WNBL Preview - Round One

The wait is finally over. The 2005/06 Price Attack WNBL is set to kick into gear this Friday night. The Bulleen Melbourne Boomers take on the Sydney Uni Flames and the newly named Adelaide Fellas face off against the heat of the Townsville Fire.

This season is looking to be the best yet with WNBA players Lauren Jackson, Belinda Snell, Tully Bevilaqua and Laura Summerton all returning home to their home teams.

The WNBL conducted its season launch in Melbourne last week unveiling the eight league Ambassadors for the season. Hollie Grima (Bulleen), Carly Wilson (Dandenong), Eva Afeaki (Sydney), Tania Heritage (Townsville), Mikaela Dombkins (AIS), Eleanor Sharp (Canberra), Erin Phillips (Adelaide) and Melissa McClure (Perth) will all represent their teams and the league throughout the season.

A surprise announcement at the launch was the unveiling of a theme song for the league. ‘Famous’ by Ladi-Tash will be heard from stadium speakers across Australia throughout the season. Ladi-Tash is an up and coming artist who joined forces with the WNBL to cross promote sport and music to the League’s fans. Keep your eyes open as you can catch Ladi-Tash performing at games throughout the season.

In a major boost for the season ABC has again pledged the allegiance to broadcast one game per week as well as covering the finals series live. This week you can catch the preliminary final rematch from last year when Bulleen take on Sydney Uni (check your local guides for times).

Bulleen Melbourne Boomers vs Sydney Uni Flames

Friday, September 30
Veneto Club, Bulleen
Tip-off:   7:00pm

A rematch of the 2004/05 Preliminary Final is set up to be a fantastic showdown in round one for all ABC viewers.

Bulleen has recruited well in the off-season, picking up two big names. Athens Olympian Allison Tranquilli has returned to Victoria and will suit up for the Boomers, adding experience to the outfit. They have also snared AIS and Australian Junior Women big ‘man’ Caitlin Cunningham who will, with Hollie Grima, add a forceful inside combination.

In a slight changing of the guard the Sydney Uni outfit have had their fair share of changes over the break. A huge plus was the signing of international star guard Alicia Poto, but in a devastating blow to the side Poto received a season ending injury in New Zealand whilst playing for Australia.

Sydney will be thankful for the return of WNBA and Australian Opal star Belinda Snell. After an individual shooting session with coach Karen Dalton on Tuesday Snell will be ready to go in her home state of Victoria come Friday night. Watch out for Natalie Porter, who makes her debut for the Flames this weekend.

As the curtain rises for the season’s opening match both teams will be out for an impressive win with Bulleen seeking revenge for last year’s finals outing at the hands of Sydney Uni. Look out for the big match up of Trish Fallon on Hollie Grima.

*Watch it on ABC TV on Saturday afternoon or ABC2 on Sunday morning.

Adelaide Fellas vs Townsville Fire

Friday, September 30
Wayville Sports Centre, Adelaide
Tip-off:   7:30pm

The Adelaide Fellas will be primed to take their first home game of the season on Friday night, welcoming the return of Laura Summerton from an impressive season in the WNBA.

Laura was part of the Connecticut Sun outfit that made it to the final of the WNBA but unfortunately went down in fours games to the Sacramento Monarchs.

Adelaide have made some impressive buys over the break, managing to score AIS starting five member Rebecca Duke and Erin Lorenzini from the championship winning Dandenong Rangers. They will join Cherie Smith and Jenni Screen who returned from the World Uni Games with a bronze medal, as well as new Opal star and WNBL Ambassador Erin Phillips.

Townsville on the other hand have made one of the smallest changes of the league losing only a few players and snaring some big names. Kelly Wilson, formally of Sydney Uni, has followed the sun north to Townsville joining her is 192cm US import Jennifer Crouse, who will be set to make a big impact. The Fire will miss Natalie Porter’s court presence, as they did last year after injury ended her season early.

Townsville also have two representatives from the Bronze medal winning World University games team in Lauren King and Rachael Flanagan.

Get set for a quick and speedy game to start to the season in Adelaide.

Dandenong Rangers vs Sydney Uni Flames

Saturday, October 1
Dandenong Basketball Stadium, Melbourne
Tip-off:   7:30pm

Sydney will be facing a tough week in the opening round taking on Bulleen Melbourne on Friday night and backing that up against the back-to-back Champions Dandenong on Saturday night.

Dandenong have managed to keep most of their Championship side together and have picked up some hot free agents as well.

AIS graduates and Australian Junior Women players Jenna O’Hea and Kathleen Macleod will again team up as the have both been recruited by the Rangers. Another signing was that of Opals squad member Shelley Hammonds who was lured away from the pristine beaches of Perth to add another big name to the line up.

This game will be a clash of the Opals, with no less than eight players lining up on Saturday night also training with the Australian squad for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. And what a great way to kick off the season with two big matches in the hometown of the Games.

Watch out for the likes of Carly Wilson, Jessica Bibby, Michelle Musslewhite and Eva Afeaki who will all be looking for a good showing.

Canberra Capitals vs Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)

Saturday, October 1
AIS Arena, Canberra
Tip-off:   7:30pm

The initial match up of the two ACT sides will take Canberra by storm on Saturday night.

The Capitals boast the biggest, and we mean biggest, line up the league has to offer. Standing at almost 6m between them, Jenny Whittle, Tracey Beatty and Lauren Jackson could prove to be an unstoppable trio inside.

After finishing her season with Seattle, Jackson has made her way back to Canberra and is yet to decide whether she will be a starter in the first round of action.

The Capitals have been lucky enough to re-sign Indiana Fever starting guard Tully Bevilaqua and New Zealand international Angela Marino. Canberra are tipped to be one of the front-runners of the season and will take any team they come across to the wire.

The AIS will be primed to take it to the Capitals in the opening round. The starting five will be recovered from their assault at the World Junior Championships in Tunisia and will be looking to continue their form into the WNBL season.

The AIS will miss 2004/05 Rookie of the Year Renae Camino, who has had knee surgery and is recovering at home in Wollongong.

AIS Ambassador and new glamour girl of the League, Mikaela Dombkins, will be looking to make a statement inside against the Canberra big guns.

Look for the match ups between Dombkins and Whittle and Christina Fox and Marino as the two sides go head-to-head.

Perth Lynx vs Townsville Fire

Sunday, October 2
Perry Lakes Stadium, Perth
Tip-off:   2:00pm

The Townsville Fire are, along with Sydney Uni, the only other team to be playing two games in round one. They not only face the Fellas in Adelaide but they will then fly to Perth to take on the Lynx with only one days rest.

The Lynx are a team under reconstruction. With the midseason sacking of the Lynx head coach during the 04/05 season, Perth have been looking for a new lease of life and have found it in coach Paul O’Brien.

O’Brien, hailing from Victoria, will make his WNBL coaching debut this Sunday in the Lynx’s first hit our against the Fire.

Perth will welcome the return of Melissa McClure from injury as she looks to lead the team on court.

Perth has prided themselves on their home-grown talent and this season is no different. The majority of the team are Perth locals and young stars of the future. The will build on their enthusiasm to get Perth out of the dungeon and into the firing line this season.

Look for Perth to take it right at the Fire as the will have the advantage of rest and no jet lag.

Note: All match start times are local.

Related Articles:

Journos say Dandenong will three-peat in WNBL (Wed Sep 28)
Jackson back to make impact in WNBL (Tues Sep 27)
WNBL launches new season with new look (Thurs Sep 15)