Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Episode 22: Rivalries, Revenge and Redemption - featuring Matt McQuade
296 Plays2 years ago
A HUGE episode to deconstruct the semi finals and to piece together the key players, statistics and strategies to help predict who will be the Champions of NBL1 East 2023.
After analysing the semi finals and forecasting the grand finals, there is some discussion about the recently announced NBL1 East Awards and other ways the league has potential to grow.
Joining Lachy and Squin this week is the truly legendary Matt McQuade, more currently known as the play-by-play commentator for the Inner West Bulls. Matt brings another layer of analysis to this episode and showcases his expertise as one would expect!
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to NBA One East Finals 2023
00:00:10
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of East Got Game, an unofficial podcast about the NBA One East competition for 2023.
00:00:18
Speaker
My name is Jacinta from the Central Coast Crusaders and with me I've got two co-hosts because we don't have a player to interview this week because we're in finals time. It's the best time of the year so we thought we'd sink our teeth right into it.
Meet the Hosts and Guest
00:00:32
Speaker
So with me as always is Lockie France and joining us for this very special episode is Matt McQuaid. Gentlemen, how are we this evening? Oh, spectacular. Thanks, Gwen.
00:00:42
Speaker
It's been a massive week of semi-final action. Can't wait for Grand Final. I feel absolutely honoured to be here. My first time on
00:00:50
Speaker
the podcast that everyone in the NBL One East is talking about. And I'm not even exaggerating because I hear about it all the time. You can imagine from quite a few people. So no, it's great to be here. And Locky's right. But what incredible semi-finals we had both men and women setting up for two grand finals that I think are going to be absolutely superb. I actually think when you look at it, I think the four teams that should be there are there when it comes right down.
00:01:20
Speaker
Very interesting. So we'll certainly get into the nitty gritty of the grand finals preview very shortly.
Lockie's Busy Sports Schedule
00:01:27
Speaker
But Locky, just want to check in. Are you able to manage the hype of the NBA One East Finals with the Matildas and the FIFA World Cup at the moment? That's a lot going on for you. I'm pushing through. I've been to eight World Cup games so far. I've been to Perth and Brisbane. So it's been a big, big, big couple of weeks, but Matildas tomorrow night and then I get a few days off before
00:01:50
Speaker
before the next one. So just got to make it through tomorrow night, ramp up for NBL One Grand Finals and World Cup quarterfinals. Wow, that's a couple of big weeks
Inner West Bulls' Elimination Reflections
00:01:59
Speaker
for you. And Matt, you're unfortunately, you're beloved inner West Bulls fell short in the elimination finals. I think we're still kind of feeling the hurt from that. How are you feeling one week later? The pain is real. We had a farewell dinner for Blake Morrow during the week and so everybody
00:02:19
Speaker
Most everybody from the team got together with that. So that was great to sort of see the guys again and say goodbye to Blake. And yeah, I've obviously had lots of chats with Daniel Kim, who I'm very close with, as you guys probably know. Yeah, it is interesting.
Potential of Maitland Mustangs
00:02:35
Speaker
It's funny because before the game, I was really concerned.
00:02:38
Speaker
You know, I had a really bad feeling about it because that's how much respect I've got for Maitland. I think they're one of those teams. I saw it last year. You know, everybody wrote them off. They went all the way to the grand final. They should have won the grand final as I pointed out to Luke Boyle and he agreed with me.
00:02:54
Speaker
when I interviewed him in the post game. But yeah, look, it really stung because when you go 18 and four, they had a fabulous season. There's no two ways about that. Provided unbelievable entertainment. You guys saw it. Interviewed all the guys. I mean, obviously, CB, Blake just were phenomenal. So was Alex Higgins' teacher. So were they all. They all had a moment during the season. So to bow out like that, it was over so quickly.
00:03:23
Speaker
That's what's hard to take, especially when you kind of look at COE, when the Bulls played COE, it was round two. Alex Tooey, Ben Henschel, Rocco Zukaski, Jensen Bradkey, everybody was there. Johnny Fervy, a whole lot of them. And then they were gone. So it was a sort of a wider open playoffs, if you like, from a men's side of.
00:03:47
Speaker
But Maitland was just too good on the night. You just got a tip you had. I thought Luke Boyle, the coach of the Mustangs, did an absolutely phenomenal job scouting them, skating the balls. Just really took away everything that the balls do well and defensively, particularly in that second half.
00:04:03
Speaker
just too good and then, you know, when Matt Gray is dominating his matchup with Alexander Hicken's teacher, I mean that's, that's huge. And then Cranston Land has three personal fouls in the first half, doesn't score in the first half and just goes crazy in the second. So tip you had to them. But yeah, it was a bit of a pill to swallow because I think
00:04:22
Speaker
Now, like everything else, and when it ends, you kind of realize you look around and not everybody's going to be there next year. So, and obviously you guys interview Daniel on Instagram live. Everyone knows he's off to Japan for that assistant job in the B league, which I'm very proud of him for. It's tough, you know, it's tough because it was such a special group for me personally anyway.
00:04:44
Speaker
And like he said, it is the first time that you are on East Got Game and we are very happy to have you because you are a legend amongst our field. Statistically, a lot of our listeners, I think, are of a younger generation that perhaps may not know who Matt McQuaid is other than the commentator for the Inner West Bulls.
Matt McQuaid's Career Insights
00:05:02
Speaker
So give us a quick spiel about who you are and some of your background because your career is quite extensive.
00:05:08
Speaker
Let's just stick to the commentary bit. So I've been calling game basketball games for now going on 16 years and I started back in 2007. So NBL1, sorry NBL primarily with the Kings, NBL1, WNBL, which kind of was an abortive
00:05:27
Speaker
little stint I had this year, which was great. I've been a writer, broadcast. I've been a writer since 1999, worked for the Sydney Kings, was their medium communications manager for a while. I've been involved with the Kings. I call games on clutch radio, both Illawarra Hawks and Sydney Kings games.
00:05:46
Speaker
I've called games on Fox Sports. I've called games on NBL TV. So yeah, pretty extensive commentary experience. And I've been doing, I've actually been doing the Bulls. This is my third year because we actually did before COVID 2019, when the bull, when it was still the Waratah league, the Bulls were doing live streaming back then. Samuki and I were doing sort of the early games of those. And yeah, it's been fantastic sort of to do the last two years. And obviously, particularly this year was a hell of a lot of fun.
00:06:15
Speaker
Yes. So thank you for that spiel. And again, thank you for being on the podcast, especially someone of your experience and of your caliber. Uh, as we in this episode are going to be focusing on reviewing the semi-final matches and previewing the grand final matches.
00:06:32
Speaker
as well as getting into some news and gossip if we have any. But also we're going to touch on the MBL1 East Awards that have been announced in the last week as a drip feed. So what we're going to do, we're going to first jump right into the women's semi-finals.
North Bears vs Sydney Comets Game Analysis
00:06:47
Speaker
the first being against the North Bears versus the Sydney Comets who placed at 3rd and 7th respectively down at the Bear Cave. Lockie, did you manage to get to this game this week? I did not get to the game, Squin, but I did tune in and watch the live stream on the NBL One website there at the Bear Cave and it was North getting up 87.60
00:07:09
Speaker
67 so just a game in which they are edged out their lead and there was times where Comets got it back a little bit You know got out to 16 got back to 10 got out to 15 go back to 10 again But in the end Norse just kept them at base throughout big game for jolly nanderson again 26 points nine rebounds hit five of nine from three point range. So as I
00:07:31
Speaker
a Sutherland fan. Gave me PTSD after what she did to us down at the Shark Tank a few weeks ago. But the big one for Norse was Karla Pittman coming off the bench. And I think it's going to be a theme of young players on the women's side this week. She finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. Shot 9-14 from the field. Just really good getting to the rack as we all know she can do. Interestingly, Pittman alone off the bench 23 points. Comet's total bench points 8.
00:08:00
Speaker
Drew Tollefel played 22 minutes, Sarah Wager played 11, but still, yeah, just not getting that bench production, the comets, which I think has really been an issue for them. Most of the season, I mean, they have two or three real outright scorers in, especially Heel, but then Penousis and Crouchoir. But against the team like Norris, where they're good enough defensively to lock at least one of them down at any time.
00:08:23
Speaker
You really need other players to step up and they just didn't have that scoring post they needed. Penusas finished with seven, Cross Shore had 17, Heel had 23. Interestingly, the lineups. So both teams switched to their starting lineup. So Jess Bygate actually started for North this week instead of Sarah Schicker.
00:08:41
Speaker
And Piper Anderson started in place of Drew Tolley of Fuller. Comet's really looking to go for that, you know, that energy, that athleticism that Anderson has getting up and down court, which I thought was interesting because I don't think we've seen very much of that all season when Comets have had everyone available. And we haven't seen much of BiGate start in place of Schicke either. Both teams were trying something and they kind of, you know, canceled each other out because they both threw something different at each other.
00:09:08
Speaker
But I think for Comets, their main issue was they played like they were down 20 when they were only down 10 or 12. They tried to get it all back in one hit. There was a period there where Shyla Hale, three, three possessions in a row, just jacked up a three with about 20 seconds left in the shot clock and all bounced away. It might have been getting stops at one end. You know, you've got two and a half quarters of basketball, you know, two full quarters of basketball left to play.
00:09:32
Speaker
you don't have to get a 15 point deficit back in three minutes. That's what the North defense does, it rattles people.
00:09:39
Speaker
You start to think if you don't get it back, all in one hit, you're not going to get it back because they'll just shut you down again. I think, yeah, if they just slowed it down a bit and realized they can chip away, probably would have helped them. They ended up shooting only 32% from the field, whereas North's were 44%. Comets actually had more field goal attempts than North's because North's committed 21 turnovers. Two Comets 15, but I think 21 turnovers for North's, that is something that will,
00:10:05
Speaker
be at the forefront of Renee Gulliver's mind going into the grand final, especially against a manly team that has plenty of very good defensive players on it. Yeah, definitely. Like 21 turnovers from North is really uncharacteristic from them, I think, considering the experience they have. But
00:10:22
Speaker
Based on the review you just gave, it really reflects to me the experience of the North team and the depth of their bench, I think. Particularly, as you said, Carla Pittman coming off the bench with 23 points and she only played 23 minutes. So that's not even 23 points over a full 35-40 minute game. Also interesting point that you make is about the Comets going for athleticism and speed. They did manage to get
00:10:48
Speaker
15 points on the fast break. In previous games I find has been one of their strengths. Considering Norse were throwing 21 turnovers, I think that's probably something that could have been a bit more exploited. On the other hand, Norse being one of the better defensive rating teams, they're going to get back in transition I think.
00:11:06
Speaker
Yeah, they certainly are. And interestingly, like we talked about the fast break points and Piper Anderson, but she only ended up playing 13 minutes. Not sure what happened, but she made a really bad defensive misread midway through the second quarter. And she was subbed then and wasn't seen again until the fourth quarter. So I'm not sure if that was a result of like, you know, she took a knock or something earlier and she was just physically like, you know, not able to move laterally or if Shelly Gorman was just
00:11:32
Speaker
in sense with what she saw on that particular play or what happened, but yeah. When you've got Drew, Tolia Fola, Sarah Wachar, with three fouls in their limited minutes and then Crawshore ends up fouling out. And interesting with Tolia Fola, so she subbed in for Crawshore after about seven minutes and picked up two fouls in the space of 55 seconds.
00:11:57
Speaker
So, Crotcher actually had to sub back in for the last couple of minutes of the first quarter because Toyofo picked up those fouls so quickly. Really throws off the dynamic of the game and your flow that you're trying to get into when those stop starts kind of happen. Matt, did you manage to catch much of this game? What are your thoughts and feelings?
00:12:15
Speaker
Yeah, look, I think Lockie really summed it up. Well, you know, you look at what Hale and Penusa shot combined and I think 10 of 34 and it kind of tells you all you need to know. And yeah, I mean, look, Shyla's prone to that. She's prone to jacking up threes. And look, at the end of the day,
00:12:31
Speaker
She kind of felt the need to kind of carry this team a little bit because they just didn't have the depth that Northstead and Northstead has been such a hallmark of their game, you know, throughout the season, really, where I've talked to Renee a lot about this and, you know, she's, she loves the fact that anybody can score on any given night. It can be anybody. That's hard to guard. It's hard to scout.
00:12:55
Speaker
hard to defend, obviously. So yeah, I thought I wasn't surprised by the outcome. I think the better team clearly won. Shyla and Vanessa would have had to just go off of monster numbers.
00:13:08
Speaker
And the fact that Vanessa struggled so much through 13 from the field, it just wasn't going to get it done. You talk about them going off for monster numbers. That's exactly what they needed last week just to get past Newcastle with Shyla scoring 43. Correct. And those monster numbers are, you know, sometimes that's the magic of final time when
00:13:26
Speaker
the players you expect to step up are going to step up and have those monster numbers. But that's not always going to be able to be replicated week after week because by finals time, everyone knows the scouts so well. Those players you expect to be the MVPs of a final series are the ones that are going to be struggling the most to get the shots that they want.
00:13:47
Speaker
And it's always going to be the players that are unaccounted for or perhaps taken for granted that are then going to be the ones who actually be the heroes of the game. For example, Jolene Anderson, we know what she's capable of. I wonder if she was someone that they perhaps didn't scout or pay enough attention to in the scout. Definitely they shut down. Well, you know, slowed Emily Simons to the point where she only scored 12 points.
00:14:13
Speaker
It's definitely a factor. I mean, you can slow down one, but it just leaves others open, especially if you pay too much attention to someone in particular.
00:14:22
Speaker
But moving on to the Manley versus COE game.
Manly vs COE Defensive Grind
00:14:25
Speaker
Now this game, I feel like was completely different from the Norse and Commis game. Watching the Norse Commis game this afternoon on the replay, it just felt like a lot more free flowing. There was a lot more up tempo from both teams up and back up the court. Whereas this Manley COE game was just a grind. Absolute grind. It was all bogged down in the half court. It was very defensive focus, which I like. I like a good defensive team.
00:14:52
Speaker
but neither team had shots that came very easy. So Matt, I'm going to go to you first. Did you catch any of this game? A little bit and you're on the money and it was to be expected though, I think. COE obviously a little bit on demand. No Jessica Petrie as we know. They just had to try and invent a way to kind of stay with
00:15:11
Speaker
a team that like Norse comes at you from a number of ways, a number of angles and is so deep, even though they might be one of the most underappreciated teams, manly executes so well, don't they? You know, I mean, I think that that's really their hallmark is how well they execute in the half court. They like to run. They, you know, Nathan wants them to get out and run. And he's talked about that with me. But
00:15:34
Speaker
When you've got the kind of half court execution they have, it doesn't worry them in particular to get into a grind. It just doesn't bother them because they know that they have the system and the structure ultimately that's going to break you down.
00:15:50
Speaker
at some level. It might take a little while as it did in this game but ultimately with them just a little too much connectivity at the offensive end, a little too much execution really for COE to deal with and I thought they did a terrific job to stay in it.
00:16:08
Speaker
I actually thought Manly had a deal with them a bit more comfortably than they did. So that's credit to them and how they've gone about it all this season. Yeah, look, it was a finals game. It was played with that kind of intensity and that kind of, I won't say energy, but because both teams were so determined defensively, that's what can happen. It can kind of bog down. And that's, again, as I go back to that word, execution, and that's just, that is Manly all over. And that's down to Nathan Kerwin, who's, you know,
00:16:38
Speaker
book on bias. I'm biased about Renee Gallup as well obviously but you know they're both fantastic coaches they really are the pair of them.
00:16:45
Speaker
Cause we've actually spoken on this podcast before, Matt, about how this manly team is essentially a very similar roster to last year, but last year they made the, pretty sure they made the semi-finals, but couldn't go all the way. And the main difference from last year to this year is Nathan Kirwan. He's taken what was already existing and made it even better. Um, so certainly warranting a coach of the year nomination. Yeah.
00:17:12
Speaker
from our standpoint. And COE, you mentioned no Jess Petrie, she has already head over to America to start her college career with the University of Nebraska. We head to her Instagram, some of her stories look like they're having
00:17:24
Speaker
a great time team bonding at some beautiful coastal location, jumping off boats. So I'm sure she'd rather be there than getting bogged down in NBL1 East semifinals. But Lockie, what did you make of this particular game? It's funny, it's so true what you mentioned about it being a grind it out in the half court kind of game, because there were two fast break points for the entire game and 45 fouls.
00:17:53
Speaker
So, COE committed 27 fouls, mainly committed 18 of their own. When you're a little bit, you know, short-handed, COER, players get into foul trouble and they either have to, you know, play different defense or sit. I really like
00:18:09
Speaker
What I really liked from Manly, in amongst everything else, was there were a few times where they really found some good mismatches for Zoe Miller to take players on off the dribble. It was one where I think it was Brie Delaney just fired this skip pass and what'd she throw on that for? And all of a sudden Zoe Miller's like straight up to the basket. I was like, okay, that makes sense. Unfortunately for Miller, I think she finished two of eight from the field, one of six from two point range, but she was good at getting to the basket, sorry.
00:18:39
Speaker
But of course you can't talk about this game without talking about the one I have memed Felicity Henderson with her 21 points, nine rebounds, ten assists, so just shy of a triple double. Again. Yeah, again. I mentioned it on Twitter, you know, doing it against this very same players that beat her out to a gem spot for the World Cup. You know, she would have probably had a target on this game. You know, she got that chance earlier in the season when Zoe Miller
00:19:08
Speaker
got injured and she had to take over, you know, primary ball handling duties. And from there, it has just been exponential growth for her. It's interesting that Manly can go from having Alex Delaney in the lineup to someone so different in Zoe Miller. In terms of their execution, they're just as good. Interestingly, Manly, I mean, not, not surprising at this stage of the season. I only ran with seven players. So Delaney and Bullman.
00:19:36
Speaker
the only two to come off the bench. For COE at times is starting to look like the effect of playing a front heavy schedule, then a World Cup slash camps to make the World Cup coming back straight into more MBL one. It does look like it's catching up to them a little bit. I know they're young, but you know, they've played 24 games. Some of them played probably 30 games. I think some of them were involved as train on players for the Opals at one point.
00:20:04
Speaker
So there's players out there that have got a lot of miles in their legs. Isla Jufferman's knee looks like it has load-bearing tape on it. There's that much of it there. I think they did very well, as you said, Matt, to hang with Manly for as long as they did. And indeed, they were leading after three quarters by a point. Actually, in the first half, CLE had two, I think two seven-point leads. You get out to a lead, you can't give them a sniff to get back in because they'll just
00:20:30
Speaker
Take the game by the scruff of the neck, which they did on this occasion. Eventually in the final stages, too much experience despite their youth. Too good, executing. We're able to hold them off in the end. Manly, only 10 turnovers to, you know, CoE's 18. Incredibly, CoE won the points from turnovers 10 to 5.
00:20:50
Speaker
That's something manly will want to work on if they, I mean, you don't get as many points from turnovers if you're not out on the break, which they weren't as much. You know, if you're going to force a team into 18 turnovers, you probably want to take advantage a little more often. Particularly if the opposition are taking advantage of your turnovers. Also the three point percentage, 53% from beyond the line. So we only 32% or 31 and a half percent.
COE Players' Fatigue Issues
00:21:12
Speaker
Manly 8 of 15, COE 6 of 19. I've got some good shooters and they've got serviceable shooters as well to back them up. You've got Bre Delaney out there who we all know can hit the three, but there's plenty of other players who can hit one when they need to as well. But that's what I thought was interesting that COE still limited Manly to only 15 three-pointers. Really reflective of how good their defense was. And the three-pointers that Manly made were all still relatively contested.
00:21:40
Speaker
They still were really, really tough shots that more reflective of their skill. So I thought that was really interesting that A, Manley only took 15, but really impressed that they were able to make eight of that 15 given the defense. And like you said, Isla Jufferman's with that heavily strapped knee, the very heavy load of their schedule at the start of the season. Someone, I can't remember if we were talking about it, the elimination final lock you, but someone had said that
00:22:08
Speaker
you know Isla Juffamans is looking really slow and I'm like well the girl's been playing at a high level for the last for two years non-stop. Yeah she hasn't had a break because she's been yeah staff eyes into gems she's had 20s she's had 18s nationals she is yeah.
00:22:24
Speaker
So give her a break, like lift me and metaphorically, let's just give the girl a break. Remember, she is only what, 17, 18. Yeah, she's a kid. Yeah. She had strapping. I think Jada Clark had a knee strap. Opal Bird had a knee strap. Lara Sumphire, not even there. Not too sure if she's injured or if there's any intel around that. So listen, just give these girls a break. Oh, a hundred percent.
00:22:49
Speaker
Not a new player, but as always, Saffron Shields, so impressive for COE, finishing with 22 points. Just that height she has at her position is just, you know.
00:23:01
Speaker
such an extra attribute that she can use. Then I think it's to have the COE as part of this, I think we get the opportunity to watch future potential future Opals. I think there's a few future Opals on that squad, all adjustments. I think she's a superstar. I absolutely love her game.
00:23:20
Speaker
I love the size, Saffron Shields another one, Jess Petrie again while she was there. So it is just so great from our perspective to be able to see these kids, men and women at the COE on the start of their journeys, which can wind up, who knows, even in the WNBA or the NBA, the sum of them.
00:23:42
Speaker
Yeah, incredibly exciting and so great for this competition. We need to get around them. I think, you know, you're on the money, just centre it. You don't want to criticise these kids, you know, at all, quite frankly. You know, I think it's dreadfully unfair for anyone to do that.
00:23:58
Speaker
So now that North Bears and Manly-Warringer Seagulls were the victors of the semi-final round, they are going head-to-head in
North Bears vs Seagulls Grand Final Excitement
00:24:06
Speaker
the grand final. And I tell you what, guys, this was the grand final that I wanted. The start of the Eastcott game.
00:24:14
Speaker
season. I did pick Norse to win the whole thing, but I'm going to retract that. I'm retracting it only because the people who I've wished luck or have tipped or anything like that in the last few weeks have gone on to lose. And that is the reflection of my bad omen that I am. So I'm not picking anyone anymore. Yeah. Look, I hear you. Oh, just one word for you, Illawarra. Two words, Illawarra men. So there you go. So yeah, you're right.
00:24:43
Speaker
Exactly. They made me look like a fool without a roster. They didn't even win it and they came tenth.
00:24:48
Speaker
I know, crazy. But what a grand final it's going to be. I mean, I don't know if you want to get into it now, but my guess. No, absolutely. That was the perfect segue. I was going to get into it because we've talked about both of these teams having very high defensive ratings, both very team orientated, both teams that can have a superstar step up on any given day, regardless of who's been performing the week before. And both teams have exceptional depth on the bench.
00:25:16
Speaker
So Matt, I'm going to go to you first. What are you predicting out of this game? You know, it's really difficult for me because, and I mentioned this before, I'm very good friends with both Renee Garlop and Nathan Kerwin. So I'm going to get in trouble with someone for what I say today. Incredible matchup because, you know, from an individual standpoint, you look at the talent across the board in both teams.
00:25:39
Speaker
If I had to pick from a talent perspective, I'd give the edge to norths. I think they've got a little more depth overall than what Manly does. And I think, you mentioned both teams are great defensive units, they are. But what I look at from that perspective, I then have to flip it and say, OK, who on either team, and how many of them, have the ability to really explode? You talked about it earlier.
00:26:08
Speaker
about that one player that has a moment, right, in a grand final situation that maybe we don't think about. The thing about North, so look at them, and this is, again, I'm not, look, I feel terrible because everybody's been downing manly. They kind of look, you know, but the Henderson's have been phenomenal. You know, obviously the Delaney's have been great. You know, look,
00:26:31
Speaker
But from North's perspective, I just look at that roster and I go, man, you know, you've got an Emily Simons who's capable of going for 47 for starters, which we, which we saw. You've got, I mean, Jessica Bygate, I've seen go off for big numbers as well. Um, and I mean, pretty much a lot of them and that's what, you know, I had that discussion with Renee, you know, one of the things she said to me was that we've got such an even spread. No one cares.
00:26:58
Speaker
who gets the ball. No one cares who scores. They all just want to win. She said that's what I'm really happy. She said it's one of my most fun teams to coach ever because of that fact that it just seems to be ego free. They just they really enjoy
00:27:14
Speaker
playing ball with one another. But there's so much talent. I mean, you mentioned before, Lockie. I mean, Sarah, Sheke coming off the bench. I mean, she's been starting most of the year. She was off the, I know she came off the bench when they played the Bulls both times. But then you plug bygate in and it's kind of like, oh, there's another 6-2, 6-3, 4-2 can shoot the ball and score.
00:27:39
Speaker
Um, they're loaded. Uh, not that manly aren't, but I just think they've got more of it and they've got more potential to really explode. Uh, you know, I think that for me gives the bears the edge in this matchup. And Lockie, your thoughts on this matchup? Well, I hope it's as exciting as the last time these two teams matched up in a women's grand final because, uh,
00:28:01
Speaker
That was up in Maitland and came down to the last shot of the game when Manly got that win. Sorry to all my Norse people out there for bringing that one up again. But yeah, when Snellie and her crew brought it home for the Sea Eagles, but Matt's a hundred percent right. Sometimes it's just, yeah, who can go off on the day? Cause you only got to, you only got to win one. It's not a three game series. I miss Kim Hodge as well. I mean, God, you see it for Manly. You know what I mean?
00:28:28
Speaker
As I said, it's not like they're bereft of talent. They've got a ton of talent. Zoe Miller's another one. Yes, the depth is there, but it is telling that Nathan ran those seven plays in the semis, right?
Women's Grand Final Strategies
00:28:44
Speaker
I look at that and I think, I don't think you can get away with that against a North's team that just keeps coming after you and Renee can just keep rotating girls in and out that she knows are going to produce for us. So from that perspective, that's where I think, you know, Nathan's got his work cut out. And look, the man is a great coach, a phenomenal coach. So if anyone can figure it out, he can.
00:29:05
Speaker
If I have to pick, you know, I'd still say Norse. I definitely think you're right. When you, when you look and you get past, you know, the five, the six, the seven, when you get down to the eight, nine, 10, 11. That's when Norse advantage starts to grow. If teams, if they have to start using players, you know, someone gets in foul trouble a little bit early, which is
00:29:28
Speaker
I feel like it's highly likely to happen with the kind of defense these two teams can play and the offense they can both throw at each other. I mean, Manly just, you know, ropes CoE into committing 27 fouls, you know, so committed 18 of their own. North shot 22 free throws against Comet. So they can both certainly draw fouls out of players. So really looking forward to seeing how Annie Henderson goes in this game.
00:29:57
Speaker
For her defensive game, she is probably the one most overlooked. I know she was a defensive player of the year nominee, but I feel like all the talk is always Nicholson and Seabomb when it comes to defenders in NBL One Women. And I think Andy Henderson is prime to come out and just lock someone down and show that she is
00:30:20
Speaker
And it should be in the conversation outside of, you know, manly people binging her up. Of the current nominee, she's probably the only one that can successfully guard one to five. A hundred percent agree. Other players will defend certain positions better than her, but she will defend anywhere, which not every other player in that set of five can do.
00:30:44
Speaker
The way I see this game going, I think it's going to come down to the always for me in finals time, it always comes down to the 1% is making your free throws, hustling loose balls, boxing out every time. That's just stock standard. But if we're looking at rosters, I think for North it's going to come down to.
00:31:03
Speaker
uh, making sure the likes of Carla Pittman and Matty O'Hare are really disciplined on the offensive end. They can't afford to give up too many turnovers as they have in the season. And that's not a read. That's just something to tighten up. And I think the anchors for Norse in the likes of Simons and Schicker, uh, I imagine are going to be, and Seabomb are going to be really super important. They're probably the three most consistent players, especially in their role for this Norse roster.
00:31:30
Speaker
But understanding that the likes of Simons is going to have a pretty heavy scout on her. So her shot selection and her opportunities are probably going to be limited, which means that it's an opportunity for someone else to step up. But on the Manly's Warringah roster, like you said, Matt, Kim Hodge and like you said, Lachie, Annie Henderson, they're the two anchors for me and this team who have been really consistent all season.
00:31:58
Speaker
Hodge just goes end to end to end to end with the same expression on her face, like nothing really bothered her. I think I've only seen her bothered by something in a very few games. Perhaps it was one of those games where there are a lot of fouls called, I think it was in early in the season. So the likes of Hodge and Andy Henderson particularly is going to be important. But also Felice Henderson, she has flirted with the triple double all season.
00:32:27
Speaker
All season, I mean, even against this very tough semifinal against COE, she almost had a triple double. I'm sure a target is going to be on her back as the main facilitator in so many ways for this manly team. So perhaps the matchup between Pittman and Henderson, and Phyllis Henderson might be interesting, or will Kate Seabomb be responsible for shutting down Phyllis Henderson?
00:32:50
Speaker
I think we also need to mention the troublesome calf that everybody is talking about. And no, it's not Sam Kerr. It's Alex Delaney because she's still wearing that sleeve on her calf and coming off the bench. So, you know, another week, is she going to be fully fit, ready to play starters minutes? Will they still bring off the bench just because it's worked for now? Run with what they've done for the last two weeks, even if she is fit.
Maitland Mustangs' Defensive Victory
00:33:17
Speaker
That's right, sometimes you've just got to go with what is working and the perfect segue to get into the first of the men's semi-final, Canberra Gunners versus Maitland Mustangs because in the back end of this game, the Maitland Mustangs credit to Coach Boyle, he just went with what was working and that's what got them the win in the end. Canberra Gunners third place playing the seventh place Maitland Mustangs, Gunners going down 75 to 88.
00:33:44
Speaker
in what was an MBL1 East 2022 Grand Final rematch with the Stangers getting up and getting their revenge. So Matt, did you happen to catch this one and what were your thoughts? Oh of course I did. All 40 minutes. Now I watched this, I watched both semis from start to finish and it was interesting because obviously I called the the elimination final that when Maitland came in to ride and
00:34:09
Speaker
beat up on my inner west bulls and what they did to Canberra was very similar. The method was similar particularly in the fourth quarter. They took Canberra apart after a game that was very much back and forth for three quarters. It was kind of similar in the inner west elimination final because it was tied at 42. It was close at the half.
00:34:33
Speaker
And then it was tied after three periods in this one. So 21-8 in the final period. And there are a few things. Mainland's confidence, I think they took a lot out of that win over the Bulls because that was a matchup against a team that was 18-4 that had beaten them in their own building in the regular season, thanks to Blake Murrow going absolutely crazy for the most part, but still.
00:34:58
Speaker
getting that job done, but then to come back and do that, particularly after they'd lost their last two on the road in the regular season was just so impressive. So they took a lot from that game I felt into this game. I just love the body language from the beginning. I just think they came out with an absolute purpose. That was to shut down Glenn Morrison, which they were very successful in the second half in particular. He really struggled.
00:35:27
Speaker
It sort of had his way at times with James Hunter, even though James Hunter shot the hell out of the ball, which is going to be a huge key in the grand final.
00:35:35
Speaker
Morrison wasn't his dominant self, really, and particularly in that final quarter where Billy Parsons, who's been outstanding off the bench for them this season, and obviously he's been a youth league standout for many a year for them, just shut him down and really bothered him, made him take really difficult shots. And then it was sort of interesting because I looked, the other thing that got me, Canberra only had 12 turnovers, which
00:36:02
Speaker
I actually, watching that game, felt like it was more like 20. And the reason being, they were all turnovers. They were either sort of, there were a couple of the unforced sloppy variety, but a lot of it was down just to Maitland's D. And what's interesting is that Maitland coming into the finals were one of really, they're a mediocre defensive unit. And I talked to Luke Boyle about this after the Bulls game. And he said, we had to change up some things. And we've done that. And that zone of theirs is causing havoc.
00:36:31
Speaker
They press into a zone, they run some different zone looks that really, and they mix it up, they junk it up a little bit. It really bothered the Bulls and it bothered the hell out of Canberra. They didn't know where their shots were coming from in the fourth. I mean, to be held in your own building, that crowd was going nuts. To be held to just eight points in a semi-final in your own building when you're expected to win. I mean, that's just phenomenal from Maitland.
00:37:01
Speaker
I look, you know, on a night where the guys that got them the win over the Bulls really struggled for the most part offensively. I mean, Matthew Gray was devastating against Inner West and he only had seven points and six boards. Yeah, didn't really shoot the ball that well.
00:37:18
Speaker
William Cranston-Lown, by his standards, quiet-ish, even though he controls the game so beautifully. And it's, you know, going back to your earlier point, Jacinta, about, you know, those other guys stepping up. Well, I mean, Luca Vaya, you know, he's the guy that no one really has taken much notice of. 9.11 boards.
00:37:36
Speaker
Billy Parsons 15 and 12 was massive. And I got to point this out, and I'm probably going to get in trouble for saying this, but there was a little bit of, I'm not going to use the word disrespect, but I think there was a little bit of dismissiveness going on about maintenance bench, which I could not understand. Because if you look at this bench and you look at what these guys have done all year long,
00:37:57
Speaker
It's a bit silly to sort of be as dismissive as the Canberra commentators were on the night. And guys like Billy Parsons, Jack Edwards, Daniel Milburn, I say he's a veteran, I mean, God, I've been watching him for years, he's only 25, it's crazy. I mean, Josh Clifford's a guy that's played NBL way, way back in the day. And Will Mortimer's sort of a coming attraction is a big.
00:38:19
Speaker
look Parsons is outstanding so I think their depth has been hugely underestimated and again it's par for the course with the Mustangs it's just the way it is and again getting that job done with guys that you normally would think would be the guys to be to be leading the way and I didn't even mention Kevin Warren and he five points five assists
00:38:42
Speaker
But again, that's a guy that they expect double figures out of. But, you know, James Hunter, just with those five threes, and I mean, he really caused problems. If he's sticking the three ball, that's just going to make life so difficult for the likes of Morrison. Can't guard him because I mean, I love Morrison. I think he's phenomenal. But he can't guard James Hunter if James Hunter is hitting threes.
00:39:04
Speaker
Morrison wants Hunter in the post to go mano a mano. And if he's pulling him away from the basket, that's just going to open things up for Maitland's offense. So they did a tremendous job to go into that environment, get their revenge. I called that grand final last year. They were really stinging. Luke Boyle, again, he said to me after the Bulls came, said,
00:39:26
Speaker
Yeah, it hurt. It really hurt that we felt like we let that one get away last year. And we're going down, we're going down there to, to, to get our revenge. He was very open about that. So full credit to them for, for getting the job done and look for Canberra. Now that they've had some, obviously John Mapio and that unfortunate car accident. I mean, that's, that's obviously hurt them, um, this season. They weren't quite the same team they were in 2022. Um, I mean, Morrison was still great.
00:39:55
Speaker
Averaged a double-double for the season. He's an MVP candidate to a perennial defensive player of the year. Del Feig had a good season without being great. And they've got some young guys on the on the come up. Lachlan Smith coming off the bench had a big game and shot the ball very well. 16.4 boards in just 20 minutes. So, look, they'll be back. I mean, Peter Herak's a great coach and last year's coach of the year, obviously.
00:40:22
Speaker
They'll be back and determined, but yeah, look, again, Maitland, what can you say? They've gone into a ride and taken out the Bulls, and now they take out the defending champs on their home floor in a semifinal. Well done.
Maitland's Strategic Adjustments
00:40:37
Speaker
But Matt, I really like some of your comments there about Maitland, particularly on defense. And it's weirdly reassuring that you had that conversation with Luke Boyle, because there's been past episodes of eScott game where I particularly have reviewed
00:40:52
Speaker
some of them may learn Mustangs men's games and I just felt like they were really lacking in some kind of intensity and urgency on the defensive end to the point where I like I feel like there were games that got way too close where they could have been blowouts for them
00:41:07
Speaker
and there were games that they should have won, but they were just kind of really too reactive on defence. Interesting that Luke Boyle has recognised that, so that's good. It's not just me being a little bit too critical. And as we can see now, the adjustments that they have made, particularly in this game with such a focus on Morrison, they're now enjoying the fruits of their labour. Because like you said, Billy Parsons was matched up on Morrison. The commentators referencing, you know,
00:41:36
Speaker
Saying how it's a mismatch, how Billy Parsons is undersized. However, Morrison was limited to six rebounds. He had to do a lot of his points from the free throw line and Morrison only shot seven from 15 from the free throw line. That hurts. Canberra shot under 50% from the free throw line. That hurts when you lose a game by what 13 points.
00:41:59
Speaker
51 to 31. They destroyed them on the boards. Destroyed them. And that's a Canberra team that typically will rebound the ball extremely well, mainly thanks to Morrison. He's usually a double double machine has been all year. So that, that was such a huge factor in the game. It really was. And just their, their attack on the glass as well was so impressive.
00:42:21
Speaker
Um, they just, you know, that they were there, they had a purpose and they, they carried it forward and, you know, they're on a mission this year, clearly. Again, I just hit my head to Luke Boyle. I just think he's covered himself in glory. Look, I've always thought he's so impressive as a coach, but I think he's gone to another level last two games. He really has. And I think the other standout for me, uh, also a reflection of how much Maitland has improved their team defense and how much coach Luke Boyle puts faith in his bench.
00:42:51
Speaker
is that in that fourth quarter was probably more so the end of the third going into the fourth. The combination that he had on that were being so productive was actually four bench players and Will Cranston-Lown. And so it was Cranston-Lown, Billy Parsons, Jack Edwards, Daniel Milburn, Josh Clifford. So also across the board, a little bit smaller with Billy Parsons, surprisingly being the tallest person.
00:43:17
Speaker
Clifford being productive. And Jack Edwards, I posted a clip of this steal on the eScott game Instagram because he was literally guarding someone on the wing. This person tried to throw an overhead pass and Jack Edwards literally just jumped up and grabbed it out of the air and went to the races. And I was like, this guy is unbelievable.
00:43:41
Speaker
Well, this is the thing, you know, I mentioned before about how I wasn't impressed with the Canberra commentators sort of dismissing.
00:43:47
Speaker
Maitland's depth. And I thought, well, hang on a minute. You guys are obviously not watching many Maitland games. Jack Edwards is, if he's not the best backup point guard in the league, he's got to be in the top two or three, clearly. And he's only in the backup because they have Cranston Lown. And if they didn't have Cranston Lown, he's starting. He could start for a few teams. There's no doubt. And that's a luxury when you've got that. And you mentioned those, those four bench players.
00:44:13
Speaker
And again that's down to the intelligence of Luke Boyle as a head coach because that was a very switchable lineup. I mean Cranston Land can guard one through three. Jack Edwards can guard one through three, even though you know he's only six foot, well maybe six one at a pinch right. Parsons is a guy that
00:44:30
Speaker
He's athletic enough to guard, you know, fours and fives and maybe the occasional three if there's a switch. So they're, they were very switchable. And again, and they can run so many different alignments with these guys. It, again, I thought it was, it was a triumph. It was a coaching triumph. It really was again.
00:44:48
Speaker
And obviously the players have to execute, but wow, you talk about coaching and it's all about putting your players in the best position to succeed. And Luke Boyle has done that phenomenally well over the past fortnight.
00:45:02
Speaker
Uh, Locky, would you like to say, add anything about that Gunners Mustangs game? Or would you like to roll on to your Shockies? You know, talking about having those four bench players with one starter in and leaving them in. Because when we interviewed Angus Burke earlier in the season, he was talking about how Brian Gorgean said, if we change this, is it going to help us win? If it's not going to, if changing it's not going to make us, you know, have more of a chance of winning, don't do it. And that goes the same way. If we leave this in, is this going to help us win?
00:45:32
Speaker
Yes, let's keep doing it. So there's no, there's no point in taking off, you know, a lineup that's working just because, you know, it's time to do so if it's working. Coaching is as much, you know, you change things on the fly and it's also about not getting, you know, stuck, too stuck in your ways, too stuck in your rotations.
00:45:52
Speaker
Yeah, and having that obligation of, oh, but this person's a starter, so I have to play them this many minutes, or they have to get this many shots. Sorry, but your starters can sit if it means you're going to win the game, because that's what the ultimate goal is for everyone, is to win. Let's roll on. Lockie, I'm sure you're pretty chomping at the bit to get into this next game with a first place COE.
00:46:14
Speaker
played the fifth place Sutherland Sharks in Canberra. Take it away, Lachie.
Sutherland Sharks' Key Performances
00:46:19
Speaker
The Sharkies coming away 89-82 victors over a very, very short-handed centre of excellence to Matt. You mentioned earlier all the players they had when faced them really early in the season. Bradke, Tui, Zukarski, Henshaw, Alex Condon was even there at that time. Yeah, Condon's good about him there.
00:46:40
Speaker
Johnny Furphy. Well, on Saturday, they ran out with Luke Vanell, Kai Savage, Jacob Furphy, James O'Donnell, Bowen Beatty, and just with Emmett Adair and Julius Halefanour on the bench. So just the seven players, whilst the Sharkies were able to roll down with the same starting five, they trotted out for pretty much the
00:47:00
Speaker
entire season but full credit to the center of excellence you know you run with just there's seven players who are in their training you know getting their chemistry together six seven days a week i would say that was probably a uh a large part of why they were able to stay in the game but at least keep it competitive as they they even came roaring back in the fourth quarter and you know you look at a 33-19 final quarter to make it a
00:47:26
Speaker
seven point, uh, final margin, but it got within, it got within three points with a minute to play. So that wasn't just some, you know, um, you know, subtle and taking the foot off the gas in garbage time and, you know, letting COE get back into it. This was a, uh, a fight right down to the bitter end sharks. We had lucky Hutchison when he was out with his thumb injury, um, on the call with us for a couple of games. And he talked at length about how proud they are to have
00:47:56
Speaker
all their starters averaging in excess of 12 points a game at the time. I don't know if it's still the same number. Adrian Cabrera, who played one of his best games of the season last week, only had six points in this game. But then Jordan Mitchell went off with 26 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, three steals.
00:48:16
Speaker
shot 60% from the field, just showcasing that the Sharks, like a lot of the teams that are going this deep, everyone's happy if anyone's scoring. Jordan Mitchell, you know, we know he can score the ball. Lachie Hutchison finished with 16, Beasley and Gerlach 12 a piece. So once again, they were sharing the ball, but I think the Pat Williamson will be happiest about is that Den Gack finished five of eight from the field with 14 points coming off the bench because he's been a bit up and down.
00:48:45
Speaker
Really try to mesh Beasley, Gerlach and Gack and get the rotations. It's a little bit difficult getting it all working, but Gack's putting up 14 in a game where Gerlach and Beasley are both putting up solid numbers as well. They might have just hit on something at the perfect time, hopefully.
00:49:04
Speaker
you know, Hutchison just runs the point so well, you know, when he keeps a steady head on his shoulders to finish with seven assists and adjust the two turnovers, we know that he almost red lines at Dezolocki Hutchison sometimes, and it can sometimes be to his own detriment, but when he's playing well, and you know,
00:49:22
Speaker
keeping his head screwed on. He's certainly someone who can lead the team to big things, and that's what he's done this weekend. They went into the Bear Cave last week and got a massive win. Well, to start with, they actually came out and played basketball in the first half against Norse this time, which they didn't do down at the Shark Tank a couple of months ago. But they did that on this occasion, and now they've gone down to Canberra and knocked off COE, admittedly short-handed, but still a very tough COE team.
00:49:50
Speaker
And if Maitland were looking for revenge against Canberra, Southern will be looking for revenge against Maitland for what happened in the regular season up there at our Maitland Federation Centre because Maitland absolutely school Sutherland up there this season.
00:50:03
Speaker
Not to mention what happened, and this is irony of ironies. Of course, last year, we played in the semifinals, Maitland and Sutherland. I call that game as well. And Maitland blew them out. So yeah, there's that as well. So it's kind of Maitland have had their motivations. Sutherland's now got their motivations.
00:50:23
Speaker
The interesting thing also about that semi-final last year was that came off Sutherland tailing Maitland in the regular season just a couple of weeks earlier. Interesting teams that have history that you don't expect to always have history.
00:50:39
Speaker
No, I love it when you start to form these histories and full circle kind of moments for teams and taking that history and that context into a final series in particular makes it all the more exciting. And but I feel like last year compared to this year Sutherland and Maitland were placed, ended up being placed lower on the ladder this year than they were last year. Is that correct?
00:51:02
Speaker
Yeah, definitely Maitland were. Sutherland, I think... Sutherland just beat the... Sutherland just snuck in because they basically... I mean, just said it, you should remember this because the Bulls had to beat the Crusaders in the very last game by X amount of points.
00:51:19
Speaker
and they were like two points or three points short so I lost by point because it was then it wasn't a head-to-head thing like it is now um it it was on percentage right so they missed out by like 0.001 or something something crazy yeah well obviously obviously Maitland to lower because um they finished seventh and there were only six teams in finals last year so yeah then that's true too yeah
00:51:42
Speaker
I said before the finals, Squinn and I both picked, you know, a team you really wouldn't want to face from the bottom four of the finals from fifth to eighth. And Maitland were the one I picked based on, I said maybe Sutherland, but I felt Sutherland were like, you know, if this was kind of a good spot for them, but Maitland always, they felt better than a seventh place teams, they could turn it on. And that's exactly what they've shown.
Maitland's Motivation for Revenge
00:52:04
Speaker
Yeah, that's what and that's what scared the hell out of me about I hated the fact when say originally I we were told that it was Sutherland that was going to play the Bulls and then all of a sudden it was we looked at the ladder and it was Maitland I went on now.
00:52:19
Speaker
And that, you know, I, like, I have the utmost respect for Sutherland as we'll get into in a minute. Um, but, uh, Maitland was the one I was probably more scared off because I just think they're that one team that gets undervalued by everybody and they use it as bulletin board material and they're open about it. Like they, they don't like it and they use that as fire and we've seen it and we've seen it now. I've seen it two years running.
00:52:44
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely agree on both points. And Matt, did you have any final points on this COE Sharks game? How did you see it? Yeah, Lucky summarized it really well. Look, and again, when they led by 21 with three to go, I thought, oh, well, this, you know, the kids, it's just a step too far.
00:53:04
Speaker
It's just, they're playing seven guys, they're playing against a group that has been together and is humming and Mitchell's doing what he's doing. And Lachlan Hutchison, who I am, talk about a fanboy, I'm a huge fanboy of his, had been for many years.
00:53:20
Speaker
Obviously, I've had a lot to do with him through the King when he's with the Kings. Good friends with his dad, Glenn, know the family really well. So I'm a massive fan. And I'm friends with a lot of those guys in Sutherland team, actually, which is quite interesting. I've known a lot of them for a long time. So yeah, I'd full credit to COE for hanging in there. And then Kai Savage goes crazy in the fourth quarter. And you think, oh my god, they're not actually going to win.
00:53:48
Speaker
And to get it to within three, I think it was like 30 seconds on the clock. And then obviously Hutchison hits two huge free throws and they close it out from the free throw line to give them that edge. But yeah, I thought, the thing about Lachlan is when he's locked in like that, and when he's, he just controls, he's like a conductor. He just controls everything. And his intelligence,
00:54:15
Speaker
his ball handling, the ability to get to the rack, his decision making. When he's locked in like that, I think he's the best point guard in the league. And I've said that too. I've said that many, many times. And a lot of people sort of look at me, Oh, well, how he's, you know, you've got Cranston land and Blake Morrow, there's other guys.
00:54:31
Speaker
I just think no one has that combination at this level of intelligence, decision making, strength, ball handling, can shoot the ball, plays D. You know, I mean, this is a kid that when he was a development player with the Kings on a daily basis was going to war with people like Caspar Ware and Kevin Lish and holding his own. And here's an interesting factoid.
00:54:56
Speaker
He played 18 games as a development player. I think it was the 2019-2020 season.
00:55:03
Speaker
That is the most games by a development player in one season in the history of the Sydney Kings. And that was him. And when Will Weaver was the coach, and I'll never forget a press conference, and I use the term garbage time as we all do, if it's a blowout and you get the, and Will Weaver was not impressed with me saying that because he came back and said, we don't believe in garbage time. Every minute of every game is important.
00:55:32
Speaker
So if I put in Lachlan Hutchinson, I'm putting him in because I expect him to contribute. I'm not going to put him in just to put him in. So you look at it from that perspective. I mean, he played 25 games for the Kings overall over two seasons. I love him to death. He's a great guy, a great person, and just he's a baller.
00:55:57
Speaker
I mean, at times I'm in awe of the way he plays because I just, I love guys who are smart, who make good decisions, who just control everything and make people better. And that's what he does. Certainly does. Very, very good words from both of you in regards to that game. And listening to you both speak about those men's games, something that comes up in ahead of this grand final match between Maitland Mustangs and Sutherland Sharks.
Confidence Dynamics in the Finals
00:56:25
Speaker
is something that you touched on earlier when we were talking about the Gunners Mustangs game, Matt, and that's confidence. There's something about the Sutherland men's team when it gets to finals time. They just get something, clicks for them, they get this air about them and they just go to work and put their head down and they just gel at the right time. And I think it is actually confidence. Their confidence just grows at finals time. So now you've got the Mustangs who's got these great confidence with their
00:56:53
Speaker
Very well found success at the right time as well. You've got Sutherland also a very high confidence, high bravado type team. What are we going to expect in this grand final next week, given that both teams are quite similar. They finished, they both didn't finish in the top four this year at fifth and seventh, and both growing in confidence. What's going to happen? Lockie, I'm going to go to you first. He's just going to say, Sutherland's going to win, of course.
00:57:22
Speaker
Firstly, Sutherland just have to keep playing the same game. Cabrera, Mitchell, Hutchison, take it to the rack, you know, get in there, absorb contact, do what they do. Sutherland's three point shooting hasn't been at its best this season.
00:57:38
Speaker
Angus Lake got off to an absolute cracker of a start. I think he hit four of his first five threes in MBL1, but his shooting hasn't been as great as it can be. Calvin Norris hasn't had the best season from beyond the arc. We saw a few weeks ago, I think it was against Hills where, for some reason, Cabrera and Mitchell started off the game by shooting pull-up jumpers, and that was the game we almost lost to Hills until we pulled it back in the fourth quarter.
00:58:03
Speaker
I think we'll see Gerlach set up in his favorite spot, engage James Hunter on the left block. If that's not working, he can always go out to the high post. He can even shoot a three if he wants to.
00:58:17
Speaker
But I think for Sullen, we're just going to see them continue to do what they've done for just about every game this season because it's working for them at the
Sutherland's Strategy for Finals
00:58:26
Speaker
moment. It's worked for them in every win they've had. Their players who take it to the rack have done that with strength, with confidence, with aggression. When they go away from that,
00:58:36
Speaker
That's when it falls apart. If Gerlach gets pushed out beyond where he wants to be, that's never a good thing. If Beazley can pick off a ball when they fire it across the top of the arc there and get a huge dunk early.
00:58:51
Speaker
That'll change momentum. He's just got to actually finish the dunk. Please, Markel. Not like when you went for the big windmill a couple of weeks ago. Just do what you do, boys. And you put yourself in the best position. Don't overthink it. And for Maitland, a Cranston lounge could win the battle.
00:59:10
Speaker
With Hutchison, I mean, that'll go a long way. You know, if we were against the Leon MVP candidate, he should have all the confidence in the world that he can win that battle. But Hutch will be coming at him. What about you, Matt?
00:59:25
Speaker
I absolutely love this matchup because when you look at the numbers from the regular season, these were two of the best offensive teams in the league. Flip side to that, they weren't great defensively, but you got Mayland who were third in scoring, third in field goal percentage, fourth in assist, second in offensive rating. And then you got the Sharks who were fifth in scoring, fourth in field goal percentage, second in fast break points and sixth in offensive rating, which is still upper echelon of the league.
00:59:53
Speaker
If nothing else, it promises to be an explosive, high-powered matchup. There's two things I kind of look at, or three things. The two matchups that Lockie just mentioned, I think are crucial. Obviously, Hutchison versus Cranston Leon, worth the price of admission to outstanding point guard. Who gets on top in that matchup is gonna go a long way. And then if James Hunter can stretch the four against Jeffrey Gerlach and force Jeffrey out of the post the same way he did with Morrison and the Semis.
01:00:22
Speaker
That's going to be huge because Sutherland are going to have to find a way to adjust to that. The other thing is, again, you know, hat tip to Lockie for bringing it up again, the three-point shooting from Sutherland, you can bet Luke Boyle is going to throw that 1-3-1 zone right out at them and force them to make shots. Jordan Mitchell is like 7% from three on the season, right? They're not a good three-point shooting team. If Callum Norris could be the X factor,
01:00:52
Speaker
God, I mean, it's another one I know very well and I've seen for a long time and he's a classic zone buster. He's just one of those guys you look, you know, you look at cow, you think, Oh, what's he going to do? But man, if he's caught, if he hits his first shot, he might hit five in a row. That's how he rolls.
01:01:10
Speaker
And Lockie knows this, right? So I think he's a little bit of an X factor for them because you kind of look at the lineup and Beasley, not a great three point shooter. I mean, Mitchell hasn't done anything from the perimeter all year. Doesn't mean he can't get to the rack. He's so strong and that's what I love about his game. And of course, we know that Hutch can knock down the three ball.
01:01:33
Speaker
But I think that's going to be a huge key. And I think Luke Ball's going to throw a ton of zone. I think he's going to, it's going to be the blueprint that he used against the Bulls because very similar kind of team in one respect, only Sutherland doesn't shoot the ball as well as what the Bulls did. But that zone really mess with their minds. And I think, and they'll be different. I mean, I said that one, three, one, but he tends, Ball tends to mix it up as well. So you might see some two, three. You might see some box and one occasionally.
01:02:02
Speaker
a few different things that they'll run at them. So it's just such a fascinating matchup. Am I allowed to say who's calling the game? We didn't say who's calling the women's game, did we?
01:02:15
Speaker
No, we didn't say who we didn't say. It'll be announced by the time this podcast is out. We can probably go ahead if you want to say that. We can bury the lead. Well, congratulations to you for being a caller in the women's final. Well deserved, obviously. So it's going to be great to, great to hear that your, your great analysis once again.
01:02:41
Speaker
Thank you and congratulations to you as well being picked to commentate the men's final. You'll be in the hot seat with David Lane from ACT, who has been doing the Gunners and the Nationals games and myself will be in the hot seat with Caleb. Apologies Caleb, I don't know your last name, but I know that you...
01:03:02
Speaker
I know that you are the play-by-play commentator from Maitland and I'm very excited to call a game with you because I really have enjoyed the way that you've been calling the Maitland Mustangs games. He's done a terrific job this year, no doubt. Yeah, absolutely. But, you know, just quickly before we get into some other news and gossip and other things, with these matchups, Matt, you mentioned Maitland are likely to throw that 1-3
Maitland's Defensive Strategies
01:03:25
Speaker
-1. First of all, love that they're throwing a 1-3-1. I think that
01:03:29
Speaker
especially in the last say five, 10 years that I've watched basketball, sometimes men's teams typically don't like to go into any kind of other
01:03:38
Speaker
zone outside of a two, three desperate. So I love that a men's team is throwing in a one, three, one. Cause I feel like sometimes typically it's more women's teams throwing in these different types of half court, uh, defenses, but in terms of match ups, I'm just kind of looking up outside the one, three, one, when Maitland are purely playing man to man, the match ups between, I can't really pick the match ups other than Hutchinson and Cranston lounge, which is going to be epic, but
01:04:06
Speaker
We know that's going to be put to the side. We know that that's going to be very competitive and both of their shooting and scoring opportunities and maybe even facilitating opportunities are going to be really limited. But who's going to mark Markel Beasley? I mean, Gerlach and Hunter is a no-brainer, but who from Sutherland is going to mark Gray?
01:04:25
Speaker
Uh, I can't really see Gray and Beasley guarding each other because they're so different, but also play similar roles. But in terms of skill sets, size, athleticism, quite different. Billy Parsons, is he going to be tasked with Markel Beasley? Yeah. I don't know. That one's going to be hard to pick, I think. I mean, it's you're, you're right. Uh, look, Gray, Gray's an interesting one because.
01:04:51
Speaker
He's got that different body type, it's really long and athletic and he got that perfect, what ended up being a perfect matchup against Alexander Higgins teachers, very similar body type and he just took him apart.
01:05:04
Speaker
in so many ways and whereas Beazley's a completely different beast in that regard, you know, explosive, got the big shoulders, he's strong, he's quicker, but I think it's probably, I can see them guarding one another, but then definitely Parsons will probably take him. Parsons has got the mobility to go with him.
01:05:25
Speaker
But then, you know, Beazley's going to be a tough cover for Maitland if they go, man, if they go, I don't think you can single cover him. I think in this matchup, just purely from an athletic standpoint, I think they've got to sort of think about, you know, maybe blitzing him, getting him, getting the ball out of his hands. That's what I do anyway. Come down to Beazley V Grey out of necessity, but I don't think it's a matchup that they particularly like.
01:05:53
Speaker
as you mentioned, just get if they can get the ball out of his hands, you know, if they can throw a double at him or something that it's in the zone again, you know, that's the other thing that force. I just I just had this feeling that, you know, Luke Boyle is going to say, OK, guys, have at it. We're going to make you prove it to us from the perimeter. You haven't really done it most of the year. You haven't. We know you've got guys that can knock the thing down, but we're going to prove it to you. We want you to prove it to us rather. And that's
01:06:21
Speaker
That's, I think, going to be the mindset. You talk about Hutch to knock down the three. One thing that we talked about and calls last season after Callum went down with his ankle. Don't remind me. I saw it happen. Sorry. If you need Hutch to score your threes, well, he's already got a fairly significant job as primary ball handler. So his shots, his shots are so, you know,
01:06:50
Speaker
The quantity of shooting is just reduced so much if you need him to be the primary three point shooter. Yeah. No, it's a great point. Look, that's what fascinates me about this matchup. There's all these little.
01:07:02
Speaker
twists and turns and little storylines that are happening. All these different adjustments and it is the classic chess match between a really young coach and Pat Williamson has done a terrific job this year and a guy in Luke Boyle has been around for a while and I think is finally starting to get his due.
01:07:22
Speaker
Very good indeed. All right, so do either of you have any news or gossip from the league heading into this season that we can share? I've told you some quietly, which we know we can't talk about. I've got two pieces of news. Isaac Ayubi committed to West Texas A&M University, which is one of the Morgan boys is going there as well. I can't remember which one.
01:07:47
Speaker
It's Noah Pagotto going there as well. Noah Pagotto is going there as well. And it's also where Hayden Blankley played before he went to Asia and now for Bankstown. Secondly, seeing as we're talking about Maitland, we've talked about his exploits on the pitch before, but Jack Edwards won New South Wales Touch Football Player of the Year.
01:08:10
Speaker
No way, that's amazing. I mean, he's probably one of the most athletic people I've ever seen without exaggeration. I remember seeing him when he played Youth League and I was floored. So he made his Australian debut earlier in the year, as we know, scored the winning try in the Trans-Tasman Series in extra time and now winning New South Wales Player of the Year. So keep hold of him Mustangs because touch footy is looking like a very good sport for Jack.
01:08:36
Speaker
But yes, Matt will probably just keep stick to news and gossip that we can say on air. I am aware that this is has already been a monster, but very good episode so far. But usually we finish our episodes with an all star five. And since we haven't done any for the final series and in the meantime, the NBL one have released the NBL one East Award nominations. I thought we could quickly chat about that. So first of all, nominations are out there up on social media pages.
01:09:05
Speaker
First thing that comes to mind for either of you, Matt, I'll go to you first, any omissions that you noticed from any of these awards.
01:09:14
Speaker
Well, a whole bunch from the men MVP. And I think Dave O'Hickey was an obvious one for me off the bat. That's one, Chris Bryant, Benny Henschel is another one, AJ Lawton from the Crusaders. Although he came in a bit late, obviously, and Lockie Hutchinson again. Although I'm a little bit biased when it comes to him, but still.
01:09:36
Speaker
The biggest one, and I referenced it earlier, the irony of ironies. The two guys that weren't even nominated for coach of the year are the two guys leading their teams into the championship game. Luke Boyle and Pat Williamson. I mean, come on. I know it's a regular season award and all of that. I mean, look, Maitland won 10, before they lost their last two, they'd won 10 straight.
01:10:03
Speaker
and really stepped up in a major way when a lot of people, probably myself included to a degree, had stupidly written them off, which you can never do. And they've proven that, obviously, over the last two years at least.
01:10:18
Speaker
I think you've just about nailed it in, you know, in those emissions for the men's MVP, you're pretty much just rattled off in all NBL1E second team. Yeah, exactly. I thought of that. I was sort of thinking, I'm looking at this and you could look, you could say the same for the girls. And again, it speaks to the talent level and how it's improved.
01:10:39
Speaker
Yeah, almost exponentially from the first year of NBA One East to now, which is so exciting. And look, I get that a lot of that has to do with the introduction of the COE. Some of the talent that was brought in this season was extraordinary. So yeah, both on both sides, men and women. So yeah, that's really exciting. And you talk about a second team. No, I think there should be an all-NBA One East second team. I really do. I just think there's too much talent.
01:11:09
Speaker
I was going to ask as well, uh, as part of the run sheet for tonight, do you both feel like there's room for a first and a second team and you've both successfully answered that? And just, six man of the year as well on both sides. I mean, purely selfishly, I would say it's Tony Tullivar for the Bulls. Look at some of the, the Nordson Manly.
01:11:32
Speaker
and Bankstown as well. And I mean, they did such great job off the bench. I think you can expand it. I think they got to start looking at that.
01:11:40
Speaker
What I would actually personally like to see with things like the awards that have been announced for MBL One East, but even as far back as how the final series have been run, I would like it to be standardized across all MBL One leagues.
Standardizing MBL One Awards
01:11:55
Speaker
Correct. All of the awards that are offered and the same leagues, for example, WA has commentator of the year. Would love to see that in all conferences. Oh, it's not safe to give in, isn't it?
01:12:06
Speaker
No, I'm pretty sure it's either Matt McQuaid or Lucky Fran. It's not Lucky Fran. But I think just as a point of us as commentators to try and find out then who are the other commentators out there that we can listen to that we can A, enjoy and B, perhaps learn from. And because also commentators are also a big part of what make MBL one.
01:12:28
Speaker
apart from the players and the coaches, sure. But in terms of making other pathways for people in basketball, if we have an award for commentating and put commentating and things like that to the front, then people are going to be like, this is actually a serious thing that I can consider.
01:12:44
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. And the other, just sort of, you know, expanding upon that. I just think media awards in general. I mean, look, you know, I'm going to be complimentary to you guys because what you've done in promoting and I look, it's not just me saying this. I mean, I'm hearing this from a lot of people. There are so many people that listen in and I just want to, you know, while I've got the opportunity to congratulate the pair of you for doing what you do every week. Just into nose, I've been driving here nuts saying,
01:13:14
Speaker
We need the next podcast. When are you going to put it up? So she lost patience with her the other day. I'm like, Oh, Oh, okay. I'll back off. Um, but that, but what that says, Jacinda, I mean, that, that is basically, it's a compliment because it's saying, Hey, you guys are worth listening to. Not just worth listening to. It's must listen, you know, and the particularly the interviews you did throughout the year were amazing. They really were.
01:13:41
Speaker
you clearly do your research, you clearly love the game, the passion comes through. So I think from an award's perspective, I mean, look, the podcast would be an absolute walker, absolute late end museum to win an award, but I think just generally maybe, you know, encourage writing, you know, maybe, you know, a blog or, you know, a local newspaper, start doing that, you know, because we're trying to really build this thing, right? And, you know, through the media,
01:14:10
Speaker
And yeah, acknowledging some of the great commentary that's been done throughout the NBO1 and getting back to your original point, standardizing the awards, 100%. I think that has to happen. Thank you so much for the very lovely feedback, Matt, and we're really glad that people are enjoying it and have that urgency to listen to it because I'm pretty sure I can confidently speak on behalf of Locky as well when we didn't really think
01:14:37
Speaker
know that anyone would be interested or listen to it in the first place. So the fact that people are listening so closely is really, really cool. I also feel like standardizing the awards, standardizing the final series, media coverage, especially because I feel like that people are going to read, only read what's out there. Locky in terms of a first and a second team and in terms of these awards.
01:15:02
Speaker
that are finalists that have been announced. What's your takeaway from all of it?
MVP Nomination Controversies
01:15:07
Speaker
My main one I saw was Michaela Pivock getting an MVP nomination in the women's competition.
01:15:15
Speaker
Now that goes one of two ways. Full disclosure, I'm the biggest Michaela Pific fan out there. Everyone knows that. Um, she had an absolutely incredible season, but it was only half a season. I know that like finals eligibility is one third of the season plus a game. So like eight games, but I don't know if MVP consideration should be maybe
01:15:37
Speaker
A little bit more extended. That was a surprise. I agree with you on that. That was a surprise. I mean, look, again, a little bit of bias and then it comes back to how many games they won, but how Michaela Dompkins didn't get nominated or how Leilani Mitchell didn't go is ridiculous. Michaela Dompkins was amazing.
01:15:57
Speaker
Absolutely amazing. She was a warrior and the numbers she was putting up were ridiculous. I mean, she had that 36.29 rebound game. She had, you know, a bunch of 20 rebound games. She was a warrior. And then Leilani was just doing Leilani things. Now the counter argument is, well, they only won five games.
01:16:16
Speaker
I get that and four of those, you know, and the fifth game, they weren't even their fifth win rather against Penrith. They weren't even there by the same token, what they brought to this competition. And we've seen this before. I mean, in, in other leagues where, um, you know, guys that are putting great guys or girls are putting great stats, even though their teams haven't been that successful have still been rated very highly from an MVP perspective. So, and yeah, people may say, look, you biased or whatever, and yeah, fine.
01:16:44
Speaker
I saw every game of theirs, a ton of road games and obviously every home game. So I'm in a better position and common to most. I just thought what they brought, not just to the Bulls, but just to the league in general, should have been acknowledged and the fact that it wasn't was disappointing for me.
01:17:01
Speaker
Yeah, especially
Youth Play of the Year Nominations
01:17:02
Speaker
Michaela not getting recognized the defensive play of the year, considering she was the top rebounder for the whole season consistently. I think she ended the season as top rebounder and I think she averaged like 15 rebounds or something a game. It's just outrageous.
01:17:17
Speaker
And particularly what's exciting speaking of youth was the youth play of the year announcements for both men and women, especially looking at that women, the women's nominations. I mean, that could be a very close to a perfect starting five on any given day with Ash Hannon, Jada Clark, Fliss Henderson, Carla Pittman, Jada Crawshaw.
01:17:40
Speaker
very well deserving. Uh, and with the men, it was great to see some of the East got game favorites in there with Noah, Dal Fig, Billy Parsons, and then Maddie Waitcher and Alex Toohey for good measure. So,
Should NBL One East Host an Awards Night?
01:17:53
Speaker
uh, very good to see. The only other question I'll ask you guys in relation to MBL one as a whole,
01:18:00
Speaker
How do you feel about the idea of NBL One East also hosting an awards night? Because from what I'm seeing on social media, particularly from NBL One North, like I want to book a gig up there next season. They have the awards night. They had a press conference for their final series. They have a three game final series. You've got the likes of John and some of the other younger.
01:18:23
Speaker
our broadcasters and commentators coming up in the league doing after-game stuff, it's a whole other level up there. But, aside, awards night, what do you think? 100%. If the other conferences are doing it, whether you agree with it or not, just for the optics.
01:18:40
Speaker
If the other conferences are doing it and you want to showcase yourself as being at the same level, you've got to do these kinds of things. Yeah. And look, to be fair, it is only the second season. I, you know, in some ways it's going to be slow build, but look, it has to happen. You have it in a central location somewhere, you know, not always going to be possible for everybody to come. Obviously Canberra can be, you know, Newcastle a little bit problematic, but still, you know, you can get as many as you can. I think I always love a good awards night.
01:19:09
Speaker
If you do it right, it's another way to promote the league and really push the league to the heights that we want to see it attain. People won't say it's just an awards night. No, it's not because it just shows that extra level of professionalism and care about your competition. Yeah, I 100% agree. And I was going to say the same thing. It's showing that level of professionalism because this is now technically the semi-professional league and the pathway to MBL and WNBL.
01:19:39
Speaker
And I think on multiple layers, it has the opportunity to show that level of professionalism like an award ceremony, like media awards, et cetera. So, but very good point, Matt. It is only in its second year and the only way is up. So hopefully we'll
Grand Final Plans and Logistics
01:19:55
Speaker
watch this space and we'll be able to.
01:19:57
Speaker
have the front row seat of seeing all these positive changes in the league. But otherwise, guys, we have had a massive chat on a Sunday night, so I really appreciate you jumping on. I think that will wrap up the episode. We'll see you, Matt, at the grand final next week at Sydney University, where you're going to be calling the men's game at five p.m. And Lockie, you'll be with us in spirit because... No, no, no, no. I will be coming to the games before I go to the World Cup. Don't worry.
01:20:27
Speaker
It's going to be a quick trip from Sydney Uni out to Stadium Australia, but I will be there. Lockie, I'm really glad that you'll still be there even if you won't be on duty in the commentary box with one of us. Sarge's in the grand final. Come on, he's got to be there. He has to be there. My heart rate can hit 153 again like it did last year in the women's semi. We'll have a medic on standby and maybe I won't bring you a double espresso, dare ice coffee.
01:20:54
Speaker
I
Closing Remarks and Listener Engagement
01:20:55
Speaker
don't want to enable any medical issues there, mate. But gentlemen, thank you both for joining us for this very special episode, semi-final review, grand final preview. Very excited for NBA One East to reach its peak with this awesome grand final matchup in both the men and women. It can literally be anyone's game in each of them. And I look forward to seeing you both there and enjoying it.
01:21:21
Speaker
Oh, look, thank you, both of you for having me. It was an absolute treat. Always loved talking hoops and about this league that I'm very passionate about as well as the NBL. And again, thanks for the tremendous work you've done throughout the season. It is appreciated not just by me. I can guarantee you this by a great deal.
01:21:50
Speaker
share with your friends and subscribe to wherever you get your podcasts. But most of all, don't sleep on the east.