The 2020 WNBL season was the 41st season of the competition since its establishment in 1981. The Canberra Capitals were the two-time defending champions, but were defeated in the semi-finals by Melbourne. The Southside Flyers won the Grand Final, defeating the Townsville Fire, 99–82. The Flyers took home the franchise's fourth WNBL title overall, this being their first since rebranding as Southside.
Chemist Warehouse was again the WNBL's naming rights partner for this season, after signing a three-year deal in July 2018. Spalding again provided equipment including the official game ball, alongside iAthletic supplying team apparel for the fourth consecutive season.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a North Queensland hub was set to host the season. The season was originally 2020–21 and would be traditionally played over several months across the summer, however this season's scheduling had been condensed. The six-week season saw Townsville, Cairns and Mackay host a 52-game regular season fixture, plus a four-game final series (2 x semi-finals, preliminary final and grand final). Each team contested 13 games starting on 11 November, with the grand final scheduled for 20 December.
Player movement
Standings
Finals
Statistics Individual statistic leaders CategoryPlayerStatistic Points per game Liz Cambage (STH) 23.6 PPG Rebounds per game Anneli Maley (SYD) 12.1 RPG Assists per game Leilani Mitchell (STH) 6.5 APG Steals per game Alison Schwagmeyer (SYD) 2.2 SPG Blocks per game Liz Cambage (STH) 1.9 BPG
Individual game highs CategoryPlayerStatistic Points Liz Cambage (STH) 35 Rebounds Anneli Maley (SYD) 20 Assists Tessa Lavey (BEN) 11Leilani Mitchell (STH) Steals Stephanie Talbot (ADL) 7 Blocks Liz Cambage (STH) 6
Awards Player of the Round Round #PlayerRef. Round 1 Stephanie Talbot (ADL) Round 2 Liz Cambage (STH) Round 3 Shyla Heal (TSV) Round 4 Darcee Garbin (PER) Round 5 Lauren Mansfield (SYD)
Team of the Round Round #TeamRef. Round 1 Maddison Rocci (CBR) Tess Madgen (MEL) Stephanie Talbot (ADL) Cayla George (MEL) Liz Cambage (STH) Round 2 Jade Melbourne (CBR) Shyla Heal (TSV) Lauren Nicholson (TSV) Lauren Scherf (SYD) Liz Cambage (STH) (2) Round 3 Shyla Heal (TSV) (2) Stephanie Talbot (ADL) (2) Anneli Maley (SYD) Darcee Garbin (PER) Liz Cambage (STH) (3) Round 4 Katie Ebzery (PER) Lauren Nicholson (TSV) (2) Darcee Garbin (PER) (2) Ezi Magbegor (MEL) Liz Cambage (STH) (4) Round 5 Lauren Mansfield (SYD) Rebecca Cole (STH) Anneli Maley (SYD) (2) Cayla George (MEL) (2) Zitina Aokuso (TSV)
Postseason Awards AwardWinnerPositionTeam Most Valuable Player Stephanie Talbot Guard/Forward Adelaide Lightning Grand Final MVP Leilani Mitchell Guard Southside Flyers Defensive Player of the Year Stephanie Talbot Guard/Forward Adelaide Lightning Sixth Woman of the Year Zitina Aokuso Forward/Center Townsville Fire Youth Player of the Year Shyla Heal Guard Townsville Fire Coach of the Year Shannon Seebohm Coach Townsville Fire Leading Scorer Award Liz Cambage Center Southside Flyers Leading Rebounder Award Anneli Maley Forward Sydney Uni Flames Golden Hands Award Leilani Mitchell Guard Southside Flyers All-WNBL First Team Katie Ebzery Guard Perth Lynx Lauren Nicholson Guard Townsville Fire Stephanie Talbot Guard/Forward Adelaide Lightning Cayla George Forward/Center Melbourne Boomers Liz Cambage Center Southside Flyers All-WNBL Second Team Shyla Heal Guard Townsville Fire Maddison Rocci Guard/ Canberra Capitals Tess Madgen Guard Melbourne Boomers Sara Blicavs Forward Southside Flyers Ezi Magbegor Forward/Center Melbourne Boomers
Team captains and coaches
TeamCaptainCoach Adelaide Lightning Stephanie Talbot Chris Lucas Bendigo Spirit Tessa Lavey Tracy York Canberra Capitals Kelsey Griffin / Marianna Tolo (co) Paul Goriss Melbourne Boomers Madeleine Garrick / Cayla George (co) Guy Molloy Perth Lynx Katie Ebzery Ryan Petrik Southside Flyers Jenna O'Hea Cheryl Chambers Sydney Uni Flames Lauren Mansfield / Alison Schwagmeyer (co) Katrina Hibbert Townsville Fire Gaze, Murray, Nicholson, Payne (group) Shannon Seebohm
References
External links WNBL official website WNBL Hub season fixtures