# Townsville Fire

The Townsville Fire are an Australian professional basketball team competing in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). The Fire are based in Townsville, Queensland, and play their home games at Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre.
The team was established in 2001. In 2014, James Cook University became the team's principal partner and naming rights sponsor.
The Fire are four-time WNBL champions, winning in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2023.

## History

In May 2001, Townsville Basketball were granted a WNBL license for the 2001–02 season.
In 2011, the Fire were close to folding under the weight of financial pressures.
The Fire reached four straight WNBL Grand Finals between 2012–13 and 2015–16, winning back-to-back championships in 2015 and 2016. Their victory in March 2015 was the city's maiden national premiership. The Fire returned to the WNBL Grand Final in 2017–18 and won their third title in four years. The team won their fourth championship in 2023.

## Season-by-season records

| Season | Standings | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Finals | Head coach |
| Season | Standings | W | L | PCT | Finals | Head coach |
| Townsville Fire |||||||
| 2001–02 | 8th | 3 | 18 | 14.2 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
| 2002–03 | 2nd | 15 | 6 | 71.0 | Lost Semi Final (Canberra, 67–68) Lost Preliminary Final (Sydney, 78–83) | David Herbert |
| 2003–04 | 5th | 12 | 9 | 57.0 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
| 2004–05 | 6th | 7 | 14 | 33.0 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
| 2005–06 | 6th | 12 | 9 | 57.0 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
| 2006–07 | 6th | 10 | 11 | 48.0 | Did not qualify | David Herbert |
| 2007–08 | 6th | 10 | 14 | 41.6 | Did not qualify | Peter Buckle |
| 2008–09 | 3rd | 16 | 6 | 72.7 | Won Semi Final (Adelaide, 91–78) Lost Preliminary Final (Bulleen, 68–79) | Peter Buckle |
| 2009–10 | 4th | 14 | 8 | 63.6 | Won Elimination Final (Bendigo, 84–73) Lost Semi Final (Canberra, 39–60) | Peter Buckle |
| 2010–11 | 7th | 10 | 12 | 45.4 | Did not qualify | Peter Buckle |
| 2011–12 | 4th | 13 | 9 | 59.0 | Won Elimination Final (Sydney, 85–78) Lost Semi Final (Dandenong, 66–77) | Chris Lucas |
| 2012–13 | 4th | 13 | 11 | 54.1 | Won Semi Final (Adelaide, 60–53) Won Preliminary Final (Dandenong, 78–64) Lost Grand Final (Bendigo, 57–71) | Chris Lucas |
| 2013–14 | 3rd | 16 | 8 | 66.6 | Won Semi Final (Melbourne, 78–73) Won Preliminary Final (Dandenong, 74–71) Lost Grand Final (Bendigo, 83–94) | Chris Lucas |
| 2014–15 | 1st | 17 | 5 | 77.7 | Won Semi Final (Bendigo, 82–63) Won Grand Final (Bendigo, 75–65) | Chris Lucas |
| 2015–16 | 1st | 17 | 7 | 70.8 | Lost Semi Final (Perth, 72–91) Won Preliminary Final (South East Queensland, 91–71) Won Grand Final (Perth, 2–0) | Chris Lucas |
| 2016–17 | 4th | 14 | 10 | 58.3 | Lost Semi Final (Sydney, 0–2) | Claudia Brassard |
| 2017–18 | 3rd | 14 | 7 | 66.6 | Won Semi Final (Sydney, 2–0) Won Grand Final (Melbourne, 2–1) | Claudia Brassard |
| 2018–19 | 6th | 9 | 12 | 42.8 | Did not qualify | Claudia Brassard |
| 2019–20 | 8th | 5 | 16 | 23.8 | Did not qualify | Shannon Seebohm |
| 2020 | 2nd | 9 | 4 | 69.2 | Lost Semi Final (Southside, 93–106) Won Preliminary Final (Melbourne, 65–62) Lost Grand Final (Southside, 82–99) | Shannon Seebohm |
| 2021–22 | 6th | 7 | 10 | 41.1 | Did not qualify | Shannon Seebohm |
| 2022–23 | 1st | 17 | 4 | 80.9 | Won Semi Final (Perth, 2-0) Won Grand Final (Southside, 2-0) | Shannon Seebohm |
| 2023–24 | 1st | 14 | 7 | 66.6 | Loss Semi Final (Perth, 0-2) | Shannon Seebohm |
| Regular season | Regular season | 274 | 221 | 55.3 | 4 Minor Premierships | 4 Minor Premierships |
| Finals | Finals | 19 | 15 | 55.8 | 4 WNBL Championships | 4 WNBL Championships |

## Players
### Former players

* Gina Stevens, (2002–2004)
* Jodie Datson, (2002–05)
* Natalie Porter, (2004–2006)
* Rachael McCully, (2004–2007, 2008–2015)
* Rohanee Cox, (2005–2010)
* Jennifer Crouse, (2005–2009)
* Kelly Wilson, (2005–2008, 2016–2018)
* Aneka Kerr, (2008–2010)
* Jo Hill, (2009–2011)
* Nadeen Payne, (2010–2012)
* Shanavia Dowdell, (2011–2012)
* Jessica Foley, (2011–2013)
* Suzy Batkovic, (2013–2019)
* Karlie Samuelson, (2022-2023)

## Coaches and staff
### Owners

* Townsville Fire Limited (2011–present)

### Head coaches

Townsville Fire head coaches :
| Name | Start | End | Seasons | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Name | Start | End | Seasons | W | L | PCT | G | W | L | PCT | G |
| David Herbert | 2001 | 2007 | 6 | 59 | 67 | 46.82 | 126 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 | 2 |
| Peter Buckle | 2007 | 2011 | 4 | 50 | 40 | 55.55 | 90 | 2 | 2 | 50.00 | 4 |
| Chris Lucas | 2011 | 2016 | 5 | 76 | 40 | 65.51 | 116 | 10 | 4 | 71.42 | 14 |
| Claudia Brassard | 2016 | 2019 | 3 | 37 | 29 | 56.06 | 66 | 4 | 3 | 57.14 | 7 |
| Shannon Seebohm | 2019 | Current | 4 | 14 | 20 | 41.17 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 33.33 | 3 |