Luuuc - they've been doing ok without Atwell, there will be definitely an adjustment to Lynx game upon Atwell’s return & Sowah will probably feel it the most with minutes & shot attempts.

Would think that someone would think that the Perth vs Bendigo game was worth a bit of extra promotion ..... yeah nope.

Hopefully next season with the new owners there will actually be someone who understands how to promote the product .

Sowah will probably feel it the most with minutes & shot attempts.

Chibba out this week for her Wedding according to the West.

Thanks. I thought she was only going to miss the Saturday game but that was based on older reporting.

Definitely would be handy if Atwell is good to go then, even if limited. Any word on that in the West?

Atwell doesn't look right at all, Bendigo being ultra physical in any screening action involving Atwell. Neither team is playing particularly well, Bendigo requiring KG to turn back that clock in the 1st half.

Great game, Bendigo got so much exp but will they have the legs later on in the season.

Atwell looked rusty, and Maley looked like she thought she was Atwell.
Good win by the Spirit. Never let the Lynx get any type of momentum.
Sowah's great form continues, but not enough help tonight.

Defence for both sides excellent, Lynx really has the claps on till that last quarter but poor offensive execution in the last hurt. A less rusty Atwell or Chibba would have helped.

Griffin remains a beast.

Will be great battle the next two between them I think.

Perth are going to live and die by the 3ptr 5-29 last night , ironically Bendigo the same stat line.

Maley and Whitcombe 0-14 combined 3Ptrs.

Perth free throws 5-13 ouch.

Whitcomb triple double and she went 0-7 from deep.

You heard it here first (a prediction) - Miela Sowah will be in the next opals squad of 25-27 as a specific role player 3 point shooter. Small at the international level, but she is becoming an elite 3 point shooter. I think Sandy will include her

Perth are going to live and die by the 3ptr 5-29 last night , ironically Bendigo the same stat line.

Maley and Whitcombe 0-14 combined 3Ptrs.

Perth free throws 5-13 ouch.

Sandy has been to quite a few games already.
Guessing Seebohm will be asia cup coach again...


WNBL player Pool?

Adelaide
Bourne

Bendigo
Griffin
Tolo

Canberra
Horvat

Geelong
Shelley
Froling

Perth
Sowah
Wilson
Atwell
Maley

Southside
Rocci
Kunek

Sydney
George

Townsville
Woods


Overseas
Reid
Heal
Garrick
Whittle
Sharp
Bibby
Garbin
Aokuso
Scherf


WNBA. Some may be cut.
Melbourne
Whitcomb
Swain
Wallace
Borlase
Talbot
Allen
Puoch
Smith
Magbegor

Adelaide up 24 at 3/4 time- surely even they can't blow that big of a lead!

Much needed win for the lightning, flyers didn't look up to it from the beginning.

Add Swain to player pool for Opals?

Please no Sowah in the PG Lynx, the ball doesn't get into Offense!

Mostly garbage 1st quarter by Perth :/
Couple of late baskets make it look flattering. Stoked to be down just 3 after that.

Game over and still not a stat to be found in the app or the #bushleague website

Not sure there is a more dirty player in the WNBL than Cayla George, for someone who preaches her Christian lifestyle she throws a lot of elbows at peoples faces!

Talbot looks disinterested today & is literally dialing in her effort to Vs Geelong. For an Opal & WNBA rotational player she looks completely bored & not focused to compete in today's game.

Bad round for every team playing a game 2

agree SamCro, very disappointing effort from Talbot

Adelaide coach has got to be tearing her hair out!! How can a team have all that talent, young talent too, and not get it done!!! And then the contrasting displays of shooting between the Flyers game and the United game.. what is going on?

Lightning are widly inconsistent from one game to the next, from the outside looking in they appear to struggle for strong on court leadership when they go thru their phases of struggling to score. Borlase & Talbot as a duo go together like toothpaste & orange juice...

2 opals not really putting in the effort atm. Both don't deserve an opals spot next year if available.

Talbot now at golden state.

Whatever is going on, there are a few layers to it that don't align with professional sport. The whole thing is amiss. Disengaged WNBA talent? Really?

Disengagement of senior Lightning players generally means change is afoot.

Watch this space.

2 opals not really putting in the effort atm. Both don't deserve an opals spot next year if available.

Could not agree with this statement more. If I was a Lightning supporter I'd be filthy on those 2 right now

Perth Lynx Update

OWNERSHIP UPDATE

The Perth Lynx are delighted to announce that Sports Entertainment Group Ltd has confirmed its subsidiary, SEN Teams Pty Ltd (SEN), has secured a majority stake in the Perth Lynx, expanding its strategic partnership with Perth-based couple, Jodi Millhahn and Christian Hauff.

SEN's investment in the Lynx license doubles down on its commitment to women’s sport, and will leverage the synergies of its ongoing ownership of the Perth Wildcats and other women’s sporting teams across Australia and New Zealand.
SEN was already managing the Lynx day-to-day operations from a commercial perspective.

Perth-based husband and wife, Jodi Millhahn and Christian Hauff, will remain shareholders and co-chair the club’s Board of Directors.
Millhahn and Hauff stepped in to ensure the Lynx franchise remained in Perth earlier this year, with an initial investment. The partnership ensures that SEN and the couple will work together to ensure the long-term prosperity and implementation of a growth strategy for the club.

Jodi Millhahn and Christian Hauff said: "We are extremely excited and passionate about the Lynx potential both on and off the court. Aligning with SEN will help us accelerate that growth through their extensive resources, relationships and sports team expertise."

SEN Chief Executive, Craig Hutchison, said partnering with Millhahn and Hauff in growing the franchise was a huge honour.
“The Perth Lynx is an amazing franchise, and we know first-hand what a great basketball town Perth is via our ownership in the Perth Wildcats,” Hutchison said.
“We have seen incredible public support by the people of Perth and WA for their sports teams, which - combined with the forthcoming new ownership and investment in the WNBL by Wollemi Capital Group - sets the stage for an exciting new chapter for the Lynx.

“We thank in particular Basketball Australia, Basketball WA, and our major partners - the WA Government, Rio Tinto, Northern Star and Alinta Energy - for their support in setting the Lynx up for further success.

“We also thank Jodi and Christian for working with us on this unique partnership, and greatly appreciate their commitment to the Lynx and their leadership in ensuring this really is a true partnership.”

There is some strong rumor that there is a lot going on behind the scenes at Lightning, especially with ownership.
Owner trying to gauge interest in new ownership of the license and if no interest, looking at handing it back to BA. I think we all know what direction this will end.
Unfortunately, there is no real interest in this team from their local basketball community. Pretty easy to gauge on this on tv, bit sad considering such a long, successful part of the league. They would have to have the smallest crowds in the league with a pretty decent payroll in Talbot, Borlase, Bourne and Turner.
Any one else shine some light on where this club ends up?

Lightning's lack of fan support has baffled me for years.
Hopefully they can hang in there long enough to have a proper crack at it in the WNBL2.0 era, because I have to think it is possible to make it work with the right resources.

Cygnett WNBL Fixture Update
December 10, 2024

There have been several updates to the 24/25 Cygnett WNBL fixture, starting from Round 9.

When the original fixture was finalized, FIBA required a mid-season break for international play, which is now no longer needed. The league has worked with Clubs to move games into this window.

The changes ensure continuity in the competition, eliminate unnecessary breaks and maintain momentum leading into Finals, and enhance visibility with additional games on ESPN and 9GO.

Key Updates:

New Round added

Four games previously scheduled in other rounds have been moved into this new round, with one game on ESPN, one on 9GO, and two on 9Now.
The previous Round 15 is now Round 16.

Broadcast updates
Round 9: Capitals vs. Perth game (Sunday, Dec 29) will now air on 9GEM instead of 9GO.
Round 13: Townsville vs. Sydney game rescheduled from Thursday, Jan 23 to Wednesday, Jan 22 on ESPN.

Finals coverage adjustments

ESPN has requested slight changes to two game times during the Finals to avoid program clashes and maximise coverage - Semi Final on Sunday 23 February moved from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and Semi Final on Sunday 2 March moved from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

The updated fixture is now live and available as a PDF download on the WNBL website or through the WNBL App

Lightning have parted ways with Nat Hurst effective immediately.

Full statement:

The Adelaide Lightning announces today that the club and head coach Natalie Hurst have mutually agreed to part ways effective immediately, with the search for a new head coach set to begin right away.

Natalie Hurst, a celebrated seven-time WNBL Championship player, joined the Lightning as head coach ahead of the WNBL23 season. Hurst's tenure followed an illustrious playing career that concluded in Adelaide and a successful run as assistant coach from 2020 to 2022.

Appointed as head coach in 2022, Hurst has demonstrated unwavering commitment and passion for the team over the past three seasons. While on-court results have fallen short of expectations, her dedication to developing talent has had a lasting impact, with several players earning international representative honours, including appearances at the 2024 Paris Olympics. As both a player and coach, Hurst’s contributions to the Lightning remain highly valued by the club.

The Adelaide Lightning is committed to providing the best possible environment for players and fans and will begin the process of identifying a new head coach who can guide the team into the next phase of development.


Hurst’s legacy as a Lightning player and coach will forever remain a significant chapter in the club’s history. The Adelaide Lightning wishes Hurst all the best in her future endeavours.

Disappointing for Hurst's time at the helm to end like this. No doubt Talbot & Borlase will pull their fingers out now & they will start winning, shame they could not play like pro's regardless.

Borlase & Talbot have gotten their wish with the firing of Hurst, their body language & more importantly their effort & energy levels need to improve dramatically with whoever the new Lightning Coach will be!

When it comes to coaches in the WNBL, I always hope extra-hard for success when it's a female and an ex-player. So for me it is disappointing that it didn't work out for Hurst.
But it's hard to fault the decision when you look at talent vs results.

Hopefully the change will breathe some life into the Lightning's season. (but not too much life - Perth still plays them 2 more times this season I think)

I thought SEN bought the Lynx in the off-season and no longer owned the Wildcats?

Caps will be spewin that they have to play them 1st with their new coach

A rare good decision by the higher ups at Adelaide. Hurst should have been let go at the end of last season imo.

Alabakov deserves a shot?

Alabakov deserves a shot?

Some previous posters have suggested he has some baggage

But no idea what that means

40 plus year old Womens pro league with only 1 female head coach plus a handful of female assistants. Yes, the answer is definitely to give another male coach an opportunity.

Appointing a token female won't help this program.

Find the best fit, the best people manager they can. Male or Female shouldn't matter.

Hurst clearly wasn't working, also confused to why she was even there for this season.

Time for a new direction, hopefully some wins and support to help find a buyer. Unlikely though.

They need a great coach, gender means nothing. Best person for the job...
I suggested Alabakov because he earnt a shot and wants one.

Funny how "the best person for the job" always seems to be a man.

But okay, let's say Alabakov is the front runner, I have a few questions. Why did he stop getting AC gigs? Why did he leave Bendigo? Why is he no longer a commentator?

Which lady do you think deserves a shot as a HC?

If I was in charge of Lightning, I'd be head hunting Sam Woosnam, pretty obvious tbh. I’d also rather see Veal get a 2nd opportunity than Alabakov. Caps sacked her for Goriss, they’re still losing & now they look miserable while they’re doing it, whereas under Veal they at least looked like they were having fun. Both Veal & Woosnam are South Australians too.

There are more male coaches in general than females. What a shock that it's statistically likely a male might be the best candidate.

Hurst will probably end up being a decent coach from what I've seen, but jumping into the role with two years as an AC isn't enough experience. Ex-players jumping straight into coaching professional senior basketball just isn't a recipe for success - male or female.

I don't believe Alabakov is being seriously considered. At least two SA coaches have been contacted.

Woosnam sure, not a bad shout out.
Veal after 8 months out and the worst record in wnbl history deserves another shot?

Yes Jayhoops because shock horror "the best person for the job" at lower levels is also usually a man.

Hurst head coached multiple seasons of whatever the Canberra NBL1 team is called before becoming a wnbl head coach I believe. I agree with you though, she has a bright future ahead, despite this bump in the road.

"Veal after 8 months out and the worst record in wnbl history deserves another shot?"

Considering the number of cracks Molloy has had, for his one championship, absolutely.

Seebolm also failed first time around, as did Kennedy, plus many others I'm sure.

But she had 2 straight seasons. 2-19, 4-17... last place 2 seasons in a row.

But she had 2 straight seasons. 2-19, 4-17... last place 2 seasons in a row.

Are we putting that record solely down to Veals coaching ability? What if she had the budget that the Fire or Flyers had during those 2 seasons? Most coaches will admit that they're a better coach when they have better players.

There are more male coaches at lower levels as well, Footloose.

Malloy is constantly criticized, and rightly so.

Seebohm had a 24-22 record over two seasons. That's a failure, but the tenure from these other coaches aren't?

The Caps were never winning a championship, but 6 games in two seasons...

the roster was changed in year 2 with a larger spend and it didn't get much better.
Not the same spend as others but I’m not sure 4 wins is a pass mark. 11 wins was 6th.

Woosnam is an adopted South Aussie but would be a great choice. Ex-Club Captain, been interstate developing as a coach in Vic and Qld.

Would she come back for that role given the uncertainty around the Club and its future? She's lived through that already, might not be enough of a pull for her and her young family. Does help she has family and friends in Adelaide though.

Seebolm was in Sydney for his first stint. On Sydney Katrina Hibbert's rein was a lot better than Shane Heals, she could be given a 2nd chance.

Gorris was a championship winning coach with a champagne roster, looking very ordinary with his beer roster, are we wanting him sacked?

Yes, Molloy does get criticism here but is never without a job for very long, go figure.

Seebolm was in Sydney for his first stint, and went 24-22 over two seasons.

Did he win a championship there Jayhoops?

Nope, another male coach in Chris Lucas won the championship both years instead.

Pretty sure Sam Woosnam has made it known that she is more interested in making it to the top coaching male teams. She would be a great candidate however.

To see more females at the top we need more females coaching at the lower levels. There is just not enough females coaching at any level - full stop! It's all good and well wanting to have more senior wome coaching, but we need to foster and facilitate that at the lower levels to ensure that they come through.

Ultimately, at pro level, it should be the best person for the job and not be based on gender.

Many former players - male and female - have struggled to transition from making the relatively quick jump from player to head coach at elite levels. those who have done well have usually done a pretty decent apprenticeship coaching teams at lower levels - and not necessarily just as an assistant coach.

The best coaches are, more often than not, the ones who have the most experience and have worked their way up the pathway - much like the players do from junior to senior/pro ranks.

Wow, Alabakov changed jobs. There's some solid proof of "baggage" right there.

At least two SA coaches have been contacted.

It might be Marko Marinovic.

Correct, Luuuc. It's his to turn down from what I'm told.