UPDATE: The Perth Lynx have achieved a nail-biting 77-76 victory over the Geelong Venom at Geelong Arena on October 14, 2023, but the game ended with serious questions about player safety. Star import Brianna Turner voiced her concerns following a match filled with intense physicality, stating she was relieved no one sustained serious injuries during the high-stakes clash.
Turner led the Lynx with 13 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks, but her focus shifted to the officiating after a tense finish where the Venom had multiple scoring opportunities in the closing moments. A controversial jump ball was called despite Ally Wilson being struck in the face, raising alarms about the refereeing standards.
“I’m glad my teammates aren’t hurt. I was hoping none of my teammates had to be wheeled off and that everyone was safe,” Turner remarked. She expressed her frustration with the level of physical play allowed, saying, “You could slap people, grab them by the neck, push them in the face and no calls.”
The Lynx’s victory was narrow, with a late defensive effort from guard Alex Ciabattoni, who deflected the inbound pass to secure the win. Despite their struggles with three-point shooting, hitting only 3 of 18 attempts, the Lynx maintained their perfect record, now standing at 3-0 with a total winning margin of just 10 points across their games.
Coach Ryan Petrik remained cautious in his response to Turner’s comments but acknowledged the need to review the incident involving Wilson, who played limited minutes on her return from a knee injury and scored 14 points. “If you’d told me in the pre-season we’d have the off-season we were going to have and three games into the season that Ally Wilson would have played 20 minutes and Steph Gorman had played 13 minutes and we are 3-0, we’d take that every day of the week,” Petrik stated.
As the Lynx celebrate their thrilling win, fans are left contemplating the implications of player safety in the sport. The WNBL season continues to heat up, with all eyes now on how teams will respond to the physical nature of the game and the officiating standards in future matchups.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story, as the Lynx prepare for their next challenge amidst growing concerns about player welfare on the court.
