The Townsville Fire was established in 2001/02 after years of trying to obtain a WNBL licence.
Following in the footsteps of the Townsville Crocodiles (NBL) and North Queensland Cowboys (NRL), the Fire is the only professional women’s sporting club in Northern Australia.
Owned and operated by Townsville Basketball Incorporated from 2001/02 to 2010/11, the licence was assumed by Townsville Fire Limited – a not-for-profit entity – to run as a community owned-club in 2011/12.
Over the past two decades, the Fire has turned into a WNBL heavyweight and is ranked number one in the following categories:
* Television Audiences
* Membership
* Revenue
* Media value
Having contested five of the past six Grand Finals – including three championships – the Fire claimed their maiden WNBL title on their home floor in 2014/15 with 75-65 victory over Bendigo.
The victory provided a fairy-tale finish for championship captain Rachael McCully, who retired following the game and became the first Fire player to have her number retired.
The Fire successfully defended their title when they swept Perth 2-0 in the WNBL’s first best-of-three Grand Final series.
In 2017/18, the Fire secured their third championship in four years when they defeated the Melbourne Boomers 2-1 in front of their home fans.
A timeline of the Fire’s history includes:
2001/02
Coach: David Herbert
Captain: Desiree Glaubitz
Record: 3-18 (8th) – Missed play-offs.
Fire Award winners: Kylie Galloway (MVP), Desiree Glaubitz (Players’ Player), Jade Hyett (Fans’ Player).
WNBL Award winners:
2002/03
Coach: David Herbert
Captain: Nat Porter
Record: 15-6 (2nd) – lost preliminary final.
Fire Award winners: Nat Porter (MVP), Claudia Brassard (Players’ Player), Jodie Datson (Fans’ Player).
WNBL Award winners: David Herbert named WNBL Coach of the Year, Nat Porter named WNBL Defensive Player of the Year, Nat Porter named in the WNBL All-Star Five.
2003/04
Coach: David Herbert
Captain: Nat Porter
Record: 12-9 (5th) – Missed play-offs.
Fire Award winners: Jodie Datson (MVP), Julia Harris (Players’ Player), Gina Stevens (Fans’ Player).
WNBL Award winners: Jodie Datson named in the WNBL All-Star Five.
2004/05
Coach: David Herbert
Captain: Claudia Brassard
Record: 7-14 (6th) – Missed play-offs.
Fire Award winners: Claudia Brassard (MVP), Claudia Brassard (Players’ Player), Claudia Brassard (Fans’ Player), Celeste Heilbronn (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence)
WNBL Award winners:
2005/06
Coach: David Herbert
Captain: Claudia Brassard
Record: 12-9 (6th) – Missed play-offs.
Fire Award winners: Rohanee Cox (MVP), Andrea Walsh (Players’ Player), Rohanee Cox and Kelly Wilson (Fans’ Player), Jennifer Crouse and Andrea Walsh (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence)
WNBL Award winners:
2006/07
Coach: David Herbert
Captain: Claudia Brassard
Record: 10-11 (6th) – Missed play-offs.
Fire Award winners: Rohanee Cox (MVP), Jennifer Crouse (Players’ Player), Rohanee Cox (Fans’ Player), Renae Camino (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence)
WNBL Award winners:
2007/08
Coach: Peter Buckle
Captains: Tania Baxter & Jennifer Crouse
Record: 10-14 (6th) – Missed play-offs.
Fire Award winners: Rohanee Cox (MVP), Jennifer Crouse (Players’ Player), Kelly Wilson (Fans’ Player), Katie Langford (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence)
WNBL Award winners: Rohanee Cox named in the WNBL All-Star Five.
2008/09
Coach: Peter Buckle
Captains: Rohanee Cox & Jennifer Crouse
Record: 16-3 (3rd) – Lost preliminary final.
Fire Award winners: Rohanee Cox (MVP), Rachael Flanagan (Players’ Player), Rachael Flanagan (Fans’ Player), Jennifer Crouse (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence)
WNBL Award winners: Rohanee Cox named WNBL MVP, Rohanee Cox named in the WNBL All-Star Five.
2009/10
Coach: Peter Buckle
Captains: Rohanee Cox & Rachael Flanagan
Record: 14-8 (4th) – Lost semi-final.
Fire Award winners: Rachael Flanagan (MVP), Rachael Flanagan (Players’ Player), Rachael Flanagan (Fans’ Player), Amy Lewis (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence)
WNBL Award winners: Rachael Flanagan named WNBL Defensive Player of the Year
2010/11
Coach: Peter Buckle
Captain: Rachael Flanagan
Record: 10-12 (7th) – Missed play-offs.
Fire Award winners: Rachael Flanagan (MVP), Jo Hill (Players’ Player), Jo Hill (Fans’ Player), Amy Lewis (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence)
WNBL Award winners: Rachael Flanagan named WNBL Defensive Player of the Year.
2011/12
Coach: Chris Lucas
Captain: Rachael Flanagan
Record: 13-9 (4th) – Lost semi-final.
Fire Award winners: Shanavia Dowdell (MVP), Micaela Cocks (Players’ Player), Micaela Cocks (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence)
WNBL Award winners: Shanavia Dowdell named in the WNBL All-Star Five.
2012/13
Coach: Chris Lucas
Captain: Rachael Flanagan
Record: 13-11 (4th) – Lost Grand Final.
Fire Award winners: Jessica Foley (MVP), Micaela Cocks and Jessica Foley (Players’ Player), Mia Newley and Olivia Thompson (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence)
WNBL Award winners:
2013/14
Coach: Chris Lucas
Captain: Rachael McCully
Record: 16-8 (3rd) – Lost Grand Final.
Fire Award winners: Suzy Batkovic (MVP), Rachael McCully (Players’ Player), Mia Newley (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence), Stephanie Cumming (Coaches’ Award)
WNBL Award winners: Suzy Batkovic named WNBL MVP, Suzy Batkovic named in the WNBL All-Star Five, Alex Wilson named WNBL Rookie of the Year.
2014/15
Coach: Chris Lucas
Captain: Rachael McCully
Record: 17-5 (1st) – Champions.
Fire Award winners: Suzy Batkovic (MVP), Mia Newley (Players’ Player), Not Awarded (Fans’ Player), Rachael McCully (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence), Micaela Cocks (Coaches’ Award)
WNBL Award winners: Cayla Francis named in the WNBL All-Star Five, Mia Newley named Rachael Sporn Medallist (Grand Final MVP).
2015/16
Coach: Chris Lucas
Captain: Suzy Batkovic
Record: 17-7 (1st) – Champions.
Fire Award winners: Suzy Batkovic (MVP), Mia Newley (Players’ Player), Cherie Gallagher (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence), Darcee Garbin (Coaches’ Award)
WNBL Award winners: Suzy Batkovic named WNBL MVP, Suzy Batkovic named in the WNBL All-Star Five, Micaela Cocks named Rachael Sporn Medallist (Grand Final MVP).
2016/17
Coach: Claudia Brassard
Captain: Suzy Batkovic
Record: 14-10 (4th)
Fire Award winners: Suzy Batkovic (MVP), Mia Murray (Players’ Player), Kelly Wilson (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence), Mia Murray (Coaches’ Award)
WNBL Award winners: Suzy Batkovic named WNBL MVP, Suzy Batkovic named in the WNBL All-Star Five.
2017/18
Coach: Claudia Brassard
Captain: Suzy Batkovic
Record: 14-7 (3rd) – Champions
Fire Award winners: Suzy Batkovic (MVP), Micaela Cocks (Players’ Player), Micaela Cocks (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence), Darcee Garbin (Coaches’ Award)
WNBL Award winners: Suzy Batkovic named WNBL MVP, Suzy Batkovic named in the WNBL All-Star Five, Suzy Batkovic named Rachael Sporn Medallist (Grand Final MVP).
Life Members: Rachael McCully (Player) and John Davies (Official).
2018/19
Coach: Claudia Brassard
Captain: Suzy Batkovic
Record: 9-12 (6th)
Fire Award winners: Suzy Batkovic (MVP), Micaela Cocks (Players’ Player), Micaela Cocks (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence), Darcee Garbin (Coaches’ Award)
WNBL Award winners: TBA
Life Members: Suzy Batkovic (Player), Micaela Cocks (Player), Mia Murray (Player) and John McCully (Official).
2019/20
Coach: Shannon Seebohm
Captain: Micaela Cocks
Record: 5-16 (8th)
Fire Award winners: Darcee Garbin (MVP), Micaela Cocks (Players’ Player), Kate Gaze (Club Person of the year), Tess Madgen (Denis Russell Commitment to Excellence), Micaela Cocks (Coaches’ Award)
WNBL Award winners:
Life Members:
2020
Coach: Shannon Seebohm
Leadership Group: Mia Murray, Lauren Nicholson, Nadeen Payne and Kate Gaze
Record: 9-4 (2nd) Lost Grandfinal
Fire Award winners: Lauren Nicholson (MVP), Kate Gaze (Players’ Player), Kate Gaze (Club Person of the year), Shyla heal ( Commitment to Excellence), Meg Mckay (Coaches’ Award)
WNBL Award winners: Shannon Seebohm ( Coach of the Year ) Zitina Aokuso (Sixth woman of the Year) Shyla Heal ( Youth Player of the Year) Lauren Nicholson (All WNBL First Team) Shyla Heal ( All WNBL Second Team )
Life Members:
2021/22
Coach: Shannon Seebohm
Leadership Group: Mia Murray, Lauren Nicholson,
Record: 7-10 (5th)
Fire Award winners: Stephanie Reid (MVP), Courtney Woods (Players’ Player), Stephanie Reid (Club Person of the year), Aliza Gabbro ( Commitment to Excellence), Courtney woods (Coaches’ Award)
WNBL Award winners:
Life Members: Michelle Morton