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IT is time. When all the clash and clamour has died away, expect to see Townsville and Bendigo again still standing, but this time it will be Rachael McCully raising the WNBL Championship Trophy.

Call it "third time lucky", call it "the time is right" but just call it - the Spirit will go close to a threepeat, only to be denied by their new arch rivals from the Far North.

Expect the Chuckles F. Harmison Trophy - I believe that is the perpetual trophy's name - to be heading to the tropics.

So much of the Fire core is intact, with great additions such as Cayla Francis, Jillian Harmon and Kate Gaze.

Suzy Batkovic has another MVP Trophy for her cabinet from her Fire debut, and Steph Cumming is a year older, and better.

While Kristi Harrower is non-committal about her longer-term commitment, expect her to see some action while Kelly Wilson makes it back from injury.

And recovering Elyse Penaluna won't be a factor for a while either. Belinda Snell will, of course, which is why Townsville and Bendigo are heading for another face-off at the pointy end of the season.

Last year I backed Canberra to make the top four and the thing unravelled. This time, with some great pick-ups such as Kristen Veal, Hanna Zavecz and Steph Talbot - even before LJ makes it back - Abby Bishop will have sufficient talent around her for a successful return to the playoffs.

Guy Molloy must have wanted to scream from his lounge chair as Rachel Jarry once again injured her knee, this time with the Opals winning a Bronze at the FIBA World Championship.

But his young Melbourne crew has a lot of burgeoning, bustling and bristling talent and just based on natural progression, they should be back for the post-season.

Ah, now here's the rub.

The four teams I haven't picked to still be a part of the ABC-TV schedule after the regular season ALL have legitimate claims for playoff action.

Adelaide has undergone the most dramatic facelift since Steve Breheny ran a cluster of strangers down the ladder five years ago and West Coast Waves experienced their first winning streak at the Spring Shield with a 3-0 run to the preseason title.

Yeah, 3-0 might not seem much to you but in the past two regular seasons the club only has won six games and it was a 23-game drought after they opened 2013-14 with a road win.

Dandenong has landed Cappie Pondexter, the most successful international player to grace our little league and Sydney has gathered an eclectic mix to begin life AD (After Dalton).

How the Rangers' run of injuries disrupts their longer-term goals will be key, just as how quickly Leilani Mitchell settles into controlling the team on-court in Sydney.

This is a regular season which should have the majority of its teams in the race for the post-season ... and Townsville's Fire burning brightest.

 

Round One Selections

CANBERRA at Melbourne is a wicked start, even if you don't take the great recent Capitals-Boomers history into consideration. Damn that's a hard one and the Boomers only start favourites because they're at home.

EVEN backing up and travelling across town to Dandenong won't stop Melbourne, who will get a win on Stud Rd in Cappie's much-anticipated debut.

ADELAIDE will give West Coast more than it has bargained for but the "feelgood effect" of the Spring Shield might be just enough to get the Waves the win.

SYDNEY already will be waiting for the Caps in Canberra and these old rivals will go at it in their quest to show which university has the most learned academics. Expect the Caps to net a Flames scalp here. (And if not, Sydney fans, you probably still have my email address from last year...)

THE Grand Final rematch opens the season in Townsville and given their respective preseason preparations, I expect this first game of the year to finish as the last game of the year will, with the Fire lighting up the Spirit.

 

ADELAIDE LIGHTNING

Last season: 12-12, 5th

Coach: Jeremi Moule (R)

Back: Jess Foley, Laura Hodges, Amy Lewis, Angela Marino

In: Alex Bunton (Canberra Caps), *Kelly Faris (Connecticut Sun, WNBA), Jess Good (Norwood Flames, SBL), Kerryn Harrington (Bendigo, SEABL), Emma Langford (Logan Thunder), Carley Mijovic (Canberra Caps), Hannah Richards (Sturt Sabres, SBL), *Kathleen Scheer (Hobart Chargers, SEABL)

Out: Jo Hill (ret), Lauren Mansfield, Nadeen Payne, Kristy Rinaldi, Jenni Screen (Gorzow, Poland), *Chay Shegog, *Azania Stewart, Stephanie Talbot (Canberra Caps).

Money: Kelly Faris will fill it up when Adelaide needs it and Laura Hodges can always be relied upon.

Seriously? What’s with the 11am games? Shouldn’t those doubleheaders have had the women’s game at 4pm?

Tip: 5th

 

BENDIGO SPIRIT

Last season: 22-2, 1st, won championship

Coach: Bernie Harrower (111-56, 66%)

Back: *Chelsea Aubry, Sara Blicavs, Madeleine Garrick, *Kelsey Griffin, Kristi Harrower (interim), Tessa Lavey, Heather Oliver, Elyse Penaluna, Gabrielle Richards, Kelly Wilson.

In: Belinda Snell (CCC Polkowice, Poland)

Out: Chantella Perera, Andrea Wilson

Money: Kelsey Griffin. Consecutive Grand Final MVP awards tell you everything you need to know.

Seriously? Belinda Snell promises not to hit any halfcourt shots, if only someone will play some D on her.

Tip: 2nd

 

CANBERRA CAPITALS

Last season: 10-14, 7th

Coach: Carrie Graf (253-99, 72%)

Back: Jessica Bibby, Abby Bishop, Tara Hay, Sarah McCappion, Carly Wilson.

In: Lauren Jackson (Heilongjiang Shenda, China), Stephanie Talbot (Adelaide Lightning), Samantha Norwood (West Coast Waves), Kristen Veal (Logan Thunder), Hanna Zavecz (Logan Thunder).

Out: Alex Bunton (Adelaide Lightning), Nicole Hunt (Geelong), Natalie Hurst (Canik Belediyesi, Turkey), Carley Mijovic (Adelaide Lightning)

Money: Lauren Jackson, if she makes it back, but Abby Bishop in the meantime. When they’re both playing, look out!

Seriously? No, the bulk of the team isn’t using the season as a springboard into the Masters Games.

Tip: 3rd

 

DANDENONG RANGERS

Last season: 16-8, 2nd, lost preliminary final

Coach: Mark Wright (113-73, 61%)

Back: Aimie Clydesdale, Alison Downie, Alice Kunek, Clare Papavs, Lauren Scherf.

IN: Chloe Bibby (juniors), Tegan Cunningham (Logan Thunder), Kathleen MacLeod (motherhood), *Cappie Pondexter (New York Libert, WNBA), *Annalise Pickrel (Michigan State U)

Out: Brigitte Ardossi, Elizabeth Cambage (ruptured Achilles tendon), Leilani Mitchell (Sydney Flames), Rosie Moult (Melbourne Boomers), *Natalie Novosel (injured), Jenna O'Hea (Lattes Montpellier, France), *Kayla Pedersen, *Monica Wright (knee surgery)

Money: Cappie Pondexter is the best credentialed international to hit the WNBL.

Seriously? In the past two seasons, Dandenong has turned over more players than Logan Thunder.

Tip: 6th

 

MELBOURNE BOOMERS

Last season: 14-10, 4th, lost KO semi final

Coach: Guy Molloy (74-55, 57%)

Back: Rebecca Allen, Rebecca Cole, Shanae Greaves, Rachel Jarry, Tess Madgen, Amelia Todhunter

In: Kelly Bowen (Frankston Blues, SEABL), Natalie Burton (West Coast Waves), Rosie Moult (Dandenong Rangers), *Kayla Standish (Townsville Fire – in negotiations), Olivia Thompson (Townsville Fire)

Out: Olivia Bontempelli, *Amber Hegge, Hayley Munro, *Chelsea Poppens (Nanny), Nicole Romeo (Wasserburg, Germany)

Money: Tess Madgen at the offensive end, Bec Allen at the defensive.

Seriously? Melbourne plans to insure Rachel Jarry’s knees with Lloyds of London.

Tip: 4th

 

SYDNEY FLAMES

Last season: 10-14, 6th

Coach: Shannon Seebohm (R)

Back: Rohanee Cox, Katie-Rae Ebzery, Kate Oliver, Casey Samuels, Tahlia Tupaea

In: Nicole How, *Paris Johnson (San Diego State), Leilani Mitchell (Dandenong Rangers), Hayley Moffatt (Logan Thunder), *Mikaela Ruef (Stanford University), Kate Seebohm (Millicent, SA)

Out: Renae Camino (ret), Jaimee Kennedy, Lauren King (ret), Alicia Poto (ret), *Kathleen Scheer (Adelaide Lightning)

Money: Katie-Rae Ebzery continues to grow as a star but don’t sleep on Casey Samuels either.

Seriously? Psst. The story goes a young guy decided to interview for a few coaching positions for the experience of doing that, and unexpectedly landed a gig!

Tip: 8th

 

TOWNSVILLE FIRE

Last season: 16-8, 3rd, lost Grand Final

Coach: Chris Lucas (90-56, 62%)

Back: Suzy Batkovic, Micaela Cocks, Stephanie Cumming, Rosie Fadljevic, Rachael McCully (nee Flanagan), Mia Newley, Alex Wilson

In: Cayla Francis (Nantes Reze, France), Kate Gaze (St Mary's College), Jillian Harmon (Lavezzini Parma, Italy), Jacqui Zelenka

Out: *Kayla Standish (Negotiations with Melbourne), Olivia Thompson (Melbourne Boomers)

Money: Suzy Batkovic is the reigning three-time MVP.

Seriously? This is a wine, beer or soft drinks-only outfit. Spirits give them heartburn.

Tip: 1st

 

WEST COAST WAVES

Last season: 1-23, 9th

Coach: Kennedy Kereama (5-43, 10%)

Back: Shani Amos, Toni Edmondson, Kate Fielding, Darcee Garbin, Zoe Harper, Mikayla Pirini, Deanna Smith

In: Sarah Graham (Logan Thunder), *Cassie Harberts (Atlanta Dream, WNBA), *Lindsey Moore (Minnesota Lynx, WNBA), Louella Tomlinson (PINKK Pecsi 424, Hungary)

Out: Natalie Burton (Melbourne Boomers), Melissa Marsh (ret)

Money: Deanna Smith can still get it done, as her Spring Shield MVP proves.

Seriously? How long will it take for the Waves to come down from this giddy feeling of three wins in a row?

Tip: 7th

(*Denotes import)