That won’t be the case in 2019, after the club signed 193-centimetre centre Jessie Edwards.

Edwards, who hails from Western Australia, will provide a true anchor for the traditionally undersized Lady Bandits frontcourt.

The defensive dynamo boasts a three-year college career with the university of Minnesota, and was also a development player for the Perth Lynx in the WNBL.

After a brief stint in the WA SBL earlier this year, Edwards joined TSV Towers in the German league, where she will finish the season before arriving on the Border in 2019.

Edwards is averaging 17 points, 10 rebounds and leads the league with 2.4 blocks per game in Germany.

Her defensive presence set her apart in college, where she averaged 7 points as a senior and finished her career ranked sixth all-time for Minnesota in blocks and ninth in offensive rebounds.

She said she was excited to be coached by first-year mentor Lauren Jackson in 2019.

“I’m really looking forward to working with Lauren,” she said. 

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to learn from one of the best ever.”

Jackson said finding a true centre to complement a genuine star of the league in Emilee Harmon.

“We were looking for a strong inside presence to compliment Emilee Harmon and we think we’ve found exactly what we were looking for in Jessie,” the head coach said.

“She’s a talented young player with aspirations to play at the WNBL level and I’m excited to work with her to help her achieve those goals.

“She’s an exceptionally hard worker on both ends of the floor and we think she’s a perfect fit for our team for the coming season.” 

The team is expected to make more major announcements in the coming weeks, with Jackson’s appointment as head coach a major factor.