Townsville stay top as Adelaide and Flyers surge

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After three rounds, there are no longer any undefeated teams in the league, as both Townsville and Perth tasted defeat for the first time this past week.

Meanwhile, Adelaide got their first win of the season and for Canberra and Sydney, after promising round one performances, they continue to slide down the rankings.

Let’s take a look at the WNBL Power Rankings ahead of round four tipping off tonight with the Sydney Flames hosting the Canberra Capitals.

➡️ 1. Townsville

Despite suffering their first loss of the season on Friday night against Southside Melbourne, Townsville showed their class by turning things around quickly and getting back on the winners’ list on Tuesday night with a hard-fought win over Perth. Miela Sowah torched her former team with 26 points and 7 rebounds as she led the Fire’s offence forward against Perth.

• Why They’re Here: Great teams respond after a loss, and that’s exactly what Townsville did.
• Trending Up: Lauren Cox – after an injury-interrupted pre-season, Lauren Cox – the reigning WNBL Defensive Player of the Year – is finding her groove and was instrumental in Townsville’s win over Perth, controlling the paint on both ends, finishing with 11 points, 12 rebounds and an incredible 7 blocks!
• Outlook: Still yet to play a game at home this season, Townsville has one more road game – against the Venom in Geelong – before returning home to face Adelaide in Round five.

➡️ 2. Perth

Much like Townsville, Perth suffered their first defeat of the season in round 3, but they remain steady in the rankings after chalking up a nail-biting win against Geelong, 77-76, earlier in the round. With Ally Wilson and Steph Gorman making their season debuts in round three, Perth is slowly starting to get their pieces together and that’s a scary thought for the rest of the league. You have to wonder how Perth is going to say goodbye to Brianna Turner when Han Xu arrives, with Turner having been one of the most influential players in the league so far this season.

• Why They’re Here: With key players back on deck, Perth continues to build.
• Trending Up: Brianna Turner – she’s only here for a short time, but her impact has been profound. She was the reason Perth got the win against Geelong, finishing with 13 points, 16 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Outlook: It’s back-to-back double-header weekends for Perth, who face Southside Melbourne at home before heading back to Geelong for the second time in two weeks on Tuesday.

➡️ 3. Bendigo

After a slow start to the season on the offensive end, Bendigo found their groove in round three against Sydney and it was Izzy Borlase who led the way with one of the games of the season so far; 26 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. The Spirit chalked up an 88-75 win over the Flames and after scoring 66 and 62 points in their previous two games, a strong offensive output was a welcome sight for Bendigo fans.

• Why They’re Here: Last week I asked for more cohesion on the offensive end and they delivered.
• Trending Up: Megan McConnell – Bendigo’s import guard delivered her best game of the season so far, providing her usual defensive exploits but also finding an offensive rhythm, finishing with 21 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.
• Outlook: Having not left Bendigo so far this season, the Spirit have one more home game against the Capitals this weekend, before hitting the road in round five for a double-header weekend against Perth and Adelaide.

↗️ 4. Southside Melbourne

I loved what I saw from the Flyers in round three as they fought Fire with fire and came out on top in one of the games of the season. There were positive signs all over the court for Southside Melbourne as the stars stood tall and again it was Cayla George who led the way with 26 points (6/11 3PT FG), 12 rebounds and 3 assists. It’s been a great bounce back couple of weeks from the Flyers after the disappointing outing against Canberra in round one.

• Why They’re Here: They’re building nicely and getting wins on the board.
• Trending Up: Haley Peters – after arriving just days before round one, import Haley Peters has found her footing in the WNBL and had her best game of the season, finishing with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists against Townsville.
• Outlook: A trip to Perth sets up a tantalising round four match-up.

↗️ 5. Geelong

While it may seem odd that Geelong move up in the rankings even after a loss, the way they are battling while severely undermanned is impressive. Without three potential starters in Shyla Heal, Alissa Pili and Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard, the Venom gave Perth all they could handle in round three and were only half a second away from Mackenzie Holmes’ shot being a game-winner. They sit in fifth here, ahead of Adelaide after dismantling them last week, but will need to get wins on the board to stay afloat in season 2025/26.

• Why They’re Here: They’re fighting hard but need to get some wins before it’s too late.
• Trending Up: Mackenzie Holmes – a genuine MVP candidate who is doing all she can for the Venom.
• Outlook: It is as tough of a weekend you could think of with Geelong facing a Townsville-Perth double-header in round four.  

⬆️ 6. Adelaide

The Lightning got on the board with their first win of the season in round three, taking care of business against Canberra at home, 73-65. Holding the Capitals to just 25 points in the second half was a credit to the Lightning’s defence and they got solid contributions from their starters on the offensive end too.

• Why They’re Here: A well-deserved rise up the rankings after defeating a team many – including myself – consider a real threat.
• Trending Up: Sania Feagin – after a strong debut performance in round one, Feagin has continued to flourish and her big double-double of 19 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks helped Adelaide get the win.
• Outlook: Another game at home – which is quickly becoming a great environment for the Lightning and their fans – will have Adelaide hoping to make it two wins in a row against a Sydney team who has lost three on the trot.

↘️ 7. Canberra

Last week I questioned whether Canberra would respond after a disappointing round two performance against Townsville and simply put, they just didn’t. In what was a great opportunity for the Capitals to bounce back, the Lightning wanted it more and being held to just 25 points in the second half showcased plenty of issues on the offensive end for a Capitals team brimming with talent.

• Why They’re Here: We need to see more from the Capitals.
• Trending Up: Teige Morrell – when push came to shove in the fourth quarter, Morrell (15 points and 6 rebounds) stepped up to the plate but too few teammates joined her.  
• Outlook: It’s only round four, but tonight’s game against Sydney is as close to a must-win game for Canberra as you can get this early in the season. It’s not necessarily even about their record, it’s about getting their game back up and running as it was against Southside Melbourne in round one.

↘️ 8. Sydney

Whilst it was their third loss in a row, Sydney showed some good signs against Bendigo as they stayed within touch in the first half, but Izzy Borlase just proved too much in the second half. It was Lauren Nicholson yet again providing offence for Sydney and as I mentioned last week, they need others to contribute on that end of the court.

• Why They’re Here: After a great round one performance, three losses in a row sees them fall to eighth.
• Trending Up: Issy Morgan – After a four-year college career at Davidson, Morgan has returned home to Sydney this season. She earned the most minutes of her young WNBL career on the weekend and showed great promise with 7 points and 4 assists.
• Outlook: A double-header weekend awaits Sydney with a clash against Canberra at home, before heading to Adelaide to face the Lightning on Sunday.

ABOUT OUR POWER RANKINGS

Every round, basketball.com.au's WNBL reporter Hayley Wildes will adjust the WNBL26 Power Rankings. Here are Hayley's Power Rankings for the revamped and refreshed league just days out from season tip-off following the Townsville Tip Off pre-season tournament, which the Fire won.

Look for ➡️ ⬆️ ➡️ ↘️ ↗️ ⬇️ next to each name to quickly see how teams are moving.

basketball.com.au WNBL26 Power Rankings — After Round 2

1. Townsville I 2. Perth I 3. Bendigo I 4. Canberra I 5. Southside Melbourne I 6. Geelong I 7. Sydney I 8. Adelaide

basketball.com.au WNBL26 Power Rankings — After Round 1

1. Townsville I  2. Canberra I 3. Bendigo I 4. Southside Melbourne I 5. Perth I 6. Sydney I 7. Adelaide I 8. Geelong

basketball.com.au WNBL26 Power Rankings — Pre-Round 1, Post Townsville Tip Off

1. Townsville Fire

Record: 0–0‍

‍Streak: n/a‍

‍Last Week’s Rank: n/a‍

The Fire went 2-0 at the Tip Off and stamped themselves firmly as the team to beat this season. They are stacked full of Opals’, and their two imports are going to be amongst the best import pairings in the league.

Having kept most of their core from last season, you get the feeling Townsville will hit the ground running when the regular season gets underway. It’s worth noting that the Fire don’t have a home game until round five, which obviously means they will enjoy a run of home games towards the end of the season, including their final three games being at home.

• ‍Why They’re Here: Their combination of star power and depth is unmatched.
• Trending Up: Alex Fowler – the MVP of the Asia Cup as the Opals won gold is primed for a big season with the Fire.
• Outlook: The Fire are championship favourites.

2. Southside Melbourne Flyers

Record: 0–0‍

‍Streak: n/a‍

‍Last Week’s Rank: n/a

The Southside Melbourne Flyers won just six games last season and finished on the bottom of the ladder and have responded by bringing in two Opals in Cayla George and Issie Bourne to play alongside fellow Opal Maddy Rocci.

Even without Rocci in Townsville, the Flyers looked legit. Their ball movement was crisp, a clear standout in this regard, and the George-Bourne duo shone bright. Add to that the addition of import Makenna Marisa, who I was super impressed by, and Southside Melbourne have a really strong core.

Their depth may be in question, but the likes of Haylee Andrews and Manuela Puoch will help in that regard, with both having big roles to play throughout the season.

• Why They’re Here: 2-0 at the Tip Off and showed plenty of positive signs.
• Trending Up: Issie Bourne – she was crowned MVP of the Townsville Tip Off and will stamp herself as one of the premier bigs in the league this season.
• Outlook: With a huge roster turnover I was pleasantly surprised with how smooth they looked as a unit, and as the season goes on that connection will only grow stronger. They loom as an extremely dangerous team.

3. Canberra Capitals

Record: 0–0‍

‍Streak: n/a‍

‍Last Week’s Rank: n/a

The Capitals mean business this season and have built a roster around superstar Jade Melbourne. They’ve added Sara Blicavs, Zitina Aokuso and import Kadi Sissoko, all of whom are going to star this season.

While those four, along with Nyadiew Puoch, are going to be the force behind the Capitals’ push for the postseason, Nicole Munger and Isabella Brancatisano, along with young guns Jayda Clark and Monique Bobongie provide so much depth and talent to the squad.

• Why They’re Here: I love their off-season moves and depth.
• Trending Up: Kadi Sissoko – in her first two games in the country, I was blown away by her presence on the court.
• Outlook: The knee injury to Zitina Aokuso is a massive blow for the Capitals, but thankfully she should be back playing in November.

4. Bendigo Spirit

Record: 0–0‍

‍Streak: n/a‍

‍Last Week’s Rank: n/a

It was an offseason of retooling their roster for the defending champions, as the Spirit lost Sami Whitcomb and Veronica Burton, and while those two are near impossible to replace, Bendigo did unbelievably well to pivot by adding Opal Izzy Borlase and import guard Megan McConnell.

The new backcourt pairing impressed across the weekend, and Borlase averaged 21 points across the two games. After a shock loss to Adelaide in their opening game, Bendigo used a dominant fourth quarter defensive effort to take care of business against Sydney.

• Why They’re Here: A loss to Adelaide halted any chance of them being higher at this point.
• Trending Up: Izzy Borlase – surely the WNBA is the next stop with a strong season in Bendigo.
• Outlook: With key new additions, there’s plenty of growth potential.

5. Geelong Venom

Record: 0–0‍

‍Streak: n/a‍

‍Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Geelong opened their account in Townsville with an impressive win over Canberra with contributions from across the roster powering them home. Against Townsville, they were simply overpowered, falling 81-54.

I love the continuity within the group as the likes of Jaz Shelley and Gemma Potter stayed in Geelong for the NBL1 South season, and they’re recruiting went up a level from season one. Without Shyla Heal and imports Alissa Pili and Mackenzie Holmes in Townsville, clearly there is so much upside to be added to this squad.

• Why They’re Here: Post season basketball is a real chance in Geelong’s second season.
• Trending Up: Alex Sharp – after joining Geelong midway through last season and having a real impact, expect to see an even more influential Alex Sharp in 2025/26.
• Outlook: If they can bank wins early without Shyla Heal, the Venom could be dangerous in the second half of the season.

6. Perth Lynx

Record: 0–0‍

‍Streak: n/a‍

‍Last Week’s Rank: n/a

The Lynx were missing Ally Wilson all weekend but many other teams were without stars too and still produced strong showings. For Perth, they went 0-2 in Townsville, and it was abundantly clear they need frontcourt help.

Perth’s defence struggled for most of the weekend, highlighted by Southside Melbourne putting up 102 points against them. The positive for Lynx fans is that realistically, when fully healthy, they have a strong core big three of Wilson, Anneli Maley and Amy Atwell.

• Why They’re Here: I’m not sure their depth is going to cut it.
• Trending Up: Anneli Maley – she was doing Anneli Maley things all weekend and will continue to be a force for the Lynx this season.
• Outlook: With Han Xu joining the team, they need her as soon as possible.

7. Sydney Flames

Record: 0–0‍

‍Streak: n/a‍

‍Last Week’s Rank: n/a

The Flames certainly don’t have the worst roster on paper but they failed to produce in Townsville, going 0-2, albeit against good teams in the Fire and the Spirit. A lot of teams are going to be blown out of the water by Townsville this season.

Without import Grace Berger, obviously the Flames were missing a key offensive player, but there still has to be questions about how they are going to compete on both ends against the top teams in the league.

• Why They’re Here: Scoring just 48 points against Bendigo – and only three in the fourth quarter – finished a tough weekend for the Flames in Townsville.
• Trending Up: Lauren Nicholson – in her first WNBL hit out since giving birth, Nicholson was her usual competitive self as she did all she could to keep the Flames in both games.
• Outlook: The guard rotation of Nicholson, Berger and Shaneice Swain has so much potential, so let’s wait and see if they can put it all together this season.

8. Adelaide Lightning

Record: 0–0‍

‍Streak: n/a‍

‍Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Adelaide claimed an impressive overtime win against Bendigo to kickstart their weekend as Dallas Loughridge led them home with 21 points and 4 assists.

In their final game of the weekend, they struggled mightily on offence against the Flyers, scoring just 17 points in the first half, before eventually falling 67-48. They were stuck in mud on offence, shooting only 25% from the field.

The good news for Lightning fans is that Steph Talbot and import Sania Feagin are still to be added to the squad, and both are strong defenders who should help keep Adelaide in contents.

• Why They’re Here: I’m just not sure where enough offence is going to come from on any given night.
• Trending Up: Sharne Robati – the New Zealand forward plays hard and whenever I watched her play during the NBL1 South season for Casey, she was impressive. She’ll have a big role to play for Adelaide.
• Outlook: They’re going to need a lot out of their two 22-year-old imports in Serena Sundell and Sania Feagin.

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.