, she achieved life membership by reaching 200 games with the Cougars while going on to be part of the team that played in the 2024 Grand Final against the Rockingham Flames at RAC Arena.

That was the 349th game of her SBL/NBL1 career that started back in 2007 with the Willetton Tigers as a 17-year-old where she played the first 67 games before coming to the Cougars for the first time in 2010 on the back of becoming a championship winner the season before.

She stayed with Cockburn up until the end of 2018 before again spending some time away from Wally Hagan Stadium and winning another championship with Willetton in 2021 ahead of two seasons with the Lakeside Lightning.

She then came back to the Cougars in 2024, achieved life membership to get herself up on the wall at Wally Hagan Stadium and then be part of a Grand Final at RAC Arena even if the result didn’t quite go her way.

But by the end of 2024, Priestly had no idea if she would play basketball at the level again and had another lifechanging event to focus on as her and partner Daniel Whitfield welcomed their son, Kanoa, into the world last June.

Just to be back playing again having hit the floor six times including a high of 16 minutes back on Saturday night when her milestone was celebrated for four points, five rebounds and two assists means she's made the right call to come back as a mother.

"It felt amazing. I'd never forgotten how much I love playing basketball," Priestly said.

"I always knew I wanted to return after having a baby, but I also knew it would be a journey with challenges that I'd need to overcome first.

"Once I started feeling like myself again and gained clarity about what I wanted, the decision to return was an easy one."

Coming back as a mother

When Priestly found out that she was having a baby, everything that went along with that was rightfully her focus and she didn’t think too much about getting back to play basketball at NBL1 level would be in her future or not.

She had no idea how her body would bounce back physically or how she'd feel mentally or emotionally, and quite simply if she'd even be able to find time to dedicate enough energy into getting back to being able to play basketball at NBL1 level.

However, Priestly did feel like she had more basketball left if it could all work together.

"I always knew my priority would be my baby. When I was pregnant, I wasn't putting any pressure on myself to decide whether I'd return to basketball," Priestly said.

"My focus was simply on doing what was best for my family and then reassessing when the time felt right.

"I never felt like I was finished with basketball. I just wanted to make sure that if I did come back, it would work for our family.

"Once I felt comfortable with how things were going at home, I started thinking more seriously about returning, and it became clear that I could make it work."

Life as a mum the last 13 months

After Kanoa was born on June 16 last year, Priestly has no problem saying that now being a mother to her son is the greatest thing to happen in her life, but she's thankful to all the support she has too.

"I'm incredibly lucky to have such a supportive network around me, and that includes my Cougar family," Priestly said.

"Being a mum is genuinely the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. Kanoa is my world, and becoming his mum is the best feeling I could ever ask for.

"While it certainly comes with its challenges, I wouldn't change it for anything."

Celebrating 350-game milestone

Priestly has now become the 16th player to reach 350 games in the women's SBL/NBL1 West and the first since Kate Fielding reached the mark at the South West Slammers early in 2025 – before Priestly had even become a mother.

Now that she has reached the mark since her return and had the milestone celebrated at Wally Hagan Stadium last Saturday with her family and friends there for the occasion, it did offer a chance to reflect on the nearly 20 years since her debut at the level.

"It's been a really nice reminder to reflect on my career and the impact basketball has had on my life," Priestly said.

"I feel incredibly lucky to have played alongside some amazing people and some of the best players in the world.

"Saturday night was so special. A huge thank you to my Cougar family for making it so memorable—from Russ' (coach Russell Hann) heartfelt speech to my manager Lozzy (Lauren Musto), my captain Jewels (Jewel Williams), and the team for making me feel so loved.

"Having most of my family there to share the moment made it even more meaningful. They've been my biggest supporters throughout my entire basketball journey."

Creating a lifelong memory with son

The other great benefit out of the Cougars celebrating Priestly's milestone when they did on Saturday was that it allowed her to do it with her son.

Priestly ran out with Kanoa and had him there with her post-match. It's something that she'll never forget and she'll be able to show him as he grows up to make sure he doesn’t either.

"I'm so grateful to my manager, Loz, for encouraging me to run out with Kanoa," Priestly said.

"He was absolutely in his element, and so was I. It's hard to put into words just how special that moment was.

"It's a memory I'll cherish forever. Thanks, Loz! And thank you to Tom for capturing it all on film!!"

Rejoining top ranked defending champs

After giving birth 13 months ago, Priestly has been able to be back with the Cougars for most of 2026. If she was going to make her return to NBL1 level, she was never going to do it anywhere else.

After all, Alex Ciabattoni was still with the team at that time and she's gone through that motherhood journey, Darcee Garbin was also following a similar timeline to Priestly in her return, and then it's just where she wanted to play on a basketball sense.

Her last game up to that point was her 349th in the league that came in the 2024 Grand Final. Priestly knew that she didn’t want that to be last game and hopes if they get to a fourth straight decider in 2026, she can win a first title with the Cougars for her career.

"I've been back with the girls for a little while now, gradually working my way back to full fitness and form," Priestly said.

"From a basketball perspective, we all play because we genuinely love the game, but ultimately we're here to win a championship.

"I'm excited for what's ahead and looking forward to staying focused on our goal as we head in to playoffs."

How far the Cougars have come

Even though Priestly did start her career with Willetton and has won two championships there and she also enjoyed her time at Lakeside, it is Cockburn that will always have her basketball heart.

From a personal front, that's why she was so proud to earn life membership two years ago, but in the bigger picture, she couldn’t be happier how far the club has grown and turned themselves into a women's powerhouse.

There were a lot of lean years for the Cougars in the women's SBL, but they have now have played in the last three NBL1 West Grand Finals for championships in 2023 and 2025, and Priestly loves seeing how far it's come.

"From the moment I joined Cockburn, I could see the direction the club was heading," Priestly said.

"I've always believed Cockburn is an elite club with a strong culture, and it's been rewarding to see all the hard work and commitment translate into results.

"It's a great reminder that success is built over time, and we're seeing that come to life."