CANBERRA (FIBA World Championship for Women/2015 FIBA Oceania Women's Championship) - Australia coach Brendan Joyce has a burning desire to win.

That was evident when he led the Opals to a spot on the podium at the FIBA World Championship for Women in Istanbul last year.

Joyce steered the team to victories against every side the Opals faced, with the exception of the United States in the Semi-Final.

That was a close game, though.

But Joyce is also a coach who puts an emphasis on player development and making sure the future of the game Down Under is as bright as it can possibly be.

So with numerous players who shone at last year's FIBA World Championship for Women likely to be on WNBA duty in 2015 and unable to play at the FIBA Oceania Championship for Women, Joyce doesn't fret.

He instead looks at it as an opportunity to work with other players, to make them better and create an Australia Opals program that is as strong as can be.

When Joyce recently named 34 players in his latest Opals squad, player development was a strong consideration.

"We play the two-game Oceania Series against New Zealand in August and that's at a time when most of our WNBA-based players will be unavailable to us," Joyce said in the Australia media.

"It means we will need other players to step up.

"I feel it as my responsibility to make sure the Opals have consistent success, beyond when I'm involved.

"In some ways, it's almost a development role." 

The stakes will be high at the FIBA Oceania Championship, when the Opals face the New Zealand Tall Ferns.

The side that wins will clinch a place at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

One of the players who could end up making the FIBA Oceania squad and competing at the Olympics for a fourth time is Suzy Batkovic.

The 1.95m Townsville Fire center last played for Australia at the London Games.

She remains one of the biggest stars in the WNBL and will be in the spotlight on Sunday in the Grand Final when Townsville host Bendigo.

As for the Aussies headed to the WNBA?

I won't be asking players to miss the WNBA. - Joyce

"We have Oceania coming up in August and the WNBA regular season will still be going in September," Joyce said.

Two players that emerged at the FIBA World Championship for Women as vital players for Australia were Marianna Tolo and Cayla Francis, Opals that will play for the Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury, respectively.

Erin Phillips, who will be with the Sparks, and Phoenix Mercury players Leilani Mitchell and Penny Taylor, also had big roles at Turkey 2014.

Another is Rebecca Allen. She will have a chance to make the New York Liberty roster.

All of them and more are in Joyce's 34-player squad.

It will be up to him to decide who competes in the Oceania series. After taking a much smaller squad for a tour of Europe, he will have a good idea of what his squad will look like for the games against Tall Ferns. 

Australia squad for 2015 FIBA Oceania Women's Championship: Rebecca Allen, Suzy Batkovic, Sara Blicvas, Abby Bishop, Alex Bunton, Natalie Burton, Elizabeth Cambage, Rebecca Cole, Aimie Clydesdale, Stephanie Cumming, Katie Rae Ebzery, Cayla Francis, Laura Hodges, Natalie Hurst Peac, Lauren Jackson, Rachel Jarry, Alice Kunek, Tessa Lavey, Tess Madgen, Kathleen McLeod, Leilani Mitchell, Mia Newley, Jenna O'Hea, Erin Phillips, Elyse Penaluna, Gabrielle Richards, Lauren Scherf, Belinda Snell, Stephanie Talbot, Penny Taylor, Marianna Tolo, Louella Tomlinson, Kelly Wilson and Hanna Zavecz.

FIBA