The team to beat: Why Bendigo have WNBL comp on edge
Justin Chadwick |
His powerful Townsville unit remain the WNBL title favourites and the Perth Lynx are coming hard, but Fire coach Shannon Seebohm says it’s the Bendigo Spirit who are proving the most fun to watch at the minute.
Bendigo (12-2) enter the Christmas break on top of the ladder and riding a nine-game winning streak, giving the defending champions an excellent platform to successfully defend their title.
But it won’t be easy.
The star-studded Townsville Fire (11-2) sit in second spot and are still considered the title favourites, while Perth (10-3) has also surged into Championship calculations on the back of a five-match winning run and the recent arrival of Chinese superstar Han Xu.
The Fire overcame a slow start and the absence of star captain Courtney Woods (hamstring) to post a 79-74 win over the Sydney Flames on Tuesday night.
Seebohm wasn’t happy with the display, lamenting his team’s inaccurate passing, questionable shot selections and lack of offensive flow.
The title-winning coach hopes his team’s dip in form has been caused by nothing more than the distraction of the festive season.
But he wants them back firing on all cylinders when they take on Bendigo in a top-of-the-table showdown in Townsville on New Year’s Eve.
“If we are going to beat teams consistently, we’re going to need to play a lot better than that,” Seebohm said.
“I know Courtney Woods is a good player and we miss her playmaking and those things, but we have more than enough players to step up and carry the load.”
Bendigo beat Townsville 2-0 in last season’s grand final series, and Seebohm is a not-so-secret admirer of how the Spirit go about things.
“Bendigo have been playing amazing,” Seebohm said.
“They’re probably my favourite team to watch, to be honest with you.
“I think just the way that they play as a team – everybody plays their role, no matter if they play five minutes or play 30.
“I think Kelsey Griffin is a unbelievable leader,” Seebohm added. “You can just see how much of an impact she’s had on those players and that team. She’s ageless, and a really dangerous player.
“And then they’ve obviously got Izzy Borlase playing well. Meg McConnell is playing really well at the moment.
“Perth are great, but Bendigo are the team to beat right now. So it’s going to be a really big challenge, and we’re going to need to be much better if we’re going to get that one.”
Perth’s sole title came back in 1992, when they were known as the Perth Breakers.
But with players like Anneli Maley, Ally Wilson, Alex Ciabattoni, Amy Atwell and Xu all capable of being match-winners, the Lynx are shaping up for a big Championship tilt.
Perth will be aiming to make it six wins on the trot when they host struggling Geelong (3-11) on Sunday.
AAP
