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Seven rounds in, the 2024-25 WNBL season has been unpredictable, with the reigning champs, the Southside Flyers, finding themselves close to the bottom of the competition and the veteran-dominated Bendigo Spirit showing no signs of slowing down.

The two stories of the week were written by Charli Collier and (once again) Shaneice Swain. However, before we get to them, let’s take a moment to appreciate another big game by the Spirit’s Sami Whitcomb, who helped her team keep their unbeaten streak going by defeating the Townsville Fire, 86-80. The 36-year-old sharpshooter dropped 35 points, while also tallying seven rebounds and six assists.

Charli Collier gets a crazy double-double

Charli Collier didn’t have the best of starts to her professional career. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings was out of the WNBA after two seasons, averaging just 2.9 points and 2.5 boards per game. The 25-year-old Collier has been using her time outside the W to get more playing time and build confidence, which was visible during the UC Capitals’ last game against the Adelaide Lightning.

The Lightning have their own struggles, as they have just hired a new coach, but they ended up winning the game between the two bottom teams in the league, 68-67. The Capitals stayed in the game largely thanks to Collier, who knocked down some big shots, both from the interior and from long-distance, on her way to 27 points. She also grabbed 22 rebounds, giving her an incredible 27-point and 22-rebound double. Unfortunately for Collier and the team from Canberra, she missed the game-winning 3.

The Lightning won in part due to Americans Japreece Dean and Brianna Turner. Dean, a point guard out of UCLA, had 12 points, four assists and six boards, while Turner, a Chicago Sky free agent, had 15 points and nine boards.

The Flames are on fire

In the last three games, Shaneice Swain has scored 25, 20 and 21 points, accordingly. At 21 years old, she has developed a level of consistency often unattainable to more experienced players. In the last game, she struggled from long distance, which forced her to find different ways to score. She made only 3-of-13 3s, but went 6-for-8 on 2-point shots.

Swain has been a vital part of the Flames’ recent success, but the same must be said about Cayla George. The 35-year-old became only the fourth player in WNBL history to score over 5,000 points, after already being the league’s career leader in rebounds. A 2023 WNBA champ with the Las Vegas Aces, George is averaging 16.6 points and 11 boards for the season. In the Flames’ last game against Geelong United, she more or less met those averages, contributing 16 points and 13 rebounds in her team’s narrow win, 81-74.

League standings

1. Bendigo Spirit (9-0)

2. Perth Lynx (7-3)

3. Sydney Flames (4-4)

4. Townsville Fire (4-4)

5. Geelong United (4-5)

6. Adelaide Lightning (3-6)

7. Southside Flyers (3-6)

8. Canberra Capitals (2-8)