The 2016–17 WNBL season is the 37th season of competition since its establishment in 1981. The regular season begins on October 7, 2016 when the Sydney Uni Flames host the Perth Lynx and is scheduled to conclude on February 19, 2017. Townsville Fire were the two-time defending champions, but they were defeated by the Sydney Uni Flames in the Semifinals. The Flames would go on to take home their fourth WNBL title, their first in sixteen years, after defeating the Dandenong Rangers in the final.
Player movement
Team standings
Finals
Statistics
Individual statistic leaders CategoryPlayerTeamStatistic Points per game Sami Whitcomb Perth Lynx 23.6 PPG Rebounds per game Mikaela Ruef Canberra Capitals 11.0 RPG Assists per game Leilani Mitchell Sydney Uni Flames 6.2 APG Steals per game Sami Whitcomb Perth Lynx 2.8 SPG Blocks per game Jennifer Hamson Sydney Uni Flames 2.6 BPG
Individual game highs CategoryPlayerTeamStatistic Points Sami Whitcomb Perth Lynx 41 Rebounds Mikaela Ruef Canberra Capitals 22 Assists Leilani Mitchell Sydney Uni Flames 11 Steals Samantha Logic Adelaide Lightning 7 Blocks Suzy Batkovic Townsville Fire 6
Awards
Player of the Week Award Round #PlayerTeam Round 1 Suzy Batkovic Townsville Fire Round 2 Marianna Tolo Canberra Capitals Round 3 Sami Whitcomb Perth Lynx Round 4 Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe Bendigo Spirit Round 5 Lauren Mansfield Canberra Capitals Round 6 Asia Taylor Sydney Uni Flames Round 7 Kelsey Griffin Bendigo Spirit Round 8 Marianna Tolo (2) Canberra Capitals Round 9 Suzy Batkovic (2) Townsville Fire Round 10 Stephanie Cumming Dandenong Rangers Round 11 Kelsey Griffin (2) Bendigo Spirit Round 12 Asia Taylor (2) Sydney Uni Flames Round 13 Tayla Roberts Adelaide Lightning Round 14 Ally Malott Dandenong Rangers Round 15 Leilani Mitchell Sydney Uni Flames Round 16 Belinda Snell Sydney Uni Flames Round 17 Suzy Batkovic (3) Townsville Fire Round 18 Kelly Wilson Townsville Fire Round 19 Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (2) Bendigo Spirit
Team of the Week Award Round #Team Round 1 Natalie Novosel Rangers Sami Whitcomb Lynx Laura Hodges Lightning Suzy Batkovic Fire Jennifer Hamson Flames Round 2 Leilani Mitchell Flames Sami Whitcomb (2) Lynx Stephanie Cumming Rangers Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe Spirit Marianna Tolo Capitals Round 3 Leilani Mitchell (2) Flames Sami Whitcomb (3) Lynx Stephanie Cumming (2) Rangers Alice Kunek Boomers Asia Taylor Flames Round 4 Kerryn Harrington Spirit Sami Whitcomb (4) Lynx Sara Blicavs Rangers Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (2) Spirit Mikaela Ruef Capitals Round 5 Lauren Mansfield Capitals Mia Murray Fire Kelsey Griffin Spirit Asia Taylor (2) Flames Marianna Tolo (2) Capitals Round 6 Amy Kame Fire Sami Whitcomb (5) Lynx Stephanie Cumming (3) Rangers Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (3) Spirit Asia Taylor (3) Flames Round 7 Kate Gaze Capitals Sami Whitcomb (6) Lynx Kelsey Griffin (2) Spirit Asia Taylor (4) Flames Mikaela Ruef (2) Capitals Round 8 Leilani Mitchell (3) Flames Sami Whitcomb (7) Lynx Kayla Standish Fire Lauren Scherf Rangers Marianna Tolo (3) Capitals Round 9 Mia Murray (2) Fire Sami Whitcomb (8) Lynx Sara Blicavs (2) Rangers Suzy Batkovic (2) Fire Mikaela Ruef (3) Capitals Round 10 Stephanie Cumming (4) Rangers Sara Blicavs (3) Rangers Kelsey Griffin (3) Spirit Suzy Batkovic (3) Fire Jennifer Hamson (2) Flames Round 11 Brittany Smart Boomers Sami Whitcomb (9) Lynx Kelsey Griffin (4) Spirit Suzy Batkovic (4) Fire Asia Taylor (5) Flames Round 12 Leilani Mitchell (4) Flames Sami Whitcomb (10) Lynx Brittany Smart (2) Boomers Suzy Batkovic (5) Fire Asia Taylor (6) Flames Round 13 Amy Kame (2) Fire Sami Whitcomb (11) Lynx Colleen Planeta Lightning Tayla Roberts Lightning Ruth Hamblin Lynx Round 14 Leilani Mitchell (5) Flames Samantha Logic Lightning Ally Malott Rangers Suzy Batkovic (6) Fire Marianna Tolo (4) Capitals Round 15 Leilani Mitchell (6) Flames Sara Blicavs (4) Rangers Asia Taylor (7) Flames Suzy Batkovic (7) Fire Marianna Tolo (5) Capitals Round 16 Belinda Snell Flames Sami Whitcomb (12) Lynx Laura Hodges (2) Lightning Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (4) Spirit Marianna Tolo (6) Capitals Round 17 Mia Murray (3) Fire Sami Whitcomb (13) Lynx Asia Taylor (8) Flames Suzy Batkovic (8) Fire Marianna Tolo (7) Capitals Round 18 Belinda Snell (2) Flames Kelly Wilson Fire Alex Ciabattoni Lightning Abigail Wehrung Capitals Carley Mijović Lynx Round 19 Natalie Novosel (2) Rangers Colleen Planeta (2) Lightning Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (5) Spirit Suzy Batkovic (9) Fire Marianna Tolo (8) Capitals
Player & Coach of the Month Awards For games playedPlayer of the MonthCoach of the MonthPlayerTeamCoachTeam October 2016 Sami Whitcomb Perth Lynx Simon Pritchard Bendigo Spirit November 2016 Marianna Tolo Canberra Capitals Cheryl Chambers Sydney Uni Flames December 2016 Suzy Batkovic Townsville Fire Larissa Anderson Dandenong Rangers January 2017 Leilani Mitchell Sydney Uni Flames Cheryl Chambers (2) Sydney Uni Flames
Postseason Awards AwardWinnerPositionTeam Most Valuable Player Award Suzy Batkovic Center Townsville Fire Grand Final MVP Award Leilani Mitchell Guard Sydney Uni Flames Rookie of the Year Award Monique Conti Guard Melbourne Boomers Defensive Player of the Year Award Marianna Tolo Center Canberra Capitals Top Shooter Award Sami Whitcomb Guard Perth Lynx Coach of the Year Award Cheryl Chambers Coach Sydney Uni Flames All-Star Five Leilani Mitchell Guard Sydney Uni Flames Sami Whitcomb Guard Perth Lynx Asia Taylor Forward Sydney Uni Flames Suzy Batkovic Center Townsville Fire Marianna Tolo Center Canberra Capitals
Team Captains & Coaches
TeamCaptainCoach Adelaide Lightning Laura Hodges Chris Lucas Bendigo Spirit Kelsey Griffin Simon Pritchard Canberra Capitals Marianna Tolo / Carly Wilson (co) Paul Goriss Dandenong Rangers Aimie Clydesdale / Stephanie Cumming (co) Larissa Anderson Melbourne Boomers Alice Kunek Guy Molloy Perth Lynx Tessa Lavey Andy Stewart Sydney Uni Flames Belinda Snell Cheryl Chambers Townsville Fire Suzy Batkovic Claudia Brassard
References
External links 2016–17 WNBL Media Guide