Deanne has also had an illustrious career overseas and has represented her country, stepping up to the Opals in 2005 for the Oceania Qualifications. In that same year Dianne travelled to Europe in the WNBL off-season to play in the Spanish national league. In 2008 Deanne played for Schio in Italy. With Schio she not only won the Italian Championships but also joined a small group of Australians who have won the Euro Cup.

Deanne has a cat named Mr Wilson and her favourite sports person is Roger Federer. She maintains that one of her most memorable sporting moments was when he cried after winning the 2007 Australian Open. Deanne loves watching "Prison Break" and "So You Think You Can Dance".

Ellie Manou

DOB: 3/05/1989

Height: 190cm

Position: Forward

Ellie Manou is a relative new face in the WNBL and is a young player full of potential. Ellie played her Junior basketball for Hills in NSW, where she was a stand-out player. It wasn't long before she made the move to the AIS, where she made her WNBL debut in 2006. She spent two seasons with the AIS, before making the decision to play College Basketball for Oregon State in America. After a successful season in the US, Ellie returned home to Sydney and was promptly picked up the Sydney Uni Flames, where she is currently a scholarship holder and attends the University. With a physique that has the potential to tear opponents apart at both ends of the court, Ellie will provide some strong minutes for the Flames this season.

Ellie has also been a key representative for the Gems (the Australian Junior Women's team), whom she has represented 37 times. She recently travelled with the Gems to the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championships in the Czech Republic, where the team finished a respectable 5^th.

Most people do not know that Ellie is half Greek. Her favourite movies are "Zoolander" and "The Hangover". Ellie loves Greek food and is a mad fan of Friday afternoon Bingo. 

DOB: 16/12/1980

Height: 185cm

Position: Forward

The name Natalie Porter is synonymous with Australian Basketball. One of the stand out player of the decade, Natalie's career has been full of success and accolades. Natalie played her junior basketball with the Nunawading Spectres in Victoria and represented Victoria Metro U16, U18 and U20 at the National Junior Championships. In 1996/1997 she was selected for the Gems (the Australian Junior Women's team) which prompted her WNBL debut in 1997, playing for the Dandenong Rangers, and saw her become the VBA Rookie of the Year in 1998. In 1999 Natalie moved to the Bulleen Boomers where she stayed for two seasons before she was picked up by Townsville in 2001, where in the 2002/2003 season she averaged an impressive 15 points per game. She made the decision to sign for the Sydney Uni Flames in 2005 where she stayed for three seasons, before travelling to Europe to play in the Italian League for Lavezzini Parma. After a year abroad Natalie returned home and resigned for the Flames, where she is currently playing. Her versatility in both offense and defence will make her a potent weapon on the court this season for the Flames.    

Natalie's outstanding play has seen her receive many accolades and senior representative honours. In 2002/2003 Natalie was selected in the WNBL All-Star Five and was also named winner of the Robyn Maher Defensive Player for the WNBL. In the 2006/2007 season she was named Flames MVP and ABC Player of the Year, and selected again in the WNBL All-Star Five. This was after she was the second highest scorer in the competition averaging 18.6 points per game, third in the 3-point percentage with 39.4% and sixth in total rebounds per game with a 7.9 average. Natalie is also one of the most capped Australian players in history, with 92 senior games for the Opals, and also has two Olympic silver medals from the Athens and Beijing Olympic Games. 

Natalie loves the North Queensland Cowboys and played AFL as a junior. She also has a hatred of scary movies.

DOB: 24/12/1980

Height: 179cm

Position: Guard

Deanna Smith is arguably the best point guard Australia has produced in the last ten years. Deanna first appeared in the WNBL in 1995 for the Melbourne Tigers at the astoundingly young age of 15. Deanna represented Country Victoria in the U16 and the U18s and captained the U18 side to Australian Junior Champions in 1997. She also represented Victoria at the U20 Australian Junior Championships. She was selected as an All-Australian on three consecutive occasions (1995, 1996 and 1997).

Deanna is no stranger to WNBL success, winning the Championship in 1999/2000 with the AIS and in 2000/2001 with the Canberra Capitals. In 2008/2009 Deanna was deservedly named in the All-Star Five after she was the second highest scorer in the league, averaging 20.8 points per game, and won the award for Best Free Throw Shooting Percentage with a phenomenal 89.7 per cent for the season from the free throw line. She also ranked in the top ten for steals, assists, offensive rebounds, and 3-point shooting percentage. Deanna now plays for the Sydney Uni Flames.

Deanna's ability has also seen her apply her trade all over Europe and represent her country at the highest level. Deanna first represented Australia in 2002 at the South East Asian Games and since 2005 has been a key figure in the Australian Opals Squad. She has recently returned from the Opals tour to China and Europe. Deanna has played basketball in England, Portugal (where she won the Portuguese Championship), Northern Italy and Russia (Siberia), where nobody could speak English and temperatures reached -40.  

Deanna's favourite basketball players are Penny Taylor, Lauren Jackson, Manu Ginobli, Magic Johnson and Steve Nash. Her favourite foods are ice cream, Allen's Lollies, Pretzels and Fruit & Vegetables! Her favourite movies are "The Castle", "How to lose a guy in 10 days" and all Adam Sandler & Denzel Washington movies. Her favourite Actors are Denzel Washington, Adam Sandler, Julia Roberts and Drew Barrymore and she loves listening to RnB, ‘Old School Music' and acoustic. For dinner she would invite Pink, Gordon Ramsay and Magic. Deanna loves spending time with the people she loves, going to the beach, going to the movies, meeting new people and seeing new places. Not many people know that Deanna ALWAYS wears odd socks and doesn't like pasta but likes pasta sauce.