Chinese Olympian Yang Shuyu scored 20 points in her first home game for the Sydney Flames, helping them beat the Adelaide Lightning 95-68. The 24-year-old has more than five million followers on Douyin. She is one of four Chinese national team players in the WNBL this season. Opening-round attendance rose 40 per cent on last season. The league has also agreed a broadcast deal with Chinese media company YIDA covering every game of the 2026-27 season.
Geelong Venom's new centre Han Xu arrived at the club on Thursday ahead of her first home game this Saturday. The 211cm player, who has played for New York Liberty and Perth Lynx, says her priority is winning every game. She expects a physical welcome back to the WNBL and says she wants to share the ball and play faster. Coach Chambers praised Xu's growth and urged fans to buy tickets early, as the home opener is close to selling out. The Venom play Southside Melbourne Flyers at home on Saturday 24 October, with tip-off at 3pm.
Townsville's Abbey Ellis scored 47 points in the Fire's 86-68 away win over Adelaide in the WNBL. It was the most points scored by one player in a WNBL match in 21 years. Townsville trailed 35-21 in the second quarter but outscored Adelaide 27-10 in the final term. Ellis hit 16 of 24 shots from the field. Courtney Woods and Marie Gulich added support with 14 and 13 points.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Tasmania have ended a 30-year wait for a WNBL team, beating Geelong Venom 103-90 in the season opener. The game was played before a sold-out crowd at the Derwent Entertainment Centre on Thursday night. Captain Darcee Garbin scored 20 points, and six Jewels players reached double figures. Geelong had a new coach, Cheryl Chambers, and Maddison Rocci scored a game-high 33 points in defeat. Chambers said Han Xu would return for the Venom's next match.
The UC Capitals open their WNBL season against the Bendigo Spirit on Saturday at AIS Arena, with a 3 pm tip-off. The Spirit roster includes six former Capitals players, including three former Canberra captains. Bendigo's general manager, Dan Jackson, previously worked as the Capitals' operations manager. Only three players from last season's roster remain, so the new-look Capitals must build combinations quickly. Coach Paul Goriss is known for developing young players, and former Bendigo point guard Meg McConnell is the club's main signing.
The Tasmania Jewels, the state's revived WNBL team, have sold out their home opener against Geelong at the 4,800-capacity MyState Bank Arena. The club has set a league membership record of 3,349. The Islanders, Hobart's former champions, collapsed in 1997 after years of financial trouble. Coach Claudia Brassard says the level of local support is unique. Star point guard Steph Reid is returning from a knee problem, and Kenyan player Madina Okot is still playing in the WNBA finals.
The Women's National Basketball League begins its second season under private ownership on Thursday night. The Tasmania Jewels, a new franchise, will host the Geelong Venom in Hobart in the opening game. The league has signed Chinese national team players, including Shuyu Yang and Siyu Yang, and Han Xu will return to Geelong. Retired Opals star Lauren Jackson, now Chief Strategy and Basketball Partnerships Officer, said privatisation has helped the league grow. Crowd figures rose 43 per cent last season, while broadcast reach increased 130 per cent.
UC Capitals coach Paul Goriss says American point guard Meg McConnell fits the club's needs after she arrived from the Bendigo Spirit. Jade Melbourne has left Canberra for the Victorian goldfields team after six years with the club. The Caps have kept three players from last season and added the rest of their 10-player roster. McConnell, who starred at Duquesne University and played in the WNBA, says she hopes to help the team reach a top-five playoff spot. The two clubs meet at the AIS Arena on 17 October in round one of the 2026-27 WNBL season.
