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TOWNSVILLE asserted its authority in the capital before Perth staged a monumental fightback to turn Sydney's WNBL Round 2 into a nightmare, Tegan Graham the Lynx's unsung hero, slamming the handcuffs on Flames' scoring machine Lauren Nicholson to underpin the win.

Last night defending champion Bendigo managed to stave off a relentless Geelong, fouls called on Venom star Mackenzie Holmes on consecutive Spirit offences inside the final three minutes helping determine the result in the home side's favour.

Veterans Marianna Tolo and Kelsey Griffin, along with boom recruit Izzy Borlase steered the Spirit to safety but only after a huge scare from the tenacious Venom who slipped behind by as many as 12 points.

Having lost Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard to concussion protocols in the first half, it would have been understandable if Geelong flew the white flag but it did the opposite, Holmes adding 15 second-half points to her 15 from the first half and both Alex Sharp and Elissa Brett popping up offensively in a 10-0 run which swept it from 40-49 to 50-49.

Griffin converted an offensive rebound for Bendigo's first score in the last quarter, just 3:34 to the siren, Geelong's defence on top.

When Borlase picked off a Jaz Shelley pass and was fouled making the layup, Bendigo had stalled the momentum. Borlase missed her bonus free throw but referee Daniel Battye found a phantom foul on the rebound for Holmes' fourth, 2:40 left.

Tolo converted both free throws for a 55-50 Bendigo lead, Holmes trimming it back on the next play, then called for her fifth foul on the Spirit's next possession. Interesting, to say the least.

Shelley, Brett and Gemma Potter - who had a devilish game with 6 rebounds, 6 steals and 0-of-6 shooting - kept Geelong on the attack, fighting back to 55-57 before a missed corner three and easy Sharp putback left the Venom needing to foul, the deficit inflating as a result.

Perth produced a blistering 25-9 final quarter to blow off a Flames outfit which seemed to be in control from the outset, Nicholson with 20 points by halftime. 

Graham shut her down after the interval though, Nicholson with 22 heading into the final quarter, Sydney still boasting a 10-point lead.

Playing in front of fans at their new home venue, the Perth High Performance Centre, the Lynx mounted a serious surge in the final period. It took almost four minutes before Alex Ciabattoni's drive paid off to open the scoring before Amy Atwell (24 points, 9 rebounds) took two trips to the stripe and added four more points.

Ciabattoni's jumper cut the deficit to two, Atwell tying the game at 58-58 with four minutes left and the crowd in full voice.

Mikhaela Cann finally opened Perth's scoring from the stripe, 3:40 left in the game, Ciabattoni (15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal) immediately erasing that with a jumper, Atwell finally putting the Lynx ahead with a free throw.

Nicholson was able to escape the handcuffs briefly to stick a 3-pointer before Anneli Maley (17 points, 17 boards) hit one of her own, Cann countering it.

Ciabattoni's free throws tied it back up at 66-66 and it was entirely appropriate it came down to Graham to slot the final free throws that put Perth out of reach.

It was a rough round for the Flames, also burnt at home in Sydney by Southside Melbourne as Cayla George (19 points, 11 rebounds) found touch against her former club.

And the homecourt woes continued in Canberra where the Capitals were blown off the floor by rampant Townsville.

Chantel Horvat led five Fire players in double figures with 20 points at 73 per cent and nine rebounds, Townsville's 26-12 second period leaving the Caps gasping and 33-54 down at the main interval.

Canberra shot the threeball at 11 per cent (2-of-18), Townsville at 50 (8-of-16), the Fire also crashing the boards to the tune of 45-33.

The Capitals had their best quarter after halftime but made very little inroad and when Townsville unleashed a 30-12 final term, a thoroughly convincing 35-point battering was completed.

Geelong became the first team to win at home this season when it turned around a 23-36 second quarter deficit against Adelaide to post a sizzling, emphatic 110-76 rout which brutally exposed the Lightning's deficiencies.

Initially led from the front by Steph Talbot, Jaz Shelley's 3-pointer started a run which even had the Venom faithful mesmerised. Mackenzie Holmes also was huge as Geelong worked tirelessly and tenaciously in defence to create opportunities that turned into a 13-0 run to tie the game.

Ella Tofaeono very briefly interrupted the Venom who produced another 12-0 outburst, capped by an amazing Mackenzie Clinch Hoycard 3-point heave to beat the shot clock and halftime, Lightning trailing 38-48.

Holmes was outstanding throughout, any hope Adelaide entertained of a second-half comeback quickly dashed by Shelley's three consecutive huge 3-point bombs opening the third period.

From there even token Lightning resistance evaporated, Gemma Potter adding her own shot-clock beating triple as the Venom moved the ball exceptionally well, consistently working to find the open player. As if Geelong's 32-13 second period was insufficient, it went 62-38 after halftime in arguably the club's finest game since it joined the WNBL last year. 

Round 2

Southside Melbourne Flyers 81 (George 19, Peters, Bourne 13, Rocci 10; George 11 rebs; Andrews 7 assts) d Sydney Flames 76 (Nicholson 17, Swain 15, Froling 13, Thompson, Emma-Nnopu 11; Thompson, Froling 9 rebs; Nicholson 4 assts) at the Hothouse, Quaycentre. Crowd: N/a

Geelong Venom 110 (Holmes 33, Shelley 25, Clinch Hoycard 17; Clinch Hoycard, Holmes, Sharp 6 rebs; Potter, Shelley 5 assts) d Adelaide Lightning 76 (Loughridge 18, Talbot 16, Sundell 10; Robati, Talbot 5 rebs; Talbot 6 assts) at the Strikehouse, Geelong Arena. Crowd: N/a

Townsville Fire 105 (Horvat 20, Sowah 18, Woods 16, Ellis 15, Froling 14; froling, Horbvat 9 rebs; Woods 14 assts) d Canberra Capitals 70 (Sissoko 20, Melbourne, Blicavs 10; Sissoko 8 rebs; Melbourne 6 assts) at AIS Arena. Crowd: 2,100

Perth Lynx 73 (Atwell 24, Maley 17, Ciabattoni 15; Maley 17 rebs; Ciabattoni 4 assts) d Sydney Flames 67 (Nicholson 25, Thompson 12, Froling 9; Thompson 12 rebs; Cann 9 assts) at the Larynx, Perth High Performance Centre. Crowd: N/a

Bendigo Spirit 62 (Borlase 20, Tolo 16, Wehrung 11; Tolo 9 rebs; Borlase 3 assts) d Geelong Venom 55 (Holmes 30, Shelley 10, Sharp 7; Holmes 12 rebs; Shelley 5 assts) at The Goldmine, Red Energy Centre. Crowd: 1,685