ABL Week 2 Wrap

James Lane

After a wild opening round, Week 2 of the ABL season saw plenty more action and another healthy dose of meddling by the weather. The Adelaide Giants were the big winners, extending their win streak to four, while Brisbane and Sydney traded blows in a four-game split.

Wet Weather in Adelaide as Giants Keep Winning

Last, Week, the Giants and Heat split their series 2-2 in Perth. The rematch in Adelaide was cut short thanks to the rain, but the two games that were played made the Giants’ message loud and clear: last week wasn’t a fluke.

Adelaide opened with a 6–0 shutout, anchored by a superb outing from Jack O’Loughlin, who allowed just two hits and no runs across five innings. It was a surgical, no-nonsense performance that completely stifled a Heat lineup that had erupted for 21 runs in the first two games of Round 1.

Friday turned into a slugfest, which seemed to suit the Giants just fine as well. Despite Perth jumping ahead 3–1 in the first inning, Adelaide’s offence detonated, scoring 11 runs between the second and fifth to take control before winning 16–9. It gave the Giants their fourth straight victory, and with the weekend’s remaining games washed out, they walk away from the first fortnight as the team with the most momentum in the league.

Sydney and Brisbane Split Again

If Round 1 hinted that Sydney’s home-run drought was over, Round 2 has confirmed that the new Sox lineup is simply built differently.

Thursday’s opener looked a lot like last week’s blowouts: Sydney lodged two four-run innings and steady pitching to crush Brisbane 11–1, punishing the Bandits for wasting early scoring chances.

But the Bandits responded quickly, and with authority. Friday’s 9–2 win saw the Bandits seize control from the opening frames and then bury Sydney with five assurance runs in the ninth, flipping the script and restoring balance to the series.

Saturday became a microcosm of the series as a whole, split between a Sydney blowout and a defensive Brisbane victory. In the early game, Brisbane held on for a 5–2 win after building a 4–0 lead by the fifth. In the late slot, Sydney punched right back, capitalising on Brisbane’s errors to dominate 8–1, leading 7–0 after just three innings.

Both clubs manage to leave the weekend feeling like they could have had more. Both can also argue they showed the resilience needed for a long season.

Looking Ahead

With three postponed games across the opening two rounds, the early standings look uneven but telling. The Giants and Blue Sox have each notched four wins, though Adelaide only have two losses to Sydney's three. The bandits sit on three and four, while Perth have two wins and twice as many defeats.

Next week sees the Giants travel to Sydney, while Perth take on Brisbane in a round that looms as vital in shaping the early-season narratives.