AS THE Perth Lynx look to dismiss the horrors of falling three points short of their second WNBL championship, captain Anneli Maley is under no illusion that it will be an easy path back to the Grand Final series. 

Speaking to Rookie Me Central, the 26-year-old Maley noted how even the competition is and that the parity around the league will make for an exciting season of hoops.

“We are shaping up really good,” she said. “I think that it’s going to be a really competitive league this year and the Perth Lynx are definitely shaping up to give a fast and furious performance”.

Following the 2023-24 season in which just three wins separated first from sixth in the standings, Maley was adamant that the Lynx could not expect to beat any team this year and would need to compete every game to return to the promised land.

The Lynx scraped into finals last season after winning 11 games along with the fifth-placed Sydney Flames and sixth-placed Bendigo Spirit, for whom Maley played before joining Perth in 2023.

“It’s going to be super competitive so any team can beat any team on any given day which will make for some good basketball,” she said.

Asked how the Lynx hoped to replicate the success of last year, Maley was optimistic that remaining focused in their own goals would hold the West Australian side in good stead. She opted not to label a pass mark on any level of success, stating that there was no limit to what the team could achieve.

“Were just going to focus on us and our style of basketball and if we play with the right brand then anything can happen,” she said.

After an injury-riddled first WNBL season, 24-year-old Stephanie Gorman could be set to impact in a larger role this season. Her captain was full of praise for the six-foot guard from Wodonga, stating that she can’t wait for everyone to see more of her. 

Maley noted that there was some tough competition across the league that Perth would have to shut down in order to achieve success in 2024/25. She highlighted UC Capitals guard Chantel Horvat as an opponent she is excited to play against, stating that she is an amazing player.

Having played in the WNBA with the Chicago Sky and represented Australia in multiple international formats since 2013, Maley has achieved plenty across her career already. But fresh off a campaign with the Australian 3×3 Olympic team in Paris, the Lynx skipper was appreciative of the opportunity to compete for the Gangurrus.

“That was an incredible experience that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life and it’s still a bit surreal to think about,” she said when describing the recent Olympics.

The Lynx open their WNBL season on Saturday, November 2^nd, hosting the Southside Flyers whom they lost to at RAC Arena last month during HoopsFest. Maley was electric that night scoring 16 points and pulling down 9 rebounds. Breakout candidate Stephanie Gorman contributed 14 points and 3 steals, but it wasn’t enough to quell the influences of Nikita Young and Dallas Loughridge. The Lynx will hope to rectify that result in Round 1.

PERTH LYNX ROSTER

Miela Goodchild, Steph Gorman, Teige Morrell, Alex Wilson, Alexandra Ciabattoni, Kiara Waite, Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard, Laeticia Amihere, Jaya Scafidi, Anneli Maley, Amy Atwell, Alira Fotu