How to watch & talking points: Bendigo v Townsville

Bendigo Spirit v Townsville Fire
Monday, October 27, 7pm AEDT
Red Energy Arena

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Rosters

Bendigo

Expected depth chart:
PG: Melbourne / Wilson / Booth
SG: Wehrung / Borlase (out) / MacGregor (out)
SF: Samuels / MacGregor
PF: Griffin / Pollerd
C: Tolo / Rees

Townsville

Expected depth chart:
PG: Ellis / Bobongie
SG: Jensen / Sowah (out) / Forster (out)
SF: Woods / Stephens / Ward
PF: Fowler / Van Es / Clarke (out)
C: Froling / Gülich / Emma-Nnopu

Missing in action

Bendigo

Izzy Borlase - WNBA commitments - TBC (replaced by Olivia Olechnowicz)
Catherine MacGregor - Knee - Season

Townsville

Cheyenne Bobongie - Personal - Round 3
Emma Clarke - Knee - Round 5 (replaced by Antoniette Emma-Nnopu)
‍Chloe Forster - Calf - Round 4 (replaced by Catelyn Van Es)
‍Miela Sowah - WNBA commitments - TBC (replaced by Bree Stephens)

>> View full injury list

Talking points

Superstar response

Jade Melbourne will be the first to admit her Bendigo debut didn’t go according to plan, with the Spirit losing to her former side Canberra.

In that fixture, the Opal shot 3/13 from the field, including a potential game-winning triple at the buzzer.

But as all great players do, expect Melbourne to bounce back in a big way, especially in her home debut for the Spirit.

Battle of the bigs

Bendigo and Townsville feature two of the more imposing frontlines in the WNBL.

The hosts have Olympic medallist Marianna Tolo, the ever-consistent Kelsey Griffin and rising stars Olivia Pollerd and Kelsey Rees, while internationals Alex Fowler and Marie Gülich, along with the dynamic Alicia Froling, make up the Fire’s frontcourt.

Despite the elite guards on each team, there’s a feeling that whoever dominates the paint in this one will go a long way to winning the final fixture of Round 2.