Six First Nations women will be on-field in this season's eighth instalment of the Women's Big Bash League, with Indigenous players on five of the competition's eight squads.
The Sydney Thunder are the only side with multiple First Nations players, with Anika Learoyd (Gumbaynggirr) and Hannah Darlington (Kamilaroi) both on their list.
The Thunder will be without Darlington, a star with the ball in WBBL|07 (19 wickets at 13.68) for at least the first half of the tournament due to a meniscus injury she sustained before the start of the Women's National Cricket League season.
After only featuring in two fixtures in WBBL|07, Learoyd will be looking for more opportunities with the bat in WBBL|08.
The 18-year-old enters the tournament in good form, scoring 77 in her last innings.
Ash Gardner (Muruwari) will again line-up for the Thunder's cross-town rival Sydney Sixers.
The dynamic 25-year-old scored 93 runs at 15.50 in last year's tournament whilst also taking 6 wickets at 20.50.
The Sixers will be looking for more out of their off-spinning allrounder in an effort to improve on their bottom of the ladder finish to last year's tournament, which saw them win only four games.
The Brisbane Heat will again have the services of batter Mikayla Hinkley (Kunja).
The 24-year-old had limited opportunities for the Heat last season, with only one innings in her three appearances.
However as the middle-order batter enters the tournament in good form (193 runs at 48.25 across all-formats this season) and was a top five run scorer at domestic one-day level last season, she is likely to receive more opportunities with the bat in WBBL|08.
Ella Hayward (Jawoyn) will again be in Melbourne Renegades red for WBBL|08.
The off-spinner played eight gams for the Renegades in WBBL|07, delivering a best bowling of 4-16 against the Melbourne Stars which include the wicket of England international Nat Sciver.
With the departure of Molly Strano to the Hobart Hurricanes, more spin bowling overs are likely to become available for the 19-year-old.
After two seasons with a WBBL contract, Emma Manix-Geeves (Palawa) makes her return to the Women's Big Bash for the Hobart Hurricanes.
The 22-year-old wicketkeeper batter will take the gloves for the Hurricanes after a standout 2021/22 Cricket Tasmania Premier League season, where she took 15 wicketkeeping dismissals.
She also had a strong domestic one-day season with the bat (300 runs at 42.86), which was capped off with an unbeaten century in last season's WNCL final.
WBBL|08 will see 59 matches played between 13 October and 27 November.
