Considering both Jackson and Bishop didn't start playing until shortly before the Christmas break, it is not surprising. Bulleen may be favourites but Canberra are a very close second. Sydney are not exactly out of it but would need to play at their best to beat either of the other two.

Caps will be there at the end of the season.

Biggest front court in the league. Tolo is huge off the bench.

Jackson hasn't found her feet, and Bishop is still rusty from her surgery.

Went to the game last night, and they do look a little out of sync, give it two more weeks.

Sydney are up there. It took a Jackson 3 to beat them two weeks ago here in Canberra.

You must be a youngster George. I'm guessing you don't remember the 99 AIS team when they were running Kirsten Veal, Penny Taylor, Tammy Hoare, Suzie Batkovic and Lauren Jackson as the starting five and Belinda Snell, Rohanee Cox, Deanne Smith, Dee Butler and Desi Glaubnitz off the bench.

That squad is sort of the like the 1984 NBA draft from womens basketball in Australia

NO!

GO BOOMERS!

well - re: Can anyone beat Bulleen?

The answer is yes , someone can and almost certainly has - But I don't actually know their name, but their signature is on the $220,000 cheque that was handed over to Ms Jackson ( and the several additional cheques).

see http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/basketball/jackson-set-to-sign-today/1687031.aspx?storypage=0

Good use of public moneys that , after all , as the Chief Minster of the ACT ( AKA "state premier" if it was a real state ) said,


"I proudly declare and stand by the decision ... to support the greatest sportswoman that this city has ever produced and I think that Australia has ever produced."

see http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/27/2755362.htm

After all, as he said earlier, Lauren is a home-grown ACT basketball product -

'I've always felt it would be fitting to acknowledge that Lauren Jackson is recognised by many as the greatest women's basketballer in the world, and a product of basketball in Canberra.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/3m-basketball-centre-planned/1459487.aspx


So much so that Stanhope ensured that a little more $ appeared in LJ's account by making her the Australia Day Ambassador for ACT.

http://www.getnetworking.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2471:lauren-jackson-named-australia-day-ambassador-for-act&catid=35:people&Itemid=29


Unfortunately my research skills cannot again locate the press release where Stanhope declared last year, that what with the locally developed superstar player, LJ, and the equally locally developed super coach C Graff, that the ACT was clearly the absolute centre of elite women's basketball in Australia.

Shame the ACT can't get 8 girls to play in the national u20 carnival this month, unlike that other towering womens' basketball power, - wait for it - Tasmania.

Now don't get me wrong her , LJ deserves to get every $ she can earn, and more so considering the inequalities in male/female pro sports.But to talk absolute tripe about the strength of the ACT "locals" - Ha!

The last time a player with a ACT junior representative background played higher than the no 9 spot in the capitals, even LJ was unable to bring home the bacon in the WNBL grand final, and the 3000 " dynasty" t-shirts that had been printed to hand out to all the Grand Final spectators at the AIS stadium had to be quietly "lost" at the Canberra land fill !!!.


Well good on em, I think the caps will be recruiting well for at least the next 3 years, or until there is a new Opals coach.

epic win of a post.

Old and Gray - not related to Old Gray Mare, former ACT Basketball staff member, are you you? :)

TR - nah I've been around too long... saw that same AIS 98/99 team at Bulleen a number of times (never a good result for Bulleen). They were tall, fast, cocky, well-coached, and a damn good team.

Having said that - that AIS team lost a handful of games. Point I've been trying to make is Bulleen have dominated the league (1 loss in 20 games is beyond remarkable).

re "out of towner"
don't know her - did she have similar tales of ACT strangeness ? , and please don't get too personal in your attacks -- I've always worked for my money !!
I just spent 2 years there on a posting , and found that local ACT scene very amusing.

Yep - while I think that Bulleen have a fantastic starting group and have an admirable record, Canberra should win today. Too strong overall, with great depth and experience. Before Batkovic went down I actually expected a Canberra/Sydney grand final, given the superior experience, but now today's game should be a preview of that game.

Good matchup either way. Go Capitals!

Was I majorly wrong or what? Congratulations to the
Boomers for a terrific game and the season so far. The 'wrong' team seemed to display sufficient poise at the end of the game.

Lot of work for the Capitals now. Here's hoping.

Pretty to watch Jackson and Cambage going at it.

Jackson is all class. But funny how in the process of scoring half her teams points, the other marquee players faded into the background. Graffie's got some re-configuring to do come finals time; Canberra won't be in contention until they've got solid contributions from the whole team.

Astor I disagree

Sydney without Batgirl is a lame duck.

Townsville and Bendigo are just making numbers imho.

Canberra have the game to bounce all three, we will see the Caps and Bulleen in the GF.

Agreed, Caps v. Boomers
But unless they can get 10+ points from at least 2 of Bibby, Hurst and Bishop then Canberra won't win the Championship.

The championship is there for Bulleen to lose rather than Canberra to win.

Tom Maher has chosen to spread the scoring load so that now O'Hea, Cambage, Zavecz, Penaluna, are capable of hitting 20 every night - it's what makes Bulleen so difficult to shut down.