Captain Carey fired up for Flames season opener

Townsville product Harriet Carey will lead the Townsville Flames into battle against fierce rivals Cairns Dolphins on Saturday night after being named team captain for the 2025 NBL1 North season.

Carey will make her return to the Flames for their season opener this weekend after arriving back from Canada last week, where she wrapped up an impressive college career with the University of Windsor.

The talented 23-year-old guard can’t wait to take on the Dolphins with her Flames teammates and the Townsville junior said the captaincy would make her return even more special. 

“When Clo (head coach Claudia Brassard) asked me to be captain I was very flattered and I’m just so excited to be back playing for Townsville again,” she said.

“I’ve been coached by her before in my career and she’s a great coach so I’m excited to have her back and she knows who I am as a player which is always a good advantage to have.

“To be able to have my first game back be played in Townsville is going to mean a lot to me because I have so many special memories on this court.

“I’ll have my mum and dad in the stands as well and they haven’t seen me play in a long time so it’s going to be really rewarding.

“I love playing at home and love playing in the NBL1 North.”

Brassard was proud to announce Carey as the captain and was excited to see her lead her hometown team this season.

“Harriet leads by example, bringing our group together with her natural ability to connect with others, while also holding teammates to the standards we expect,” Brassard said.

“She reflects the culture we are building; excellence, connection, and a commitment to getting better every day.”  

American import and 2024 NBL1 North champion Sam Bowman and Townsville Fire legend Mia Murray are part of the Flames leadership group for 2025 as they look to lead a host of talented young locals on the roster. 

Carey will also be joined in the Flames line-up by her college teammate Kali Grootenboer, with the 193cm Canadian centre to play a key role as an inside presence on offence and defence.

“We have a great veteran in Mia but outside of her we are a pretty young team this year, with our import Sam only a year older than me, so it’s a great mix of girls,” Carey said.

“It would be great to set the tone early with a good win against Cairns in our first game and that northern rivalry is always there.

“We really want to show that we can compete at a high level and take confidence into the rest of the season.”