Every week, ESPN's Megan Hustwaite brings together the stories that have caught her eye across the WNBL.
Megs' Notebook
Guy for the job
Just weeks after parting ways with the Sydney Flames, Guy Molloy has shared his excitement and plans for the next chapter of his storied coaching career.
Molloy, who first coached in the WNBL in 1989, began this current season as the most experienced head coach in the league but by Round 7 was out of a job in what was his third year in the harbour city.
On Tuesday as the league's newest franchise Tasmania Jewels announced it had opened applications for its inaugural coach, Molloy, a two-time coach of the year and 2021-22 championship coach, told ESPN he had the passion to coach on and plenty to offer.
"I've had a ton of support from many great players, great people from along my journey, and I feel I have much yet to offer as a Head Coach," he said.
"I will examine all opportunities seriously and put myself in a new position with a club that fits my coaching methods."
With an injury-list longer than an emergency ward waiting room, Molloy guided the Flames to a breakthrough finals campaign last season after the club had finished in the bottom rungs of the ladder for the previous eight seasons.
"I was proud to take the Sydney program over .500 and then to play-offs the next season, their first time in finals in eight years," he said.
"Some difficulties off the court in my third year didn't erase either milestone and I will be better for the experience."
Molloy led Canberra before taking the reins of Perth between 1993 and 1996. He took his wares to the NBL and four teams across the next decade before being appointed coach of the Melbourne Boomers in 2013. Molloy took a club, that was on its knees, from struggler to perennial contender and was rewarded with a title in 2021-22.
Maher: "I can't understand it"
FIBA Hall of Famer Tom Maher is perplexed by Anneli Maley's absence from the latest Opals squad.
A 19-player squad for next year's World Cup Qualifying Tournament was announced last week and Maley, who is leading the league in rebounds with 13.3 per game, as well as averaging 13.1 points, was an obvious omission.
By winning the Asia Cup this year, Australia has already qualified for the World Cup but will still compete in the FIBA window. The squad named last week is not final and can be added to.
Perth Lynx star Maley was part of the Opals bronze-medal winning team at the 2022 FIBA World Cup and has represented the Gangurrus 3x3 team extensively including Olympic and Commonwealth Games campaigns.
"I can't understand it," Maher said.
"I watch all of Perth's games and she can switch any position, she's the best rebounder in the country, she gives your fast break a huge boost.
"If I was coaching her, she'd have an absolute free hand at fast break every opportunity she could have but not only that - if one of her teammates fast break it their percentages of having a good result are double because the fact is if they miss she'll probably rebound it.
"She's a capable defender, got really great ability to penetrate and dribble penetration is the number one thing you want in offence. Anneli has got a lot of good strings to her bow.
"I would 100 per cent have her in my squad."
Home is where the milestone is
Keely Froling celebrated her 200th WNBL game back where it all began - her hometown of Townsville - on Tuesday night when Sydney played the Fire.
The former Townsville development player has carved out a terrific career with two championships at Canberra before going on to play for Sydney, Melbourne, Geelong and now the Flames again this season.
Parents Jenny and Shane Froling and her grandma were in the crowd on Tuesday night and twin Alicia was present too, on the opposition team.
"The championships were unreal but the people I've met, my good friends and best friends I've played with in basketball. The connections I've made, I'm so lucky," Froling said.
A consistent player at both ends of the court, Froling has won respect for her leadership and has held captaincy and leadership roles on several teams.
She's built resilience with the in-season departure of two coaches at Sydney and was a steadying presence for Geelong in its inaugural campaign last season.
"Obviously we see all the cool, fun moments of professional spot but there's a lot of hard times, turmoil and all those sorts of things," Froling said.
"I think I've learned from a lot of it and it's definitely made me a better leader but even just a person - learning how to deal with those things and hopefully making each team that I'm on better."
Wooley cops fine
Geelong injury replacement player Georgia Wooley has been fined for tripping.
The Game Review Panel found the Venom player guilty of intentional conduct with low impact to the body for tripping Bendigo co-captain Kelsey Griffin during the Round 9 game between the teams at Geelong Arena on December 13.
Wooley accepted an early plea penalty and fine.
Opals Watch - the Opals who shone in Round 10
Amy Atwell (Lynx) 28 points, 6 rebounds vs Adelaide
Isobel Borlase (Spirit) 27 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, vs Southside and 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal vs Adelaide
Miela Sowah (Fire) 21 points, 3 assists, 3 steals 2 rebounds vs Sydney
Jade Melbourne (Caps) 21 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal vs Geelong
Cayla George (Flyers) 18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists, 1 steal vs Bendigo
Alex Fowler (Fire) 18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal vs Sydney
Zitina Aokuso (Caps) 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal vs Geelong
Isabelle Bourne (Flyers) 17 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal, 1 assist vs Bendigo
Steph Talbot (Lightning) 16 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal vs Bendigo
Abbey Ellis (Fire) 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal vs Sydney
Game of the week - Round 11
Townsville Fire vs. Bendigo Spirit
Wednesday, December 31, Townsville Entertainment Centre, 7.30pm local time
What a way to end a year and ring in a new one.
Bendigo returns to the court they won last season's championship on and although these are the two sides that contested the #WNBL25 Grand Final series and they're at the top end of the table again, their respective campaigns and personnel are different.
The Fire beat Bendigo in Bendigo in Round 1, as Abbey Ellis lit up for 31 points, and the Spirit have only dropped one game since. A nine-game winning run is impressive but even more so given the absence of Marianna Tolo, Casey Samuels and Abbey Wehrung at times during that run.
Townsville's stat sheet remains as stuffed as a child's Christmas wish list and import Lucy Olsen is relishing increased opportunities in the absence of sidelined and hamstrung captain Courtney Woods.
Sportswoman Like
Isobel Borlase's impact on Bendigo has been profound both on the court and in her new community.
The runaway favourite for league MVP has won a legion of new fans in the regional city including young Nate who brought some Christmas presents for his favourite player.
Borlase then made his Christmas by gifting him a brand spanking new pair of Nike shoes.
Nate and his family joined Spirit players on the team bus to take in local Christmas lights last week.
Many happy returns to Nate, Borlase and Bendigo who show the (Christmas) Spirit all year long!
Round 11 Fixtures
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27
UC Capitals vs. Sydney Flames, AIS Arena, 7pm (AEDT)
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28
Southside Melbourne Flyers vs. Adelaide Lightning, VIC State Basketball Centre, 12:30pm (AEDT)
Perth Lynx vs. Geelong Venom, Perth High Performance Centre, 6pm (AEDT)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30
Sydney Flames vs. Southside Flyers, Qudos Bank Arena, 5pm (AEDT)
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31
Townsville Fire vs. Bendigo Spirit, Townsville Entertainment Centre, 7:30pm (AEDT)
Watch every game LIVE on Disney+
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