Townsville FIre – The Evening Game

Suzy Batkovic on WNBL19, the evolution of the game and the 1999 AIS WNBL triumph

October 15, 2018Posted in SportTagged Ally Malott, Basketball, Darcee Garbin, Lauren Jackson, Phil Brown, Sport, Suzy Batkovic, Townsville FIre, WNBL, WNBL19, Women's sport

Suzy Batkovic’s career achievements are staggering, reading like some basketball version of that old Christmas carol: seven WNBL all-star five appearances, six MVPs, five championships, four WNBL top shooter awards and three (should have been four) Olympic tournaments.

The sheer weight of numbers easily makes her case as one of the league’s all-time greats, but what the accolades don’t quite convey is the hunger and competitiveness that she brings every game and that have made her one of the great winners not just in the WNBL but in all Australian sport.

The finish line is now in sight with Batkovic announcing this will be her last campaign. But she says the thought of retirement is still “surreal” and won’t be front of mind during the season. “I think it will be more put on the back burner, and I’m just focusing on my job at hand,” she tells The Evening Game.

“I still have plenty to give. I still love the game, and I know that eventually, I’ll miss it. But for me, it’s just business as usual.”

Reflecting on the evolution of the league, Batkovic says the days of easybeat teams have passed and talent is now evenly spread. “You could go back quite a few years ago, and you had your top half, and your bottom half. There’s no game where (you think) ‘At least we’ve got this team, and we should be fine against them’. You’re battling every team. I think that’s great. That’s what we want the league to be like.”

3QT| The Heat make the Hail Mary going into the final change but the Fire still lead 55-52. @SuzyBatkovic continuing to pace the reigning champs with 22 points, while @DarceeGarbin has 9! #FireUpTownsville pic.twitter.com/MGlkAuWwJ9

— JCU Townsville Fire (@TownsvilleFire) October 7, 2018

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The virtue of stubbornness: “I didn’t want to be put in a box”

Batkovic has long been dominant around the rim, but her game is based on a lot more than simply muscling into the key. She has a soft touch from mid-range, an excellent passing game from the post and enough nous to inevitably get to her favoured left hand and preferred shooting spots.

Discussing the evolving game and a trend of bigs increasingly becoming three-point shooters, Batkovic says the best fours and fives have always had a broad skill set.

“If you look at Lauren (Jackson), she has always shot threes,” she says. ”Myself, if I’m wide open, I’ll take a three ball. Darcee Garbin – that’s one of her strengths. Ally Mallott is the same.

“I still have plenty to give. I still love the game, and I know that eventually, I’ll miss it. But for me, it’s just business as usual – Suzy Batkovic on her final season”

“Back in the day, I remember people used to say: ‘Oh, posts, you just shoot from in here (the paint) and I remember thinking: ‘No, I’m not doing that. I’ll be working on everything’. I didn’t want to be put in a box.

“I was lucky enough that I had coaches that allowed me to work on that aspect of my game. I was probably a bit stubborn. I didn’t want to just be a post player, I wanted to be capable of doing a bit of everything.”

Suzy Batkovic makes the bonus & we lead 42-35 late in Q2! #FireUpTownsville pic.twitter.com/dsbRz73Lry

— JCU Townsville Fire (@TownsvilleFire) October 14, 2018

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“Just a bunch of kids”: the historic 98/99 AIS WNBL champions

Batkovic’s first WNBL championship came in one of the most remarkable teams in the last quarter-century of Australian sport; the AIS student athlete team of 1998/99. It’s difficult to think of a comparable victory to this team of teenagers, who were assembled as a purely developmental team and ended up powering to an elite professional title.

That squad was a once-in-a-lifetime collection of talent with Penny Taylor and Kirsten Veal in the backcourt, Belinda Snell spacing the floor and an imposing Batkovic-Jackson frontcourt. Batkovic says the team also had an ideal mentor in Phil Brown, now an assistant coach at the University of Canberra Capitals.

#TBT to the 1998-99 WNBL Champion AIS team, led by MVP @laurenej15. Can you name the rest of the team? #WNBL1516 pic.twitter.com/ps2inVY20T

— WNBL (@WNBL) January 14, 2016

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“He was a tremendous coach,” Batkovic recalls. “We were basically just a bunch of kids and, if anything, he probably coached us at our toughest point, when we were all going through different things. Puberty and whatever else, growing up. He was just incredible, the way he handled us and there was a lot of respect there.”

Batkovic says she entered the AIS not knowing all the rules of basketball and having never heard of a five-man-weave. She left a much more polished player and a champion.

In Lauren Jackson’s ‘My Story’, she recalls a turning point in the season where the coach and players met and agreed to shift from a development team evenly sharing minutes into a group firmly set on the unlikeliest of championships. Batkovic also remembers that moment well. “We were just playing and enjoying it, but you didn’t really think, like, “Oh, wow, we could actually win this.” Batkovic says.

“(Brown) kept his composure and kept us composed. We connected really well and I think a lot of credit goes to him, the way he handled everything. He took the pressure off for us so we could just go out there and play.”

At the season launch of the @WNBL, star players @MariannaTolo and @SaraBlicavs paid tribute to the retiring @SuzyBatkovic, a “miraculous player”. #WNBL19 #sport https://t.co/2pgwXBiLBh

— The CEO Magazine (@CEOMagazineAU) October 9, 2018

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A friendship with the GOAT

Batkovic will exit the game with a lot of friends across the league and beyond. Abby Bishop is a close mate. Lauren Jackson, an old AIS teammate, is another. “We went through a lot together,” Batkovic says of Jackson. “We did NSW Country (junior rep team) together, AIS, representing Australia together and then we played in the WNBA together. We got to know each other so well.”

The pair still talk or text every week. “Even though she’s retired, she’s still that person for me,” Batkovic says. “She’s still that close friend. We share a lot of memories together. Our friendship wasn’t just all highs though, we have had the lows together.

“When we were younger, we both had stubborn and strong personalities. It was like: ‘How do you deal with this person?’ But over time, it just sorted itself out, and we got to really know each other, and bonded.

“Now, I’m grateful to have played with the best female basketballer Australia’s ever seen. I’m very grateful for that.”

Header image credit: Bruce

WNBL18: Q & A with Townsville Fire coach Claudia Brassard

December 5, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Basketball, Claudia Brassard, Suzy Batkovic, Townsville FIre, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sport, Zitina Aokuso

Chasing a return to the grand final series after a semi-final exit last year, Townsville Fire have compiled a 9-5 record and have only lost to Sydney (once), Perth (twice) and Dandenong (twice).

Townsville Fire captain Suzy Batkovic has put up 20 and 10 a game in another productive campaign.

With the evergreen Suzy Batkovic again in MVP contention and the returning Cayla George helping out with both points and rebounds galore, the Fire are in second place as the league approaches its final leg. They have clamped down on sides in defence and have crashed the boards, leading the league in total rebounds. At their best, they have been brutal, walloping Adelaide by 42 and putting together a faultless 3-0 record against pre-season favourites Melbourne, Here, coach Claudia Brassard reflects on a mainly successful campaign to date, touches on the Fire’s deep rotation and sees room for improvement in her veteran squad.

It’s been something of an up and down season for Townsville, but is it fair to say that the Fire’s best has been as good as anyone’s?

Yeah, it’s definitely been a year where it’s hard not to be a bit up and down with the league being how it is. We have to travel the most, more than Perth even, the season goes 13 weeks and we’re on the road 10 of those. So, it’s been that little bit harder this year to be consistent week to week.

That leads into the next question. How have you dealt with the condensed schedule this year? Have you been tempted to use the second unit a bit more?

We prepared for it as best as we could, we’ve got some of the older players now, but we recruited for that and we definitely wanted to go ten deep. Other teams can get a bit weary. If you look at Sydney, they tend to play Katie-Rae (Ebzery) 38 minutes plus and at Dandenong, they are playing Steph (Blicavs) 38 minutes plus. Hopefully we can have a bit more depth and take advantage of that.

One thing Townsville are doing well is defence, conceding less than 70 points per game. But do you think there is even more improvement to come on that end?

Yeah, we would like to think so. But one thing that we’ve talked about is our defensive rebounding and we agreed that we need to do better there.

Perth Lynx are probably the team that have given you the most trouble this year. Do you see them as the main contenders at this point?

Yeah, I think so. They’ve been very tough. Nobody has really worked them out, have they? I think they’ve won nine in a row now and they’ve been very dangerous and obviously they have those very dominant guards.

Townsville were only seventh in fast break points last year, but are up to second this year and are also first in points from turnovers. Was this something that you specifically worked on?

It wasn’t something that we initially looked at, but I think that’s come about from how we put our roster together. We can defend and be really physical and put pressure on teams and we can go ten deep. We wanted to have that depth.

How have the two imports (Laurin Mincy and Sydney Wiese) done in terms of adjusting to the league and how it is officiated?

Their attitude has been great and they’ve fitted in really well, they’re definitely digging into some Australiana now. They’ve been great, in terms of attitude and working hard and buying in, so we’ve been really happy with them actually.

Townsville are only 7th this year in 3 point percentage. Is it a matter of not getting open looks or are the shots just not falling?

We certainly struggled at the beginning of the season with hitting those shots. At first, we just weren’t hitting them but we went back and looked at the videos and we felt that we did get good looks, but they just weren’t going down. Now, they are, thankfully. Hopefully that continues and that percentage can improve.

With some teams having fallen out of the finals race is there a danger of complacency when you come up against them?

Yeah, I think so. Both of those teams, Bendigo and Canberra, they actually have very solid starting fives. They’ve just had some unlucky things go against them and that’s why they’ve ended up on the bottom of the ladder. We spoke about that today, making sure we show up hungry and motivated every game – otherwise, they will get ya. We’re coming up against Bendigo this weekend and we have to think about Adelaide first, we won’t get to train before we get to Bendigo.

But Bendigo is a bit of a danger game, they will have been sitting at home for five days waiting for us and we have to make sure that we are mentally ready and that we can adapt to their different style.

Zitina Aokuso has got fairly limited game time, but how have you see her growth?

She’s been great. The league’s getting bigger and teams have been trying to get players to combat Suzy (Batkovic). Certainly, that’s a big part of Zitina’s role – defending Suzy at training, bodying up on her and trying to beat up on her, she’s certainly done that. It’s been tough for her getting minutes with our roster, but she’s definitely learned a lot from our bigs. It’s been a pretty big learning curve for her, she only came to basketball late, but she’s taken it in stride.

How has the team found the return to television with Fox?

Look, I think it’s great for the sport. It’s great for the Townsville fans, they really love watching us on TV when we go on the road. So, I think it’s been good and hopefully it continues.

Oregon State alum Sydney Wiese has been a good fit for the Fire.

WNBL18: Round 2 shootaround

October 15, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Abby Bishop, Adelaide Lightning, Basketball, Bendigo Spirit, Dandenong Rangers, Liz Cambage, Maddie Garrick, Melbourne Boomers, Perth Lynx, Townsville FIre, University of Canberra Capitals, University of Sydney Flames, WNBL, WNBL18

Two rounds into the competition, it’s time for the first shootaround of the year. Firstly, some early impressions of each team and then a look at what advanced statistics tell us about the best performances of the competition so far.

Townsville Fire (2-0)

Having powered to a pair of fairly comfortable wins, including a TV game defeat of the highly fancied Boomers, the Fire have every reason for optimism. Dig a little deeper, however, and the Fire’s start begins to look downright ominous for other teams. They’re yet to get import Sydney Wiese on the court and Batkovic is unlikely to have another 1-11 shooting line, as she did against the Boomers. New import Lauren Mincy looks at home and Cayla George has picked up right where she left off, snaffling every rebound in her vicinity and hitting outside shots. Both George (200 games) and Mia Murray (150 games) celebrated milestones this round, highlighting this squad’s valuable continuity and experience.

Mia Murray: Now part of Townsville's 150 games club. — Mia Murray: Now part of Townsville’s 150 games club.

Melbourne Boomers (3-1)

Despite some prolonged cold stretches in their loss against the Fire, the Boomers will be well satisfied with their form overall and they have cruised to blow out wins over the Spirit and Capitals. O’Hea is crashing the boards like no other wing in the competition and Cambage has been rampant despite playing restricted minutes. Louella Tomlinson (injured finger) will bolster their already miserly frontcourt defence when she returns. They have allowed 63 points in three consecutive games and grudged just 61 in the season’s opening clash.

Adelaide Lightning (2-1)

Signs have been healthy for the completely revamped Adelaide side, with Bishop already back in stellar form (her game against the Lynx was a statistical outlier, see below) and new signings Ruth Hamblin, Lauren Nicholson and Nicole Seekamp all making major contributions, while Nat Novosel’s ability to move the ball has revitalised their offence. A finger injury to Laura Hodges will eat into their depth, though being able to bring Colleen Planeta off the bench is a luxury.

Abby Bishop put up 35 points and 10 rebounds against the struggling Lynx.

University of Sydney Flames (2-1)

The defending champions trailed for much of an entertaining, high intensity match with Dandenong, but a couple of big plays down the stretch, particularly from Asia Taylor, Ally Wilson and Belinda Snell saw them snatch a home win. They miss the bench scoring that Tahlia Tupaea provided, however, and without the injured guard their bench have tallied 7,8 and 0 points. Fatigue may be a factor long-term if the starters need to play big minutes every night.

University of Canberra Capitals (2-2)

Capitals have certainly had a tough schedule to date, being one of only two teams to play four games and coming up against the against the two most impressive teams so far in round two. Consecutive losses have returned them to the pack. Points in the paint were crucial in both this round’s games: Fire outpointed them there 40-26, while Boomers dominated the paint 50-24.

Bendigo Spirit (1-2)

The Spirit will be collectively breathing an emphatic sigh of relief after their first win against the Lynx. A 43-point explosion in the third quarter, where Nadeen Payne, Betnijah Laney and a previously struggling Rachel Banham all run amok, hints at a lofty offensive ceiling. The hard-working Payne may be in for a breakthrough campaign, while Ebony Rolph, a real defensive disruptor at SEABL level, has earned more court time this season.

Dandenong Rangers (0-2)

Winless, but far from hopeless, the Rangers were actually troubling the Flames with Pedersen’s mobility and their ability to find mismatches for much of their round 2 loss. They have gone a combined 7/29 (24%) on three-pointers in their two games, a figure which is likely to climb significantly in coming weeks as this new look team finds its rhythm.

Perth Lynx (0-3)

While Courtney Williams (23.33 ppg) has been every bit the dynamic scorer the Lynx had hoped for, an inability to get stops has hampered last year’s semi-finalists. Teams have particularly hurt them from the three-point line, with the Flames shooting 9/22 (40%), Lightning going 10/22 (45%) and the Spirit putting up a ridiculous 12/21 (57%) from long-range. Blocks aren’t always a great measure of how well players are protecting the rim, though no team wants to record a lone block in a game as the Lynx did against the Lightning. Look for the long and defence-minded Nat Burton to play more minutes as they try to shore up their defence in time for a suddenly vital return matchup with the Spirit.

Best individual performances by Performance Indicator Rating:

Using the Performance Indicator Rating (PIR) metric, the best individual games to date have come from two of the competition’s marquee names. Abby Bishop’s hyper-efficient 35 point, 10 rebound performance against Perth just shades Cambage’s dominant showing against Canberra, where she monstered her way to 27 points and 9 rebounds in less than 25 minutes. Both games scored above 40 by this metric. For context, a score of around 10 is average, while 20 is a very good individual game. In European competition, where PIR has been used to determine individual awards, an average of around 25 is often the MVP level.

Abby Bishop v Perth Lynx 45

Liz Cambage v UC Capitals 42

Leading players by raw plus/minus:

So far, this metric (also known as ‘on/off’) shows the dominance of the Boomers and the Fire, with other Melbournians Bec Cole, Kalani Purcell and Jenna O’Hea also racking up healthy differentials. Lauren Nicholson (+9.7) and Ally Wilson (+6) lead their respective teams.

+/- differential per game

Cayla George +16

Maddie Garrick +15.5

Liz Cambage +15

Liz Cambage: already making an impact on WNBL18.

WNBL18: JCU Townsville Fire Preview

September 20, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Basketball, Cayla George, Claudia Brassard, Darcee Garbin, Kelly Wilson, Laurin Mincy, Mia Murray, Micaela Cocks, Suzy Batkovic, Sydney Wiese, Townsville FIre, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sport

At the WNBL18 season launch, reigning MVP Suzy Batkovic avoided a cookie cutter response when asked who the team to beat was. Her response was simple – “us”.

Fire have cause for such bold confidence; in a shortened competition where coherency and continuity will be at a premium, no other squad has played so much winning basketball together.

Batkovic and the returning Cayla George are perennial all-WNBL team candidates, while Murray, Cocks and Wilson are seasoned pros and proven finals performers. Sydney Wiese should be one of the best shooters in the competition.

Proven winners

The last time Batkovic and George played together, they were the both amongst the league’s elite scorers, rebounders and shot blockers. Oh yeah, and the Fire swept to a 2-0 grand final series win.

The Fire should be the best rebounding team in the league and their size, physicality and nous in the paint will likely again be their strong suit. Teams will get few cheap points against lineups featuring Bakovic and George, who both played huge minutes in their championship campaigns.

Darcee Garbin comes off a monster campaign at the University games, where she showed a fair bit of craft around the rim and opponents often looked helpless trying to keep her off the boards. With a few years of senior competition under her belt, she is likely to take a step forward in WNBL 18.

Suzy Batkovic's forceful passing is another strong part of her game. Here, she finds Murray who attacks a closeout to score. — Suzy Batkovic’s forceful passing is another strong part of her game. Here, she finds Murray who attacks a closeout to score.

Newcomers

Lauren Mincy, a former WNBA draftee who led Maryland to two final four appearances, joins the team after a couple of years in Israel. It’s hard to find much intel on her time there, but her numbers with Ramat Hasharon in the 2015/16 season were solid and the team like her athleticism and see her as a genuine two-way shooting guard.

Last year the team ranked only sixth in three-point shooting percentage and import guard Natasha Cloud struggled from long range at times. This part of their game is likely to get a major boost via Sydney Wiese, who was an explosive scorer and consistently shot above 40% from three in a hugely successful college career. Known as ‘The Headband’, Wiese can create her own shot and will likely feast on open shots created by Batkovic and George being double teamed. Wilson, Murray and Cocks are also gifted passes who can get her a lot of looks.

Injection of youth

Zitina Aokuso joins the team from the AIS as a raw but hyper-athletic talent. She will be one of the most explosive jumpers in the competition straight away and it will be interesting to see whether the Fire ease her into the rotation or give her minutes from the start.

Also joining the team from the SEABL is guard Marena Whittle. She shot three-pointers at 21.9% in that competition, but found ways to get inside and score and consistently got buckets over a four-year college career at North Dakota State. She is an athlete who can also chip in with some rebounds and will inherit Tegan Cunningham’s ‘best tattoos in the league’ mantle.

Guards

Townsville tried a number of point guards last year with Kelly Wilson injured, but are likely to have more stability there for this season. One of the league’s great competitors

Mikaela Donnelly will add some depth; she led the QBL in assists and represented Australia at junior level. She has been on the fire’s radar for a while and knows how to run an offence.

Development players

Miela Goodchild, a shooting guard or small forward, was a star of the U17s Oceania championship, ranking as the most efficient player in the tournament as Australia coasted to a series of lopsided wins. Haylee Andrews also returns after a good QBL season where she was a double-digit scorer and has been likened to a young Tess Madgen by coach Claudia Brassard.

Cayla George brings size, rebounding, scoring and winning pedigree in her return to Townsville.

Off-season form:

Suzy Batkovic: 29.5 ppg, 45.2 FG% [Waratah league]

Micaela Cocks: 11.3 ppg for NZ [Asia Cup]

Mikaela Donnelly: 10.7 ppg, 39.8 FG% [QBL]

Darcee Garbin: 23.47 ppg (3rd in league), 10.24 rebounds (7th in league) [QBL] 16.8 ppg and 11.8 rpg at University games. 30 points in gold medal game.

Cayla George: 97.5 Offensive rating, 98.7 defensive rating [WNBA]

Laurin Mincy: 4.8 ppg, 3.0 apg [Israel D1]

Mia Murray: 15.29 ppg [QBL]

Marena Whittle: 16.5 ppg, 41.9 FG%, 8.1 rpg [SEABL]

Sydney Wiese: 94.4 Off. Rating, 94.2 def. rating, 40% 3-pt FG% [WNBA]

Kelly Wilson: 13.1 ppg, 7.1 assists per game (1st in league) [SEABL]

(Note: Statistics accurate as of 10/9/17)

Predictions:

MVP – Suzy Batkovic

Defensive Player of the Year – Suzy Batkovic

Rookie – Zitina Aokuso

WNBL18: An off-season primer

July 26, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Adelaide Lightning, Basketball, Bendigo Spirit, Dandenong Rangers, Melbourne Boomers, Perth Lynx, Townsville FIre, University of Canberra Capitals, University of Sydney Flames, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sport

It’s been an eventful WNBL off-season, with last season’s stragglers, Melbourne and Adelaide, bringing in major talent, while last year’s semi-finalists also look to be strong.

Stay tuned for comprehensive previews of each team in what promises to be one of the most competitive and closely-run WNBL seasons to date.

ADELAIDE

Incoming: Abby Bishop, Aimie Clydesdale, Ruth Hamblin, Lauren Nicholson, Natalie Novosel, Vanessa Panousis, Nicole Seekamp,

Outgoing: Anne Hatchard (AFLW), Sam Logic, Anneli Maley (Oregon)

Retained: Chelsea Brook, Sarah Elsworthy, Jessica Good, Laura Hodges, Shannon McKay, Colleen Planeta

Free Agents: Jordan Hunter, Mollie McKendrick, Ieva Nagy

Coach: Murray Wong / Chris Lucas

Notes: A major overhaul from last year’s last-placed team, Adelaide have made major strides forward over the off-season.

BENDIGO

Incoming: Rachel Banham, Betnijah Laney

Outgoing: Blake Dietrick, Kerryn Harrington (AFLW), Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (France)

Retained: Kelsey Griffin, Ashleigh Karaitiana, Heather Oliver, Nadeen Payne, Gabrielle Richards, Ebony Rolph, Ashleigh Spencer, Kara Tessari,

Free Agents: Jane Chalmers, Andrea Wilson

Coach: Simon Pritchard

Notes: Bendigo should benefit from continuity as they have retained much of their 2016/17 core, including the whole second unit. They have also addressed their previous lack of outside shooting with Banham and Laney.

Capitals guard Abbey Wehrung will be back after her best WNBL season yet.

CANBERRA

Incoming: Mistie Bass, Natalie Hurst, Jordan Hooper, Rachel Jarry, Ezi Magbegor, Chevannah Paalvast, Maddi Rocci, Lauren Scherf,

Outgoing: Jazmon Gwathmey (Turkey), Lauren Mansfield (Europe), Marianna Tolo (Turkey), Carly Wilson (Retired)

Retained: Keely Froling, Kate Gaze, Abby Wehrung,

Free Agents: Janelle Adams, Maddison Allen, Callie Bourne, Issie Bourne, Alice Coddington, Mikaela Ruef

Coach: Paul Gorriss

Notes: Replacing Tolo and Wilson will be no easy task, but the Caps have brought in WNBA vet Mistie Bass and have retained some intriguing young player. They also get some genuine star power in Hooper and Jarry as well as Scherf, who looks to be on the brink of a breakthrough season. The Capitals still have one free import spot.

DANDENONG

Incoming: Tessa Lavey, Carley Mijovic, Laia Palau, Rebecca Pizzey, Kayla Pedersen, Tayla Roberts, Kiera Rowe

Outgoing: Chloe Bibby (Mississippi State), Aimie Clydesdale (Adelaide), Jacinta Kennedy (Retired), Ally Mallott (Latvia), Natalie Novosel (Adelaide), Lauren Scherf (Canberra)

Retained: Rachel Antoniadou, Sara Blicavs, Steph Blicavs (nee Cumming), Amelia Todhunter

Free Agents: Rosie Fadljevic, Madeline Puli, Saraid Taylor, Briahna Whatman

Coach: Larissa Anderson

Notes: Dandenong have a new-look team from last year’s runners-up, but again look to be finals bound. Laia Palau, a three-time Olympian for Spain, joins a star-studded backcourt.

MELBOURNE

Incoming: Liz Cambage, Chelsea D’Angelo, Courtney Duever, Cassidy Gould, Ash Grant, Peri Kalka, Emma Nankervis, Jenna O’Hea, Louella Tomlinson, Kalani Purcell

Outgoing: Alice Kunek (Perth), Olivia Thompson (Perth)

Retained: Kasey Burton, Bec Cole, Monique Conti, Maddie Garrick, Bec Ott, Brittany Smart

Free Agents: Chante Black, Kelly Bowen, Jess Bygate, Tegan Cunningham, Kalisha Keane, Elyse Penaluna

Coach: Guy Molloy

Notes: Boomers have addressed their lack of frontcourt players in the most emphatic way possible, recruiting Liz Cambage. Jenna O’Hea gives them a top-tier wing, while their overall depth looks to be a level up from last year.

PERTH

Incoming: Alex Ciabattoni, Amanda Dowe, Alice Kunek, Ali Schwagmeyer, Kayla Standish, Olivia Thompson, Courtney Williams

Outgoing: Breanna Butler (Deportivo Zamarat), Ash Grant (Melbourne), Ruth Hamblin (Adelaide), Tessa Lavey (Dandenong), Carley Mijovic (Dandenong)

Retained: Nat Burton, Toni Farnworth (nee Edmonson), Tahlia Fejo, Sami Whitcomb

Free Agents: Kisha Lee, Tenaya Phillips

Coach: Andy Stewart

Notes: Perth still have at least four roster spots for 2017/18, but have retained their key player, Sami Whitcomb, who is currently playing in the WNBA. Coach Andy Stewart has said the team is looking for athletic players who will fit into their uptempo style.

SYDNEY

Incoming: Katie-Rae Ebzery, Kimberley Hodge, Emily Matthews, Maddie O’Hehir

Outgoing: Leilani Mitchell (Turkey), Lauren Nicholson (Adelaide)

Retained: Carly Boag, Shanae Graeves, Sara Graham, Jen Hamson, Cassidy McLean, Lara McSpadden, Belinda Snell, Asia Taylor, Tahlia Tupaea, Susi Walmsley, Ally Wilson

Free Agents: Chris Boag, Hayley Moffatt

Coach: Cheryl Chambers

Notes: Most of the championship-winning squad from 2016/17 returns, but replacing basketball genius Leilani Mitchell is easier said than done. Asia Taylor was expected to move overseas, but will now return in a huge get for Sydney. Opals regular Ebzery will likely again be a top ten scorer and focal point of the attack.

TOWNSVILLE

Incoming: Zitina Aokuso, Cayla George (nee Francis), Miela Goodchild, Marena Whittle, Sydney Wiese

Outgoing: Natasha Cloud, Kayla Standish (Perth)

Retained: Haylee Andrews, Suzy Batkovic, Michaela Cocks, Darcee Garbin, Mia Murray, Kelly Wilson

Free Agents: Amy Kame, Chevannah Paalvast, Ainsley Walsh, Jacqui Zelenka

Coach: Claudia Brassard

Notes: With the return of George, Townsville have returned to their twin towers frontline who were the two leading scorers in their champion teams of 2014/15 and 2015/16. Sydney Wiese adds shooting, while the team has added some exciting youth in Aokuso, Whittle and Goodchild. The team are currently pursuing a second import.

WNBL: Sally Phillips on the return to TV and the league’s bright future

May 17, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Abby Bishop, Basketball, Bendigo Spirit, Erin Phillips, Jenna O'Hea, Liz Cambage, Melbourne Boomers, Monique Conti, Opals, Perth Lynx, Rachel Jarry, Sally Phillips, Sami Whitcomb, Suzy Batkovic, Townsville FIre, University of Canberra Capitals, University of Sydney Flames, WNBL, WNBL18, Women's sportLeave a comment

“It seems like since the broadcast news, almost every day there’s been a major announcement” Head of the WNBL Sally Phillips says. “It’s been really exciting”.

Phillips, a 193 game veteran of the league who also worked as Commercial Operations Manager at Dandenong Rangers before her present role, isn’t exaggerating – this has been the most action-packed off-season in recent memory, with a multi-year broadcast partnership with Fox Sports giving the league new momentum. Already, international stars like Cayla George, Abby Bishop, Rachel Jarry and Liz Cambage have signed up for the revitalised competition.

The 2017/18 schedule will be shortened, a feature which Phillips says will help entice overseas-based talent to the league. “I think it’s really going to allow our athletes to play in the WNBA as well and if they want to play Euroleague they can choose to do that as well without missing much of the season at all”.

**Rachel Jarry is amongst the Opals stars who are returning for WNBL18.**

Phillips says she has been “absolutely blown away” by the standard of games since moving into the role last year. But she says communicating the strength of the league to the broader public can always be improved. “Basketball as a whole, we haven’t done a great job of telling our story” she says. “We have an elite competition, but still in Australia not many people know about us”.

Phillips agrees that promoting the game needs to go beyond scores and stats and says the league has recognised that human interest stories about the players resonate with fans. “People want to see the personalities of the girls, what they’re like off court. They want to see who they’re supporting”.

“There are a lot of great stories out there, many of the girls are studying or doing great work in the community”. Digging deeper into these kind of stories is something she says Fox Sports are “working tirelessly” on with the league.

One thing the conpetition is already doing well, however, is fan engagement at games. Phillips has seen the value of this first hand; she still fondly remembers meeting Geelong Cats legends illy Brownless and Mark Yeates as a youngster and collecting their autographs each week.

Jenna O'Hea's return from Europe will be huge for a revamped Melbourne. Photo: Pierre-Yves Beaudouin — Jenna O’Hea’s return from Europe will be huge for a revamped Melbourne. Photo: Pierre-Yves Beaudouin

Phillips says the Melbourne Boomers led the way with this kind of fan engagement, which has now been embraced across the league. At any given game you might see kids getting a selfie with five time MVP Suzy Batkovic or swarming Sami Whitcomb for some shooting advice.

This engagement is particularly important with young fans, Phillips says. “The WNBL is such a family-friendly environment, and that’s something I’m very proud of”.

The league will continue to work on strengthening ties with junior players nationwide, aiming to leverage Australia’s strong basketball participation rates. “That’s the thing that stands us in great stead” Phillips says. “Depending on the time of year, we might have 1 million or even 2 million playing. We need to find a way to engage those people and convert them into fans of the NBL or WNBL. It’s something we’re mindful of and working hard on. It’s important that clubs and players are out there working in the community”.

Another huge plus for the league is the promise of improved competitive balance in the WNBL next year. Last year’s stragglers, Adelaide and Melbourne, have both recruited aggressively and look set for huge improvement. “It’s going to be a really even competition” Phillips enthuses. “It could be like the AFL where you don’t know who’s going to win every week”.

Erin Phillips' success in the new AFLW competition "has put WNBL on the map" for AFL recruiters says Sally Phillips. Photo: flickerd — Erin Phillips’ success in the new AFLW competition “has put WNBL on the map” for AFL recruiters says Sally Phillips. Photo: flickerd

Speaking of the AFL, the league is also working on the complex issue of facing a new competitor for its elite talent. With Opal Erin Phillips starring in the AFLW’s first season, recruiters are increasingly eyeing elite basketballers for a code switch. Still others, like electric Melbourne youngster Monique Conti, have ambitions of playing both sports at the highest level. “It’s a really hard one” Phillips acknowledges. “The last thing we want to do is to force girls into making a choice”.

The AFL has always got a lot of mileage out of its glamorous Brownlow Awards night and Phillips says the league would love to emulate that event’s broad appeal with its own awards night, though this has proven difficult without sponsorship. “We’ve done the best with what we have” she says. “But our athletes definitely deserve to be recognised in that way”.

Liz Cambage's return will be one of the main storylines of WNBL18. Photo: Bidgee — Liz Cambage’s return will be one of the main storylines of WNBL18. Photo: Bidgee

Another area the league is looking at behind the scenes is expansion. Phillips says they want to ensure any increase in the number of teams is done in a considered way. “It’s definitely on the radar” she says. “We want any teams that enter to be absolutely financially sustainable. We’ve done studies on the best areas and best ways for teams to enter, so (any expansions teams) will have to be strongly aligned with the studies and the criteria we have”.

For now, though, Phillips is understandably thrilled with the obvious progress the league is making around the new broadcast partnership. “There’s a real air of positivity around the WNBL again”.

WNBL: Coach Claudia Brassard talks Townsville Fire’s title defence.

March 21, 2017November 13, 2021Posted in SportTagged Basketball, Claudia Brassard, Darcee Garbin, Haylee Andrews, Kelly Wilson, Mia Murray, Micaela Cocks, Suzy Batkovic, Townsville FIre, WNBL, WNBL17, WNBL18

When Suzy Batkovic bid an emotional farewell to Townsville’s 2016/17 campaign, it marked the end of an era of lofty success and the first time in four years the Fire hadn’t progressed to the grand final. It was a season which swung from brilliant to frustrating several times, perhaps peaking and plateauing in the same game, a thrilling overtime win against Sydney which also saw Kelly Wilson sidelined with a costly ankle injury.

Again, the central figure in the Fire’s campaign was the three-time Olympian Batkovic, who terrorised opponents inside the key, powering and finessing her way to a record fifth league MVP win. Batkovic finished second in points per game (20.92), second in rebounds per game (10.85) and sixth in total blocks (30).

Claudia Brassard, who moved into the head coach role this season after previously playing for the club and serving as assistant coach during the back to back championships, says that the intangibles Batkovic brought to the table were just as important. “Her captaincy and leadership skills are something she works on constantly”.

Indeed, Batkovic’s forthright leadership style was something that gave the team a real identity. “If you want someone to have your back, you could not have someone better than Suzy. If she thinks something isn’t right, or one of her teammates is missing out on something, she’ll go straight to the source”.

Brassard suggests Batkovic, a great teacher and mentor, was particularly beneficial for young power forward Darcee Garbin, who was a shining light against Sydney as the team went down to the white-hot Flames side in the semi-finals. “(Darcee) is a really good, promising player” Brassard says. “She would normally come off the bench and get us a couple of boards right away. But her greatest asset is her personality. She has a great work ethic and she wants to learn”.

Darcee Garbin had a strong year and learned plenty from Suzy Batkovic.

Players from last year’s championship side like Micaela Cocks, Batkovic and Garbin were joined by livewire point guard Kelly Wilson, though the Fire’s prized acquisition was dogged by injury at the start of the season and later missed games with an ankle fracture. “I think she’d say it was the most frustrating season she’s had” Brassard says. “I think we’ll see a much better Kelly Wilson next year”.

Instead of playing in the SEABL competition during the off-season like she normally does, Wilson plans to sit it out, but Brassard suggests that the high-energy guard, who was regularly doing extra work in the gym and video room, will be doing anything but enjoying some rest and relaxation. “She won’t be sitting on her bum, she’ll be keeping very active in some way”.

Kelly Wilson: unlikely to be found "sitting on her bum" — Kelly Wilson: unlikely to be found “sitting on her bum”

While WNBA player Natasha Cloud and Kiwi international Micaela Cocks looked set to give the Fire flexibility and valuable injury cover at the one when Wilson was injured, Brassard says the point guard logjam was both a blessing and a curse. “Honestly it’s something we struggled with throughout the season, that question of ‘who is the point guard?’ We would have liked some more stability there, but that’s the hand we were dealt”.

Elsewhere, the team’s strength was inside the paint, where they collected a league-leading 36.8 rebounds a game, again led by Suzy Batkovic, the competition’s most prolific defensive rebounder. The Fire also ranked high on assists, with Cloud, Wilson, Batkovic and Murray all recording plenty of dimes. As Brassard explains, the team’s ball movement flowed from the defensive attention Batkovic drew in the low post.

A bread and butter play for Townsville Fire: Batkovic draws a double team and passes to Murray for an open three.

“Suzy was always seeing double and triple teams and I think we did a reasonable job of finding the outside shooters from that”. Yet the team’s unselfishness had a downside at times. “Sometimes that (approach) was to our detriment, there were times when we could have been a bit more selfish”.

In particular, coaching staff encouraged sweet-shooting forward Kayla Standish to look for her own shot. “We’ve been working with her on not fading away, on going inside” Brassard says. Standish still led the squad in true shooting percentage and added range to her game, connecting on 19 threes after only making six the previous season.

Kayla Standish was an efficient scorer for the Fire.

Another willing passer, Mia Murray, had a nice season as a canny second-option scorer and good decision maker, while star junior guard Haylee Andrews joined the team as a development player. Brassard had previously coached Andrews in youth teams and has high hopes for the youngster. “I see her as a Tess Madgen type, with those really strong legs, she can get into the key and finish over bigger players”.

Currently in the midst of recruiting and retaining players, the Fire are aware that like every WNBL team, they have to compete with the lure of bigger money on offer in Europe. They’re confident, however, that the environment they have created and the support from the community will be powerful incentives to entice players to sign up for another tilt at the title. “I’m proud of the culture we’ve built here” Brassard says.