IT was a season to remember in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) for the 2023/24 fixture, with an extremely tight season capped off with a marvellous finals series.

For a large portion of the season, most of the teams in the competition were in the hunt for a top-four spot. In fact it came down to the final round to determine which sides would advance to the postseason in a thrilling finish.

In the end, the Southside Flyers emerged champions after defeating the valiant Perth Lynx 2-1 in the Grand Final series.

With the season now wrapped, Rookie Me Central will be dissecting the performance of each club in the 2023/24 fixture, putting all 10 teams under the microscope now that the dust has settled.

Today makes the final instalment of the series, with the Southside Flyers the final team to unpack after a championship-winning campaign.

Southside Flyers

2023/24 record – 13 wins, eight losses
Ladder positioning – 3rd
Postseason result – Won Championship Series in three games

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Flyers did enough to book a top-two spot after a campaign that saw some injury worries prove troublesome. Although unable to take top spot from the reigning champions, home court advantage was a win. Unfortunately, they matched up against their cross-town rivals, taking away from that boost, but Southside emerged winners in game three of the semi-finals to book a spot in the big dance. There, they faced off against the Lynx, who were on a seriously impressive winning streak. Although they received a scare from Perth in the opening clash, the Flyers emerged on top and claimed the championship in deserving fashion.

MVP – Mercedes Russell

Pairing next to Lauren Jackson in a star combination, Russell again delivered a dominant campaign in Flyers colours. She led the team in scoring and rebounding and was a match-winning factor in several contests. This was encapsulated when she single-handedly kept her team’s season alive with a buzzer-beating shot down 1-0 in the Grand Final Series, showing her class as a clutch player. In the end, she posted averages of 14.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game, and was named to the All-WNBL First Team.

THE COACH – Cheryl Chambers

It was another tremendous season for the three-time WNBL Coach of the Year, with Chambers again leading her team to the promised land. Although some of the team’s biggest names missed some time with injury, the experienced head of Chambers was crucial in getting her side over the line, and was particularly on display in the road win over the Lynx in game two of the Grand Final.

WHERE TO?

The Flyers will not be making too many changes as they just won it all with a well-constructed roster and excellent coaching team. The status of imports is still up in the air, as is Jackson’s place on the team given she is into her 40s, while Nyadiew Puoch was recently selected in the WNBA Draft. However, the Flyers will be able to draw plenty of talent given their recent success and should be among the contenders again.