5-Minute Read
It’s time to have a look at the Top 5 NBL1 Central Womens Games to watch for in 2026
#5 – Round 14 – Norwood Flames vs South Adelaide Panthers (ARC 6:00pm)
These two teams are my tip to be big improvers after both just missed finals in 2025. The Panthers boasting Daisy Hocking, Keira and Hannah Gardiner along with a solid multiple season core of Hatti Cox, Bella Stratford, Bianca Stasinowsky and Hannah Stewart will likely be coming off some tough matches against the Sturt Sabres, West Adelaide Bearcats and Forestville Eagles.
The Norwood Flames who they’ll meet will sparkle this season with Caitlin Shillabeer, Annie Elliott and the returning Amy Cotton to our league while still maintaining a core of their own in Jemima Whitton, Maddy Hinton and Brooke Silby – both these teams with new head coaches in Scott Rattus and Matt Hunt boast a core that have been together for several years whilst also some young guns to take them to the next level.
With four games to go after they meet – around this time of the season I feel both these teams will be right in the mix to snare a return to the finals which makes this one to keep an eye on even before the season gets underway…
#4 – Round 18 – Eastern Mavericks vs Central District Lions (St Francis 6:15pm)
The Mavs and Lions women have been working feverishly behind the scenes to lock in multiple players in for consecutive season to help maintain some consistency in their performance – then recruit accordingly to top up the talent.
Both teams will be about a year into this process with the Mavs establishing Bella Schaftenaar, Sophie Miles, Lou Watkinson, Elli Constanopolous and Airlie Ramsey plus several others – their ceiling defined by how imports Antigonie “Tiggie” Sanabria & Brooklyn Rewers hold up to how far they’ll rise from the cellar.
The Lions in a similar position with their list have confirmed some strong recruits in Grace Stone, Alana Howden, Emily Winter and Elin Gustavsson returning to the league – the same as for the Mavs applies to them.
While this game might not jump out on paper – by the time contextually we arrive at this stage of the season we will see how far off a rise up the table both these teams could make in future seasons with plenty of returning college players on the cards for the following seasons to further strengthen their push back to future finals calculations.
#3 – Round 4 – Sturt Sabres vs Forestville Eagles (Springbank 6:00pm)
The historic rivalry for the Bowley/Simons cup is always a must watch and the treat this time around is that we are a few rounds in and not the first game of the season. Both teams will be up and running by that time and are two of the teams that should figure in the finals calculations of 2026.
The record suggests the trend will continue with the margin an average of 6.75 in their last four meetings with three one point thrillers since 2023. If that’s not enough the Eagles will be full of fire under new coach Matt Paps to avenge their semi-final loss against the Sabres in the 2025 Finals Series.
The moments have been tight between these two and there’s no reason to think this game won’t deliver once again.
#2 -Round 18 – Sturt Sabres vs West Adelaide Bearcats (Springbank 6:30pm)
While also keeping an eye on their Round 9 meeting at the Port – there’s a bit of historical significance riding on this one already. These two meet the last game of the season and like last season the result could determine their placement on the final ladder by season’s end.
The Bearcats will have Southside Melbourne Flyers assistant and master coach Matthew Clarke at the front who if history suggests is likely to bring some handy players into the lineup to complement a large portion of the U20s group while Tim Shortt will likely roll back a large amount of last year’s finalists with the likely welcomed return of Adelaide Lightning guard Tayla Brazel.
You can add to that the average margin of 5.4 points and the Sabres having won on their home floor their last five against and not lost there since 2021 to the Bearcats to add even more drama.
And don’t forget that #14 of the Sabres has hit the game winning basket twice in their last two meetings at Springbank- surely a third we can dream of…
#1 – Round 9 – North Adelaide Rockets vs Forestville Eagles (Lights 6:30pm)
When these two meet in Round 9 – it’s going to be a must watch encounter with ex-teammates and coaches involved. Georgia Crouch will take the helm of the North Adelaide Rockets with ex-Eagle Maddy Freer in 2026 with points to prove.
While the Eagles have continued to maintain their flight the last few years the Rockets have not been able to jump up into the top-three conversation – that changes in 2026 with the squad they’ve assembled with both Freer’s, Lauren Mansfield, Abbey Jones, Ella Batish and much of their core back both experienced and upcoming.
The Eagles have their starters back in and locked again with Ella Sawyer, Gabi Vidmar, Jess and Sam Simons and Rachel King looking to return to the final for the first time since 2024.
Expect a season defining contest and a little bit extra as well…
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