Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
SELECT 👉 Hagley Oval commentaryWNBL Season Preview: Can the Spirit go back-to-back?
Michael Thompson • October 17th, 2025 6:05 pm
The new era of the WNBL is about to begin under the National Basketball League (NBL) consortium, and there is so much to look forward to for the upcoming season.
Some familiar names return to the league for the season ahead and a big name international will be suiting up for the Perth Lynx, in many storylines that will play out over the next six months.
These are my predictions for the upcoming WNBL 25/26 season ahead!
Champions: Perth Lynx
Perth Lynx have come so close over the last five years. They’ve made the Grand Final on two separate occasions, and have come up short against the Melbourne Boomers and Southside Flyers in the best of three game series.
This is Ryan Petrik’s best chance to win a championship in his sixth year in charge. Petrik sees the return of Anneli Maley and Amy Attwell to the squad. They bring in Chinese superstar Han Xu (who isn’t in Australia yet due to finishing her commitments with the Chinese National Team). In the interim, they’ve signed Brianna Turner on a short term contract as a stop gap until Xu makes her appearance.
The team Perth have on paper is a championship winning side, with a sharp shooter in Amy Attwell and a playmaker from the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Brianna Turner (albeit for a short time). Combine Anneli Maley who averages under 25 points per game and under 18 rebounds per game is going to be a problem for opposition players. If Xu and Maley can combine on the boards, they’ll be a dangerous duo defensively for the Lynx.
Runners Up: Townsville Fire
Townsville will finish runners up again this season under Shannon Seebohm. The Fire were defeated by the eventual champions in the Bendigo Spirit 2-0 in the Grand Final last season, and will be very highly competitive all season but will fall at the final hurdle again.
They bring in Miela Sowah (née Goodchild) who comes over from the Perth Lynx as an extra shooter for this Fire squad. The Fire will be led by Courtney Woods who has been given the captaincy and star guard Alicia Froling the vice captaincy.
Abbey Ellis had a cracking NBL1 South season with Diamond Valley averaging under 19 points per game and will make a mark on the scoring end.
Don’t be surprised if Shannon Seebohm secures his third coach of the year this season for the Fire, but has only netted one championship in his six years at the helm.
Most Valuable Player - Anneli Maley (Perth Lynx)
I believe Anneli Maley is going to win the Most Valuable Player award this season. The 2022 WNBL MVP and Lynx co-captain is primed for a big season after a short stint with the Los Angele Sparks during their pre-season before being waived by the Sparks in May of this year.
Maley brings so much energy and changes games with her shooting and how hard she defends the boards for the Lynx. Maley led the Lynx to a 16-5 record in the regular season, but ultimately they fell in the semi final in the best of three series to the Townsville Fire.
Players to Watch - Han Xu (Perth Lynx)
One of the big names coming to the WNBL this season is Chinese centre Han Xu. Standing 6’11 and one of the most imposing centres who has played in the WNBA for the New York Liberty and in her native China for Sichuan Jinqiang in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association over the last four seasons.
Xu has won back to back MVP and championships for Sichuan Jinqiang in the WCBA and is China’s most accomplished female player. Xu is a two time Olympian and won a silver medal in the FIBA Women’s World Cup in Sydney in 2022 brings plenty of height to Ryan Petrik’s Perth Lynx side in WNBL26.
Players to Watch - Jade Melbourne (UC Capitals)
Jade Melbourne I consider her the future captain of the Opals team, Melbourne had an incredible WNBA season for the Washington Mystics averaging 6 points per game and 3 rebounds per game, and looks to lead the Canberra Capitals back into the playoffs this season.
Last season she averaged under 16 points per game, under 7 assists per game and under 6 rebounds per game.
Players to Watch - Isobel Borlase (Bendigo Spirit)
New challenge for former Adelaide Lightning and Opals young gun Isobel Borlase. Borlase who heads to Bendigo after four seasons at the Adelaide Lightning, can focus solely on her game this season without the need of leading a young Adelaide Lightning squad.
Borlase who is a former sixth woman of the year and breakout player of the year for the Lightning will be under the learning tree of champion players like Tolo and Kelsey Griffin to get better as she looks to get ready to head over to the United States next season with the Atlanta Dream.
Players to Watch - Unique Thompson (Sydney Flames)
Import Unique Thompson has been quietly enjoying her time in Australia during the winter after two seasons with the Albury-Wodonga Bandits alongside the greatest of all time in Lauren Jackson and averaging 23 points per game and 15 rebounds per game for the Mackay Meteors in the NBL1 North season this year.
Thompson is a dark horse and will complement this Flames side in her first year in the WNBL under coach Guy Molloy with her shooting, her ball movement and crashing the boards.
