Six-time MVP excited for Game of the Season

The Townsville Fire have been the talk of the WNBL26 season to date and rightfully so.

Through the opening nine rounds, Shannon Seebohm's side sits at 9-1 and lead the competition in most key statistics.

One who knows all about success in Townsville is six-time WNBL MVP, Suzy Batkovic.

"The season has been good to watch so far, and obviously, I've got my eyes on the Fire being a Townsville girl," Batkovic said.

"I've been watching them closely, and they're sitting nice and pretty on top of the ladder. They've had a killer start [to the season].

"They’re in a position where they've got a really good bunch of girls whose cohesion is brilliant.

“They all seem to get along, which, when that's happening, everything else flows, and I think it's really been great from them early on, which has set them up nicely.

“Despite playing five road games straight off the bat, which is always going to be tough, the Fire have been amazing and just got it done, which is a credit to all involved.”

Arguably, the Fire’s biggest test of the 2025-26 campaign to date comes on Sunday evening, when they host the Perth Lynx, galvanised by the new addition of superstar Han Xu.

“It doesn’t come down to just one player, as the Lynx have some really good shooters such as Alex Ciabattoni, Amy Atwell and Alex Wilson,” five-time WNBL Champion Batkovic said.

“Obviously, playing someone that's 6’11 is going to change a little bit of your game structure. Your guards aren't going to get the easy drive for layups.

“It's going to be interesting to watch it, to see how the Fire adapts, especially as Han Xu is also capable of shooting the three.”

As one of the top bigs to ever play in the WNBL, Batkovic knows how exciting it is for the league to attract a talent like Han Xu to the competition.

“You want quality players in the league, as it's only going to strengthen the league and make the competition tougher and more interesting,” said Batkovic, who will be in attendance on Sunday.

“Off the back of that, you'll get people to the games. You want to see people supporting the girls and watching them develop over time.

“They're exciting players, and whenever I speak to people after they attend their first game, they always say how fun it is.

“The WNBL is a great product, and we've got some really amazing players in the competition. The better the calibre, the better it is for the league as a whole.”

Sunday’s game at the Townsville Entertainment Centre tips off at 6.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN2 and 9Now.

Tickets to the Round 9 blockbuster are still available here.