Head coach Brondello has been the coach of the Opals since 2017; she has led the team to two World Cup medals and the Bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
During her playing career, Brondello represented the Opals for 17 years, debuting at the age of 18. She played in four Olympic Games and World Championships apiece, finishing her career for Australia with two silvers and three bronze medals.
Looking back on those early years, Brondello says the biggest lesson she'd pass on to the next generation of Opals is one of self-belief.
"Probably to trust yourself and know that you belong," she says. "When I was young, I wanted to prove myself and probably worried too much about making mistakes. What I've learnt over time, and what I try to pass on to our younger players now, is that you don't have to be perfect. Be brave, play to your strengths and don't let the fear of making a mistake take away what makes you special."
A closing gap on the world stage
Brondello has also seen the international game transform since her playing days, and says the gap between the top nations continues to close heading into this year's tournament.
"The depth in the women's game globally is probably as strong as it's ever been," she says. "There are more countries capable of beating the top teams now, so you simply can't take anyone lightly. We've seen different nations develop really distinct styles and there's so much talent playing across the best leagues in the world. At a World Cup, every possession matters, and you have to be ready from day one. I think that competitiveness is great for our game."
Abroad, Brondello has coached for 21 years in the WNBA and currently as the inaugural coach of the Toronto Tempo. She is a two-time WNBA champion as a coach, named WNBA Coach of the Year in 2014 with the Phoenix Mercury and has been a three-time WNBA All-Star coach.
Two jobs, one philosophy
Balancing an inaugural WNBA franchise with the national team job means juggling two very different environments, though Brondello says her underlying philosophy stays consistent.
"There are definitely differences, but my core values and the way I want my teams to play don't really change. I want teams that are connected, unselfish, play with pace and compete at a really high level defensively," she says. "With the Tempo, we're together every day and we're building a new program and culture from the ground up. That gives us more time to develop our identity, build habits and relationships, and continue to evolve throughout a long WNBA season.
"With the Opals, the biggest challenge is time. We have such limited preparation together, so continuity, clarity of roles and trust become really important. We can't overload the players with information. We have to simplify things, play to our strengths and trust the connection we've built over several years.
"Player management is different too. In the WNBA you're managing the daily demands of a long season, whereas with the Opals you're bringing players together from different leagues and environments and quickly getting everyone aligned. But ultimately, whether it's Toronto or Australia, it's about creating an environment where players feel valued, understand their role and are committed to something bigger than themselves."
The bench: Goriss, Garlepp and Kereama
Associate Head Coach is Paul Goriss. Goriss has previously been an assistant coach of the Emus in 2011 and 2013 before being head coach of the Gems at the 2015 FIBA U-19 World Championships, where he led the squad to a bronze medal.
Goriss has worked with the Opals as an assistant since 2017 under Brondello. Goriss has been the long-time assistant and head coach of the Canberra Capitals in the WNBL. He led his side to back-to-back championships in 2019 and 2020 as well as being a WNBL Coach of the Year recipient.
The Opals assistant coaches for the 2026 FIBA World Cup will be Renae Garlepp and Kennedy Kereama.
Garlepp is the current coach of the Sydney Flames in the WNBL after being elevated from interim coach. Garlepp has also coached the Gems at the 2025 FIBA U-19 Women's Basketball World Cup.
Kereama has previously been coach of New Zealand's national women's side. He also has vast WNBL experience as head coach the West Coast Waves from 2012 to 2015 and assistant roles with Canberra Capitals, Melbourne Boomers and Dandenong Rangers. He is the current WNBL Coach of the Year after leading the Bendigo Spirit to a third-place ladder position in his third season as head coach.
It's the first World Cup campaign with Garlepp and Kereama both on the bench alongside Goriss, and Brondello says the trio give her exactly what she was looking for.
"The most important thing for me is having coaches around our players who are knowledgeable, collaborative and completely invested in the success of the Opals," she says. "Paul has been alongside me for a long time and brings great experience and continuity. He knows our system, our players and our culture extremely well, and I have enormous trust in him.
"Renae and Kennedy bring different strengths and fresh perspectives, and both have already spent valuable time within our program this year. They're excellent coaches in their own right, with great basketball minds, but just as importantly they're great people who connect well with players."
The coaches are well set to help push the Opals all the way at the 2026 FIBA World Cup. Their tournament kicks off in Germany against Puerto Rico on Friday, the 4th September.
Head to the FIBA Women's World Cup event page for more.
