On Saturday in Canberra, Alicia Froling officially reached a major milestone in her WNBL career — 100 games played at the elite level. It’s a feat built not just on talent, but on resilience and an unwavering belief in her journey.
While the milestone was achieved on the road, the Townsville Fire will officially celebrate Alicia’s 100th WNBL game in front of the Fire faithful at our firsthome game of the season on November 15th at the Fire Pit, with recognition and pride it deserves.
Born and raised in Townsville, Alicia first stepped onto the WNBL floor as a development player with the Fire during the 2011/12 season. That spark turned into a powerful journey that took her to the USA, where she became a standout at Southern Methodist University (SMU), before returning to Australia and carving out a reputation as a fierce competitor with the Bendigo Spirit — and eventually coming home to Townsville as a key piece of the Fire’s front court.
To reach 100 games where it all began makes this milestone even more meaningful.
Alicia’s road to 100 games was far from straightforward. Multiple wrist surgeries once threatened her future in the sport — until she made the extraordinary decision to switch her shooting hand.
“It just got to the point where my wrist wasn’t bending back properly… so I said to myself ‘what can I do?’ … my left hand works, so let’s give that a crack,” Alicia told the ABC in 2022.
Instead of stepping away, she rewrote her story — emerging stronger, tougher and even more determined.
Across her 100-game journey, Alicia has developed into a leader on and off the court.Known for her physicality, relentlessness on the boards and infectious team-first mentality, she embodies the hardworking, no-nonsense spirit of North Queensland.
While game 100 happened in Canberra, the true celebration will take place where Alicia’s story began — in Townsville. Surrounded by family, teammates, and the passionate Fire fanbase, Alicia will be honoured for her milestone during our first home game on November 15th.
