WNBL 40 SEASONS YOUNG

On this day, being International Women’s day, we thought it would be fitting to take a look back and acknowledge all the amazing women who have played for NSW teams in the WNBL.

The Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) is Australia’s longest-running elite women’s sporting league in Australia and turned 40 this 2019/20 season.

When the WNBL commenced in 1981, both Sutherland and Bankstown were the foundation members of the league to represent Sydney. This major positive for Sydney would not have happened without the dedication and work ethic of Lorraine Landon & Robbie Cadee, who, alongside the Bankstown board of Management, were instrumental in having Bankstown accepted as a team in the WNBL.

Despite the protests from other states, Landon and Cadee fought hard to have two Sydney teams recognised in the league and in their second year the Bankstown Bruins, as they were known, proved their worth by finishing runner-up to St. Kilda after finishing as minor premiers. Cadee, who was also the Opals head coach also doubled as the Bruins coach for the clubs first two seasons.

Over the next four seasons Kevin Landon, Steve Farnham, Alan Morris and Rick Bywater all spent a season as the Bruins head coach before Cadee returned for the 1988 and 1989 seasons. In 1989 the club became known as the Sydney Bruins but missed the playoffs. Bernie Slattery tallied 30 wins and 36 losses as head coach over the next three seasons with the team becoming known as the Sydney Flames in 1992.

Carrie Graf took over in 1993 and to say her effect was immediate is an understatement. Graf led her star-studded line-up that included National team players Karen Dalton, who would play a record 375 games for the club and represent Australia at two Olympic Games and four World Championships, Annie Burgess, Robyn Maher and Shelley Sandie to the clubs first WNBL championship on the back of a 17-and-1 win/loss season.

Over the next three seasons, the Flames compiled 47 wins and just 7 losses but fell at the last hurdle, including dropping the 1996 Grand Final.

Also during this time, Graf welcomed in star point guard Michelle Timms and the young Trish Fallon, who went onto captain the Opals at the Olympics, bolstering what was simply an outstanding team.

Bill Tomlinson took over head coaching duties for the 1997 season and steered the Flames to an 18-and-0 regular season and the clubs second WNBL championship, beating Adelaide in the decider after they had inflicted the Flames sole defeat of the season a fortnight earlier in the semi-finals.

Under the guidance of Murray Wardle, the Flames finished runners-up in 1998 before missing the finals in 1998/99. Tomlinson returned in 1999/2000 before championship-winning coach Tom Maher joined forces with club legend Dalton and led the club to the 2000/01 title – the same year the club became known as the Sydney Panthers.

Daltons’ transformation from player to coach was complete in 2001/02 when she led the Panthers to the Grand Final, narrowly losing 75-69. This ushered the start of an extremely successful era for the Sydney club, who since has progressed to every Grand Final except for the 2005/06 season. Despite going down in all of the championship deciders, the Sydney Uni Flames, which they became in 2003/04, has set the benchmark in the WNBL.

The Flames has boasted many Australian Opals representatives, including Natalie Porter, Alicia Poto, Michelle Musselwhite, Leilani Mitchell and Belinda Snell.

The 2016/17 season was a huge success for the Brydens Sydney Uni Flames, securing their first WNBL Championship in sixteen years. In her first year as head coach for the Flames, Cheryl Chambers was named WNBL Coach of the Year. Opals legend and former Flames favourite Belinda Snell returned to the Flames alongside Leilani Mitchell and US Import, Asia Taylor, who were both named in the WNBL All-Star 5 after outstanding performances throughout the season.

NSW Team successes

WNBL Champions

• Sydney Uni Flames 2016/17
• Sydney Panthers 2000/01
• Sydney Flames 93 & 97

Runners Up

• Sydney Uni Flames 2007/08
• Sydney Uni Flames 2006/07
• Sydney Uni Flames 2004/05
• Sydney Uni Flames 2003/04
• Sydney Flames 2002/03
• Sydney Flames 2001/02
• Sydney Flames 1998
• Sydney Flames 1996
• Bankstown Bruins 1982