Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Season 4 Episode 5: Instant Classics with guest co-host Robbie Clayton (Hills Hornets & Throwback Hoops)
48 Plays5 days ago
Huge episode after an eventful Rd 3 of NBL1 East 2026. Lachy is joined by guest co-host Robbie Clayton, colour commentator/analyst for the Hills Hornets and co-creator and host of Throwback Hoops podcast. The boys cover:
Discussion points: Coacch Matty K steps down from Albury-Wodonga Bandits HC, Kone and Heal returns to NBL1 East, Norths women set the record straight
EGG GOTW: Hills Hornets vs. Albury-Wodonga Bandits (men)
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Social Media Plugs
00:00:59
Speaker
Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of East Got Game where we give you the X's, the O's and the insights of NBL One East.
00:01:10
Speaker
Thank you for joining us tonight live on YouTube and Instagram. Remember you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook at East Got Game or you can continue to find our episodes on your preferred streaming platforms.
00:01:22
Speaker
And while you're there, check out Cut to the Jace podcast featuring current Bankstown Brew and Jacing today. And It's a Cold World, a podcast by WNBL champion, Beck Cole.
00:01:32
Speaker
Both brought to you by basketball.com.au.
Guest Introduction: Robbie Clayton
00:01:36
Speaker
And no, you are not seeing or hearing things. It is me, Lockie, doing the intro rather than Squin tonight because Squin is...
00:01:44
Speaker
otherwise occupied. So we have a very special guest here for his first appearance is I think season one of East Scott Game, Robbie Clayton from Hills.
00:01:55
Speaker
Robbie, welcome. Lovely to have you joining us just this evening. Good evening, Lockie. Great to be here. Look, pretty big shoes to fill, obviously, with Squinn being out tonight, but ill I'll do my best, right?
00:02:07
Speaker
yeah I'm sure you will do a great job.
Hornets' Victory Recap and Coaching Changes
00:02:11
Speaker
We are... We'll be covering your beloved Hornets after their amazing victory over the Aubrey Wodonga Bandits down there at ah the hideout. it was ah have you Have you recovered yet?
00:02:25
Speaker
Well, my voice is slowly coming back. Look, we sort of touted this as being the game of the week last week, didn't we? And it didn't disappoint. It went right down to the wire there. So, no, looking forward to to chat about that one with us tonight. It certainly was, but we do have a few um few discussion points. And I guess the first one, rather topical, um Coach Matt Kowalczyk stepping down as the head coach of the Aubrey-Wodonga men, which is a tough situation because he's been quite a loyal servant of the club.
00:02:54
Speaker
Yeah, it was a bit of a surprise. Maybe surprise for us sort of being outside, you know, away from the Aubrey-Wodonga team there. But yeah, look, he's been there for a couple of seasons. You know, he's very highly regarded there. look The team started off slowly. There's no doubt about that. I think they were none of three before he stepped down and then they lost again on on the weekend. Spoiler alert. But, um yeah, a bit of a surprise there. I think the the press statement that's gone out, and he wanted to sort of focus on family and all those sort of things. um He's been coaching for eight years. I believe he was a youth league coach before he he took over there, Lockie. So, you know, a big part of that team there. and But, um look, sometimes, um you know, family comes first if that's the case. So if that's, you know, the reasons we we wish him all the best, I guess, right?
00:03:35
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. I mean, sometimes you just, you you just think, you know, I've given everything. It's it's not working anymore. what i' What I'm putting in isn't getting the results that it once was. And sometimes just got to step back.
Player Status Transparency and Signing Issues
00:03:49
Speaker
And we've got realise as well, for some of these coaches, it's not their full-time work gig, is it? You know, he's probably got a nine to five, Monday to Friday, and then he's doing the The practicing, you know, playing with Aubrey Wodonga, you're pretty much on the road every second week and doing monster road trips there. I was looking at that up on the weekend. They're so much closer to Melbourne, aren't they? I know they were in the NBL 1 South, you know, in 2021 before the NBL 1A started. But, yeah, lot of big road trips to to come up to Sydney all the time.
00:04:13
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, they even still do. They still play in the South Blitz in preseason because it's just easier for them. I wonder what the reason was for that, for them coming over to the East after, you know, being in the South there. It's hard to say, isn't it?
00:04:25
Speaker
It really, yeah, it is. um Yeah. I mean, South has a lot of teams already as well. And we could always, at the time, we could really have used the extra teams definitely because it was that was back when it was only a 12-team league in the East. so And we're not going to comply we've got to commentate Lauren jackson lower Jackson for a few seasons. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah. I feel that one.
00:04:50
Speaker
Something i don't know that we need to discuss... the logistics of it maybe it's about transparency in the league with mo cone signing with illawarra when they already have two nbl players and matt mims um so blanche blanchefield peatling mims and now cone who i mean as soon as the news dropped we got a message in our dms on the east god game instagram saying on Isn't this for restricted players when you can have two actual imports and then one Asia Pacific or NBL player import?
00:05:28
Speaker
For me, i I'm not across you know what each player's status is, but do you think we just need more transparency on these things? think it's a good call locky i mean i even went through looking at the various bylaws and those sort of things and there's all the you know all the legal jargon and you know clause 15.1 category a and all those sort of things but yeah i think you're right it just would be good for it to be broken down a little bit more because i guess from the outside looking in exactly what you said there it's like how is this is this working there is there something we've missed there um certainly none of those guys were um
00:05:59
Speaker
were were juniors. I think we're pretty safe on that there. So, yeah, it's a little bit strange, isn't it? mean, look, good
League Scheduling and Game Highlights
00:06:05
Speaker
for the Hawks, isn't it? They're absolutely low. I mean, Cone had a great game against Illawarra last year, and you see that sometimes, don't you, that, you know, the player plays really well against that team and then the team then looks to sign him. So I think he went off, was it 30, 38 points or something like that?
00:06:19
Speaker
last year when he was playing for Hornsby. So, yeah, pretty good signing for them. But I think you're right. A little bit of transparency would be nice just to see how they they managed to do that. And maybe that's something people can contact us if they they do have any further information on that that we've missed there. Yeah, 100%. Drop a comment on the video if you need if you know exactly what each player's status is. I mean, um I was talking, I was commentating with ah Hornsby's James Mullen for a university game on Friday and he was... um Yeah, he was saying, yeah, Mo mo might not get the same, ah you know, same minutes he got at Horsby-Karingai, but he'll definitely ah slot in there well for them. So, I mean, more power to them if they can make it all work.
00:07:00
Speaker
That's it. And speaking of signings, one that dropped today, Shiloh Hill back at Bankstown. ah That was massive news, particularly our and and the Bruins, strong squad on the face of it, but haven't, i mean, they had a tough draw to start, but only yeah in two and two at this stage. But ah things really, really changed with the addition of Shiloh.
00:07:26
Speaker
It was a big signing, wasn't it? I think she played, was it, maybe seven games last season there before she, think, went over for an overseas. You know, she got injured as well, didn't she, I think, last year? But, look, she's obviously familiar there. know, you mentioned off-air, Lachie. She's got some teammates that she knows well that she's played with for a while there, you know, Dale being one of them there. So, yeah, look, they're loaded on both of the men's and the women's teams now at Bankstown. I believe Bankstown's got another import to come in the men's team as well. I've heard a little buzz about that, which I won't keep to my chest at the moment, but that could be something that's... That's announced pretty shortly. But, yeah, look, in terms of the women's team, and look, the women's league is just yeah going from strengths to strengths. and Every team seems to be loading up. And I feel like there's still more to come. you There's plenty of weeks left where you can still sign people there. So, yeah, that's ah it's a big cut for Banksy. I'm just disappointed I'm not seeing them this year. They don't make a trip to Hill. So, yeah, don't get to see Alex Higgins' teacher and Jason Caddy and Shiloh Hill. That's a bit of a shame.
00:08:21
Speaker
Yeah, we're in the same boat. I think they might play at Comets, but I'll be at Sutherland on whatever weekend that is. Interesting. I love to know how they do this scheduling. You know, this is the third year in a row that Newcastle haven't played at Hills. It's really strange. Really? got me a Nicole Munger WNBL jersey a couple of years ago. I thought I'll get that signed next time she's at Hills. But no, every year Newcastle don't play against us there. So a little bit strange. But yeah, I guess maybe next year might be the year.
00:08:48
Speaker
I can't remember the last time I saw Manly at Sutherland. Interesting. Yeah. Which is isn real interesting. um I ah guess we should discuss how how do you see Shiloh fitting into this lineup? Who's obviously played alongside Davida at Comets and they were the backcourt.
00:09:06
Speaker
Yeah. But really feels like like Talia and Davida could you know look to be set as the starting backcourt, but we know Talia can play a number of positions.
00:09:17
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, mainly maybe you switch Talia to the three there, but look, you know Shiloh, she has the ball in her hands a lot. i think we've seen that over the years there. She's a high-volume shooter. She's a good distributor there. So, look, I'm sure with someone with the talent she's got, they can make that work. But, yeah, i don't mind that actually putting Talia to the three. She's got the good body type that she can go up against, you know, threes, and I think...
00:09:37
Speaker
out muscle those and get them to the basket and yeah get close to the basket and get on the line which we know she does so well there so yeah i mean that's going to be an absolute problem for opposition defenses isn't it certainly is i mean i remember seeing talia um back playing siebel for the sydney uni sparks playing alongside what was basically an academy side like we're talking like 16 17 year old kim hodge and players of the kim dickinson and she was playing the four and the five because she was just bigger than everyone else on the roster yeah we're gonna worry in the league we should start a few stops now but um yeah i think any team would be pretty happy to have and i think the final final discussion point we should which i think the big one that um well we've been talking about it off air a bit is game of the week this so far this season it's been highly concentrated amongst three particular clubs
00:10:32
Speaker
And it's very much looking like it's trended towards the quality of the men's matchup being the primary focus so far. Because it's been, well, it's been a it's been a three-way round robin between Illawarra, Maitland and Canberra so far, all three games of the league.
00:10:50
Speaker
Strange isn't it? I'd love to know how they work this out because it always feels like last year most teams were getting a chance for game of the week. So I don't know if this is something that they've had organized at the start of the year and it's kind of luck of the draw the way it's worked out. You haven't had one yet, have you, in Commons? No. No, we haven't had one. we don't have This week is Commons Bruins at Bankstown.
00:11:11
Speaker
aye ah You know the good thing when you do get one, look, you get those comfortable headphones, right? That's the the good thing about it. You get those extra comfy headphones. but Yeah, look, it's an interesting one. Like I said, I think they probably would have that schedule planned out in advance there, but hopefully every team gets a go. like It shouldn't really matter on ladder position in the men's or the women's. Give everyone a a go. you know Give every every team a couple of games. I think Hills might have had two games last year from memory um and look it is a good thing there it's um you know you get the extra cameras you get the a few little extra goodies i guess when coinciding so from a coinciding point of view it's a good thing but yeah i guess it's for fans around the league you want them to be able to see you know as many times as possible and not just the same things all the time
00:11:50
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. And when you think, like, this week we've got um Canberra, ceo ah ah Newcastle COE in the women's and Manly Aubrey-Wodonga, those are two massive match-ups. Last week, North and Aubrey-Wodonga women got the 11am Sunday morning slot. Yeah. Yeah, what do we, you know, some of these really big, there are some big-time match-ups in the women's game. I know we want to get the season off to a good start with, you know, these title contenders being...
00:12:20
Speaker
being you know showcased, but there's title contenders on the women's side also absolutely right facing off in early stages of the season. Yeah. so moving on, we do we are reviewing, at Robbie's request, the Hills-Albury men's game, and it turned out to be an absolute barn burner. It was It finished 92-90 in Hills' favour, and it was back and forth the whole way. Aubrey got out to a lead. Hills brought it back.
00:12:58
Speaker
Hills marched on with it a little bit, and then Aubrey Yordonga almost got over the top in the final minutes. But, Robbie, looking at this game, I'm sure you were watching it live.
00:13:11
Speaker
um What were your overall impressions of the game? I thought it was it was very entertaining. There's no doubt about it. It was close. I think the second half might have been equal. I think, yeah, it was 43 all at halftime, and then they sort of Obviously, Hills ended up with three more points in the second half there. But, ah yeah, I thought it was it was ah a good standard game. I felt like there was quite a lot to play for both teams. i mean, obviously, Aubrey and Wodonga were pretty desperate to get that first win. I've got that new coach theory I always talk about in all sports as well. That can sometimes help a team. But I think even for Hills, you know, being one and two at the time, they did not want to drop to one and three. I know they've got high hopes this year. I think I've talked them up a little bit to squim before the season started for both the men's and the women's teams for Hills. but Yeah, I think it was a big one for them. um
00:13:58
Speaker
Hills do have a really big run of home games coming up as well. So they wanted to try try and take care of business. And yeah, look, I mean, what are um what a good thing for the team, though. I know they got the bus to this game there. So it's a shame, obviously, for the women they went down there. But would be it would have been a pretty good feeling on that bus coming home there. And look, I'm sure we'll talk about him, Lockie, but Meekness Payne, he was huge in that game.
00:14:20
Speaker
Absolutely came up huge huge at the end. He certainly was huge. Yeah, especially at the end. That's exactly our one thing I didn't note down. that um But, I mean, everything was so eerily similar. Like, get sometimes these really close games and one team does it one way, one team does it the other way. But you look at the stats, field goals almost – I mean, they both took the same amount of field goal attempts. 33 of for 31 of um you know, Hills, you know,
00:14:54
Speaker
doing a little bit better from two-point range. Well, they were 58% on twos, weren't they? That was crazy. And it it felt like in the first half, they were perhaps bombing a little bit away from the three-point line. I think they were, was it two of 17 in the first half? I think I'm not great at maths, lucky, but that's a pretty ordinary percentage there. Yeah, you don't need to be good at maths to know that. a good word to know that, yeah. But um look, they they definitely were were going well inside, which is, you you're playing against a team with ah a really big inside presence in Majook Majook there. But, you know, a great percentage there. and I think that may be... opened up things a little bit and sort of led them to getting some some more open threes in that second half there.
00:15:30
Speaker
But um if we, I mean, we'll so we'll start it start at the beginning and the first quarter. um And I think I say this about him every time I watch him harking back to last year's opening game for Bankstown where he had three blocks in the opening quarter. I could watch Gump Majak play defense all day.
00:15:48
Speaker
yeah He just, from the very first possession, he just played disciplined defense. And it ah in the first quarter, it really, i think, set the tone inside that despite Aubrey Wodonga having these star players in their front court,
00:16:05
Speaker
He was pretty wasn't going but he a pretty under-the-radar signing for the Hornets, I thought. Obviously, you know, he had some time at... at Bankstown there. Hills had, you know, Dengak last year who was a star, but I think he was probably a little bit hard to hard to afford for any NBA or one-ease team, have thought. But, yeah, getting Goom across, I mean, first off with Goom, absolutely terrific guy there. So he's really, know, fit into that group really well. But you're right, on defense, he just adds another dimension to that Hills team. You know, he's not the the tallest center. He's a big guy, but there's there's definitely centers that have got some more size than But he's got some great timing there. I think that's probably the big thing I'm noticing with him. And As long as you can keep him out of foul trouble, we did see him yeah have quite a few fouls against Manly with some of those big guys they had on that team in the in round two there. But yeah, he was huge. And like you said, setting the time of those early blocks there and just sort of letting that Aubrey-Wodonga team know that he was there and they were feeling his presence for sure.
Game Strategy and Player Performance Analysis
00:17:00
Speaker
Yeah, and I feel like Aubrey-Wodonga... They a bit of trouble getting through their sets early compared to Hill. I think Hill's really settled into the game and got through their offenses.
00:17:11
Speaker
They're in a couple of very similar sets early on. They seem to love a wing three to the Hornets. Yeah, yeah. Well, even with the sets with the bandits there, I mean, that could even be the, you know, the result of having that new coach there because like I'm sure you're going to come in and run some similar sets and try and keep it reasonably similar offense to what you're doing. But I'm sure a new coaches has got some ideas and trying to implement some things. and You know, it's hard to implement new sets in practice. You've got to try try it in games there. But yeah, I think you're right. He'll sort of control things a little bit better. Big one for me in that first half was Ned Carr as well.
00:17:44
Speaker
He was someone, look, I saw him in the preseason against, you know, the NBL, NBL one national champions, Canberra, and he put up 30 points in it. And a pre-season tie of all things, Lockie. So that game actually was tied at the end. Everyone's looking around. What's going on? All the coaches are shaking hands. over We're not playing overtime. It's pre-season. So he was really big in that. And i was sort of waiting for him to have that big game because I think he's still someone that's a little bit of an unknown, I think. You know, he's played in the Big V last year. that's Also had some time in the NBL One South. but He was huge in that first half, you 11 points and six rebounds and was probably Hill's best player there. But, um yeah, look, as we said, 43 all in the first half. And we'll probably have got some notes for the second quarter as well. But it was certainly tight that whole first half.
00:18:28
Speaker
Certainly. Well, and Ned Carr, I ah was wondering what to expect from him because, as you said, he played in Big V and he went off in Big V, um which is the same league Meek Payne came from and a couple of other players have come up. Ish Sanders as well, another Hornets input there. um Don't call Edward Carr as well. So notice all the graphics have Edward Carr. He definitely goes by Ned. Yeah.
00:18:48
Speaker
yeah and I was because I saw like he didn't get a lot of burn with i think it was Dandenong in NBL one South dropped yeah drop back to big B and absolutely went off and um yeah yeah so i was actually yeah kind of wondering you know what where's he gonna gonna fit because um but he's certainly taken that form and yeah he was um he was really good really energetic uh can he can shoot over most people Yeah, he's a big unit too. He's a legit 6'8", 6'9", there and moves well there. So, yeah, he's um I'm looking forward to see how he can continue after having that big game there.
00:19:25
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, yeah, Hills, as you mentioned, that that first quarter, though, um one of 10 from three-point range in the first quarter. But I think they were getting good looks on a lot of occasions.
00:19:37
Speaker
Yeah. i just Yeah, they just weren't falling on a lot of yeah on a lot of occasions. i think I think Hills, they set screens for shooters really well. I think it really opens up their offense.
00:19:49
Speaker
Yeah, look, I think the difference for for the Bannets and that, especially that first up as well that kept them alive in the game was the offensive rebounds. I think larry they had a 14 to 6 offensive repound rebound count there. We know the veteran marick mau was just grabbing rebounds all night. um as As a lifelong Wildcats fan, Lockie, I'm pretty excited to see him in the NBL 1 East and playing with Lockie Cummings, another I had a little bit of time with the Wildcats back in the day. so that But, yeah, I think that was a big difference for them. You their field goal percentages were down, but they were getting second opportunities with those O boards there.
00:20:23
Speaker
And another player I'd like to get, um I mean, I'm sure you've seen lot more of him than I have, Ben Williams. what What can you tell me about him? Because i I think it's probably the first or second time I've watched him, and he looked really solid.
00:20:36
Speaker
He really did. i mean, i think he had was at eight points in in eight minutes. I think it was only less than eight minutes. um Yeah, he's a young guy that Hills got over from Norths. They've sort of raided Norths little bit last year. They've got Josh Payne, who was actually missing in that game. We should say that Josh Payne, who's had a really good start to the season. and And as I like to call him, the goat of the Hills Hornets men's team, Liam Moss. Both of those two were were not playing in this game. But yeah, Ben Williams has really impressed me so far. He's got some good height. i He's probably a good 6'4", 6'5", moves really well, very good defender. But yeah, look, to be able to come on in a game where you were a little bit under man and put up those quick eight points was was impressive.
00:21:11
Speaker
And look, I think that's the sort of game that might you know potentially make him earn a few more minutes there. Rhys Potter's obviously, know, Hill's coach there is is a big fan of the young kid there. So yeah, he's he's an exciting one to watch for the Hornets.
00:21:23
Speaker
Yeah, and he he was doing it in in different ways as well. wasn't that's written That's it. I really notice his defense when he comes on. I think that's a lot of the Hornets guys. I mean, maybe when you've got ah an example like Saxon Orsini who just comes out like the energizer bunny and plays that defense, I think it becomes infectious. And we've seen you a little bit of Josh Payne doing that. We know Paif Mamoise is ah a great defender. But yeah, Ben Williams seems like he's got that you know the defensive sort of ability as well.
00:21:51
Speaker
So it was Aubrey Wodonga after the first quarter. But something that stood out to me in a quarter that had only 39 points scored, 13 of those, Aubrey's way, was second chance points.
00:22:05
Speaker
um What did you make of the team's rebounding in that? Because that seems like a lot of second chance points to give up. Yeah, felt like maybe both teams just weren't sort of, you know, knowing their assignment and knowing who to put a bodyoty on a body on there. We mentioned Majuk Majuk. I mean, jeez, you've got to get a body on that guy, of course. um But, you know, Hills were also getting some second opportunities as well. But, yeah, to see, you know, 20 offensive rebounds in a half of basketball is almost unheard would have thought there. But, yeah, maybe just players missing their assignments and, you know, not getting that body on on the player they're defending there. but i think maybe both teams corrected that a little bit in the second half and that was that was probably a pretty big message from the coaches there going into that second half.
00:22:44
Speaker
Yeah. And um I mean, yeah, like we had Ed Kaff flying in for an Orensie Brown putback. We had young Charlie Sutton there for Oruodonga going a couple of o boards. um yeah But I think, like, I think Hills, they were down five after a quarter.
00:23:05
Speaker
But I felt like it could have been closer. um i felt like, I didn't feel like they were, yeah, I felt like they could have taken more opportunities. And I think there were times throughout, especially probably in the first half where both teams probably missed a few opportunities. And I say in the first half, but it probably went throughout the game.
00:23:27
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
00:23:29
Speaker
And we maybe relying on that three-point shot a little bit is too much, as you mentioned, with the Hornets there. It was a a pretty slow start. As we said, they did correct that in the second half. But, yeah, it was just maybe finding that you know rhythm of the game there. Look, it's not an excuse, but it is ah a massive road trip to to get there. So, you know, perhaps a little bit of fatigue for these Giants sitting on a bus on the way to Aubrey Bodonga there. But, yeah, I think they did sort of settle that after that early start. and Yeah, it's really set up a big second half.
00:23:57
Speaker
Yeah, so um so moving to the second quarter, um I mean, the first thing I wrote down for the second quarter after two minutes um was with the looks Hills are getting, Aubrey Wodonga were very fortunate to be winning. They were up 24-22, so that's to start the quarter. But I really thought Hills, they were doing everything but putting the ball in the basket at this stage. Mm-hmm.
00:24:26
Speaker
they love They love a handoff and they love guys coming from the corner to make something happen. And I thought they did it really well and just couldn't put the ball in the basket very much. True. Look, eventually those shots are going to start to fall there. and i think the thing with Aubrey as well, was quite an even spread there. They had you know four guys really contribute. I think a couple of guys got over 20 points. um Both teams didn't use all their bench players. I Hills were a couple of people down. I think they only travelled with nine players and a couple of guys didn't really do much for the bandits there. but Yeah, and I definitely understand what you were saying there. you can sort of see they were getting good shots, the Hornets, there, and you you know they're not going to continue to miss those shots there.
00:25:05
Speaker
yeah Missing Josh Payne and Liam a little bit from the the outside are probably – they're arguably the Hornets' two best three-point shooters would have seen. You've probably seen a bit of Josh Payne though, right, Lockie? I actually haven't seen a lot of Josh Payne because he really came into the league after I started being becoming Sutherland and Comets commentator. so Sure. Yeah.
00:25:25
Speaker
i players probably players that came in pre-covered um i saw a lot of but yeah now i'm more locked into just two clubs i don't see as much about i mean i do hear the stories of him going off for 40 and ubl grand final yeah like that but um yeah it's it's tough yeah i mean you watch these guys but um yes in terms of watching them regularly it's a bit a bit harder he was probably the hornet's best player in that road wing that they had against newcastle in round one had the big road double in a west which they lost and then away at newcastle there and he was probably the hornet's best player he went for let's say 23 points was really deadly from the outside there so yeah another person they've got over from north and i think some um look a bit a lot of changes with this hornets team it's um you know with the women i think they literally had maybe two or three new players and not you know main main players obviously piper anderson's a big one but for the men's team i think there was only five players that came back from the team it was really pretty much only paid from the yc saxon orsini leah moss um and then you're bringing back uh obviously meekness pain there and jacob foyer so you're only bringing back a small core of that team so recruiting well we mentioned uh gulma jack and Ben Williams, Josh Payne, and then the other guy we haven't mentioned yet as well is Sean Stewart, the import point guard, who just tore it up in the NBL One West last year. He's one of those players, you didn't even really notice him that much, I thought, in that game, but he ended up with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists. Jeez, he's a fast guy. He's just a blur on the court.
00:26:54
Speaker
Yeah, that was, and in the second quarter was, I think the first time we really saw him use that speed. There was two plays in a row where Gummadjic set a screen for him and he just barreled straight past the defender, went to the rack. yeah It was two in the two in the space of 40 seconds. And i was just like, all right, this is the Sean Stewart.
00:27:14
Speaker
i've been I've been told about, I've seen in the highlight. Yeah. I feel like he lets the game come to him a little bit. doesn't sort of go out 100 miles an hour at the start of the game. We did see that in the first week against Inner West when I think people were touting he was a potential MVP. I think, you know, our good friend Matt McQuaid said something similar and he was a little bit quieter the last couple of weeks. But, yeah, he was really impressive in this game. And I'm always a big fan of a team having an import point guard. That's always been a big one for me. We haven't really seen Hills do that over the years. They've had, know, a shooting guard and normally they go, threes or fours there but you know like it's him getting import point guard and just you know controlling and driving that offense for a team there yeah 100 i mean um yeah like import or yeah and yeah i especially mean i like import big men because i think
00:28:02
Speaker
especially i mean i like i like import big men because i think um there' ah There's a lot of like what Manly and Warringer have done with getting Emmanuel Schmunger in. That has changed them immediately.
00:28:15
Speaker
We've had this on their bingo card that Manly would be playing this well. mean, we weren't sure. They lost Mason Bragg. They lost Eldridge. And then bringing these to two imports, Lyszynski is just unbelievable. And he's talking about an MVP candidate. He would have to be...
00:28:29
Speaker
first choice at the moment you would have thought maybe with apologies to todd blanchfield he would have to be there or thereabouts and i he's already talking about wanting to stay stay in australia long term so why not right manly's a pretty nice nice part of the world to live in certainly is uh allowed to say that as a cronola man it's a bit beaches rivalry yeah that's true no we're both nice places right yeah actually i've also spent the first four years of my life living in the hills district so got everywhere nice So you know what it's like to travel an hour to get to a beach then, right? but certainly do. the second
00:29:07
Speaker
i i mean that's the i the the second second quarter war on,
00:29:16
Speaker
i think ah just looking looking at my notes here um I think Aubrey started to utilize Blaylock and Majuk Majuk a little bit more and a little bit yeah better as it went on. um Especially those getting the ball off the block, just on the block there. And there were a couple of times where they just found the pass.
00:29:36
Speaker
I just think it opens up so many options for them, having those guys who can pass out of the block like that. And they did it a few times in that second quarter. Yeah. mean, look, Blaylock's a quality player, isn't he? um And that's what's perhaps surprising for this Bandits team. You've got some of the talent of Blaylock and, Majork and Cook, who I'm sure we'll talk about as well. I thought he was really impressive in that mid-range game. And, you a veteran point guard in Lockie Cummings. This is in his his second stint with the Bandits now, I believe. But, yeah, Blaylock was someone that sort of came alive a little bit. I think a lot of the offense in the first half was was getting it down to the low block to Majork. And he was also popping out for the the outside shot as well. but Yeah, Blaylock is, you know, he's he' a big guy.
00:30:17
Speaker
had double-figure rebounds in this game as well. But, yeah, I think it's just getting this team to to mesh together now because there's no doubt they're a talented team, the Bannets. They don't seem like ah a 0-4 team to me. um Again,
League Evolution and Upcoming Game Previews
00:30:28
Speaker
it's probably showing how much the East is has it improved. But, um I mean, how much have you seen the improvement of this league, Lockie? We've been, you know, doing it since the the very first week of the East now. And, you know, back then, you know, like Lockie Cummings was kind of a big-name player there. Look, this guy had NBL on his resume. may Not a lot of teams had imports in that first season now. And, I mean, yeah, now you're just getting teams with loaded talent, you know, imports, young college stars, current NBL players, former NBL players. So it's um it's great to see, isn't it? Oh, 100%. I think in the first the first season of NBL 1 East, we sort of referred to it as Waratah League with the new paint job. Yeah, absolutely.
00:31:04
Speaker
But since then, it has evolved so far beyond that. yeah ie t Teams that would finish maybe, you know, 8 and 12 or so this year would be...
00:31:18
Speaker
league winners five years ago yeah absolutely it's just it's just um yeah the scene has completely changed and you know everyone's getting two imports or two imports in an nbl guy or it's uh it's just changed so much and it's long may it continue um absolutely i mean we've talked about the haves and the have-nots in the league and hopefully that or all works its way out. But, I mean, you've only got to keep up with the Joneses a bit.
00:31:51
Speaker
also think we're super lucky, lucky to have COE as an NBL 1A team. I mean, you think of some of the players we've got to call over the last few years of them, you know, Rocco Zekarskis, Johnny Furphy, you know, Toohey, Ben Henschel, those sort of guys. So I'm looking forward to seeing Luke Paul go about this year. I don't know, do you guys have COE?
00:32:11
Speaker
I think I do get COE this year, either at Commons or Sutherland. I know the three clubs I don't call are Bankstown. i think I don't call Bankstown Hills or and one other this year. So I'm pretty sure COE, I might get COE.
00:32:26
Speaker
Yeah, it's always a fun one to see. Well, maybe we can catch up for a road game and go and see Bankstown because we're not going to get to see them anywhere else. yeah no so One thing i want to mention at the end of this second quarter,
00:32:39
Speaker
because it was a two-point game, and I'll come in back to it at the third quarter as well, the defense from Aubrey Wodonga on the final play of the first half to let Hills get Orsini open for the buzzer-beating layup.
00:32:54
Speaker
That was absolutely criminal. I'm sorry. It really was. They just left him wide open. Yeah. And what was the final margin in this game?
00:33:06
Speaker
Two points. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, and I think ah i think there's another player I want to refer to later, but I also, but i remember we reviewed a game last year where Illawarra got out of jail against Inner West, but they were only in trouble because Max Clark had two buzzer beaters and tacked five points onto Inner West's score where they would not have been in the game.
00:33:32
Speaker
with a minute to play without those. Yeah. But as you mentioned, was going to say, I don't know what the foul situation was as well, but I'm always, you when I'm on the mic saying, look, if you've got a foul to give in that situation, do not let the team get a shot up. You know, if you've got someone that, you know, I don't know, maybe they were in the bonus game, but yeah, you've got a guard for the, you know, the full quarter, don't you? You can't allow sort of little slip ups like that in what was such a tight and close game. Yeah.
00:33:54
Speaker
And I mean, it was 43 apiece, as you mentioned earlier, with at halftime. um i mean, very i mean very tight, remained very tight throughout the game. And I think one other point I want to make about the second quarter for Aubrey Wodonga is it was but maybe both teams a little bit. Definitely, I noticed it more with Aubrey Wodonga. There were a few occasions where it felt like they were putting shots up early in the shot clock.
00:34:23
Speaker
because they didn't it didn't look like they were sure they were going to get another opportunity you know if they pulled it out and tried something else. And it just led to a few low lower percentage looks than they probably could have got otherwise.
00:34:38
Speaker
Yeah, no, fair call. And look, you wonder if just ah it sounds simple, but if confidence is the thing that's on their mind now, because yeah you lose those first three games, you have the coaching change. You you know o and four in this league, Lockie, that's...
00:34:50
Speaker
pretty hard to come back from look I'm not saying that they're out of finals that'd be silly to say that now but none of four you're in ah in a pretty reasonable hole I would have thought there and know if you lose one even two more and you go oh and five or oh and six you can always kiss finals goodbye so maybe it was a little bit of nerves and a little bit of you know not wanting to make a mistake there and trying to rush things there but yeah interesting interesting though But I'm interested to get your opinion on the first few minutes of the third quarter because to me it felt like a time where Hills could have broken this game wide open. I felt like they stifled Aubrey Wodonga completely and just couldn't get it done at the offensive end.
00:35:29
Speaker
It was a pretty ugly start to that third quarter, wasn't it? There wasn't a lot of points on offer in the first, you know, four or five minutes or so. But yeah, you're right there. Hills were getting some stops and and just not capitalizing down the offensive end and sort of making the bandits pay there. And look, I think they eventually settled things down and it ended up, you know picking up a little bit. the scoring in that in that third quarter there it can end up being hills twenty five to twenty one So after the slow start, they still got 25 in a quarter, which was their you know pretty much the second highest quarter of the game for them there. But yeah, I thought the same thing, um yeah having those opportunities and just couldn't quite push that that lead out and get a little bit ahead of the Bannets.
00:36:08
Speaker
Yeah, I think there was, i wrote down that they could have started on a 6-0 run. They had two fast break opportunities that they that they blew. one One was tipped away, one they just straight up blew. And then, yeah,
00:36:22
Speaker
And then Blaylock blew past Meek Payne and Madjuk Madjuk ends up at the free throw line off the offensive rebound. And it was back to, think, a two-point game at that stage.
00:36:33
Speaker
and um
00:36:36
Speaker
ah did I did enjoy um the defense of Jacob Foy on a lot of plays in this game. um yeah I would like to see more from him offensively.
00:36:49
Speaker
ah i mean, he was two of six in this game, but one of five from three-point range. But I really thought he made up for it defensively throughout the game, which... I mean, he is listed. He's on the score sheet as captain. i he he Is he the captain officially? Because I know they chucked the captain tag on score sheets willy-nilly a little bit. No, no. He's definitely the captain for this year. Look, he's very highly regarded by the coaching staff there. and I noticed that as well. Look, the shot wasn't really dropping for him in that game. But he's another one of those guys. I mentioned about Ned Carr. He's probably...
00:37:22
Speaker
Jacob was little bit bigger than maybe what you think there is a strong body guys. little bit legit sort of six three Pushing six four maybe in shoes, but yeah, he is pretty physical um And I like that right if someone's maybe not contributing on the offensive end. That's fine You have these games from time to time But you know step it up on the defensive end and I think he's got that um that good all-round defensive game that he can probably guard You know probably three or four positions on the court call you made on on Jacob's performance there.
00:37:52
Speaker
Yeah. But look we looked midway for all the scoring that got done as the quarter went on. um The team, that they I still feel they i just had a tendency to just fall back into bad habits. it Especially during the middle. um Like they almost...
00:38:17
Speaker
wanted, they were like, we've got, we've got to be the team to break this open and a few fast break opportunities or trying to create fast break opportunities that perhaps weren't there. Do you think? Yeah, maybe forcing things a little bit there. um Yeah, it was a tough quarter, though, wasn't it Because it almost felt like Hills were the better team. But, you know, they went into, what was it, a four-point break at three-quarter time. And it was absolutely anyone's game there. And, yeah, had they maybe capitalised on some fast breaks there or, you know, hit a couple of those shots early when we had that, you when the Hornets had that ascendancy there, it could have made a difference. But maybe they just wanted to set us up for a good game of the week.
00:38:55
Speaker
i will I will mention, i will say though that you're 100% right on Sean Stewart coming, letting the game come me and feeling his way in because um he really like ratcheted it up as this quarter, quarter continued. And as a scorer, as a facilitator, I think he ended with 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. So he was he was definitely making the right decision. Yeah.
00:39:21
Speaker
And i think really think I'm really looking forward to he and Meek Payne getting like more games under their belt together because I really think they could be a good combination. I think they showed glimpses of it throughout this game.
00:39:33
Speaker
Look, I know they're sharing a house together this year, so they're certainly getting to know each other pretty well. And look, it was great for the Hornets getting Meek Payne back. I mean, you don't see a lot of imports, as well know, lucky, that do come back for a second stand. It's unusual. Hornets actually did it with Kennedy Johnson and the women's team and now bringing Meek Payne back as well. But Yeah, look, he already seems to be really on the same page with with Sean Stewart. And, you know, lot of that high screen action that they can do with Meek Payne there, I think that really works well because then you've got to got to pick your poison. Do you want to let Sean Stewart with a full head of steam drive to the basket, which he's wanting to do on you? Or do you let someone like Meek Payne, you know, um Screen and pop there and have that open three is great from the top of the key in those wings as well in that situation there So yeah, I think there's some you know, what if they played four games together that combination now? So I think that's a gonna be a pretty good duo watch going forward and that was exactly what I write down was um There was one
00:40:26
Speaker
One possession, Payne was trying to cook a defender. It didn't work. he Whoever it was was just staying in front. Meek pulled it out, gave it to Sean, set the screen, and Sean just blew straight past the defender late at home. um And it just looked like they'd done it 100 times or before.
00:40:46
Speaker
You mentioned those stats about Sean as well, though. look Sean Stewart, it almost didn't feel like he was that dominant. you look at the stats at the end, I'm like, wow, okay, I didn't really notice that he had 20 points, like rebounds and seven assists. And he's done that in a couple of games. I think maybe that first week against Inner West, it stood out a little bit more. i think he went for 30 on that game. But he can pretty much put up 20 and high assists and high rebound numbers quite easily there. and I think that's the way he likes to start off. of I've noticed that in most games, he likes to get his teammates involved first, so then you know the the true point guard there. and yeah He's a veteran. He's the oldest player on this Hornets team. He's 32, I'm going to say, there. So he's he's a veteran there. But, yeah, he's um he's an exciting player and another guy, just a really good character player as well. That's the sort of guys you want to you want to get in your team.
00:41:30
Speaker
I think when what comes with that veteran mentality is,
00:41:35
Speaker
you you got the basketball IQ as a veteran point guard, you can probably take a few minutes to pick out, especially in the league you haven't played in before is, all right, this is this guy. This is how i match up with this guy. This is how I can take this guy on. Just spend a few possessions working everybody out and then yeah picking who to go against and in what fashion.
00:41:54
Speaker
Absolutely. Look, if you're one of the younger I'm sure they're getting a lot out of those midweek practice sessions under reese Potter there. And I think he's going to be a great veteran presence for some of these younger guys because it's a bit of it's Still quite a young team. It feels like they've got a little bit younger. You know, there's Sean at 32 and I think Liam's maybe 28. And then there's quite ah quite a gap after that. All the players are sort of either early 20s or going up to about 24, 25. So i think it's good to have that veteran presence, not only on the court, but also in the locker room as well.
00:42:34
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. a lot i think i I struggle to think that Saxon Orsini is so young because he's been through, like he made his debut, had his injuries, been through so much. He has. Yeah, I always think back that it was only a couple of seasons that he stepped on because it at Sutherland that he made his debut. was. That was his coming out party, wasn't it? Yeah. People sort of really noticed him. And look, I've been telling him for a couple of years now, I see him as a future captain. I'm sure if he's listening to this, he'll get a bit of a laugh out of that. Yeah. You talk about, you know, you're not supposed to have your favourites in the the commentary booth, right, Lockie, but, man, when this guy comes on, I just, I love everything he does. He does not care who he's guarding, right? It just doesn't bother him It could be the, you know, most high-profile player in the league, you know, Dave O'Hickey or something else like that, and he's going to just give it 110% there. and Yeah, veteran at, you know, age 20 or 21 is pretty funny to see at this stage.
00:43:26
Speaker
And I said I'd mention it. Hills, another buzzer beater end the quarter. And it was again, Aubrey Wodonga not picking someone up. Four points on buzzer beaters in a two-point game.
00:43:43
Speaker
New coach, Matt Morgan, he's going to have that on game film for Aubrey Wodonga this week. I'm 100% sure of that.
00:43:53
Speaker
We call that up. Also a little bit hard to watch as well with the yeah the time things seem never seems to match, right? So you're watching the UNBL one app and it'll say there's seven seconds left. In my mind, I'm like, there's not seven seconds left. That's about three or four seconds maybe. So I don't know what that is. You notice that as well, right? I do notice that, yeah. Because ah you notice that when they have timeouts or subs that the clock will reset or jump like four or five seconds on the yeah on the graphic. um it's It's why I've taken – if it's a close game in the final couple of minutes, I'll be saving the time all the time when I call it because yeah I know watching it –
00:44:29
Speaker
you don't want You don't want the listener at home to think, you know oh, why are they putting up a prayer with nine seconds to play down two? And it's like, oh, because there's actually one second left. I'm going to put that on my notes for the Saturday's game to try and let the game situation... Yeah, that's that's a good call.
00:44:43
Speaker
who do Who do the Hornets have this... Oh, ah so we've got Central Coast. yeah Central Coast. Interesting. Normally they seem to play Central Coast late in the season. But yeah, Saturday night, the Anzac Day Clash. So looking forward to that. It's always a a special game there. And um look, two...
00:44:59
Speaker
Two winnable games, I'm going to say that. I don't think anything's ah an easy game now. We know certainly in the men's team with adding Matua Maker in those last couple of weeks, I mean, he's he's been pretty dominant in those in those first three games or so that he's had. But, yeah, two um two winnable games for the Hornets. And, you know, both teams went down in that second round two games against Manly there. So think both them will be wanting to get some wins on the home court. But who have you got for your Anzac Day weekend clash?
00:45:26
Speaker
I got comments Norths. Okay. Yeah. here So the Norths are combined 10 and 0 from the men's and women's team. Yeah. Oh, we got a comment or a question from SJ from Love of the Game.
00:45:39
Speaker
Do you know when Jonah Tuolata is back? Yeah, did say to him I did have a chat with him last week. He's going pretty well. I think he still was saying maybe around seven or eight weeks. Oh, okay. I know they've got him and Paul Tarko both out at the moment and Liam Moss, so a little bit of a casual reward there. But, look, he's um he's starting to do some work. I think he's slightly ahead of schedule from what I'm gathering there. But he's been another guy that's been a great presence around the team there. He's... um he's ah He's a fun guy. I've got to enjoy getting to know him. But um he's another one that they can bring back. And if the Hornets can stay afloat and you know maybe stay around the 50% mark, you're bringing big guys like him back in. And even Paul Tucker, who's another pretty handy player there. So, yeah, just got to try and weather the storm and bring those guys back in. But, yeah, in answer that question, I'd say within a couple of months. Hopefully he's a ahead of schedule. i know we've got a couple of um very important injured players in the the Hills women's team back and coming back. So hopefully we can get some of the the guys back soon as well.
00:46:36
Speaker
fingers crossed, but it was 68, 64 to Hills, 25, 21 quarter heading into the fourth quarter, fourth quarter Christian cook, let him cook.
00:46:49
Speaker
He was, this was, i when I saw his final stats and then I watched the game, I'm like, where, where are the points? but What's going on? But as the game, the game went on, he, uh,
00:47:03
Speaker
He definitely um made the fourth quarter his own for a large part of it. Starting, I mean, starting almost first possession or first couple of possessions.
00:47:14
Speaker
Drove baseline, didn't get the shot, but showed some real aggression. And then Bailock fired a pass up to him he was first up court to finish and got the first points of the fourth quarter. But um interesting that they had their import or one of their imports coming off the bench is the sixth man.
00:47:30
Speaker
got say, I didn't know a lot about Cook before the game. I mean, he seemed fairly quiet in the first half, but yeah, he really broke out in the second half. um A little bit of that old school mid-range game, which we don't see a lot of these days. And he was automatic, sort of running those semi-breaks there and pulling up from, you just outside the the free throw line there. And he knocked quite a few shots down. Didn't do a lot else on the stat sheet, I noticed there, but, you know, that's fine. But yeah, 20 big points in this one. And he was someone that really gave them ah a fighting chance in that that fourth quarter.
00:48:00
Speaker
Certainly was. And yeah, I think I felt like, I felt like Aubrey, Wodonga, they didn't make a lot, like they didn't make ah hell of a lot of shots early, but they they looked a lot better at the offensive end.
00:48:20
Speaker
There it is something I'll get to on the defensive end, which annoyed me. It was, they ran this little play right down in the right corner. um Once with Laspina, Cummings and Majuk. And then I think once with Cummings, Blaylock and someone else. And it really worked for which I found was interesting. They could get so much done in a so space, the size of a postage stamp. But, um,
00:48:43
Speaker
they did go to that corner a little bit didn't they and look i think we both probably noticed that fourth quarter the crowd came alive didn't they um they were we know they're a very vocal crowd and shout out to them there but they were really you know being that sixth man for albury wadonga there and they gave them a chance there and Yeah, it was um certainly set it up for a thrilling last five minutes or so. I think I stood up the whole last quarter, by the way. I just wasn't wasn't able to sit down in the lounge room sort of being a fool and jumping around. But it was it was really exciting basketball.
00:49:10
Speaker
You need to get one of these things and keep an on your heart rate while you are watching those games. Yeah, that's true. Yeah, have to keep an eye on that. Well, true story, might hit 150 during the 2022 semifinal between Sutherland and Manly.
00:49:24
Speaker
Wow. Yeah, Manly came back from, I think, 12 or 14 down and got it within two. Yeah, that was a standing court side. Mate, if it gets a little bit more than that, doesn't it automatically dial triple or something like that? I think it's too high there, so you've got to watch out for that, right? Yeah.
00:49:41
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, for yeah, for all the good work at the offensive end, running sets, really looking more polished on offense, there were just still some times where Oruru Wodonga just, they looked a little bit out of sync at the defensive end. There was one time, it was 8.20 or 8.18 remaining in the fourth quarter where Ned Carr had the ball top, i probably like near the free throw line, near the elbow.
00:50:06
Speaker
And Jacob Sinkorak came to double him with Majuk. And all that happened was that he ended up on Ned Carr's back and he was just, and Oli Lindblad just cut baseline and Carr went, here Saxon. And Saxon went, here Oli. And there was no one within 15 feet of Oli Lindblad. And I just thought, if you're going to double, you've got to get there in time. And it's got to be at an angle where you can actually impact the play.
00:50:34
Speaker
And I think that that was the most notable, um no most probably the most egregious thing that happened. But, yeah, just a few defensive assignments falling by the wayside.
00:50:46
Speaker
Sean Stewart took advantage of one. Yeah. But, again, new coach coming in, probably got a lot of stuff to instill into his charges over the next over the next couple of weeks.
00:50:58
Speaker
For sure. Yeah. Yeah. But, I mean, yeah, final five minutes, this game went absolutely bananas. Um...
00:51:13
Speaker
And one thing that came back to bite Aubrey Wodonga was the fact they didn't ah they did not commit a foul yeah in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.
00:51:23
Speaker
yeah and in a close guy And the ironic thing is they were the team that had been fouling more all night and then didn't commit one in the for the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. I've got that on my notes and and underlined as well. That was huge, wasn't it? They had one foul and then they were basically trying to stop the clock. and there was that one possession where basically two fouls, three fouls, four fouls. And all Hills needed to do was just to get it in and just hold the ball strong. I think they did that a couple of times. Meek Payne got to the line. But it was very unusual, wasn't it Because I think um they were already in the bonus themselves, the bandits there. But they only had just the the one foul and that crucial crucial situation where you'd need them there. So yeah that was um that was that played a big part, didn't it?
00:52:01
Speaker
It certainly, yeah, it really did. um it ah I mean, yeah, if we look with the the final three minutes, it was, what was it? 83-81 hills.
00:52:21
Speaker
Stewart hits two free throws to make it 85-81. And then all we would don will go on 7-0 run. How are you feeling at that point? Yeah, not very good. um Yeah, it almost looked like for me that the Hornets were home and then that seven nil run happened and and like I mentioned before, the crowd were were going crazy. i mean, those screaming kids there, they were they were certainly being pretty vocal and that was very clear through the the TV coverage there. But yeah, look, at it certainly put a bit of a scare in me and, you Hills had to compose themselves there and try and i think they might have called maybe a couple of timeouts to try and stop that run that the the bandits were on there. But yeah, geez, that was, that made for an exciting last few minutes.
00:52:59
Speaker
It certainly did. I think it was, that was, you mentioned Christian Cook's mid-range game, and that is where it really came to life. I think had two, um he had two mid-rangers and, um He also probably had the hockey assist on the other basket to when Majuk Majuk got there. So he just yeah really took over.
00:53:19
Speaker
That's what you pay your imports to do. 100%. How have you seen Majuk Majuk so far this year? I mean, I think he's settling pretty well there. He's a veteran now, but he's only 32. When I looked that up, I thought he's got to be mid-30s now. I went, okay, 32, you know, former championship player in the NBL. But, yeah, I thought he was super important in this game. And he's such a smart player too, isn't he, at both ends?
00:53:39
Speaker
Yeah, it's one thing to have a big body in there. It's another thing to have a big body who can really play well and play smart basketball. There's no point having a 7'4", or 6'10", or whatever height if they're going to commit 5,000 in 13 minutes or something like that. Just having that presence is just massive. I mean, 15 points, 17 rebounds. He was only 3 of 10 from the field, but he was 8 of 8 at the line.
00:54:03
Speaker
Yeah, automatic, wasn't he, from the law Yeah. Which, I mean, you probably want your big man... um a little bit of little bit of more reliable from the field because he's going to be eating the ball in pretty close quarters on most occasions, you'd hope.
00:54:20
Speaker
There were a few times where was out a little bit ah li it will be further than always thought. But um yeah, I mean, you've got a guy in there between Majork and Blaylock. They combined for 28 rebounds. So And probably a lot of those are rebounding their own misses, right? So yeah sort of missing that shot and having a follow-up. And look, we mentioned right at the start of the show, we're talking about Goomajak there. I mean, that could have been someone that was just a little bit on Majuk Majuk's radar there and knowing that Goom was there and how quick he can get out there and block those shots. So maybe he was rushing things a little bit more than normal close to the basket.
00:54:50
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, yeah. I mean, yeah. Like I said, I could watch him play defense absolutely all day. And...
00:55:01
Speaker
And I mean, after... So it was Aubrey Wodonga. And then... Story of the night for a long part, the offensive rebound. Because that is what got...
00:55:17
Speaker
the hills hornets the uh the shot to tie the game at 88 88 um long offensive rebound by was mjack with the offensive yeah of a missed 43 um and meek pain um calm under fire mr clutch i've been calling him all week yeah i mean he was big wasn't he four of seven three-pointers and just two massive three-pointers in the last couple of minutes there he had the one with maybe 11 seconds left i think it was but yeah the one you're talking about it was a ah possession that all aubrey needed to do was get that defensive rebound and they had a chance to to really sort of you know have a chance of victory there and as you mentioned um four missed shot goodman jack tapped it out and right place right time for meekness pain and yeah nothing but net on that on that wing shot there yeah like real like he could have tried to put that straight up and just
00:56:11
Speaker
the calmness to take that dribble with Blaylock, um, closing out at pace. was Yeah. yeah
00:56:20
Speaker
But, uh, we weren't, we still weren't done somehow. Um, because cook once a week and went down court and hit another, another mid range off and, um, and then you mentioned that corner three make this pain.
00:56:40
Speaker
Six points in 20 seconds when his team most needed it. And Sean Stewart controlling controlling the play to make it happen. yeah he was i mean i almost thought sean stewart was going to try and drive it himself on that one but just made that really good pass and meek payne's very strong in those two two corners there it's a spot they'd like to sort of get him you know running out of there and then it's bit more with the the high screen action when he's up the top there but yeah look he was he was wide open as well that one wasn't he there was a bit of a breakdown i think the defense were thinking of the same as what i thought that maybe sean stewart was going to try and take it all away and get to the get to the rim there but yeah that was way too open for someone that's just seen the ball go in know a play or so before there yeah that was a big shot that was the one that got me got me jumping around the lounge room and probably making the neighbors think that they were living next door to a crazy person and i yeah i mean it felt like auburn almost made sean stewart's decision for him yeah it was like you've just left meek open but i'll throw it to don't worry about that uh
00:57:43
Speaker
And then we're going to come back to him. Got Majak bolt upright against Kevian Blaylock. Yeah.
00:57:57
Speaker
After 40 minutes, it's yo know you're out there, you're gassed. Didn't lose his discipline for one second. And that's a tough one as well for the refs to call one like that. Normally they let him go in that situation. um um messaged Goom when they're on the the bus on the way home and I said, that's the game winning block there. And what people are going to talk about the the offense and yeah make pain and getting hot with those two threes. But that block by Goom and Jack was the one that absolutely saved the game there, wasn't it um yeah He just timed it so well. and you I think that's the thing about his defense there. It's his timing that stands out for me now. He knew exactly what Blaylock was going to do on that last shot. and I must admit, when I saw it happening in full speed, I thought, oh is this going be a foul here? But no, no whistle. And then, yeah, that was that was just such a big play by Gourmet Jack.
00:58:43
Speaker
And then the travel call on the resulting inbou. It looked kind of weird, and the commentators didn't really mention what happened. I mean... Did he, don't know, his feet looked kind of weird there.
00:58:57
Speaker
But there wasn't too much it wasn't too much complaining. Well, the camera went funny at the end as well, wasn't it? Because I think Aubrey might have had a three-quarter court shot that the camera wasn't focusing on. and You could hear the crowd. I don't know whether the time had expired. Again, a little bit hard to tell that with the clock there. But from the way the crowd were reacting, I ah don't know. I'm assuming that shot looked pretty good off off the lift the hands there. But, jeez, imagine that had it gone in and the camera and missed it. That would have been a disaster.
00:59:20
Speaker
Yeah, that's all right. Because yeah watch I was like, wait, everyone just like cheered and then sighed. was like, so it does it must have been in time. I mean, we can always go back and um
00:59:35
Speaker
check the play-by-play and see if it counts on the play-by-play. True. um
00:59:43
Speaker
it's kind of It's kind of all... Yeah, it says... Three-point floating jump shot. Yeah, Kevian Blaylock defensive rebound. Kevian Blaylock, three-point floating jump shot missed.
00:59:57
Speaker
Wow. So, yeah, it must have been... It must have counted if it had gone in. So, yeah, imagine the camera missed that. Wow. That would have been crazy, wouldn't it? Yeah. Yeah.
01:00:09
Speaker
But as it was, the Hills Hornets just about got out of there with the win. went down... dan Yeah, giving up give me off a 7-0 run and being able to,
01:00:22
Speaker
um you know, reconvene, just calm yourselves and bring it back and get the win, that's... that's That's more than a win, I think. 100%. And like I mentioned as well, you know they would have dropped to one and three after that. And if they hadn't lost that game, one and threes, probably not where they wanted to be. But getting the big road win, you know that probably bonding experience with the the group of guys, you know getting that bus ride home together, I'm sure that would have been a pretty pretty fun bus ride, maybe for the first hour before everyone fell asleep. But yeah, look, at a big win. And like said, likeie I think they've basically got a home game
01:00:58
Speaker
it's maybe five out of the next six weeks there's a couple of you know doubles going on with the road game there but a lot of games coming up from home now i think for hills that's where they've got to take care of business they perhaps let a few slide last season against um you know maybe teams that they were expecting like they could beat there so um you know a couple of tough games coming up as well there's um central coast this weekend and they've got the the juggernaut of north the week after and then i think there's um camera coming to town Have you ever heard about the Hunter Goodricks playing for North this year? It doesn't seem to be. He's been announced. He has, has he? Okay. He has been announced. He and Hunter Madden both been announced, by I haven't heard of him. Neither of them have touched the court yet. so And no co-op noise news? Because I heard rumors at the start of the season where he was going, but that hasn't been announced yet so maybe im pretty sure I'm pretty sure I saw him at Comets on the weekend watching, but that's about him.
01:01:44
Speaker
Is that a scoop you're giving us right now? No, that is just it without the game. I got sure they see a lot of people in games. um yeah I also saw Sutherland Youth League players at the Penrith Commons Youth League Women's Game, and they're definitely not switching clubs at this stage. so No scoops.
01:02:02
Speaker
Yeah. um Yeah. So if we look at a Hill's Draw, it is, as you mentioned, Central Coast. Then, yeah, North at home, are trip to Comets, I believe, is after that. Yes. Yeah. And then I think Canberra on the Mother's game the Sunday. Yes, Canberra on the Sunday.
01:02:20
Speaker
Yeah. Befores and then COE at home, Maitland away, and then Manly away, Hills at home. So, yeah, a good view few home games. tough Tough opponents. There are some tough ones. Yeah. Yeah.
01:02:35
Speaker
um I tell you, with speaking of Hills-North, I'm not impressed that Hills and North only play each other once this season. That's strange, isn't it? That's always been one of those ones where they traditionally have played each other each other twice there. Yeah.
01:02:48
Speaker
Yeah. I'm pleased to get the trophy. You know, it's always been like Mimma's Cup is played over the two combined of the home run. course, the youth league games and then the men's and the women's NBL won. So, yeah, it's strange if only is the one game. So, maybe that's something we could look for with you guys on a future episode, Lucky. How that draw is determined, you know? Is there...
01:03:07
Speaker
How does it work? You know, is there a reason why, know, Hills haven't had Newcastle play for three years in a row? And even Penrith and Hornsby, you'd think that two of the closer teams to Hills Hornets, this will be the second year in a row where both of those teams don't come to town either. So, um yeah. I mean, i I have been told that it's based on like, who you play two times is attempting to balance based off the results of the previous few seasons. Yeah. But yeah how do you balance it when, you know, you've got...
01:03:35
Speaker
why you think about it, you've got like last year you had Aubrey women top four, but Aubrey men, You know, do you, you can balance, you can balance one, but then you don't balance the other kind of thing. So it's a very, yeah, it's a juggling act. We mentioned Hornsby as well. I think they're to be big improving teams in the men's and women's. They signed a guy just out of the G League this week and I'm blanking on his name, but his highlight package looked pretty good. And I'm sure you're all over the women's team, lucky how good they're going to be this year.
01:04:06
Speaker
yeah I mean, they've already shown. i mean, they were within four of Manly a couple of weeks ago before yeah Manly pulled away. i mean, yeah. Two imports, Ruby Perkins, Jesse May Hall, and Lucy Meade rounding out the starting lineup. And where's Christine Moore been? Is she?
01:04:21
Speaker
And Christina Moore is now back into the starting lineup. She's playing this weekend. Wow. Yeah. Someone that can just absolutely flat out get buckets. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. So as we look, we'll also take a look at Aubrey Wodonga's upcoming draw because they've got the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at home on the Anzac Day, which will a tough matchup.
01:04:44
Speaker
Looking forward to the battle between Majook and Shimunga in that one. It's going be a good one, isn't it? Yeah. And then they go on the road for the Canberra COE doubles.
01:04:55
Speaker
That is three brutal games. Who did they go after that? And then they were at home against Maitland after that, and then at home against Sutherland. So they have a veritable murderous road. That really is, isn't it? Yeah, I mean, but look, let's say even if they get one of those games, you're talking yeah Manly, Seaway, and Canberra. Let's say they get one of those games. They're still only going to be one and seven there. So then, yeah, a lot more games. And then after that, they're away to Comets and Inner West.
01:05:21
Speaker
Jeez. And then Illawarra. I love this draw. That's almost back loaded with the bottom of the table because there are... Yeah.
01:05:33
Speaker
That's go very tough. That is a brutal, brutal stretch of games. That CLE camera double, is that's a tough one there, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah, I mean, yeah, you've got to back up. you You've got the minutes in your legs you've got to back up against either Canberra or CLE the next day. and The worst part is it's a night game and then like a midday or two o'clock. You've got 18 hours rest tops. It's just, yeah.
01:05:57
Speaker
That is tough. Yeah. ah Yeah, so as you mentioned, Hills now they're at two and two. So tied for eighth as it stands in what is very early in the season. But ah a Central Coast, what what do you make of the matchup with Central Coast for the Hornets?
01:06:19
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's it's, like I said, I think it's one that Hills will feel they can win, but you cannot take this Central Coast Crusaders team lightly. They are, know, they've got some veterans. they've got some guys like, you Cassidy is going to come back each year. and Big Aaron Redhead's been pretty handy since going back there. But I think the team's just a different team now with the tour maker coming in. He's ah he's a big unit. You know, he's obviously had experience as a development player with the Sydney Kings a couple of years ago. But I think he's someone that could really sort of...
01:06:47
Speaker
moving off the ladder saying that they were pretty poor last week against illawarra when they i was um expecting a little bit of a better game we know how good that illawarra team is but yeah they're going to be frisky and i think they might have been one of those teams that that did um i won't call it an upset but they did beat hills on the home court last year and it was one of those games and you look back at the end of the year those you know what if type games so i think coach reese potter will really be focusing on this game and as we know you can't treat anyone lightly in this league. yeah Every game is so important and such a short schedule as well. So yeah, it's going to be a big one there because you know the week after playing Norths, I mean, look, they won't go in as favourites as that, especially with just that news you gave me with Hunter Goodrick coming back. So I mean, Hunter Goodrick and Fabian Kristovich, that's about as good as a front line as you can get there, i would have thought with those two.
01:07:31
Speaker
And I mean, they're 5-0 even without Hunter Goodrick or Hunter Madden. I mean, yeah they're both announced. I haven't seen either of them yet. I think they gave some of those Kings guys at just a couple of extra weeks off, didn't after the season finished? But, yeah, man, that's going to be a tough thing to do. It certainly is, yeah.
01:07:49
Speaker
Yeah, and as we mentioned, Aubrey, yeah, tough tough sledding. But, um I mean, they'll take confidence from this game. um Yeah.
01:08:01
Speaker
They'll take confidence from this. I mean... k Christian Cooke, 20 points off the bench.
Challenges and Special Event Highlights
01:08:06
Speaker
Maybe that becomes his role. Maybe they you know start to sort a few things out, figure a few things out and ah roll on. And yeah, um yeah that that draw has not been kind to them.
01:08:21
Speaker
Yeah, looking forward to that. We'll be out there for the Anzac Day game. And it feels funny. We're around, you know, four coming up and we've only done the one, you know, one game against Manly or the two games against the Manly teams there. So I'm looking forward to getting out there. It's always a special game on Anzac Day. And, you know, hearing the last post and, you the hair on your arm standing up and all those sort things. So it's a, it's a great day there and of course we get a long weekend so thanks to the government for giving us that monday now it wasn't originally supposed to be a long weekend year so that's a good thing um how are you feeling about your your games on the weekend uh i'm actually really excited for comments and north um especially on the men's side um on the women's side um
01:09:02
Speaker
No Chantel Horvat is going to make it, assuming she's not back, is going to make it very tough for Comets. But I think for yeah i think this this Comets unorthodox or kind of unorthodox really tall lineup um is making it tricky for people. And Tai Barba Bay has just slotted into the backcourt really well.
01:09:23
Speaker
You know, people were wondering, you know, lost all four backcourt players. lost Amundeen, Bawali, Devo, and Sharif. Yeah. but Ty Barber Bay has just slotted in. They got Max Nesterov come down from Manly and he just adds to the height of the team. And everyone's just, yeah, just a lot of height, makes it tough for teams.
01:09:48
Speaker
obviously Norse, you know, bring bring a bit of height themselves and some very well credentialed height. if i go to say like inch I love me some Obi Shea as well. He's love everything about that guy. He's one to watch.
01:10:02
Speaker
Yeah. um He's ah definitely one to watch. and ah is ah His little battle with Jadon Tanevsky against Sutherland in round one was very fun to call. Tanevsky, for a guy who's just come up from Wuritale, doesn't take a back step either. But the coat hanger clash, as I like to call it, has come over the bridge.
01:10:20
Speaker
should be ah Should be a really interesting one. And I think it'll really... uh show us where comets where comets are at this stage it's like last week they played penrith and i mean penrith only fell by 15 i think inner west earlier in the season but yeah think we had a 34 to 8 quarter and won by 50 or so so not really a lot to take in terms of position on the ladder there There's been some big margins in the men's and women's games already this year, hasn't there? Yeah. 40, 50, 60-point wins, which is pretty unusual. Yeah, think there's been three 70-point games in the women's, which is not great. I do have it on good authority that Penrith women are adding an import big, though.
01:11:05
Speaker
Okay, interesting. What's your strategy in those games when you're calling and a team's up by 50 points in the fourth quarter? It's it's a tough one, isn't it? It is a tough one.
01:11:15
Speaker
ahu I just try to try to roll through it. it's Actually, i was debuting a um ah new co-commentator at Comets last week. Okay, nice. was that It was a a tough introduction in the men's game, but fortunately the women's game was a close one.
01:11:30
Speaker
Good to see you taking them under you when your wing as well, man. do i do i I actually really enjoy it. I enjoy commentating with new commentators. and Nice. We still haven't had the opportunity to to call a game together as well, so maybe that's something that will happen sooner rather than later as well. Fingers crossed. I think um ah I have one one round off. I so i have to ah look at the drawer on the round I have off and so make some phone calls. Nice. Might have to make my way up to the hive.
01:11:56
Speaker
Very good. Well, you know they've got a good canteen there, right? Everyone knows that. they've got a good canteen because my dad did the flooring for the new area. Oh, nice. oh Yeah. Very good. Very good. but I've had many, many a meal at that canteen over the years with our warrants. The hot chips and chicken sauce. You can't go wrong there, can you?
01:12:12
Speaker
The old standard. Yeah. but I think ah unless you have any final final takeaways from the game you'd like to share with us, No, i think that pretty much about covered it. Look, I am glad when we we sort of did talk about this game being the game of the week, and that was probably me being a little bit biased there, but we got an absolute cracker, didn't we? I mean, imagine we picked the game of the week and it was ah one of these 70-point margins we spoke about before. So I'm glad we got a really exciting one to watch there. And yeah, looking forward to to another big round this weekend.
01:12:41
Speaker
So it's going to be great, yes. course, it all starts on Friday night with the game of the week. Collins-Bruins, just obviously two teams i have jerseys from, fortunately. um And then rolls on to Anzac day, big day. um You know, traditional Anzac day matchups like Southern Wendell, Warra down to the warra, always a big one.
01:13:00
Speaker
And then rolls on to Sunday as well. But ah usually it's my line, but Robbie, what do we like to tell everyone at the end of every episode? Well, of course, lucky. And thanks for squint for letting me fill in your shoes, but don't sleep on the East.