Champions collide as Raiders meet Falcons

The past two NBL1 South and NBL1 National champions will meet tonight when the Knox Raiders face the Waverley Falcons in the Women’s Grand Final at the State Basketball Centre.

Knox enter the decider as the reigning NBL1 South and NBL1 National champions, while Waverley will attempt to reclaim the titles they won in 2024.

The Raiders finished one game clear on top of the ladder with an 18-4 record and have not lost since May, carrying a remarkable 15-game winning streak into the Grand Final.

Their place in the decider was secured in dramatic circumstances, surviving the Sandringham Sabres 80-78 after Funda Nakkasoglu’s apparent game-tying basket was ruled to have come after the final buzzer.

Paige Bradley hit the eventual game-winner with 4.6 seconds remaining to cap an outstanding performance of 20 points, 10 assists and three steals.

Alicia Froling was equally influential with 19 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and two assists, while Haliegh Reinoehl contributed 13 points and four rebounds.

Froling has been the foundation of the Raiders’ frontcourt throughout the season and Finals, averaging 16.14 points, 11.68 rebounds and 1.36 blocks per game.

Her performances also earned her selection in the 2026 All NBL1 South Second Team, and her battle inside against Waverley’s frontcourt shapes as one of the defining matchups of the Grand Final.

Bradley has directed the Raiders with 14.92 points and a team-high 6.79 assists per game, combining scoring and playmaking with an ability to deliver in the biggest moments.

Reinoehl has added 12.39 points and 6.44 rebounds per game, while Agnes Emma-Nnopu and Leah Santomaggio again provided valuable contributions in the preliminary final.

Knox’s ability to create additional possessions was decisive against Sandringham. The Raiders collected 17 offensive rebounds and attempted 17 more shots, allowing them to overcome a 14-point half-time deficit and keep their championship defence alive.

Waverley booked its return to the Grand Final with a 70-61 victory over the Diamond Valley Eagles.

After finishing third during the regular season, the Falcons won an overtime battle against the Casey Cavaliers before producing a composed preliminary final performance against Diamond Valley.

Liana Kinkela led the Falcons with 20 points, eight rebounds and three blocks on 9/15 shooting, while Katelyn Shumate added 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Georgia Pineau finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Tayla Dalton delivered 11 points, eight assists, four rebounds and three steals.

Shumate has led Waverley’s available scorers across the season and Finals with 14.21 points per game, while also averaging 6.74 rebounds, 2.63 assists and 1.21 steals.

She has provided the Falcons with consistent production at both ends and leads the team with 1.74 three-pointers per game.

Dalton has remained central to everything Waverley does, averaging 10.71 points and team-highs of 4.17 assists and 2.46 steals.

Her influence was clear against Diamond Valley, when she controlled the offence while setting the tone defensively in a performance that helped the Falcons return to the championship game.

Amelia Todhunter provides another experienced playmaker with 9.25 points, 3.83 assists and 1.67 steals per game, while Kinkela and Pineau have taken on increasingly important roles during Waverley’s Finals run.

The matchup brings together the two clubs that have set the standard across the past two seasons.

Waverley won both the NBL1 South and NBL1 National championships in 2024 before Knox completed the same double in 2025.

The Raiders are now attempting to become the first team since Knox’s own 2012 and 2013 sides to win consecutive conference championships, while the Falcons are chasing their second title in three years.

The rebounding contest will again be critical for both teams.

Froling’s 11.68 rebounds per game make her the leading presence on either side, while Shumate has averaged 6.74 and Reinoehl 6.44. Waverley will also need to limit the second-chance opportunities that helped Knox recover against Sandringham.

The point guard battle between Bradley and Dalton will be equally important. Bradley leads Knox with 6.79 assists per game, while Dalton combines her 4.17 assists with 2.46 steals and the ability to apply pressure across the floor.

Both teams arrive with championship experience and have already survived significant pressure during the Finals.

Knox has won 15 consecutive games but was forced to erase a 14-point deficit to keep that streak alive. Waverley has won an overtime semi final and a hard-fought preliminary final to reach its second Grand Final in three seasons.

Raiders head coach Craig Simpson will attempt to guide Knox to back-to-back South championships, while Waverley’s long-serving coach Elias will look to add another title to an accomplished career of more than 500 games.

For Knox, victory would extend its reign over the South and continue the opportunity to defend its National championship.

For Waverley, it would complete a return to the top after winning both titles two years earlier.

The last two champions now meet with the 2026 NBL1 South Women’s championship on the line.