Exclusive: Brisbane Bullets reveal plans to be part of WNBL's new era

• The Brisbane Bullets reveal plans to enter a WNBL team as early as the 2026/27 season
• The Brisbane Blazers, which folded in 1998, were the last team based in Queensland's capital to feature in the WNBL
• Plans include a "hybrid model" for the women's team to play before NBL games and at a secondary venue

The WNBL could be back in Queensland's capital for the first time in almost 30 years with the Brisbane Bullets revealing plans to enter a team into Australia's longest running professional women's league.

basketball.com.au has learned a long-awaited Brisbane women's team could hit the court in the WNBL as early as the 2026/27 season, backed by the NBL club's ownership group and management.

The news comes with a new ownership consortium between the Wollemi Capital Group Syndicate (WCGS), including Sydney Kings owner Robyn Denholm, as well as Larry Kestelman and the NBL, prepare to take over the WNBL on April 2.

Bullets CEO Malcolm Watts confirmed their plans to enter a WNBL team, with the potential to be based at the club's new high-performance centre in South Brisbane

Watts also revealed plans for a hybrid model for the women's team to play before the NBL team at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, or a new indoor arena in the future, and also play games at a secondary venue, which will hold at least 3000 people.

"When I came in as CEO, the ownership group gave me three priorities, and one was for the club to bring a women's team back to the city of Brisbane," Watts told basketball.com.au.

"The ownership group of the Bullets is fully behind this. It is crucial for the maturity of the club that we are heavily involved in driving community outcomes alongside Basketball Queensland for the growth of the game. For young girls to see their heroes, be inspired, and have a pathway to progress into a professional environment is so important.

"There is strong demand and support for women's basketball here.

"With the female talent we have in Brisbane and southeast Queensland, there is no doubt we will be well placed to have an extremely talented roster.

"You look at the standard of the WNBL, the product is extremely strong and now under the direction of the NBL will only build from here.

It will be the first time a Brisbane-based team will feature in the WNBL since the Brisbane Blazers folded in 1998. There have also been several other WNBL ventures, based in southeast Queensland, such as the Logan Thunder — which ran from 2008 to 2014 — and the SEQ Stars — who lasted just one season.

"I think the biggest thing is this team will be based in Brisbane and will be part of the Bullets legacy," Watts said.

WNBL CEO Jennie Sager there was a lot of interest and excitement from investors and stakeholders around the idea of future expansion.

"Our focus is on delivering a strong and successful 2025/26 WNBL season with eight teams, ensuring we can provide the best possible platform for our athletes, clubs, and fans to reach new heights," she told Basketball.com.au.

"We have an incredible opportunity to position the WNBL as a global leader in women’s sport, and that means making decisions that are in the best interest of our players, clubs, and the long-term future of the game.

"We are happy to continue those conversations (around expansion) as we look towards the future, but for this first season, our priority is to build a stable, thriving league which will continue to grow in a sustainable and meaningful way."

Watts said there had not yet been any discussions on who may coach the team or any personnel decisions. He also said community feedback would be a significant part in the team's entry into the WNBL and that engagement with the local clubs and associations will play a significant role of the success of this team.

Basketball Queensland CEO Joshua Pascoe: "Basketball Queensland are supportive of a Brisbane team being entered into the WNBL. With the significant number of female athletes from South East Queensland currently playing within the WNBL, WNBA, College and other professional leagues around the world it would be fantastic to see those athletes have the opportunity to represent their region in a home WNBL team.

"The Brisbane Bullets and Basketball Queensland have a close partnership and if they were awarded the licence for a team we would continue to work with them to ensure the success of the team on and off the floor."