We'll get a good read on the Lynx after this round.

Yeah, 2 tough road games within hours.
I won't be too concerned if we go 0-2. It's very early days for this team. Stealing one sure would be nice though.

Sydney will be a different team with the 200cm Swords playing.
Great test for SEQ too, if they can beat Dandy away with Phillips and Allen still missing they could definitely win the title this season.

I expect Perth to go 2-0 this weekend.

If Perth go 2-0 I would call that an upset and amazing. Would be good for the competition as a whole IMO, but don't think it will happen.

Strong performance from the Flames. Swords looked sharp, Boag a premium recruit and Twinkle is a little star. Cox still to come.

Looks like its going to be a long season for the Caps!

Hanna Zavecz also to return to the side once healthy.
Even without LJ they should have a competitive team pretty soon.

It looks like the same team as last year with a better PG, Still not good enough to match the top teams.

Kristen Veal playing for melbourne boomers this weekend

http://wnbl.com.au/melbourne_news/kristen-veal-joins-the-family/

I think the Boomers v Lynx is the game of the round, although they're all really interesting for a variety of reasons.

It seems like the majority of teams are either still getting new pieces in place or facing challenges getting their very best personnel on court.

The start to this season certainly hasn't been disappointing.

Kristin Veal? Geez talk about a handy ring-in!
I hope that turns out to be game of the round. If the Lynx can be competitive on the road against the Boomers then they're in good shape.

I struggle to tip this early in the season but the Rangers sound more cohesive this season and on paper they've still got some talent, so I think they'd be hoping to defend home court against the depleted Stars.

For anyone who likes WNBL and Podcasts, can I suggest "Basket Cases".
This week's guest is Shane Heal

http://www.spreaker.com/user/carolwical/basket-case-episode-2-inconclusive-evide

ABC budget cuts killed their game of the week telecast :(

Dandenong vs SEQ will be live streamed on YouTube at 7:30 EDST this evening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5uxrFa5Bt8

Not really but I should probably consider it after doing pretty well in the WNBA.

FWIW
Rangers $1.38, Stars $2.95 tonight
Rangers -5.5

Yeah, resting and injured players really did put a dampener on the WNBA this year, especially in the west. The Olympics will likely hurt it next year too.

I agree that the value is with SEQ in this game, but I won't be touching it.

Rangers exposing Stars weaknesses. Game over at the long break, no answer to Rangers front court.

Tall team alright. If only they had a point guard.

I think the expectation is that Clydesdale will be that point guard.

They have Todhunter as backup and that's all in the PG spot, though she was challenged last night by SEQ who monsters her on the press. Clydesdale is Rangers starting point guard, not a huge amount of experience, but they are a team that helps each other , think they will be fine, they have lots of ball handlers and Philipps can run a point if need be so to Cummings, for that matter so can Downie !!!!!! Do t think there is a position this lady can't play

I think people underestimate Clydesdale. She is a very capable player who has been pushed down the rotation for most of her career by Dandenong's big money stars.

Agrred^

Good game by bunton - great see our talls doing well

Tonight's odds:

Melbourne Boomers $1.20
Perth Lynx $4.25
Total Points Over/Under: 152.5
Line: Boomers -8.5


Adelaide Lightning $3.01
Sydney Uni Flames $1.35
Total Points Over/Under: 148.5
Line: Flames -5.5

It would be good to see Bunts string a few performances like that together.

Stating the obvious I know, but gee the Stars need Allen and Phillips back soon. Stallworth, Jarry and Mansfield can't carry the teams point production on their own.

I thought the livestream was tremendous and the commentary a step up from the type of thing we've seen in the past on TV broadcasts. Great job. Welcome back Peter Buckle.

Lynx get the road win 78-68 over the Boomers

Still waiting for the "LiveStats" to get their shit together to know the full extent of the damage that Louella Tomlinson caused.

A real Flame-a-thon in the city of churches, just like a reunion. Amazing performances from Lei and Ruefie not enough for the home team. The Sydney team getting a good win. Shannon Seebohm giving everyone some minutes, and garnering timely output from a list of contributors.

Wow what's the draft age limit for the WNBA? Anyone think Tessa Lavey could get in?

Tomlinson is just awesome in this league, Well done Lynx!

are they going to put the temporary stand in at wayville ?

Holy cow the Fire are handing the Caps a thrashing for the ages. 87-35 with one quarter left to play :O

44pt loss to the Caps, when will they get a new coach? Patience must be wearing thin for Caps fans.

Graf has been struggling for a few years now. The game has passed her, look at what happened when she had control of the Opals, we clearly had the second best team at the Worlds and finished 5th.

All those mystified by BJ's fascination with Burton have more ammo after today. Griffin absolutely schooled her. Too slow to cope with Griffin's speed and not strong enough to cope with Richards either. Fingers crossed for that naturalisation!!
Bendigo's depth worries me a little, looks like a 7 player rotation only with little scraps for Spencer, McAppion and Chalmers. Oliver has been a bit of an unsung hero and great to see her getting a start. Does a fair impersonation of the energiser bunny and is good at sneaking in on the offensive boards and timing her leap well.

Any coach would have won a medal with the team Australia had...Idiot. I know a die hard Caps fan who also thinks its time for the Caps to get a new coach.

Agree Cam, some people around here don't even think Griffin would or should make the Opals, I wonder if they actually watch any women's basketball.

Let's not pretend we shouldn't have beaten the Czechs that year. Cambage, Jackson, Taylor, O'Hea, Snell, Harrower ... that's as strong a team as we have ever fielded, and we managed 5th - our worst result since 1992.
It's generous to say they pushed the USA too. They hung around for a half and then got blown off the court.

As for Griffin, hell yes!

Certainly not suggesting that Griffin gets any special treatment, she goes through the same process regarding camps etc (dare I say jumps through the same hoops) as everyone else. I just get annoyed when some people seem to argue against her simply because she is not "home grown" and would be taking someone else's place. I think she is our best bet at the 3 on skill but more importantly her effort levels are unparalleled. As a Bendigo member I get to see her every home game and I can never remember her at anything less than 100 mph on court at both ends. This afternoon for example she finished off a fast break and then sprinted past 3 Perth players to get into the paint and grab a defensive board.

If she gets Australian citizenship that's a big win for her and she's way ahead on the deal. I can't see what the justification is for offering ANY special consideration to her at the expense of athletes who have progressed through junior to senior levels in our tax-payer funded representative programs.

I'm ok with Griffin as an Opal. Everything I hear from her makes it sound like she is serious about loving Australia and making a life here.

Only issue is that she's a 3/4 tweener, and I'm pretty sure that's why Joyce isn't a Bishop fan either.

With the loss of Blicavs and Aubry there is no doubt that Griffin will shoulder most of the load at 4 for the Spirit (unless Pritchard runs Burke alongside Richards for any length of time) and her outside shooting is clearly the weakest part of her game. That said there has been plenty of talk about how big USA are and I think her height, leap and competitiveness (what we call mongrel) will be more important at the 3 than her outside shooting. Got a squad of 12 so we can always select others with better range for the games against other countries but even then I reckon Jackson and Taylor in particular would rather have a 25% chance of making the final and a 40% chance of winning it rather than the other way around. They already have a slew of minor medals anyway.

I look at it the other way. To me, Griffin is someone who can beat up on lesser opponents and help us reach the last game, but will struggle to do much against the USA other than crash the boards (not that rebounding is a skill to be sneezed at)

But yes, as you say having 12 available should give us the flexibility to throw out some different looks.

(personally I think we're kidding ourselves about actually beating the USA. They've spent the last 10 years getting stronger, while we've spent the last 10 having our elite talent either retire or age, with just Cambage as a truly elite level incomer to the team. But, you can only give it your best shot, you never know on the day, blah blah... )

Madgen v Lavey
Madgen had been in bed all week and was throwing up at half time. Result- Madgen 14 points plus rebounds etc. Lavey 2 points no assists and did nothing other than over dribble at the point. I know who I would want to have going into battle.

that would stretch even Peaks fantastic jersey making skills.

good to see with the lack of coverage syd uploaded there round 2 game v Canberra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6d_30QguO4

hopefully more games will be online for all clubs

Paul of Ephemeral Images doing good work there. And yes they're going to look at commentary for future games.