Will the Perth Lynx's bold strategy pay off?

Since Round 1, Perth Lynx Head Coach Ryan Petrik says he’s been planning for an eventual Finals clash between Bendigo and Townsville.

Most coaches only publicly say “we are taking it game-by-game,” but within the war rooms, every possible Finals scenario is picked apart with meticulous detail. 

In a transparent answer, Petrik said he knows who stands between his Lynx and the highly converted Championship. 

“We've been preparing for Bendigo and Townsville since round one. No word of a lie,” Petrik said post-game. 

“We’ve been trying to get ready for them all year, It's played out exactly the same way as it played out last year. Every offensive and defensive scheme we’ve put in [we’ve asked ourselves], will we think this will work against Townsville and Bendigo?’.” 

Petrik explained that the strategy has affected their games against the teams five-through-eight, but ultimately, what matters will be the eventual games against the juggernauts. 

This philosophy stems from the Lynx’s last three disappointing Finals runs, starting with a Grand Final loss in the 2024 Grand Final Series to the then-Melbourne Boomers, followed by a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Southside Melbourne Flyers in the 2025 Grand Finals Series and
losing the series to Townsville last season in a devastating 30-point loss in the 2025 Semi Finals. 

Led by MVP candidate Anneli Maley, averaging a league-high 14.4 rebounds, the Lynx have arguably the most talented team in the league. Featuring Olympians Ally Wilson, Amy Atwell and Han Xu, plus Alex Ciabattoni in a career season, the stars are aligning for the Lynx. 

In a dominant win over the third-placed Bendigo Spirit on Sunday, the Lynx 12-2 since the arrival of the 6’11” Chinese sensation Han Xu. 

Can the Lynx capitalise on their momentum heading into the final round of the season? 

Perth hosts Sydney on Saturday night, streaming live from 4:00pm AWST | 7:00pm AEDT live on ESPN2. Get your tickets here.