WNBL season preview: Your ultimate guide for the 2023/24 season
The 2023/24 WNBL season is underway with hot talent from home and abroad. We preview every team, their stars and young guns in your ultimate guide to a bumper year ahead.
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The hunters have become the hunted as reigning champions Townsville Fire aim to make a solid start to their WNBL season.
The Sydney Flames have almost a brand new team to the one that finished in sixth last year, headlined by Opals captain Tess Madgen, while the Capitals have gone on a signing spree in a bid to get them off the bottom of the ladder.
Last season’s runners-up Southside have kept a mostly unchanged side as they aim to go all the way this season, but Townsville are still looking very strong heading into the new season.
The loss of American import Tianna Hawkins will likely have a big impact on the team, but coach Shannon Seebohm said he isn’t feeling the pressure.
“We’re not feeling any more pressure than normal,” Seebohm said.
“We’ve been looked at as underdogs for a long time and I think this will be the first season since I’ve been here that that’s not the case.”
With the new WNBL season underway, we have your ultimate preview guide.
Southside Flyers
Last season: Runners-up
Captain: Rebecca Cole
Coach: Cheryl Chambers
Player Movements: The Flyers are relatively unchanged to the side that almost went all the way last season, with six players returning for 2023/24.
American import Mercedes Russell is back with Southside after three years along with countryman Jasmine Dickey.
Key Players: Former Opals captain and basketball veteran Lauren Jackson is expected to ‘bring some punch’ when she returns from an achilles injury suffered early this year.
Skipper Rebecca Cole will head the leadership team alongside stalwart Madison Rocci and will bring some solid experience to the side.
Young Gun: Dallas Loughridge has made impressive strides in the pre-season and she returns from a year out with an ACL injury.
Coach Chambers called her a ‘star of the future’ and has been a great all-rounder.
Coach‘s Prediction: After just falling short last season, Chambers is still confident her side can make a play for the championship.
“We want to win the whole thing,” Chambers said.
“We want to do one better than last year, not just make the grand final.
“But the first focus is to get to the finals, because it’s a really tight season this year with some really good team, then we want to push it and go all the way.”
Headline We‘d Like to See: Bridesmaids become brides as Flyers claim WNBL championship
Townsville Fire
Last season: Champions
Captain: Sami Whitcomb
Coach: Shannon Seebohm
Player Movements: Alice Kunek and skipper Sami Whitcomb are recent off-season additions to the reigning champions.
The recent departure of finals MVP Tianna Hawkins leaves a massive hole in the side which coach Seebohm plans to fill with another import player in the next couple of weeks.
Key Player: Point guard Steph Reid is coming off the back of a very impressive first full-time season in the WNBL.
Zitina Aokuso is expected to make a big impact this year and coach Seebohm is hopeful her best basketball is yet to come.
Young Gun: Saffron Shiels has been earmarked by Seebohm as a future first round WNBA draft pick and is expected to only improve throughout the season.
Coach‘s Prediction: Despite heading into the new season as reigning champions and the ones to beat, Seebohm is keeping his modest.
“I don’t like to get too caught up repeating the past,” Seebohm said.
“Every year our goal is to win a championship, but it’s a long season and we understand anything can happen.
“I think right now we’re focused on making a good start to the year and building some momentum.”
Headline We‘d Like to See: Townsville Fire on massive undefeated run as they eye consecutive titles
Adelaide Lightning
Last season: 7th
Captain: Steph Talbot
Coach: Nat Hurst
Player Movements: The Lightning have two new imports for the season in Brianna Turner and Jocelyn Willoughby, the former having played with the side previously.
Willoughby moves to Adelaide from Sydney last season, and coach Hurst said she hoped her experience in the WNBA helps elevate the team.
Key Player: Isabelle Bourne has returned to Australia from college in America where she captained the Nebraska side for the past three years.
Bourne has experience in the junior national team and has shown her strength in the pre-season.
Captain Steph Talbot is expected to be a game changer when she returns from an ACL injury and has already started one-on-one training to get back on the court.
Young Gun: Young Tasmanian Taylor Mole joins the side fresh out of college and has already been exceeding coach Hurst’s expectations.
She’s shown massive improvement over the pre-season and her impressive shooting abilities will be a crucial addition.
Coach‘s Prediction: With all the changes across the league, Hurst said it’s hard to predict how well her side will fare this season.
“It’s really hard to say, knowing how the league is and how much it’s improved,” Hurst said.
“Every team has been able to bring in great imports, local talent has only gotten better so I think there’s going to be upsets everywhere.
“I do know that we’re definitely looking better than last year and better results will come.”
Headline We‘d Like to See: Lightning strikes for Adelaide as big team changes wield big results
UC Capitals
Last season: 8th
Captains: Jade Melbourne and Alex Sharp
Coach: Kristen Veal
Player Movements: Jade Melbourne has been a key pick-up for the Capitals as they make massive changes in their squad.
Coach Veal earmarked Melbourne not just for her ability on the court but also her potential as a leader.
Alex Fowler is back in Australia from her time at college with the Portland Pilots, where she became the all-time leading Division 1 scorer with 2,132 points.
Key Player:
Young Gun: Recent Centre of Excellence graduate Jayda Clark is expected to make a big impact off the bench.
The 18-year-old recently represented Australia with the U19 Gems at the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup.
Coach‘s Prediction: With such a young team with lots of learning and development ahead, Veal said big results are on the horizon.
After finishing last in 2023, Veal said the only way is up.
“Ultimately we’re looking to develop and we’ve chosen to give young talent a chance and look to the future,” Veal said.
“We have to be patient but at the same time we have to do better than last year, which is to win more basketball games and fix up a few things on the stats sheet.
Headline We‘d Like to See: Capitals clinch shock finals spot
Melbourne Boomers
Last season: 3rd
Captain: TBA
Coach: Chris Lucas
Player Movements: The Boomers have undergone a major rebuild to their squad ahead of the new WNBL season, with only four players from last year including two development players remaining.
Losing WNBA champion Cayla George to the Flames will have a big impact on the Boomers, who will also be without Kristy Wallace until at least December due to a knee injury.
Monique Conti is set to return to the Boomers after previously being with the club from 2016-2020, before being released from her contract due to conflicts with her AFLW career.
Key Player: Coach Chris Lucas made a big emphasis on the team as a whole and recruiting players that together can make the biggest impact.
“My experience is if you can create a great atmosphere and chemistry within the group, the results will take care of themselves,” Lucas said.
Keely Frohling is likely to be a big addition to the team, averaging 18.1 points per game last season with the Flames.
Young Gun: American forward Naz Hillmon is the youngest of a squad full of experience and comes to the Boomers from the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA.
Coach‘s Prediction: With a whole host of new players and a brand new team dynamic, Lucas said his expectations are always high but it’ll take a lot of time and effort to reach them.
“The expectations are always to make finals, but everyone has that expectation for their team,” Lucas said.
“I’ve got a belief that expectations are there to tackle head-on.
“It is going to take some time, it’s a very tough league but I don’t shy away from that.”
Headline We‘d Like to See: Boomers peak at perfect time to clinch finals berth
Sydney Flames
Last season: 6th
Captain: TBA
Coach: Guy Molloy
Player Movements: The Flames have had a complete overhaul to the squad that finished in sixth last season.
Opals captain Tess Madgen headlines the star-studded new side along with national teammate Lara McSpadden, as well as recent WNBA Champion Cayla George.
American Didi Richards comes to Sydney from New York Liberty along with fellow import Paige Bradley from Denver University.
Key Players: It’s hard to imagine Tess Madgen not making a major impact for the new and improved Flames.
Her experience leading the Opals will be a massive benefit to the team as they navigate all the changes in recent months and who are desperate for a stable leadership going forward.
Likewise, WNBA champ Cayla George is expected to be a pillar for the squad, bringing a wealth of experience to the relatively young side.
Young Gun: Basketball prodigy Shaneice Swain signed a three year deal with the Flames back in July after a stint with the Canberra Capitals last season.
Unfortunately, the 20-year-old will be sidelined for an extended period due to a stress fracture in her foot, with coach Molloy expecting her to return to the team in the new year.
Development player Ahlise Hurst will join the team in her place, returning to Australia after attending college in America.
Coach‘s Prediction: Despite the major team overhaul, coach Molloy believes the Flames will be competitive this season.
“The Flames have been down for quite a few seasons now,” Molloy said.
“So we’re excited to think we’ve got a team that compete with anybody, we’ve got to do the work first.
“I do expect that the team will reach its peak in the second half of the season, after we’ve had some time to build some chemistry.”
Headline We’d Like to See: Reigning WNBA champ Cayla George claims WNBL double
Bendigo Spirit
Last season: 5th
Captain: Kelsey Griffin
Coach: Kennedy Kareama
Player Movements: Bendigo have produced a relatively unchanged side to last season.
The Spirit have added two new import players, American Mehryn Kraker and Canadian Ruth Davis.
The latter is a former WNBA centre and previously played in the WNBL with Perth and Adelaide.
Key Players: Three-time WNBL champion and newly elected captain Kelsey Griffin will be imperative to the Spirit’s goal for finals this season.
Canadian Ruth Davis brings a lot of experience to the side both overseas and in Australia.
Young Gun: Sophia Locandro only featured in eight games last season and will surely be looking for more minutes this year.
The 22-year-old signed with the Spirit for last season after coming back from college in California where she played for UC Irvine.
Prediction: After back-to-back fifth-place finishes and minimal changes to the team for 2023/24, Spirit may be pushing for a finals place.
The two imports in Kraker and Davis will add some spark to the side who seem to be gaining traction.
Headline We‘d Like to See: Spirit finally clinch finals berth
Perth Lynx
Last season: 4th
Captain: Anneli Maley
Coach: Ryan Petrik
Player Movements: The Lynx have added six new players to their line-up for 2023/24.
New captain Anneli Maley will be a great addition along with Miela Goodchild who was previously with the Boomers.
Towering Canadian centre Emily Porter brings solid experience along with American import Aari McDonald, who comes in off the back of three seasons with the Atlanta Dream.
Key Player: The addition of new skipper Maley is a massive coup for the Lynx.
The 2022 WNBL MVP comes into the side from a stint in the WNBA with the Chicago Sky and brings a wealth of experience and talent.
Young Gun: Ashlee Hannan starts her WNBL career with the Lynx after taking some time away from the game.
The 22-year-old has recently featured in the NBL1 East competition with the Albury-Wodonga Bandits, averaging 13.4 points.
Prediction: The Lynx have made some positive changes ahead of the new season and their success will be in in how well they can gel as a team.
It may take some time for the side to reach their peak performance, so expect some solid results in the new year.
Headline We‘d Like to See: Lynx skipper leads side to grand final opportunity
Originally published as WNBL season preview: Your ultimate guide for the 2023/24 season
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