Dallas to strike in 'bigger role' with Lightning

• Dallas Loughridge averaged 11.4 points, 2.1 assists and 1.5 rebounds for the Southside Flyers last season
• She played NBL1 South for the Dandenong Rangers during the offseason
• 2025-26 WNBL Team Lists and Roster Tracker

Dallas Loughridge is ready to take on a leadership role at the Adelaide Lightning after her big move from the Southside Flyers, where she rose to the challenge last season.

The 21-year-old point guard earned extra responsibility with the Flyers last season as injuries took a toll on the team, and while it was a disappointing season overall for Southside, Loughridge was the shining light.

With every passing game, she looked increasingly comfortable running the offence and getting downhill and the proof was in the pudding as Loughridge averaged just under 29 minutes per game for 11.2 points and 2.1 assists per game.

While her playing time jumped dramatically, after playing in just five games the season before, her efficiency was stunning. Often when a player sees her minutes increase that significantly, the stats rise but the efficiency takes a hit.

But for not Loughridge, who stamped herself as one of the deadliest three-point shooters in the league, hitting a ridiculous 49.3% of shots from long range.

“I was super grateful for the opportunity that I got at Southside,” Loughridge told basketball.com.au.

“I felt like I got the opportunity to just go out and play my style of game.”

Her style of game is relentless, whether she’s creating havoc for defenders by driving to the bucket or pulling up from deep, and with a young and exciting squad around her in Adelaide, she’s going to be leading her squad forward.

“Here in Adelaide, I think being a leader will add even more to my game, and I think it's going to be good for me,” she said.

“It's going to be a bigger role and I'm excited to grow my game and take on a new opportunity.”

With a new logo, new coach and plenty of new players, the Lightning have undergone a reset of sorts, and Loughridge spoke on the building blocks being laid.

“We've spoken from day one about the culture that we want to build as a team, and I think we're definitely building that,” she said. “

All of the girls are all in, and we're building a really good culture as a team.

“We've all got one goal; we get in each day and we work hard, so it’s a great environment.”

While Loughridge continues to improve with each day, it’s been a journey for her to get to where she is today, overcoming an ACL injury she sustained in the 2022-23 WNBL preseason. She has worked tirelessly to get back and is now reaping the rewards, making her mark in the WNBL and NBL1 South.

“I'm grateful to all the coaches and teams that I've played on since coming back from my knee,” she said.

“I've just been trying to put in the work so I have the confidence to go out on court and play my game.

“You've got to try and take positives out of bad situations, and getting strong, working on fine-tuning my shot was what I did as well as I could during that time.

“Having the game taken away from me not by choice, has definitely made me more grateful for every day that we get to get out and do this as a job.”

Loughridge used the NBL1 South season as a building block for the WNBL and took her game to the next level while playing for the Dandenong Rangers. She torched opponents while averaging 20.3 points, 4.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.

“[The NBL1 South] is such a strong competition and it's the perfect preparation in our WNBL off-season,” she said.

“It was awesome to have Larissa [Anderson] as coach and such a great team of girls around me, and to able to implement everything that we've been training and working on.”

With Loughridge set to lead the Lighting from the point guard position, there’s no doubt former WNBL MVP Steph Talbot is also going to be key. Having returned from another season in the WNBA, where she played for the Golden State Valkyries, before finishing the season with the New York Liberty, the Opals star's experience and class will be vital.

“Steph's amazing,” she said.

“Everything that she's done in her career, watching her play, she's going to be a massive piece and her experience with a young team will be great.”

The Loughridge and Talbot duo is going to be fun to watch; both are uncompromising and give their all on every possession. For that reason alone, Lighting fans should look forward to what they could produce.

With import pairing Sania Feagin and Serena Sundell also on deck, coach Kerryn Mitchell has options to work with in Adelaide. Feagin and Sundell, both 22, like most WNBA-calibre imports in the WNBL, will be looking to use this season as a stepping stone to further cement themselves in the WNBA.

Opportunity knocks for many in Adelaide this season and Loughridge is certainly an example of that. Just as she has done throughout her junior days and young professional career, I get the feeling she’s ready to take that opportunity with both hands.

The Lightning start their 2025-26 season against the Perth Lynx on October 19.

About the Author

Hayley Wildes is passionate about all things Australian women’s basketball and loves to highlight the stories of players from all levels and competitions across the globe. From our own backyard in the WNBL, to the WNBA and the Opals, and everything in between, Hayley has you covered.