The 45th season of Australia’s longest running elite women’s sporting league is about to tip off, and with a new team and plenty of fresh and returning talent, it sure is going to be an exciting one. The season tips off on the 30th of October and will run through till March. Longtime club in the league, the Deakin Melbourne Boomers will not be returning this season following the handover of their license to inaugural club, Geelong United. So let’s meet and preview the eight teams that will be competing for the 2024/25 WNBL championship.
Adelaide Lightning
The Adelaide Lightning will be looking to have a stronger campaign than last season, after a rocky 2024 which saw them finish 7th in the final standings. Having to be without the impactful Steph Talbot for most of the 2023/24 season due to injury, the Lightning will be looking forward to having the Olympian and WNBA player back at full strength and on the court. Young gun Isobel Borlase who has picked up her fair share of experience in the offseason having made her Olympic debut at Paris, will be predicted to go another level this WNBL season. Having already had a couple of breakthrough seasons in the past 2 years, Borlase’s youthful talent and fearless attitude paired with her international level experience will be a dangerous combination for oppositions this season. American import, Brianna Turner returns for another season in Adelaide, which is huge veteran experience for the club and her presence inside the key being invaluable. Issie Bourne is another exciting returner this season for the Lightning. Coming off an impressive rookie season last year and recently having won the NBL1 South MVP in the offseason, Bourne boosts youthful talent and energy and will be looking to go make her mark this season.
Predicted Finish: 4th
Bendigo Spirit
Having narrowly missed out on finals in 2023/24, the Spirit will be looking to go one better this season especially with some big additions to the squad. Opal veterans Sami Whitcomb and Marianna Tolo will be calling Bendigo home for the 2024/25 season, providing a wealth of experience and value. Tolo will be joined in the post by longtime Spirit staple, Kelsey Griffin who could thrive sharing the key workload with a fellow long time veteran of the game. Hustler and tough defender Abigail Wehrung returns for another season in the blue and yellow. Wehrung and Whitcomb will be a dreaded duo in the backcourt for opposition players, with their suffocating defensive pressure and silky hands. Sharpshooter Casey Samuals will once again be a 3 point weapon for the spirit this season, adding to their versatile array of offensive tools. The Spirit are well in contention for Finals, however it will come down to the ability to execute as a team and develop team chemistry with the newcomers.
Predicted Finish: 1st
Geelong United
The newbies on the block, it’s hard to predict how Geelong will go in their inaugural season but with a championship coach at the helm and a diverse range of players, they should be able to hold their own. Former Melbourne Boomers coach, Chris Lucas will lead the United in their first season and boasting years of experience and a couple of championships under his belt, he will want to make a statement down the coast. Former Boomers Co-captain, Keely Frolling has followed Lucas down to Geelong, with her experience and leadership presence deemed to be highly important amongst a largely young team. Monique Conti, another former Boomer who has joined the migration to Geelong, will be looking to have another impactful season in the WNBL. Originally being a spark off the bench at the beginning of the 2023/24 season, Conti’s consistency and reliability resulted in her being a crucial member of the Boomers starting 5 by the conclusion of last season. Conti will look to continue her impressive form and will most likely solidify herself as the starting point guard for United. Jaz Shelley will be an intriguing player to keep an eye on this season as she returns back to the WNBL after an impressive 5 year USA college career. Shelley was also amongst the famous rookie draft class of 2024, being picked up by the Phoenix Mercury in the 3rd round. Despite getting waived during training camp, Shelley’s college experience and short taste of WNBA style, will be highly valuable for Geelong. It will be interesting however to see her transition back into the WNBL, as in previous years, the league has seen many former college players return back to the Australian professional league and struggle to find their footing, as there is a sizeable shift between the college game and professional game. The United are also not short on international talent, with the signing of WNBA guard Hayley Jones being an exciting and highly valuable pick up. Jones just wrapped up her second season in the WNBA with the Atlanta Dream, and will prove to be a weapon on both the offensive and defensive end. It will be exciting to see how she combines with both Shelly and Froling. Gemma Potter is making the move from Canberra to Geelong and it won’t just be the Geelong fans who will be excited to see a full strength Potter back on the court. Having had her fair share of bad luck with 2 ACL injuries in the space of 2 years, last season we were able to see a healthy Potter make her return to the court. This year we hope to see Potter go to another level with her athleticism and grit, making her a nightmare on both the defensive and offensive end for opposition teams.
Predicted Finish: 5th
Perth Lynx
With a healthy amount of returning players and sprinkles of new talent, the Lynx will be looking for revenge after a heartbreaking end to the 2023/24 season. Falling short at the final hurdle taking the Championship series to 3 games against the Southside Flyers, there is no doubt the Lynx will be hungry and eager to do one better in 2025. Key players Anneli Maley and Amy Atwell return, and with both making their olympic debuts in Paris in 3x3 and 5x5 respectively, they should both be primed to make huge impacts on the league. Sharpshooter Miela Goodchild and disciplined Lynx veteran Alex Ciabattoni both return for another season on the West Coast and will be valuable assets to the starting 5 and also coming off the bench. Bench players Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard and Steph Gorman both will wear the black and red again this season, and will be looking to step up and make larger contributions this season. Both playing important roles last year in Perth's near championship pursuit, their growth this season should be exciting and will both be handy assets if Perth make it to the postseason again. New addition, Alex Wilson is a great offseason pick up for the Lynx and has shown her capabilities in her past few seasons with Bendigo. Also coming off an Olympic Debut in the Australian 3x3 team, Wilsons athletic and tough style of play will complement fellow 3x3 teammate Maley’s game, giving them potential to be a dangerous duo.
Predicted Finish: 3rd
Southside Flyers
Coming off a championship and a successful 2023/24 season, there should be no excuses for a championship hangover with a fresh look team and coach donning the teal in 2024/25. Former Melbourne Boomers assistant Kristi Harrower, will coach her first season as a WNBL head coach at the Flyers. Replacing longtime coach Cheryl Chambers, Harrower will bring a new dynamic and hunger to the club and it will be exciting to see her head up a team. Having closely worked with Chris Lucas the past two seasons, Harrower is more than ready to lead her own team and will this be the start of a legendary coaching career for the legendary past player? Similar to Geelong, a former boomers contingency has followed their former coach with the likes of NZ native Tera Reed, US Import Naz Hillmon, young gun Paige Burrows all making the cross town switch. These new additions are blended with returning flyers including veterans Carly Ernst, Bec Cole and the always fiery Maddi Rocci. Alice Kunek is an addition that will be more than handy for the flyers and after an injury interrupted 2023/24 season and missing out on the Opals Olympic team, Kunek should be hungry to make an impact.
Predicted Finish: 2nd
Sydney Flames
Sydney will look relatively different this season and after missing out on the finals last season, the Flames look more than capable of making it to the postseason in 2025. Major losses to the team include former Opals captain Tess Madgen to retirement and Lauren Nicholson to pregnancy. Key member, Cayla George will return for her second season with the Flames and will be a crucial member both on the court and off the court as a leader. Emma Clarke will consistency for the Flames on both ends of the court. The signing of a young gun from the US, Celeste Taylor is an exciting one. With Taylor having a rocky and disruptive WNBA rookie season having played for 3 different teams, it will be reassuring for her to call one team home for a season and hopefully this translates to consistency in her on court performance. The always gritty and rebounder fanatic, Mikela Ruef makes the move from Townsville and will be a valuable partner to George in the post.
Predicted Finish: 6th
Townsville Fire
Having a somewhat underperforming 2023/24 final series after being named minor premiers, the Fire will be looking to redeem themselves this upcoming season. However with a new look team and some key losses, its hard to predict how the Fire will compete with the rest of the competition. Courtney Woods and Saffron Shiels are the only returning players from last season, meaning many fresh faces within the team. Lauren Mansfield is a solid inclusion, coming off a 3x3 Olympic Campaign and being a seasoned point guard in the WNBL, she will be key to solidifying Townsville style of play. Alicia Froling brings her experience and tough attitude under the ring, often being an oppositions worst nightmare in the paint. The Fire will also be boasting international talent with the signings of US Impots Jacy Sheldon and Lauren Cox. Sheldon, coming off her rookie season in the WNBA with the Dallas Wings, will be a handy guard for the Fire and is a danger on the offensive end with her craft finishes and 3 point shooting. Cox, having been drafted to the WNBA in 2020 has struggled to find her feet in the American League, so it will be intriguing to see whether she makes the most of her opportunity here in Australia and makes an impact for the Fire.
Predicted Finish: 8th
UC Capitals
Canberra have kept the bottom of the ladder warm for a few seasons now, so is it finally their season to go to new lengths? Former Canberra championship coach Paul Gorris will be retaking the head coach role this season at the club after Kristen Veal being in charge the past two seasons. Jade Melbourne who arguably has been the most important piece of this Canberra franchise in recent years returns for another season in the black and blue. Melbourne, who keeps going from strength to strength each year, has another year of WNBA experience under her belt with the Washington Mystics where she thrived. With a beyond impressive performance at the Paris Olympics, there’s no doubt she will be the main performer of this Canberra uniform once again. However with some new young faces making their way into the Canberra team for 2024/25, Melbourne shouldn't be the only one putting up big statistics this season. Nyadiew Puoch has made the move from Southside to the Nation's capital, and after many promising glimpses over the years, this new environment could be where we see Pouch thrive. The tough Nicole Munger returns for the Capitals, and will need to be a sense of stability on the defensive end for Canberra. Young guns Indi Bowyer and Ella Tofaeono make the move south from Townsville, whilst the signing of former college player Chantel Horvat will bring a fresh dynamic to the Capitals. The signing of USA Import Charli Collier who was the Number 1 Pick in the 2022 WNBA draft, is intriguing and the Capitals will be hoping to see her make her mark on this team after her struggles with solidifying herself in the WNBA. Whilst there are changes and fresh talent being brought in, will it be enough to see Canberra make their way out of the wooden spoon?
Predicted Finish: 7th
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