WNBL SCHEDULE ANALYSIS: Townsville Fire’s ‘terrible’ draw exposed

Analysis of each WNBL team’s fixtures for 2023-24 has revealed defending champions Townsville have the most challenging schedule by a wide margin. See how the Fire have been dudded.

Townsville coach Shannon Seebohm revealed his disappointment at the WNBL for handing the Fire a “terrible” draw for their championship defence.

Townsville will spend more nights on the road than any other WNBL team next season, as well as enduring the two longest continuous away trips

The reigning champions will spend 26 nights away from home in total, including two separate eight-day marathons, drawing the ire of Seebohm.

The next longest continuous away trips for a rival team are five day efforts by the Capitals, Lynx, Flyers and Spirit.

Stunningly, the Melbourne Boomers and Sydney Flames have no multi-game away trips all season.

Seebohm said the weight of so much time on the road would add an extra element to his championship defence.

“It’s certainly going to make things challenging. To be honest it’s a terrible draw,” Seebohm said.

“I’m not complaining, because we have to just deal with it, but I think we spend a week longer than any other team on the road this year and we have two eight-day road trips, which just don’t happen in the WNBL.

“So the schedule is what the schedule is, but I certainly don’t think we’re real pleased with it to be honest.

“Last year we had some long road trips as well, we handled those pretty well and I feel like we usually do a pretty good job with managing the players’ workload and that type of thing.”

Bendigo Spirit have the fewest nights on the road at 13.

Perth Lynx have the second-toughest schedule with 22 nights away from Western Australia.

However they have a five-day stint spent exclusively in Townsville and a five-day trip spent between Sydney and Canberra – just a 55-minute flight.

The WNBL’s regular season consists of 84 matches with all of the eight teams playing each other on three occasions before best-of-three series for the semi-finals and grand final.

Ranking WNBL away game schedules by nights on the road

Townsville Fire: 26 nights, 2x 8-day trips

UC Capitals: 24, 2x 5-day trips

Perth Lynx: 22, 2x 5-day trips

Adelaide Lightning: 20, 4-day trip

Sydney Flames: 20, no multi-game away trips

Southside Flyers: 17, 3*, 4-day + 5-day trip

Melbourne Boomers: 16, 2*, no multi-game away trips

Bendigo Spirit: 13, 4*, 5-day trip

(assuming teams travel the day before away fixtures and stay the night of their game)

*Number of times Melbourne, Southside or Bendigo play an away game against each other.

Originally published as WNBL SCHEDULE ANALYSIS: Townsville Fire’s ‘terrible’ draw exposed