The Sheffield Hatters have started their 2026/27 season inconsistently, with one win and two losses in their opening two games.

While coming down from the highs of last season’s historical treble, it appears that there is still a lot to learn for this new side; however, perhaps less than some may realise.

Their season began with a convincing 103-64 win against Cardiff, the quadruple-winners looking like they’d hardly missed a step over the summer.

There were big performances from Nina Krisper with 23 points and 10 rebounds, Tierra Hodges who got 18 of her own, and Tia Morgan who had 21 off the bench.

Rookies Rachel Cockman and Laycee Drake were also fantastic, scoring 18 and 16, respectively.

Mighty Manchester

However, in their game against Manchester Women’s Basketball, they fell 59-88, scoring just 23 of their 72 field goal attempts.

Their game was full of holes and errors, as players who looked on top of the world against Cardiff were brought swiftly back to Earth.

Manchester took full advantage of this, scoring the ball far more efficiently than the Hatters and making full use of their length and chemistry to force turnovers and grab offensive boards.

Where next for the Hatters?

This game revealed a lot of gaps for the Hatters to fill throughout the year, and a 75-66 defeat to the Oaklands Wolves just a week later cemented this fact.

The first are the leadership voids left by Georgia Gayle and Megan Mullings. Tierra Hodges and Chantel Charles need to be these veteran leaders. While both are versatile, a lot of their value comes from their wealth of experience in SLBW.

The Hatters need someone to not only step up for the team, but also be willing to take shots when the game is on the line. My money is on Laycee Drake, whose confidence and pure jump shot will take her far in this game.

I also think this is the time for Nina Krisper to make the power forward spot her own. She is one of the most reliable scorers and physical presences on the Hatters, and with Rachel Cockman handling the bigs, Krisper has the opportunity to thrive.

But what do I know?

This all being said, these issues are likely ones that will be addressed as the season goes on.

Rachel Cockman and Laycee Drake are two very high-potential players who need time to understand how to play Sheffield Hatters basketball, time to gain confidence, and time to learn what their roles are in this team.

As for the bench, Tia Morgan has been a real standout for Sheffield so far. Her tenacity, confidence and basketball IQ mark her as a real sparkplug off the bench, and she’ll only grow into her role in time.

The Hatters need not panic… yet.

While the struggles against Manchester and the Oaklands Wolves showed they aren’t the dominating superpower they were last year, this time is still full of bright spots and potential.

And lest we forget, they are led by the legendary Vanessa Ellis, who is bound to have this team ticking by Christmas.