ACT Meteors shower hits the WBBL as Katie Mack's Adelaide Strikers chase title

"Definitely, we've all said it," Mack said. "We'll probably say it all season until it happens or doesn't happen. Confidence is high, so hopefully we start off strong."

Mack returns to the Strikers chasing back-to-back WBBL titles this season, while three of her ACT Meteors teammates are setting up camp at rival clubs.

Gabby Sutcliffe has joined the Sydney Sixers - who open the tournament against the Melbourne Stars at North Sydney Oval on Thursday night - after finishing last season as the meteors' leading wicket-taker in the WNCL.

Sutcliffe heads to the Sixers in search of her first taste of the Big Bash since making a one-off appearance for their crosstown rivals three seasons ago.

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Among the ranks of those crosstown rivals are Olivia Porter and Paris Bowdler, who have joined the Sydney Thunder and could face Sutcliffe in a Sydney derby as soon as Sunday.

Sutcliffe's Sixers enter as tournament favourites, but the Strikers - who play their first game against the Stars in Adelaide on Saturday - aren't far behind for the bookmakers.

"What the Strikers have done, which has been a little bit different to some other teams, is they have invested in their domestic girls and made sure we have a really similar team to last year," Mack said.

"On paper, we probably have one of the strongest domestic teams, and we've obviously got Laura Wolvaardt back, and a couple of English girls [Dani Gibson and Georgia Adams]. I'm excited to see everyone.

"The strength of our domestic girls outside of those domestic players will be what makes us stronger than some other teams."

Mack has established herself as one of the WBBL's most dynamic batters through a 116-game career.

With eight half-centuries and a Strikers most valuable player award on her resume, you get a sense she will be a prized scalp for opposition bowlers.

"It challenges you to keep working on your game and keep coming up with new ways to score, it challenges you to go out really confidently and play shots, whereas in 50-over cricket, you can sort of settle in a bit longer," Mack said.

"The competition just gets stronger and stronger as there is more investment in women's sport, we're only going to get better.

"As a player, it forces your game each year to be getting better and better."

Sutcliffe is well aware of just how big the challenge will be as she looks to make a name for herself in the WBBL.

She admits she'll be happy just to get a game in a group featuring the likes of Ellyse, Perry, Alyssa Healy, Ash Gardner, Suzie Bates, Maitlan Brown and Lauren Cheatle.

But even Perry says Sutcliffe can be a breath of fresh air and inject plenty of energy into a Sixers outfit looking to atone for last year's final loss to the Strikers.

"I'll be using all the resources they have there in terms of the calibre of players they have, learning from them and picking their brains about bowling and tactics of the game," Sutcliffe said.

"I'll be trying to learn as much as I can and bring that back to ACT for the WNCL. Every session, every game, I just take a little bit away from what I learn every time I have a bowling session.

"Working with Oz [Meteors coach Erin Obsorne] and our bowling coach Mick [Delaney] has really helped.

"I'm understanding the tactical side of the game a bit more, and I had a really good off-season and pre-season with our strength and conditioning staff has really helped me come along.

"I've been working away here in Canberra, trying to hone my craft in terms of bowling here in Canberra for WNCL.

"It's been nice to put some performances together last season for ACT and then be given this opportunity at the Sixers for the Big Bash."

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