THE REGULAR season of the WNBL has wrapped up, with just four sides remaining in the hunt for the championship in the 2022/23 fixture.

In what was an exhilarating race for the finals, it all went down to the last few weeks of the season, and now four of the best teams remain eligible for the competition’s ultimate prize in the upcoming weeks.

There will be a number of factors that will play a role in each side’s journey, including some of the competition’s biggest and best names. In this article, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at some of the players with the biggest potential to break their respective series’ wide open.

Cayla George – Melbourne Boomers

Easier to get the obvious one out of the way, with George recently crowned the WNBL’s Most Valuable Player. Combining well with teammate Tiffany Mitchell, the duo formed a damaging partnership, but it was George who was the most consistent across the course of the season. She finished with the second highest points average and led the league in rebounding. As has been the case for a number of years, the Opal remains an extremely difficult matchup and could bring the opposition undone with her versatility.

>> GEORGE GRANTED TOP GONG AT WNBL AWARDS

Kayla Thornton – Southside Flyers

Fresh off a selection in the All-WNBL First Team, Thornton looms as a dominant presence inside the paint for the Flyers. A constant threat in the low block, the import can impact the game on both ends of the court. Some of the league’s best defensive talents have struggled to contain Thornton in the post, and expect her to use her size and craft to pull down some massive rebounds in the process.

Shyla Heal – Townsville Fire

In one of the most publicised moves of the past couple of years, Heal headed north to join the Fire after a messy departure from the Sydney Uni Flames. Although the circumstances were less than ideal, it was a boost for TownsvilLe, who have added one of the competition’s most dynamic scorers. During her time with the Flames, Heal posted 20 points per game on a regular basis. Despite having to share the ball with some talented teammates, the Fire will be reassured that they can look for the guard to create a scoring opportunity, and she might prove to be a surprise packet in the series.