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War of words erupts as WNBL finals explode
Kristi Harrower, Head coach of the Southside Flyers during the round 17 WNBL match between Adelaide Lightning and Southside Flyers at SA State Basketball Centre on February 08, 2026 in Adelaide, Australia. Photo: Sarah Reed/Getty Images
Press Conferences
Shannon Seebohm responded to claims the Flyers were "manhandled" in the Fire's game one win
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Townsville coach Shannon Seebohm has scoffed at Southside Melbourne mentor Kristi Harrower’s attempts to divert attention away from her team’s woeful effort amid claims the Fire “manhandled” her players and the referees allowed them to get away with it, writes Michael Randall from CODE Sports Basketball.
The Flyers gave up the first 17 points in game one of their best of three WNBL semi-final series and equalled the lowest score of any quarter this season — just six points in the first as her team was destroyed by 28 in Townsville.
Post game, Harrower took aim at the “physicality” of the Fire and said the referees allowed them to “get away with that up here”.
“We didn’t respond, but we’ve just got to regroup and go home and hopefully get some calls go our way and get a win,” Harrower said.
“It’s finals basketball, it’s more physical than what it is in (the) normal season and refs let it go.
“I’m all for the physicality, don’t get me wrong. Like, I love physicality basketball — as long as they let us do it both ends of the floor.”
After a game where the foul count was 22-18 in Townsville’s favour and the Fire shot 19 free throws to 11, Seebohm hit back at Harrower, intimating there was a hint of sour grapes after the comprehensive loss.
“She (Harrower) says that word (physicality) a million times after every game ... it certainly feels like when we play them, any time they’re in a position where the score isn’t in their favour, the physicality goes through the roof,” Seebohm said.
“The refs were fine, it was great to see they actually called some fouls on the Flyers.
“The grabbing, holding and all that stuff will go to another level (in game two) and that’s fine, that’s finals basketball.”
The war of words is now a dramatic pre-script to game two as Seebohm’s imperious ladder leaders will enter odds on to complete a series sweep, book a spot in the WNBL grand final — and put Southside Melbourne out of its misery.
For the full story on CODE Sports Basketball, click here.
