ABL Week 3 Wrap

James Lane

For the first time this season, the ABL got through a full slate of eight games. And in that rare clarity, one truth emerged above everything else: the Sydney Blue Sox are dangerous.

A dominant 4–0 sweep over Adelaide has launched the Sox to the top of the ladder, while Brisbane and Perth delivered a wildly uneven yet perfectly balanced 2–2 split.

Blue Sox Sweep Giants at Home

Sydney’s dismantling of Adelaide wasn’t built on blowouts. It wasn’t built on chaos, either. It was built on control, game after game, inning after inning, Sydney dictated the pace, took their chances, and never let the Giants dictate terms.

Game 1 (6–3):

Two early runs in the first inning held up for half the game, with both sides locked in a scoreless freeze until the fifth. From there, Sydney held steadier in the late innings to take the opener.

Game 2 (8–7):

This was the tightest game of the series: a back-and-forth shootout where neither team held momentum for long. Sydney led 2–0, trailed 4–3, tied it 4–4, then reclaimed the lead for good. The Giants punched, but the Sox punched harder.

Game 3 (2–0):

A classic grind. Two second-inning runs from Sydney were all the scoring in a calm, almost minimalist game defined by pitching precision and error-free defence.

Game 4 (7–5):

Adelaide struck first, but Sydney responded immediately and simply never let the Giants settle. They led after the first and controlled the rhythm from there, completing the sweep.

With the win, Sydney climb to 8–3, while the Giants - who had entered Round 2 with real momentum - slide to 4–6.

Bandits and Heat Split in Brisbane

If Sydney–Adelaide was all about stability, Brisbane–Perth was the exact opposite. Their four games swung between tight pitching duels, explosive offensive avalanches and one absurd ninth inning that reshaped the weekend.

Game 2 (10-9)

was pushed to Sunday due to hail, so Friday became the real opener, and it didn’t disappoint. Brisbane came out swinging, taking leads of 2–0, 4–1 and 4–3 in the early innings. Perth rallied to 5–5, later leading 9–8 after the eighth, before Brisbane ripped the game back in the ninth to win 10–9. Both teams felt like they’d stolen it.

Game 3 ( 2–1)

A total contrast to Friday’s chaos. Brisbane’s pitching dominated, allowing just one run and locking down a tight, disciplined win to move ahead 2–0 in the series.

Game 4 (4-14)

Then Perth arrived with a completely different mood. The Heat exploded for 11 runs between the third and fifth innings, torching Brisbane’s arms and reminding everyone that Perth’s offence is lethal when it gets moving.

Game 1* (3-18)

The postponed Thursday game produced the wildest box score of the round. Despite the outrageous final tally, this was a 7–3 game through eight innings: competitive, tense, and very much in the balance. Then came the ninth. Perth hung 11 runs on Brisbane in a single inning, turning a comparatively close game into an 18–3 avalanche and tying the series 2–2.

Looking Ahead

A dominant weekend sees the Blue Sox fly to 8-3 and top of the standings, while the 2-2 split is enough to elevate Brisbane into second. The Giants and Heat both have four wins and six losses.

Next week, Brisbane take on Adelaide, while the Blue Sox and Heat clash in a series that promises to bring rampant scoring.