What happened: Damon Lowery named Sydney Flames coach Renae Garlepp as his WNBL27 Coach of the Year pick on The Loop Roundtable. The call arrived as WNBL27 opened its six-game opening week on October 15.

Why it matters: The pick sets an early benchmark for Sydney entering WNBL27. The award race will track Flames results against rival contenders through the season.

What to watch: Sydney's opening-week results offer the first check on the call. Formal voting follows later in the WNBL27 season.