Sydney Flames

Sydney Flames
LeaguesWNBL
Founded1981
HistoryBankstown Bruins
1981–1988
Sydney Bruins
1989–1990
Sydney Flames
1991–2000
Sydney Panthers
2000–2002
Sydney Flames
2002–2003
Sydney Uni Flames
2003–2022
Sydney Flames
2022–present
ArenaQuaycentre
Qudos Bank Arena
LocationSydney, New South Wales
Team colorsBlack, pink and white
CEOChris Pongrass (outgoing)[1]
General managerJames Newman (incoming)[1]
Head coachRenae Garlepp
OwnershipHoops Capital Pty Ltd
Championships4 (1993, 1997, 2001, 2017)
Websitesydneyflames.wnbl.com.au

The Sydney Flames are an Australian professional basketball team based in Sydney, New South Wales. The Flames compete in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) and play their home games at Quaycentre. The club has won four WNBL championships, in 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2017.

History

The club began as the Bankstown Bruins in the 1981 WIBC season. The Bruins were WNBL runners-up in 1982 with a grand final defeat to St Kilda.[2][3] They competed as the Bankstown Bruins until 1988, when for the 1989 season they were renamed the Sydney Bruins.[2] In 1991, they were renamed the Sydney Flames.[2] In 2000, they were renamed the Sydney Panthers.[2] After two seasons as the Panthers,[4] the club returned to the Sydney Flames for the 2002–03 season.[5]

In 2003, they were renamed the Sydney Uni Flames.[6][7] The University of Sydney and Sydney Uni Sport and Fitness owned the Flames for 17 years, selling the club to the owners of the Sydney Kings in 2020.[8] The team remained as the Sydney Uni Flames for two more seasons.[9]

In 2022, the team rebranded back to the Sydney Flames.[10]

Season summaries

Season-by-season record

Season Standings Regular season Finals Head coach
W L PCT
Bankstown Bruins
1981 5th 6 4 60.0 Did Not Quality Robbie Cadee
1982 1st 10 2 83.3 Won Semi-Final (West Adelaide Bearcats, 71–66)

Loss Grand Final (St Kilda Saints, 56–62)

Robbie Cadee
1983 8th 5 12 29.4 Did Not Quality Kevin Landon
1984 5th 12 6 66.6 Did Not Quality Steve Farnham
1985 8th 7 12 36.8 Did Not Quality Alan Morris
1986 9th 8 16 33.3 Did Not Quality Rick Bywater
1987 8th 8 12 40.0 Did Not Quality Robbie Cadee
1988 3rd 16 6 72.7 Loss Semi-Final

(West Adelaide Bearcats, 56–73)

Robbie Cadee
Sydney Bruins
1989 5th 14 8 63.6 Did Not Quality Robbie Cadee
1990 7th 13 11 54.1 Did Not Quality Bernie Slattery
Sydney Flames
1991 9th 10 12 45.4 Did Not Quality Bernie Slattery
1992 9th 7 13 53.8 Did Not Quality Bernie Slattery
1993 1st 17 1 94.4 Won Semi-Final (Adelaide, 64–59)

Won Grand Final (Perth, 65–64)

Carrie Graf
1994 3rd 14 4 77.7 Loss Semi-Final (Perth, 58–62) Carrie Graf
1995 2nd 16 2 88.8 Loss Semi-Final (Adelaide, 63–73) Carrie Graf
1996 1st 17 1 94.4 Won Semi-Final (Adelaide, 57–54)

Loss Grand Final (Adelaide, 80–65)

Carrie Graf
1997 1st 18 0 100 Loss Semi-Final (Adelaide, 54–58)

Won Preliminary Final (Melbourne Tigers, 57–54) Won Grand Final (Adelaide, 61–56)

Bill Tomlinson
1998 1st 10 2 83.3 Won (Adelaide, 61–42)

Loss (Adelaide, 67–56)

Murray Wardle
1998–99 6th 10 11 47.6 Did Not Quality Murray Wardle
1999–00 6th 10 11 47.6 Did Not Quality Bill Tomlinson
Sydney Panthers
2000–01 2nd 16 5 76.1 Loss Semi-Final (Canberra, 56–73)

Won Preliminary Final (Dandenong, 78–72) Won Grand Final (Canberra, 69–65)

Karen Dalton
2001–02 4th 13 8 61.9 Won Semi-Final (Dandenong, 98–85)

Won Preliminary Final (Adelaide, 66–64) Loss Grand Final (Canberra, 69–75)

Karen Dalton
Sydney Flames
2002–03 3rd 14 7 66.6 Won Semi-Final (Adelaide, 72–70)

Won Preliminary Final (Townsville, 83–78) Loss Grand Final (Canberra, 67–69)

Karen Dalton
Sydney Uni Flames
2003–04 2nd 13 8 61.9 Loss Semi-Final (Dandenong, 68–85)

Won Preliminary Final (Adelaide, 65–61) Loss Grand Final (Dandenong, 53–63)

Karen Dalton
2004–05 3rd 16 5 76.1 Won Semi-Final (Adelaide, 94–93)

Won Preliminary Final (Bulleen, 79–71) Loss Grand Final (Dandenong, 47–52)

Karen Dalton
2005–06 5th 13 8 61.9 Did Not Quality Karen Dalton
2006–07 1st 16 5 76.1 Won Semi-Final (Canberra, 74–65)

Loss Grand Final (Canberra, 59–73)

Karen Dalton
2007–08 2nd 17 7 70.8 Won Semi-Final (Adelaide, 90–71)

Loss Grand Final (Adelaide, 92–82)

Karen Dalton
2008–09 6th 9 13 42.8 Did Not Quality Karen Dalton
2009–10 2nd 17 5 77.2 Loss Semi-Final (Bulleen, 55–72)

Loss Preliminary Final (Canberra, 56–61)

Karen Dalton
2010–11 6th 10 12 45.4 Did Not Quality Karen Dalton
2011–12 5th 13 9 59.0 Loss Elimination Final (Townsville, 78–85) Karen Dalton
2012–13 7th 7 17 29.1 Did Not Quality Karen Dalton
2013–14 6th 10 14 41.6 Did Not Quality Karen Dalton
2014–15 4th 11 11 50.0 Won Semi-Final (Dandenong, 89–80)

Loss Preliminary Final (Bendigo, 77–85)

Shannon Seebohm
2015–16 5th 13 11 54.1 Did Not Quality Shannon Seebohm
2016–17 1st 18 6 75.0 Won Semi-Final (Townsville, 2–0)

Won Grand Final (Dandenong, 2–0)

Cheryl Chambers
2017–18 2nd 14 7 66.6 Loss Semi-Final (Townsville, 0–2) Cheryl Chambers
2018–19 8th 2 19 9.5 Did Not Quality Cheryl Chambers
2019–20 6th 7 14 33.3 Did Not Quality Katrina Hibbert
2020 5th 5 8 38.4 Did Not Quality Katrina Hibbert
2021–22 8th 4 13 23.5 Did Not Quality Shane Heal
Sydney Flames
2022–23 6th 6 15 28.5 Did Not Quality Shane Heal
2023–24 5th 11 10 52.3 Did Not Quality Guy Molloy
2024–25 4th 8 13 38.1 Loss Semi-Final (Bendigo, 0-2) Guy Molloy
Regular season 513 383 57.2 7 Minor Premierships
Finals 21 20 51.2 4 WNBL Championships

Players

Current roster

2025–26 Sydney Flames roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht.
G 0 Époupa, Olivia (I) 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
G 1 Nicholson, Lauren (C) 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
F 2 Morgan, Isabelle (DP) 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
G 3 Cann, Mikhaela 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
G 4 Pitman, Carla 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
G 6 Swain, Shaneice 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
8 Miller, Zoey
G 11 Emma-Nnopu, Agnes 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
G 12 Martin, Caitlyn (DP) 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
F 14 McSpadden, Lara 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
F 21 Froling, Keely 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
G 22 Perkins, Ruby (DP) 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
24 McDowell-White, Jessica
F 30 Norris, Madeleine 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
F 52 Thompson, Unique (I) 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Development player
  • (I) Import player
  • Injured
Updated: 27 December 2025

Coaches and staff

Head coaches

Sydney Flames head coaches
Name Start End Seasons Regular season Finals
W L PCT G W L PCT G
Robbie Cadee [a] 1981 1982 5 54 32 62.7 86 1 2 33.3 3
Kevin Landon 1983 1983 1 5 12 29.4 17 0 0 0.00 0
Steve Farnham 1984 1984 1 12 6 66.6 18 0 0 0.00 0
Alan Morris 1985 1985 1 7 12 36.8 19 0 0 0.0 0
Rick Bywater 1986 1986 1 8 16 33.3 24 0 0 0.0 0
Robbie Cadee [a] 1987 1989 5 54 32 62.7 86 1 2 33.3 3
Bernie Slattery 1990 1992 3 30 36 45.4 66 0 0 0.0 0
Carrie Graf 1993 1996 4 64 8 88.8 72 3 4 42.8 7
Bill Tomlinson [b] 1997 1997 2 28 11 71.7 39 2 1 66.6 3
Murray Wardle 1998 1999 2 20 13 60.6 33 1 1 50.0 2
Bill Tomlinson [b] 1999 2000 2 28 11 71.7 39 2 1 66.6 3
Karen Dalton 2000 2014 14 185 122 60.2 307 11 11 50.0 22
Shannon Seebohm 2014 2016 2 24 22 52.2 46 1 1 50.0 2
Cheryl Chambers 2016 2019 3 34 32 51.5 66 4 2 66.6 6
Katrina Hibbert 2019 2021 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0 0
Shane Heal 2021 2023 2 8 22 26 0 0 0 0.0 0
Shelley Gorman 2023 2023 1 2 6 25 0 0 0 0.0 0
Guy Molloy 2023 1
Notes
  • a Across the years of 1981–1989, Robbie Cadee coached four seasons (1981–1982, 1987–1989)
  • b Across the years of 1997–2000, Bill Tomlinson coached two seasons (1997 & 1999–00)
  • Win/Loss statistics stand as of the end of the 2018–19 WNBL season

References

  1. ^ a b "Hoops Capital appoints new GM". nbl.com.au. 16 November 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Final Standings (1981–2001)". WNBL. Archived from the original on 30 December 2001.
  3. ^ "2011–12 WNBL Media Guide" (PDF). WNBL. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Sydney Panthers". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 February 2002. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  5. ^ "Home". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 1 February 2003. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  6. ^ "Club History". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  7. ^ "Sydney Uni Flames 2003/2004". WNBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 27 November 2003. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  8. ^ "Flames". susf.com.au. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  9. ^ "History". wnbl.basketball/sydney-uni. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  10. ^ Flames, Sydney (1 August 2022). "THE SYDNEY FLAMES REIGNITED AND REIMAGINED". wnbl.basketball/sydneyflames. Retrieved 16 November 2022.


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