Geelong Venom go 1-4 to start WNBL season after a 61-86 defeat by Townsville Fire
Geelong Venom has fallen to its fourth loss, and third at home, to start the season, as an experienced and deep Townsville roster exposed the fledgling franchise’s current circumstances.
A six-and-a-half minute blitz led by Gemma Potter breathed life into Geelong Venom’s clash against ladder-leaders Townsville Fire.
Trailing by as much as 20 points in the second quarter, Potter helped orchestrate a hot run to open the second half, as the Venom got back within three points.
Potter collected 10 points, two offensive rebounds which led to second chances points, two steals, and an assist to set the tone among a more animated Venom side, as US import Mackenzie Holmes continued putting up points in the paint.
But for all the excitement of the third term, Friday night was a timely reminder Geelong Venom isn’t there yet in their second year, now 1-4 overall and 1-3 at home this season, after the 61-86 defeat.
Rookie point guard Lilly Rotunno told this masthead earlier in the week the Venom went in with the belief they can win any game.
Just how true that would be against Townsville Fire, only they’ll know.
Regarded as the team to beat and a title frontrunner before the season even tipped off, a win over the Fire would only ever be considered an upset.
Injuries undoubtedly are hurting the Venom’s current cause, their depth challenged with Shyla Heal (knee) and Alissa Pili (ankle) still sidelined, and Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard missing again on Friday – this time through illness after missing last round with concussion – though the Fire too were without Chantel Horvat (broken wrist).
Slow starts have been the Venom’s Achilles heel early this season, and while it was less evident in the opening minutes against Fire – the Venom able to stay within a point for the first five minutes – it was the second five minute block where it appeared to fall apart at the seams.
Left fumbling the ball, and picking themselves up off the floor several times in the face of a relentless Fire defence, their own defence gave up a handful of open shots to the Fire both at the rim and beyond the arc.
“We were, I thought, really soft in a few areas, our coverages weren’t on point and we let them dictate to us,” Venom coach Chris Lucas, who registered his 400th WNBL coaching appearance, lamented post-match.
The Venom had their shots, but it was without the same high level of execution and self-assurance the Fire brought to the floor.
There were moments of promise and resilience, a Jaz Shelley three attempt missing but the 24-year-old attacking her own offensive board to set up and assist a Holmes’ lay-up.
Rotunno’s intent to drive and attack the basket should be commended, the facilitating point guard candid in her own admission she was not where she’d like to be as a scorer, but at 21, and in her first contracted season in the WNBL, those shots will fall in the future – while a buzzing-beating lay-up to close the first quarter was a highlight.
Down 10 at the first break, and 18 at half time, the Venom injected a hint of belief among the 1110 fans at Geelong Arena with their hot third term, but a series of triples from the Fire – led by Miela Sowah, who went 5-9 from the three-point line – took the sting out of their run as the visitors regained control.
“The third quarter, we held them to 17 points, and they’ve got 14 points off offensive rebounds – that has to stop,” Lucas said.
“We really effectively gave them momentum back.
“Our effort in the third quarter was tremendous but we can’t continue to give up own boards and that’s what we did.”
As the Fire pushed the lead back out to 11 points by three quarter time, the visitors, who were playing a fifth straight road game, then finished strongly with a 10-24 final term to seal victory.
Holmes has been carrying a heavy load for the Venom, and rose to the challenge again with a game-high 24 points.
But Lucas lamented almost 40 points were being left on the floor without Heal and Pili, while Clinch Hoycard would have got the nod to start on Friday had she not been a morning out with illness.
While Lucas turned to Elissa Brett for a starting role, in full trust of her defensive game, the 25-year-old had a night to forget on offence, going 0-9 from the field, with her only points coming from the free-throw line in the final three minutes.
The Venom face a quick turnaround, back at home on Tuesday night against Perth Lynx.
‘Best thing for me’: The Venom young gun stepping up for injured star
Geelong Venom rookie Lilly Rotunno knew she’d have to step up quickly, when teammate and fellow point guard Shyla Heal went down injured months out from the season.
Rotunno, at 21 and in her first contracted WNBL season after a series of development player roles and a season playing in New Zealand, hasn’t looked out of place in the Venom’s starting rotation and running the offence early on as Heal remains a week-to-week prospect to return from a knee injury sustained back in July.
“I knew that, as soon as I heard about the injury, that I would have to step up and come into my role in this team very confident, and trust my abilities and the work that I have been putting in,” Rotunno said.
“No matter if I was starting or coming off the bench, I’m playing the same kind of way.
“It’s definitely been good for me and my confidence, just to know that like, I am here, the seasons that I did prior as a DP and going to New Zealand has got me to where I am now.”
First arriving in Geelong for the NBL1 season, Rotunno’s strong campaign amid a 24-game winning streak earned her chance in the WNBL, her established chemistry with NBL1 and WNBL guards Jaz Shelley and Gemma Potter beneficial from the outset.
While unsure what her role would be when she initially signed on, Rotunno was adamant she’d do whatever head coach Chris Lucas and the team asked of her.
“I knew what I brought to the team and I know what Chris knows about my game and defensively, I feel like that’s one of my strong suits, being a point guard facilitator, we have such amazing scorers in this team, so it’s definitely been a big jump for me and it’s honestly been one of the best things for me,” she said.
“It’s definitely an experience that, any opportunity that came my way I wanted to grab onto with two hands and do the best that as I can.
“It’s definitely been good for me as a person and for my basketball development.”
Though Rotunno has taken her starting opportunity with both hands, she remains naturally disappointed for Heal, who she played alongside at Sydney Flames in 2022-23 fresh out of high school and as a development player.
“I absolutely adore her and she’s an amazing and talented point guard,” Rotunno said.
“We’re very different players, so stepping into a role that she would have been in, is a bit different.
“It’s definitely been good for me (to play), but I’m also excited for when she is back and then I’ll be slotting into a different role.
“I just know that I’m just going to keep doing whatever I can for the team to be successful.”
Rotunno said Heal, an Australian Opal and former WNBA top 10 pick, had been a constant source of knowledge and inspiration for her at trainings and game day while sidelined.
“She’s constantly instilling confidence in my ability as a point guard to run the team and do what I can do until she’s back,” she said.
“She’s definitely been someone that’s been in my corner and been amazing for me.”
ROTUNNO isn’t where she wants to be as a scorer but is confident she will get there.
Naturally a facilitating point guard, she’s still nailing the balance of playmaking and getting on the front foot to drive or shoot the ball herself.
Her first starting game against Adelaide Lightning in round 2 was the perfect example, and a tale of two halves.
Appearing somewhat tentative on a handful of early open shots, she soon ramped it up with some big drives to the basket in the second half for a season-high eight points.
“I think that’s something I’m still learning, I’m 21 and I’m still very new to the league,” Rotunno said.
“It’s something that, honestly, I can be hard on myself sometimes and especially at the moment with people being out and it’s something that I want to be a bit more of an aggressor because I’m so used to being a facilitating point guard.
“I think that’s something that is still developing in my game and Chris has been instilling that confidence in me, even Shy (Shyla) on the sidelines.
“Me still learning and wanting to implement being an aggressor is going to help my facilitating part of my game, which is something that I really pride myself on because I want to be a genuine point guard that will facilitate the ball.
“But to be that, I need to also be an aggressive scorer, which is only going to help the team.
“I think it’s something that I’m going to get better at and I am getting better at.
“Am I where I want to be right now in regards to that? No. But I know I’ll get there.”
Rotunno was thankful for the work Lucas – who also coached her at the Melbourne Boomers – had put into her, highlighting the head coach’s extensive amounts of time put into each player’s development.
“He’s so hands on with every single one of us and constantly helping us develop those parts of the game,” she said.
“He was really good with me in the off-season, especially during NBL1, giving me advice, especially from coach to point guard, being a coach on the floor.”
THE POINT GUARD believes the Venom are finding ways to make it work amid a string of early injury troubles.
Heal, import Alissa Pili, Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard, the latter out last round with concussion, the Venom are yet to see their best side out on the floor.
Despite this, Rotunno said the Venom still went into every game – including tonight’s clash against ladder-leaders Townsville Fire – with a genuine belief they can win it.
“Injuries happen in every team and obviously it’s unfortunate … we’ve been pretty undermanned right off the bat and we’re always finding a way to make it work,” she said.
Fresh from a heartbreaking one-point loss to second-place Perth Lynx, the Venom’s biggest weakness has been their slow starts.
Rotunno was confident the second-year Venom would only “build and build”, as sidelined players eventually reintegrated into the line-up.
“We have a very good, positive energy throughout this team, which has been honestly good for us,” she said.
“It is still early days and we’re going to keep building … definitely one of the grittiest teams I’ve been a part of.
“We’re going into every game knowing that we can win it.
“Townsville are an amazing team, they’re definitely one of the top teams for a reason, they’re well-drilled.
“But I think we just take every game at a time and we’re really focusing on ourselves at the moment.
‘We’ve had some tough losses, but I don’t think that defines us and we’re going to keep building and keep learning and we always put 110 per cent of everything that we have on the floor.
“I think we’re so gritty as a team and we’re just going to keep coming together and approaching every game the way we need to.”
- Geelong Venom tip off against Townsville Fire Friday 5.30pm at Geelong Arena. Watch live of 9Now, WNBL.com.au and ESPN on Disney.
WNBL star calls out Venom’s physicality
An injury-hit Geelong Venom has been narrowly beaten by the buzzer in a one-point thriller against the unbeaten Perth Lynx on Saturday night (November 1).
In an incredibly tight tussle which saw 15 lead changes, the Venom blew three chances at the death through Jaz Shelley, Mackenzie Holmes and Gemma Potter to edge ahead with the score 77-76 in favour of the visitors.
The Venom had been handed the ball after an offensive foul was called on Alex Ciabattoni as she tried to surge past Potter to extend Perth’s lead.
However, the Venom had one more, albeit unlikely, shot at victory after Shelley inbounded the ball to Mackenzie Holmes but her conversion was judged too late by officials.
Shelley, who had been quiet for the first three quarters and racked up four fouls early in the last, roared back into the match with six tough points and one sublime assist to Holmes.
The Venom went into the round 3 game with Alissa Pili (ankle), Shyla Heal (knee) and Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard (concussion) missing with injury.
Earlier, Shelley had told the host broadcaster the Venom had to improve its starts but the message failed to land with the home side trailing 0-8.
With Shelley becoming an influence late in the game, birthday girl Holmes would also eventually find her feet finishing the match with 22 points and 16 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Gemma Potter was back to her lethal best beyond the arc – making three from eight shots – to finish with 16 points while Alex Sharp had 11 on the board by half time.
But the match was not without controversy with Perth’s Brianna Turner expressing her frustration with the officiating.
“It was really physical, you could slap people, grab them by the neck, push them down, hit them in the face and no calls, so I’m glad we were able to match the physicality and play through it all,” Turner said.
“It shouldn’t be this tough, I think player safety should be a priority at all times, I’m glad my teammates are not hurt.”
Venom coach Chris Lucas felt his side “deserved to win” but weren’t good enough on the night.
“(In the final seconds) we didn’t need to shoot a three, but if Jaz Shelley is open, we want her shooting that shot,” Lucas said.
“We took it up to them and had just a couple of lapses, but I’m not sure that I could ask for any more.”
At half time, Pili told the host broadcaster she was hoping to be back on court in about “five to six weeks”.
“It’s been tough,” Pili said of her recovery.
“(But) I’m in good hands.”
The Venom will next face the Fire at the arena on Friday night.
Clinch Hoycard to miss Perth clash, opens up on cross-country move
Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard enjoys being the spark off the bench.
Geelong Venom will miss that firepower in tonight’s clash against Perth Lynx, the forward the latest causality in the Venom’s current injury woes, sidelined through concussion following Tuesday’s loss to Bendigo.
It’s a major blow for the Venom when you consider Clinch Hoycard had been tasked by coach Chris Lucas with playing “a super important role” in the absence of injured import Alissa Pili (ankle), while point guard Shyla Heal also remains a week-to-week prospect.
Clinch Hoycard proved just how invaluable she was to the Venom rotation in their opening two games, sinking 11 points and five rebounds in their season-opener before putting up 17 points – including three triples – and six rebounds in their opening win against Adelaide with Pili sidelined.
Joining the Venom’s line-up this year after five seasons with Perth Lynx – including two final series appearances – Clinch Hoycard’s experience has been a major boon for Geelong’s fledgling franchise.
While homesickness saw Clinch Hoycard, who grew up in Kalgoorlie, return to Australia early from college back in 2018, the now 27-year-old revealed she felt in need of a change after five years with Perth.
First dipping her toes in and experimenting with a move of NBL1 sides, playing in Brisbane in 2024, Clinch Hoycard found the confidence to seek a WNBL move, with a
link to former Lynx teammate and current Venom co-captain Alex Sharp opening the communication lines with Lucas.
“She kind of got me in contact with him and from then on, everything fell into place,” Clinch Hoycard said.
“Loving the move, I’m really happy I did it and really enjoying my time here.
“I think it’s pretty similar to Perth, to be honest – I like that it’s not as busy as what Melbourne or Sydney would be and loving the community, the crowds we’ve had at the games have been fantastic.”
Clinch Hoycard said the idea of getting to play with Sharp again made the move easier.
“Sharpy’s elite and I think we play really well together,” she said.
“She brings out the best of me, I think, on court.
“She makes sure I’m doing what I need to do … very, very glad that we reunited here at Geelong.”
Tasked by Lucas to bring her rebounding and defensive skills to the floor for the Venom, as well as her three-point shot, Clinch Hoycard said the experienced coach had also instilled confidence in her to grow her game in Geelong.
“He doesn’t want me to just shoot threes, he wants me to explore inside a bit more, and he wants me to be more aggressive and get my head on the ring,” she said.
“I think just working on that, I did it a few times (against Adelaide), which felt good.
“He’s very, very supportive and puts a lot of confidence in me.
“With Pili out, I definitely have to take on a bigger role but I enjoy being the spark off the bench.”
Among several new pieces to the Venom’s roster in their second season in the league, Clinch Hoycard is optimistic the Venom will only get better with each game they play this summer.
“We had a few pretty new players coming in, myself being one of them … so it’s taken a bit of time for us to click and build chemistry, but as each game goes by, that’ll keep getting better,” she said.
“I’m really excited to see what we can do towards the end of the season.
“I think we’re going to play a pretty exciting brand of basketball, it’ll be fun to watch and hopefully we can get a few more wins on the board.”
Venom fail to strike twice in Spirit defeat
Geelong Venom coach Chris Lucas has decried his side’s free-throw performance against the reigning WNBL champions, calling it “unacceptable at this level”.
The Venom dropped to 1-2 to start their second season in the league, with a 62-55 loss to Bendigo Spirit on Tuesday night (October 28) marred by scoring inefficiency.
And in a further blow, the Venom’s injury woes have extended to forward Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard, who exited the game after half time under concussion protocols.
Trailing by 10 points at half time, the Venom brought it back in the third term with greater defensive efforts, before a 8-0 run to open the fourth saw the visitors momentarily hit the lead with six minutes to play.
But it was the Spirit who finished the stronger of the two sides, going on a 13-5 run of their own to seal their first victory of the season in front of 1685 fans at Red Energy Arena.
The Venom would finish the game 1-of-17 from beyond the arc, and 10-of-18 from the free throw line – though it was the latter Lucas had the most issue with.
“We just didn’t reward ourselves the back end of the game,” Lucas said post-match.
“We’re three games in – our execution wasn’t on point and we’ll continue to work on that.
“10-from-18 from the foul line is just not acceptable at this level, and has cost us the game.
“And missed lay-ups in the last 90 seconds.”
US import Mackenzie Holmes continued her strong start this season, finishing with a double-double including 30 points and 12 rebounds, though alongside Elissa Brett, was fouled out of the game in the final two minutes of the game.
Holmes admitted post-match to a mental lapse, saying she shouldn’t have gone for a block which gave her a fifth personal foul and still had areas of her game she “needed to tidy up on both ends” of the court after describing herself “still a rookie”.
Leading the competition for average points per game (27.67) and second for rebounds (9.67) after round 2, Holmes, who turns 25 on Saturday, has impressed with her output.
Lucas said the forward had been a “steadying influence” in their team, and was not surprised by her blistering start in the league.
“Someone doesn’t go a college system and finish at plus-60 per cent in every game she played through five years – they just don’t do that,” Lucas said.
“She’s so consistent in her performance, we know exactly what we’re going to get and I’m really happy to have her with us.”
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Originally published as Geelong Venom go 1-4 to start WNBL season after a 61-86 defeat by Townsville Fire
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