After an entire regular season of WNBL action, the Finals are underway!
With four teams trying to win it all, let’s check in with what teams have NBL1 stars to help them try and get over the hump and into championship glory.
Townsville Fire:
Courtney Woods (Northside Wizards)
Coming off an NBL1 North championship, Courtney Woods has been on fire in the WNBL this season. In the past seven games, she has averaged 12 points (compared to her seven points per-game season average).
Woods’ hot streak has been concurrent to Townsville’s 12-game win streak, and she will have to maintain her shooting through the WNBL Finals.
After winning the NBL1 North championship with the Townsville Flames, Woods will join the Northside Wizards alongside Tiana Mangakahia.
Honourable mentions: Morgan Yaeger (Southern Tigers), Steph Reid (Townsville Flames).
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Southside Flyers:
Maddi Rocci (South West Metro Pirates)
Averaging 14.2 points per game for the Flyers, Maddi Rocci will be a key factor in the Flyers' hopes to make another title run after the WNBL Hub season.
Rocci was outstanding with USC Rip City last season in the NBL1 North, averaging over 26 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. But in the 2023 season, she will head to the Pirates to join NBL1 National Finalists Lil Dart and Leah Scott after the WNBL Finals.
With the Melbourne Boomers acquiring Lelani Mitchell, the WNBL Finals will be stacked with guards. Rocci will have a significant task ahead to control the tempo and defend the likes of Steph Reid, Sami Whitcomb and more.
Honourable mentions: Rebecca Cole (Waverley Falcons), Lana Hollingsworth (Keilor Thunder).
Melbourne Boomers:
Miela Goodchild (Mount Gambier Pioneers)
After averaging close to 20 points with the Mackay last season, Miela Goodchild will head to the NBL1 South Mount Gambier Pioneers alongside Opal Zitina Aokuso in the 2023 NBL1 season.
Before her season with the Pioneers, she’ll be with the Boomers trying to go back-to-back this season. The Boomers are arguably the favourites, led by league MVP Cayla George. But it’s the depth of the Boomers which makes them even more dangerous.
Goodchild is one of Melbourne’s key shooters off the bench, averaging 6.7 points for the season and dropping five three-pointers and six three-pointers in two separate games this season.
If Goodchild gets hot, it can break a game open for the Boomers.
Honourable mention: Rachel Brewster (Nunawading Spectres)
Perth Lynx:
Robbi Ryan (Joondalup Wolves)
The Joondalup Wolves star and NBL1-West First Team member Robbi Ryan will be a crucial piece for Ryan Petrik’s Lynx in this WNBL Finals run.
Coming off the NBL1 West, she made her WNBL debut this season and is averaging 10.9 points per game, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Lynx. The American import has the toughness of any Australian and will be Perth’s swiss army knife in the WNBL Finals.
Honourable mentions: Alex Sharp (Willetton Tigers), Chloe Bibby (Frankston Blues)
