The Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) is the premier women's basketball league in Australia.
Current clubs[]
There are currently 10 teams in the WNBL with all Australian states represented, with the exceptions of Tasmania and the Northern Territory:
- Adelaide Lightning
- Australian Institute of Sport
- Bendigo Spirit
- Bulleen Boomers
- Canberra Capitals
- Dandenong Rangers
- Logan Thunder
- West Coast Waves
- Sydney Uni Flames
- Townsville Fire
Former and defunct clubs[]
- Christchurch Sirens
- Coburg Cougars
- Hobart Islanders
- North Adelaide
- Nunawading Spectres
- Perth Lynx
- St Kilda Saints
- Sydney Panthers
History[]
The league was established in 1986, following 5 years of the sport's development through the Women’s Basketball League and the Women’s Basketball Conference. WNBL games are televised live or on delay on ABC1.
The 2007/08 season saw the addition of two new teams: the Bendigo Spirit and the Christchurch Sirens from New Zealand, which is the first franchise from outside of Australia.
The 2008/09 season saw the addition of Logan Thunder, a team from Logan City, the first team from South-East Queensland in over 10 years. They replaced the Christchurch Sirens.
The league has been successful in developing players, the national team (the Opals), and has led to many Australian women receiving contracts to play basketball in European leagues and the WNBA. Michele Timms was the first Australian woman and the first international player drafted in the WNBA. Among the other notable players to make the transition from the WNBL to the WNBA are Lauren Jackson, Penny Taylor-Gil, Tully Bevilaqua, Suzy Batkovic-Brown, Belinda Snell, Erin Phillips and Kristi Harrower. Those who have gone the other direction include American star Alana Beard. In fact, as the seasons do not overlap, players can participate in both leagues in the same year.
League Grand Finals[]
- 2009 (13 March) : Template:WNBL CC 61 def Template:WNBL BMB 58.
- 2008 (8 March): Template:WNBL AL 92 def Template:WNBL SF 82.
- 2007 (17 February): Template:WNBL CC 73 def Template:WNBL SF 59.
- 2006 (18 February): Template:WNBL CC 68 def Template:WNBL DR 55 - Lauren Jackson (Capitals) was game high scorer with 24pt
Complete list of WNBL Grand Final winners
| Season | WNBL Champion | Coach |
| 1981 | St Kilda Saints | Bill Palmer |
| 1982 | St Kilda Saints | Bill Palmer |
| 1983 | Nunawading Spectres | Tom Maher |
| 1984 | Nunawading Spectres | Tom Maher |
| 1985 | Coburg Cougars | |
| 1986 | Nunawading Spectres | Tom Maher |
| 1987 | Nunawading Spectres | Tom Maher |
| 1988 | Nunawading Spectres | Tom Maher |
| 1989 | Nunawading Spectres | |
| 1990 | North Adelaide | Mark Molitor |
| 1991 | Hobart Islanders | Danny Adams |
| 1992 | Perth Breakers | Tom Maher |
| 1993 | Sydney Flames | Carrie Graf |
| 1994 | Adelaide Lightning | Jan Stirling |
| 1995 | Adelaide Lightning | Jan Stirling |
| 1996 | Adelaide Lightning | Jan Stirling |
| 1997 | Sydney Flames | Bill Tomlinson |
| 1998 | Adelaide Lightning | Jan Stirling |
| 1998-99 | Australian Institute of Sport | Phil Brown |
| 1999-00 | Canberra Capitals | Carrie Graf |
| 2000-01 | Sydney Panthers | Karen Dalton/Tom Maher |
| 2001-02 | Canberra Capitals | Carrie Graf |
| 2002-03 | Canberra Capitals | Tom Maher |
| 2003-04 | Dandenong Rangers | Gary Fox |
| 2004-05 | Dandenong Rangers | Gary Fox |
| 2005-06 | Canberra Capitals | Carrie Graf |
| 2006-07 | Canberra Capitals | Carrie Graf |
| 2007-08 | Adelaide Lightning | Vicki Valk |
| 2008-09 | Canberra Capitals | Carrie Graf |
| 2009-10 | Canberra Capitals | Carrie Graf |
| 2010-11 | Bulleen Boomers | Tom Maher |