NBL1 Central 2025 Womens Grand Final Preview

NBL1 Central 2025 Womens Grand Final Preview: Sturt Sabres vs Woodville Warriors

By Tristan Prentice for NBL1.com.au

Feature images supplied via NBL1.com.au / @sarahreedphotos

For the first time in SA Basketball history the grandest stage of all the Adelaide Entertainment Centre will play host to the NBL1 Central Women's Grand Final - the battle between past and present as one of the oldest clubs of all tries to break its own drought of 17 years. Their opponent continues the recent trend of the rise from tenth to the decider hunting their first ever championship in their first appearance since 1997… 

 

The Game

When: 5:30pm (ACST), Saturday August 16

Where: Adelaide Entertainment Centre  

Broadcast: Kayo Freebies, www.nbl1.com.au

 

The Last Meetings

Round 5 - WOODVILLE WARRIORS 78 (Fejo 26, Erikstrup 15, Anderson-Abbey, Hunter 10) defeated STURT SABRES 69 (Mech, Padroth 17, N Mathews 11, Portus 9)

Round 13 - STURT SABRES 75 (Z Walker-Roberts 15, Prosser, Stamatelopoulos 12, Brazel 10) defeated WOODVILLE WARRIORS 71 (Fejo 28, Erikstrup, Kowcun 14)

 

How they got here

Woodville Warriors (5th)

The rise of the Woodville Warriors run was off the momentum off their final games of the regular season including their meeting of the Sturt Sabres in Round 13. Defeating the Norwood Flames, Southern Tigers, Central Districts Lions gave them three wins in a row heading into a cutthroat elimination against the North Adelaide Rockets. 

Naomi Allotey against the former side got things rocking with Erin Phillips coming off the pine to snare back the lead 24-30. The response from Jasmin Fejo came first before the Rockets hit back twice but the Warriors opened up a mini-gap with a couple of baskets 47-44 at the main break. Laura Erikstrup must love the third term at the Lights as she lit up once again as the Warriors made their move at the start of the third. Fejo continued her ferocious run to steal the lead back 54-58 with one term to go. The Warriors buried the game with a three to Phillips and another to Fejo and the margin stretched from there as the Woodville Warriors progressed to the semi-final and the North Adelaide Rockets up and down season came to an end 67-82. 

The second semi-final elimination final was between the West Adelaide Bearcats and the Woodville Warriors as big sister met little sister for ultimate bragging rights - a finals win in the western area of Adelaide. The Woodville Warriors 66-80 victory pulled off all sorts of records in their triumphant upset win snapping an eleven game losing streak to their neighbours, avenging their 2015 elimination final for the first time in over a decade and making it past the semis for the first time since the late nineties. 

Down 18-7 in the first four minutes - the momentum swung as the Warriors surged off the back of Erin Phillips and some timely Naomi Allotey makes to rack up a 2-19 run to take the quarter time lead 20-26 after the slow start. Getting what they wanted from everywhere offensively and sublime defensively the Warriors drained the Bearcats scoring forcing them into outside makes and packing the paint in continually to take the game high lead out to 33-41  Jasmin Fejo kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Warriors to keep them in front with one scintillating term to play 54-57. 

The Warriors were in no mood to concede the lead early in the fourth reeling off an 0-8 run after the initial make from the Bearcats - Allotey continuing to be highly influential close to the basket not only saving balls out of court to her teammates but finishing with high degree of difficulty close to the rim. The problem in the first and second quarters reared its head again as the Bearcats were suffocated at the offensive end of the floor as the Warriors pushed it out to double figures. The Coaches MVP and DPOY Fejo put the finishing touches on the result with Allotey making the final points to send them off to a first preliminary final in nearly 25 years 66-80.

The Women's Preliminary Final was between the Forestville Eagles and the Woodville Warriors at the Nest of the State Basketball Centre. After Saturday night’s Kayo Freebies Game of the Week action - they ousted the Eagles in straight sets 53-63 in a drama filled action packed conclusion at the Nest.            

The Eagles flew out of the blocks with then both teams traded blows with WNBL Adelaide Lightning returnee Jasmin Fejo on the flip side the Eagles nemesis in previous encounters dropping nine points for the term. It was a former WNBL attendee Jordan Hunter however with seven first term points helping the Warriors surge the away side into the lead with a 0-10 run and into the lead 16-22 at the first change. The game kept that tone in the second as the physicality and the strengths of all were evident on the floor in the standing room only contest - however Fejo was the fury in the first half to finish with a 17 point, three rebound, two assist and two steal contribution. The Warriors held the lead by a single point 33-34 at the main change but had control of the boards 17-27. 

The third quarter specialist emerged as Laura Erikstrup exploded for 11 points in the stanza as both teams came to blows on the scoreboard and multiple contests were full of force on the floor. Fejo continued her run as she passed the twenties but the Eagles were hanging in, Erikstrup in the paint however helped the Warriors to a 6-14 run to leave them up 47-58 with one to play.

The opening to the fourth term set the stage for the stars and rising to the occasion and after a quiet night was Erin Phillips as she helped race the Warriors out to a game high 16 point lead with a huge triple. Refusing though to let a drought breaking opportunity slip away - Fejo put the Warriors on her back once again joined by the legend herself Phillips as she rose for rebounds like marks on the hallowed turf, creating and pumping their offence full of points - the finish complete when she nailed the triple in the corner down the final minutes to send the Eagles out in straight sets and take the Warriors to their first decider in 28 years of their history.

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Sturt Sabres (2nd)

Round 13 proved unlucky for the Sabres in their run to the finals as they fell to the North Adelaide Rockets 82-69 - however this was just the start of their solid run but missed finishing top of the table for the second time in three seasons by one solitary win. 

Nevertheless their first qualifying final was against their opponent they had defeated twice in the season. The First Qualifying Final between the Sturt Sabres and the West Adelaide Bearcats set the tone for the night ahead with the lead ebbing back and forward in a pulsating conclusion - eventually sent to Overtime the Sturt Sabres once again prevailed late with the points 62-59.

After leading 21-25 after one term then down 21-30 - Sabres coach Tim Shortt burned the AAMI timeout with response coming from Paige Padroth and Zoe Walker-Roberts again for a replicated run of their own 26-29. The margin cut to 30-37 at the half but the Bearcats held court in the first half.

Sabres started the stronger in the third term with the Colorado State college pair in Sydney Mech and Katia Stamatelopoulos making consecutive baskets - Stamatetopoulos engineering a 12-1 run to surge them back into the lead with the Bearcats inching it back 45-48 with one to play. 

Tahlia Griffiths made the triple to open the fourth to tie it 48-48 before Katia Stamatelopoulos hit another one herself. It was all defence for a stretch in the final term as block after block and stop after stop ensured in the struggle for the edge on the other - the crowd intensifying as the margin tightened. The Mech Warrior answered twice to put them up 55-53 with three minutes to go. The Bearcats tied it again 55-55 but one last look for the Sabres saw Paige Padroth’s attempt short and another chapter was to be written in the story of these two as they headed for overtime.

ZWR made the opening points of the extra time period with the pinnacle moment coming once again in the “Nicola of Time” once again Nicola Mathews. ZWR’s free throw sealed the seventh win in a row for the Sabres against the Bearcats and undefeated against them since the 2022 Grand Final.

The first Semi-Final between the Forestville Eagles and the Sturt Sabres was the Kayo Freebies Game of the Week with two of the top defensive teams in the competition going head to head. A grit and grind style match style once again elevated the Sabres over their Goodwood Road rivals the Eagles with a 49-60 win at the Nest at the State Basketball Centre.

Nicola Mathews was the scoring source early for the Sabres with two triples in the opening term in the low scoring contest as both teams were on top early. The Sabres took a slight 9-13 lead into the first change. 

Sydney Mech was the priority out of quarter time break with a mini run to the away side - Chelsea Portus the NBL1 Central Reserves MVP made her cut count to leave it at 24-30 at the main interval of proceedings.

Katia Stamatelopolous swung it back her team’s way in the third with some tough jumpers and finishes - The Sabres committee were causing all sorts of problems as the block count (six for the night) rose even further through Mia-Walker Roberts.She made the triple as well, pulling off a huge individual third term both ends of the floor with Stamatelopoulos pushing it out to a 33-47 lead with one to play. 

As trusted though the Eagles would not go down with a fight with getting it back to single figures with another AAMI timeout going the way of the Sabres. The elixir of execution it has been this season for the Sabres saw them hit back through Meg Prosser and Zoe Walker-Roberts then Mech making it inevitable as the Sabres booked a spot at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. 

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Championship History

The Warriors are on the cusp of a drought breaking title as for the second time in their history and first time since 1997 they will play in the Grand Final. The Warriors solitary appearance in the final game of the season a loss to the Norwood Flames 67-64 with Head Coach Vicki Daldy - the instigator for the Flames as a player coach. 

The Warriors team got there after Kendi Whitmore hit the game winning buzzer shot in the preliminary final in a team led by their own player coach Carolyn Watts. Retired singlet legend Tamara Norris (Nee Haas), Trudy Hopgood, Celia Whitton, Sandy Pride, Lynne Holland, Alicia Arkit and Faith Price all featured in the historic team - that was 28 years ago. 

While no direct finals or grand final experience before this season this Warriors team has assembled plenty of finals experience on both sides of the floor including winning form. Vicki Daldy and assistant Kaye-Lee Stuart both featured in West Adelaide’s 2022 win over their opponents as did Jasmin Fejo who is now a multi championship winner. Kelsey McKay was also in the squad while featuring in previous successful finals teams are also Genna-Anderson Abbey and Jordan Hunter and Naomi Allotey.

From an international perspective there's also Laura Erikstrup who went through an undefeated season with her college Grand Canyon Lopes then of course the Adelaide Lightning and Australian Opals, AFLW legend herself Erin Phillips - The Warriors have assembled a team of extremely good postseason performers.           

The Sturt Sabres will appear in their third Grand Final in four seasons after a sweep of their finals series. The Sabres have been in five grand finals in the past decade, in 2011, 2014, 2019, 2022 and 2023. The last five finals before 2023 were by an average margin of six points - while not an official NBL1 season, they also won the ABC 2020 against the Southern Tigers. 

The Sabres have been in the championship decider nine times, and they have won five matches. This included two across 2006 and their last one 17 years ago in 2008, featuring stars Renae Camino (Garlepp) and the Bowley sisters of Monique and Hannah.

Many players remain from their previous two finals in the NBL1 Central Era including Nicola Mathews, Meg Prosser, Zoe Walker-Roberts and Tayla Brazel with several other players that have come through juniors part of their journey to breaking their own finals record as well.      

These teams have never met in the Women’s Grand Final in what will be a first for the state league - the Warriors earlier this season shattering a beyond 2015 hoodoo when they won at St Clair in Round 5 their only win against the regular finalists in over a decade.        

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The Numbers

• The Sturt Sabres are top in several categories going into the final as #2 for 3pt Percentage (30.3), Steals (12.1) and Defensive Rating with 80.4. 

 

• The Sabres defence has been their prime strength once again ranked #2 for points conceded with 61.4 points and only conceding 54 points in their two finals - this tracks with their average of points conceded of 71 points since 2021 in games leading up to the Grand Finals.

 

• The achilles heel for the Sabres has been their rebounding as the tenth ranked team in the competition with 41.2 per game while they are ranked #6 for points per game with 70.9.  

 

• The Sabres finals record in the decider will need some overcoming having not won their last five grand finals - conceding an average of 74 points and scoring only an average of 63.4 points

 

• The Woodville Warriors have risen in 2025 via their leading in various categories including #1 in rebounds (48.2), assists (19.6) and PACE (84.5) - they are also #2 for second chance points (10.4) and fast break points (6.5) along with making the opposition give up turnovers with 20.3 per game. 

 

• The Warriors defence has improved dramatically with the personnel in the side taking them to #5 with 70.2 conceded on average this season - in the finals however they have just conceded 65.3 points per game. 

 

• The Warriors weakness is their style of play provides opportunities for teams to score against them conceding 46.5 rebounds per game and free throws is a concern percentage wise at 66 percent for the season however they average 20 attempts per game getting to the line more frequently than their opponents. In the finals they’ve produced on average 21.6 from 29.3 at 73 percent.   

 

• While a high volume of shots the Warriors percentages rank them #7 and #8 in field goal and inside arc shots with 36 and 41.1 respectively.                

 

The Money Women

It’s hard to nail down a single player for such an even team like the Sturt Sabres but the difference maker this year has to be the highest Eiler medal poller in Katia Stamatelopoulos. Katia’s change to the Sabres from rivals the Forestville Eagles has been one of the recruits of the year and filled the void left by previous champion point guard Kayla Mathews. She averaged 12 points (#20), 7.4 rebounds (#14), 3 assists (#15) and 2.3 steals (#9) and also plays an important role in their defensive schemes.     

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The Coaches MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Jasmin Fejo after a different role in the Central Districts Lions record breaking title is doing it again - rewarded with a WNBL Adelaide Lightning contract in another growing year for the multi championship winner. Averaging 23.5 points in her last nine games including 27.6 points in the finals to back up her season averages of 7.5 rebounds (#15), 4.5 assists (#7), 2.6 steals (#5) and 1.6 blocks (#1) - Fejo looms as the one who can claim it for the Warriors taking consecutive teams from tenth to first.              

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The Reliable Women  

Once again the number will be called of captain Nicola Mathews for the Sturt Sabres. She is a big time finals player and reliable source of whatever is needed for her team. With 9.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists (#14) and 1.8 steals she, like many of her teammates, fills each column effectively. Where she excels though is in clutch moments for her club so if your the Warriors defending her down the stretch - the lesson must be learnt not to leave her alone with the clock running down for her outside shots which have won her club more than her fair share of games in the past 

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Pinpointing the Warriors most reliable player is an incredibly tough exercise with the likes of Jordan Hunter in this team - the finals series however has seen Naomi Allotey emerge as pivotal to the Warriors success. Allotey has shown glimpses of her potential but this finals campaign has been one to remember with her numbers consistent at 12 points, 11.6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Add to that guarding Olivia Levicki and Sam Simons shutting them all down - Allotey’s matchup will remain a mystery depending on who coach Vicki Daldy sees as a threat.         

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The X-Factors

Similar to last year’s decider the import contribution in this game will be crucial particularly for the Sturt Sabres. Sydney Mech has the skill-set and ability to be a strong performer in this grand final. She has form against the Warriors with 17 points against them earlier in the season and with the Warriors rebound numbers and shooting at the defensive end her presence, nous and connection with teammates having played with Katia in the past could be the difference that finally breaks the drought - another little one to keep an eye on is Mia-Walker Roberts who has qualities on the floor that can be a difference maker for the Sabres as well.        

 

While Laura Erikstup and Ambah Kowcun could be a deciding factor for the Warriors - all arrows point to the form and presence of the legend herself Erin Phillips. The most experienced player on the floor by a long stretch with two WNBA titles with the Phoenix Mercury (2012 and 2014), Silver medalist in the Beijing Olympics (2008), World Championship Gold medalist (2006) and the Adelaide Lightning WNBL title of 2008 - it seems the last frontier is back at home a State League Basketball title. The formline shows averaging 12.3 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists - higher than her season averages. The story you feel is swinging towards a swansong for the champion multicode athlete.     

 

So who claims the championship?

Both teams have motivation to win this title with the Sturt Sabres looking to break their 17 year drought and dispel the demons of the past five grand finals. The Woodville Warriors run insatiable to resist with another fairytale run in consecutive seasons changing the construction of the Women's NBL1 Central Division for all time.

The internal battle will rage while the club who’s been there before multiple times including head coach Tim Shortt will face a group of players united that have achieved the ultimate and now are aiming to do it together as a collective group.

History tells us the experience on the floor matters but that unpredictability has resulted in famous titles to the likes of the Southern Tigers, West Adelaide Bearcats, Norwood Flames and the Central Districts Lions in all four finals.  

So who has the one thing not identified above? That is the final piece to the puzzle that will be answered on Saturday night when past and present clash at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.        

Catch the NBL1 Central Grand Final action next weekend via Kayo Sports Freebies, NBL1.com.au or the NBL1 App from 5:30pm ACDT

Watch the NBL1 Live & Free on NBL1.com.au, NBL1 App and Kayo Sports Freebies.