Lynx prepare for 'toughest environment in the League'

The highly anticipated TechnologyOne Townsville Tip Off will get underway with a bang on Thursday, with fierce rivals, the Fire and Lynx, locking horns.

Not only are they the WNBL26 Grand Final opponents, but they also make up what is arguably the biggest rivalry in the League.

While this is only a pre-season fixture, Perth guard Alex Ciabattoni knows any win over Townsville, especially on their home court, means that little bit extra.

"It [Townsville] is the toughest stadium in the League to play in, and the fans are always huge here," Ciabattoni said during the Tip Off's media availability.

"Anytime you can get a win here just feels great.

"We know they're going to be loud, so it is just about trying to play through that and not let the crowd swing our momentum.

"[Sometimes] they hit one big shot, and it feels like you're down 30 [points].

"It's tough, but with the experience we have, we should be okay. It'll be a great learning curve [for our group]."

Read more >> TechnologyOne Townsville Tip Off: Schedule, tickets & how to watch

This will be the first of two matchups the sides have in the coming weeks, with the Lynx opening their WNBL27 campaign against the reigning champions at the Perth High Performance Centre on October 17.

"[As important as the Tip Off is] there's a lot more expectation and want to be ready for that Round 1 clash, that's the goal," she said.

"There's always a thing between us and Townsville. I don't know why; I don't know what it is.

"Shannon's a great coach, so we know whatever style he runs, he's going to have the scout down pat, and they're going to be tough and going to be physical."

While the Lynx will be missing a few players during Thursday's clash, Ciabattoni is expecting strong performances from Steph Gorman and Sam Ashby, who have had big pre-seasons.

Thursday's Tip Off opener starts at 7pm AEST, live on 9Now and Disney+.