Townsville Fire
Townsville Fire | |
---|---|
Leagues | WNBL |
Founded | 2001 |
History | Townsville Fire 2001–present |
Arena | Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre |
Capacity | 5,257 |
Location | Townsville, Queensland |
Main sponsor | James Cook University |
President | Sam Pascoe |
Head coach | Shannon Seebohm |
Championships | 4 (2015, 2016, 2018, 2023) |
The Townsville Fire are an Australian professional female basketball team competing in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). They are the only female professional sporting team of any discipline in the northern half of Australia. The team was established in 2001 by Townsville Basketball Inc. In 2014, James Cook University became the team's principal partner and naming rights sponsor.[1]
Following the 2010/11 season, the Fire were seemingly doomed, folding under the weight of financial pressures before an 11th hour resurrection.[1] Prior to the 2011/12 season, the team became a not-for-profit, community owned entity. The Fire reached four straight WNBL Grand Finals between 2012/13 and 2015/16, winning back-to-back championships in 2015 and 2016. Their victory in March 2015 was the city's maiden national premiership.[2] The Fire returned to the WNBL Grand Final in 2017/18 and won their third title in four years.[3] The team won their fourth championship in 2023.[4]
Season-by-season records
Season | Standings | Regular season | Finals | Head coach | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | PCT | ||||
Townsville Fire | ||||||
2001–02 | 8th | 3 | 18 | 14.2 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
2002–03 | 2nd | 15 | 6 | 71.0 | Lost Semi Final (Canberra, 67–68) Lost Preliminary Final (Sydney, 78–83) |
David Herbert |
2003–04 | 5th | 12 | 9 | 57.0 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
2004–05 | 6th | 7 | 14 | 33.0 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
2005–06 | 6th | 12 | 9 | 57.0 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
2006–07 | 6th | 10 | 11 | 48.0 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
2007–08 | 6th | 10 | 14 | 41.6 | Did not qualify | Peter Buckle |
2008–09 | 3rd | 16 | 6 | 72.7 | Won Semi Final (Adelaide, 91–78) Lost Preliminary Final (Bulleen, 68–79) |
Peter Buckle |
2009–10 | 4th | 14 | 8 | 63.6 | Won Elimination Final (Bendigo, 84–73) Lost Semi Final (Canberra, 39–60) |
Peter Buckle |
2010–11 | 7th | 10 | 12 | 45.4 | Did not qualify | Peter Buckle |
2011–12 | 4th | 13 | 9 | 59.0 | Won Elimination Final (Sydney, 85–78) Lost Semi Final (Dandenong, 66–77) |
Chris Lucas |
2012–13 | 4th | 13 | 11 | 54.1 | Won Semi Final (Adelaide, 60–53) Won Preliminary Final (Dandenong, 78–64) Lost Grand Final (Bendigo, 57–71) |
Chris Lucas |
2013–14 | 3rd | 16 | 8 | 66.6 | Won Semi Final (Melbourne, 78–73) Won Preliminary Final (Dandenong, 74–71) Lost Grand Final (Bendigo, 83–94) |
Chris Lucas |
2014–15 | 1st | 17 | 5 | 77.7 | Won Semi Final (Bendigo, 82–63) Won Grand Final (Bendigo, 75–65) |
Chris Lucas |
2015–16 | 1st | 17 | 7 | 70.8 | Lost Semi Final (Perth, 72–91) Won Preliminary Final (South East Queensland, 91–71) Won Grand Final (Perth, 2–0) |
Chris Lucas |
2016–17 | 4th | 14 | 10 | 58.3 | Lost Semi Final (Sydney, 0–2) | Claudia Brassard |
2017–18 | 3rd | 14 | 7 | 66.6 | Won Semi Final (Sydney, 2–0) Won Grand Final (Melbourne, 2–1) |
Claudia Brassard |
2018–19 | 6th | 9 | 12 | 42.8 | Did not qualify | Claudia Brassard |
2019–20 | 8th | 5 | 16 | 23.8 | Did not qualify | Shannon Seebohm |
2020-21 | 2nd | 9 | 4 | 69.2 | Lost Semi Final (Southside, 93–106) Won Preliminary Final (Melbourne, 65–62) Lost Grand Final (Southside, 82–99) |
Shannon Seebohm |
2021–22 | 6th | 7 | 10 | 41.1 | Did not qualify | Shannon Seebohm |
2022–23 | 1st | 17 | 4 | 80.9 | Won Semi Final (Perth, 2-0)
Won Grand Final (Southside, 2-0) |
Shannon Seebohm |
2023–24 | 1st | 14 | 7 | 66.6 | Loss Semi Final (Perth, 0-2) | Shannon Seebohm |
Regular season | 274 | 221 | 55.3 | 4 Minor Premierships | ||
Finals | 19 | 15 | 55.8 | 4 WNBL Championships |
Players
Current roster
2024-25 Townsville Fire roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Updated: 28 January 2024 |
Former players
- Gina Stevens, (2002–2004)
- Jodie Datson, (2002–05)
- Natalie Porter, (2004–2006)
- Rachael McCully, (2004–2007, 2008–2015)
- Rohanee Cox, (2005–2010)
- Jennifer Crouse, (2005–2009)
- Kelly Wilson, (2005–2008, 2016–2018)
- Aneka Kerr, (2008–2010)
- Jo Hill, (2009–2011)
- Nadeen Payne, (2010–2012)
- Shanavia Dowdell, (2011–2012)
- Jessica Foley, (2011–2013)
- Suzy Batkovic, (2013–2019)
- Karlie Samuelson, (2022-2023)
Coaches and staff
Owners
- Townsville Fire Limited (2011–present)
Head coaches
Townsville Fire head coaches | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Start | End | Seasons | Regular season | Finals | ||||||
W | L | PCT | G | W | L | PCT | G | ||||
David Herbert | 2001 | 2007 | 6 | 59 | 67 | 46.82 | 126 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 | 2 |
Peter Buckle | 2007 | 2011 | 4 | 50 | 40 | 55.55 | 90 | 2 | 2 | 50.00 | 4 |
Chris Lucas | 2011 | 2016 | 5 | 76 | 40 | 65.51 | 116 | 10 | 4 | 71.42 | 14 |
Claudia Brassard | 2016 | 2019 | 3 | 37 | 29 | 56.06 | 66 | 4 | 3 | 57.14 | 7 |
Shannon Seebohm | 2019 | Current | 4 | 14 | 20 | 41.17 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 33.33 | 3 |
References
- ^ a b Uni stoking Fire in sponsorship deal
- ^ Side earn top city honours
- ^ WNBL: Townsville Fire claim third title in four years with win over Melbourne Boomers
- ^ "JCU TOWNSVILLE FIRE CROWNED WNBL CHAMPIONS". wnbl.basketball. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.