It's concertina round! Embrace the big squeeze.

Free general admission tickets are available for Thursday's Flames vs Flyers (featuring the GOAT) via Ticketek.

The Townsville Airport terminal will close at midday tomorrow Thursday 25 January, in response to weather warnings related to the Tropical Low off the coast.
Airlines are cancelling and rescheduling services as necessary. If you are booked on flights tomorrow or Friday please contact your airline directly for further advice.

TSV vs Southside looking like a washout ......

https://wnbl.basketball/sydneyflames/news/swain-set-to-make-flames-debut-against-flyers/

Swain will suit up tomorrow night for the Flames - good news? Or does this unsettle them a little?

Is Jade Melbourne playing tonight or is she injured?

Harry Froling has taken a screenshot of Instagram comments. Seems a feud between the Frolings and Anneli/Perth lynx.
Anyone know which post this relates to?

It is a post about when his sister got smashed in the face in a WNBL game not long ago.

I'd be putting Jade in cotton wool ahead of the Opals Olympic Qualifiers.

Franke123 - can you provide screenshot or show link?

I was trying to find the post L C, but I couldn't see it?

https://x.com/harryfroling/status/1750100557090689094?s=46&t=EfJkFt_-lmmIe_xtUvVZ8g

Hope this works.
Can't find Instagram post though.

TSV vs Southside looking like a washout ......

The league will now work with both teams to attempt to find a suitable date to reschedule the game. Should that not be possible, then Rule 2.11e from WNBL Rules will be applied:

2.11e WNBL League Management will assess if the game is required to be replayed depending on ladder position and if the game is needed to determine playoffs position. If abandoned prior tip off and not replayed, the teams effected by the abandoned game win/loss percentage will be determined by one (1) less game.

Note: Ladder positions in the WNBL are determined by win / loss percentage. If teams are on the same win / loss percentage, the next determinant is the split between the two teams.

What do the fish emojis represent in that insta screenshot? (I'm obviously getting too old!)

I can't say I get what's going on in that Froling post either Dmc.

What do the fish emojis represent in that insta screenshot? (I'm obviously getting too old!)

Oops- sorry for double post (I really am getting too old)

Caps confirmed that Jade won't play all games this round. However, by the same logic, other key opals pieces should also be put in cotton wool...

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2XZ1THPG6p/

Pretty sure it was comments on this post, and that the original poster has subsequently deleted the comments (you can tell it was comments on one of this guys posts by looking at the 'add a comment' at the bottom of Harry's screenshot).

Still confused about the fish emojis!

I think the fish emoji is the old "fell for that hook, line and sinker" expression, as in someone easily caught.

Won't be able to make it through this game with the commentary on.

Looks like Perth played Bendigo into some form. You're welcome, Spirit :/

Were Bendigo really in great form though Luc? They didn't exactly have a formidable opponent (sorry Caps, love you).

What has happened to Maley? She used to be such a respectable, hard working player who just got the job done but she seems to have turned into a mini Cambage.

Cambage? OUCH! That's crazy harsh.

Okay, maybe a bit harsh because nobody is/could be THAT psychotic but she definitely isn't the sweet little thing she was. I'm far from fans of any of the Frolings but that knock and the aftermath were savage.

I'd offer that she doesn’t need to be a sweet little thing... but if all players could tone down the whinging to the refs for calls, that would be great.

Take out the Southside game recently & you'll find that Bendigo’s form has been building well before belting the Lynx in Perth. Ally Wilson, Griffen & Kraker have collectively hit a purple patch which has them ultra competitive with the ability to beat anyone on any given night.

Agree re Bendigo, and just like we have seen in every other team, you take away a key piece (KG at the start of the season) and it's tougher to get wins.

Once again, no sign of today's games on 9Now. This is ridiculous.

Hoping they'll get the replays up soon, not sure though, it being a public holiday and all.

Download the streams while they are live using ytarchive.

It's what I do nowadays via an automated scheduler - no more waiting around for shitty services to decide when to upload replays.

Great to have Swain back in action.

And in further good news, apparently Talbot will make her return tomorrow.

yes it's been on media about Talbot returning

To LA also

Download the streams while they are live using ytarchive.

Talbot looking like she hasn't missed a beat! Great to see her looking so confident and impactful in her return first half.

Talbot looks great! Awesome to see her back on the court.

anyone had the telcast drop out ? it went to tennis mid game and now just buffering

No issues on the clean feed.

If Talbot is healthy, why isn't she playing for the opals?

Give the load of the tournament - 3 games in 4 days if I recall correctly - I don't think anyone wants to come into that fresh off an acl injury with only 20 mins of wnbl under their belt. Particularly with WNBA preseason around the corner.

However, talbots conditioning and strength displayed today are a real testament to her work in rehab. Not many players come out and look that good in their first game. Excited for her wnba season!!

Yeah, could hardly ask for a better first hit-out after such a long break. Good stuff.

That was a great comeback, really happy for Talbot, the whole team seemed to lift too. Mansfield's recent form has been some of her best too. It's just a shame Borlase was out, you really want to see them all together.

No Aari = Perth away with fairies. It's been rough. Doubt they have enough games back with her after the break this week to get back into finals.

Top of table is looking interesting though, I don't think any of the final four want to face Sydney in the form they're in. Townsville doing better away from home too is a bit weird. At least when we get to finals things will be interesting.

I've noticed the same thing with Maley, she seems to whinge constantly and looks like she's miserable in most games. I'm out of the loop, what happened after she smashed Froling in the face? Did she say something?

Tue 6:00 - Bendigo vs Melbourne
Tue 7:00 - Canberra vs Townsville


What a wonderful piece of scheduling

Pretty cool in terms of watching them simultaneously though.

Maley should not be throwing stones in glass houses...

Bendigo's run of good form continues.

Good effort from the caps tonight, but Tville were just too good. Gemma Potter with a break our game showing just how good she will be. Also have to wonder whether Jade could have got her second career triple double (9 8 6) in only three quarters od basketball.

For Townsville, positive signs with Alice Kunek warming up tonight.

No arm wrestling for Alice for a while though, I'd imagine. But great to hear she's getting closer to a return, the champs need her.

The Spirit have turned things completely around. I'm not sure coach Lucas would be pleased with some of his teams performances or their consistency. But it's always great to see Jordin Canada's elite court vision on display. The most surprising remark of the night came from Mark Alabakov, when he confidently declared that Sara Blicavs is one of the worlds great defenders. I can't see it myself.

Agree re Blicavs. I can't really see how she's in the Opals squad but Nicholson isn't.

Talbot is absolute quality, looks like she hasn't been away at all.

Whoever said on this group that Alabakov is one of the worst commentators because it is like he is coaching out there..... well I couldn't agree more. He may be a terrific coach, I am not sure, but that amount of time he says 'case in point' is terrible. Its like he is trying to prove to people who just want to watch the game that everything he is saying is right.

Was switching between NBL and WNBL games last weekend. Huge difference in commentary style. NBL commentators are "trying" to entertain. WNBL colour commentators all sound like they're interviewing for a coaching job. So much technical jargon has got to be turning casual basketball fans off.

Perth somehow hanging about with a depleted team.
Going to drop out of the finals race with a loss.

It seemed a bit mean to make Loz play 26 minutes in that one, right before jumping on a plane to Brazil.