Petrik: 'Sorry, he said it's a basketball play? Wow'

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"Sorry, he said it's a basketball play? Wow." And with that a war of words erupted between two of the best coaches in the WNBL – Perth's Ryan Petrik and Townsville's Shannon Seebohm – after Fire centre Alicia Froling drove to the bucket and collected Lynx centre Han Xu in the face with an elbow late in the third quarter that knocked the Chinese star to the floor clutching her face.

The Fire ground out a tough 82-76 WNBL26 win against Perth in Perth on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 in a crucial top of the table clash between the two heavyweights.

"Basketball play," Seebohm said of the bang-bang play.

"It’s unfortunate she got hit in the face and I hope she’s okay, but those plays happen. Maybe it was a foul, maybe it wasn’t.

"You could go through that game and I could find 20 examples of our guards getting mauled by their guards in their zone defence. It is what it is."

Petrik's perspective was – obviously – different.

"Sorry, he said it's a basketball play? Wow," Petrik said.

"If Shannon says that’s a basketball play and Jennie (league boss Jennie Sager) says that’s a basketball play, then it’s a basketball play.

"I’ve just literally watched it on Kayo – ah play on, apparently. I didn’t think play on, obviously, but the league thinks that’s okay and if Shannon thinks it's ok, then ok."

Petrik revealed Xu was angry at the third quarter break after the Lynx fought back to take the lead 61-60 on Alex Ciabattoni's runner.

"I think you saw it when she slammed the ice pack onto the ground early in the fourth when she got subbed back in – like, 'let me just go hit somebody'," Petrik said.

"That’s what Jennie wants, and Shannon thinks “let’s play on', let’s play on."

Seebohm, a five-time WNBL Coach of the Year, said the default was to criticise the referees when calls didn't go your way.

"Everyone needs to understand in this league the refs do their best," he said.

"Sometimes they’re good, sometimes they’re not. Sometimes I coach like crap, sometimes okay, and the players are the same.

"I think it's frustrating as competitors because Ryan and I both really want to win – Han wants to win, Woody (Courtney Woods) wants to win – and the first place we turn to is the referees as to why that's not happening. As I said, I hope she's ok but it's just a basketball play.

"Then she (Xu) did it to Froling next time down - twice. So, that's what I'm saying, it's just basketball plays. She can do that and she's doing the exact same thing in retaliation on the next couple of plays, and we got a foul call for that.

"That’s basketball. I don't think we need to worry about that sort of stuff. We’re not trying to do anything to her. We’re just playing basketball, and Perth are too.

"People just need to focus on the game."

MVP candidate and the league's leading rebounder Anneli Maley added: "We’ll protect her (Xu) as her teammates.

"We’ll do whatever we can to have her back and make sure she’s seen and validated in those moments, because it’s tough being Han.

"I hope everyone watches that back and sees what she’s having to handle. We’ll support her however she needs."

Townsville flipped the script on the Lynx after losing at home to Perth earlier in season. The Fire reinforced top spot on the ladder at 16-4 while the Lynx dropped to third at 14-5. Both clubs are in a battle for the top two and home court advantage in the Finals with defending champions Bendigo Spirit (13-4).

Woods was elite, she poured in 17 points and dished out 13 assists and was just a rebound (9) short of a triple double. Former Lynx guard, Australian Opal, Miela Sowah scored a team-high 23 points.

Townsville led by as many as 17 points in the second quarter but Lynx star Ally Wilson game-high 26 points (9-from-18) in 35 minutes willed the home team back into the game in third quarter.

Key Details

• Result: Townsville Fire 82 def. Perth Lynx 76
• When: Monday, 20th January 2026
• Where: Perth High Performance Centre, Perth
• Standings

By the Numbers

• Courtney Woods (Townsville Fire) starred with 17 points, nine rebounds, and 13 assists in 37 minutes.
• Ally Wilson (Perth Lynx) scored 26 points, five rebounds, three assists, and five steals in 36 minutes.

What Happened

The Fire established early control with a dominant first period, outscoring Perth 29-26 behind nine second-chance points and 14 points in the paint. Townsville's balanced offensive attack saw them take a three-point advantage into the first break, setting the tone for what would become a back-and-forth contest with 18 lead changes throughout the night.

The second quarter belonged to the visitors as they extended their advantage to 51-42 at half-time. Woods orchestrated the Fire's offense masterfully, dishing out assists while Miela Sowah provided scoring punch with her versatile offensive arsenal. The Fire's superior rebounding became evident early, with 19 offensive boards compared to Perth's 14, generating crucial second-chance opportunities.

Perth mounted their strongest response in the third period, limiting Townsville to just nine points while posting 19 of their own to cut the deficit significantly. Wilson's explosive scoring ability kept the Lynx within striking distance, as she went 6-from-9 from two-point range while connecting on three triples. However, the Fire weathered the storm and maintained their composure during Perth's surge.

The final quarter proved decisive as both teams traded baskets in a thrilling conclusion. Townsville's experience and depth proved crucial, with their bench contributing 15 points compared to Perth's six. Woods' exceptional court vision and leadership guided the Fire through the closing minutes, while her 8-from-9 free-throw shooting demonstrated her reliability under pressure.

Townsville's superior shooting efficiency from the charity stripe proved vital in the narrow victory. The Fire converted 17-from-27 free throws (63%) while dominating the glass with 61 rebounds to Perth's 43. Perth's struggles beyond the arc continued to hamper their offensive flow, connecting on just 10-from-43 three-point attempts for a disappointing 23% clip. Despite Wilson's outstanding individual performance and Han Xu's solid contribution of 11 points and four blocks, the Lynx couldn't overcome Townsville's balanced team effort and superior execution in crucial moments.