Transcript
Speaker: Oh.
Speaker: well well It's the end of another NBL One East season. But thanks for joining us for the last episode of the season of East Gawk Game. where we give you the X's, the O's and the insights of NBL One East.
Speaker: Um, Lockie. Can you believe that we're here at the end of the season? And then that's our last episode of EGG of season four. I...
Speaker: I don't know how we've made it. I don't know how I've made it, I can tell you that. Commentating. 15 weeks in a row of the regular season. and then Couple of weeks of finals and...
Speaker: Now Waratah. Yeah, we made it. Made it. we We made it. Did you calculate how many games you actually commentated this season, including Waratah finals?
Speaker: Uh, so what? 15... I think... Trying to think. I think I had 17 game nights originally. I didn't calculate. I had 17 game nights originally. and I got the call up to Manly as well. So that's 18. So that's 36 games.
Speaker: Sutherland, Maitland. semi -final. Women's Grand Final is 38. Three more, 41.
Speaker: 41 games of for the whole season. Yep. Wow. Gosh, that's almost close to 50. Yeah. 15th season would be wild.
Speaker: I think I did 49 last basketball season, but that was Waratah had semis and I got a few extra games at Manly as well. so Pew. Yeah. that is a lot that is a lot ah i imagine that you'd be well and truly ready for a break from commentating.
Speaker: Aight. I am a little bit ready for a break from commentating. Yes, yes. No, but you you had a big week. I sure did. um Like you said, we we've made it, but I had to take the last couple of days off work to literally sleep nearly all day.
Speaker: because the end of the run to the end of the season got me good as well. I've been... Working pretty hard at my nine to five the last few weeks in preparation for taking long service leave next week and then backing it up at night time, either covering some FIBA Africa games.
Speaker: Preparing for the NBL one aced. Grand Final, which was a weekend away. And then most recently went to NBL One Nationals in Adelaide, which was Friday to Sunday. ah and Just some insight.
Speaker: in the whole run of this time. this nationals compared to the last nationals we flew out friday morning We arrived in Adelaide. roughly just after 11.
Speaker: We drove to our accommodation, which was 20, 30 minutes away. We had half an hour at the accommodation to turn around and get ready. And we had to go back to the venue for our meeting at two o 'clock. Then we quickly went to Subway around the corner for half a lunch before we had to commentate our first games at 4 or 4 .30.
Speaker: So I did 4 .30 Friday and 8 .30 Friday night. And then we had to flip it around and Saturday we had games from 2 o 'clock. um And then. to Flip it around and Sunday we had games from 11. So it was wasn't a lot of downtime throughout the weekend.
Speaker: It was big days and late nights. um And our Brisbane, we only returned, John and I only returned to Brisbane on Sunday night, just about 10pm. like landed. So it was a huge weekend. I just think that's brutal. Just that first Friday, just no downtime into a 4 .30, 8 .30 game. And then you've got to like...
Speaker: By the time you get back to your hotel and you wind down. you know, Get your things together and then get this. really don't recover very well. Yeah, and I think last year when we got to go that day early to Canberra, we had some extra time to spend together as commentators so we could kind of like.
Speaker: build a rapport with each other for those that didn't know each other then that will always transfer onto the broadcast whereas this year there were a lot of commentators selected from central who were hosting that most of us hadn't met before.
Speaker: ah and But sometimes we wouldn't always be. paired up with them or in a trio with them. But. ah yeah but we still got to commentate with other people i was lucky i got to commentate with people that I hadn't.
Speaker: that i have commentated with before but Just massive days. absolutely massive days but all worth it because mbl1 did a fantastic job putting on another nationals and adelaide really turned up it was the best crowded of nationals i've ever seen As it should be, because the great thing about it being in Adelaide. is Every central team is in Adelaide. So it didn't matter who won.
Speaker: The central. you know It was going to be a team relatively local. to the uh to where the thing was being held. Yeah, I have it. In East last year it was held in Canberra fortunately the Gunners won um you know What if Maitland had won?
Speaker: you know. i mean maitland fans do travel but you know it's a little a little bit different um you know or It's held in Brisbane and Cairns won or something like that. Yeah, that's right. And luckily it was.
Speaker: Nationals was held at Wayville, which is home of the Forestville Eagles, who qualified for the men's competition. And then in the women's, it was Sturt Sabres who won Central. And that's literally up the road from Wayville. so We got lucky with location.
Speaker: Nice. yeah good And I think thoses those two... Those Sturt fans have been, so those Sturt women's fans have been starved, haven't they? They've been ah on the cusp for a while. and finally got over got over the hump so they would have been out there in force Yeah, they certainly were. They were missing Taylor Brazel, unfortunately. She got the under 23s call up for, I guess we can still call them the kangaroos.
Speaker: I think the kangaroos is just... the program isn't it yeah I think so. Yeah. So under 23, Gangaroo, she got the call up, but unfortunately couldn't compete at Nationals for Sturt. And they were certainly missing her.
Speaker: um But, yeah, before we get stuck into nationals too much, take me through Waratah finals. Oh, Waratah Finals, best day of the year always is. Um... Down at Sutherland, ah sit just the grand finals this year. No semis on the Saturday, just straight into the grand finals.
Speaker: on the Saturday. It was great. um Good crowds, especially um the men's grand final and the youth two men that i commentated big crowds um hills were in the youth one men and youth one women so good hills contingent there uh so i started off first game i called was newcastle versus hills in youth one women which is That's my baby.
Speaker: It's my favorite game to call just about every year. so First time since 2020, the grand final. didn't have Norse or Manly in it.
Speaker: I get to call this one with Shaq Shora, who of course was. a youth league grand final head coach for north and Look. Hornsby?
Speaker: You've got to get this man. I know he's coaching your women's team, but you've got to get this man on the colour comps for the men's games. Hey, what was... brilliant to call games with. I had so much to say.
Speaker: but didn't you know waffle on too much just great Great to work with. they are Newcastle in the end got up 60 to 51. Rose Bond was the MVP.
Speaker: um really this really young Newcastle team. I think a lot of them play UBL from the University of Newcastle as well, at least a few of them do. These two teams, Newcastle Hills. was absolutely what happens when your players who pull double duty finally get the chance to just concentrate on youth league for a few weeks Because they finished sixth and eighth and they were four players who were doing double duty all year.
Speaker: Great game. Um... Then... trekked off to court three for the one o 'clock tip off between Marrickville Spirit and St. George Saints in Youth League 2.
Speaker: Two non -NBL one. associations and two teams that have never really been in the top flight even back in waratah championship days particularly Marrickville, I don't know about St George. um but Nico Palacio, 37 points in the grand final, and Merrifield got up 88 to 84.
Speaker: Um, St. George came out in this trap for the foot on on every make. Trap on every make. And with a scoreline of 88 -84, you know they were making shots. so play a lot of trap.
Speaker: um Really. Like. Pretty chaotic game, but really fun. Called that one with Justin Pineda, who... Look. It doesn't get out to basketball game. It doesn't get out to Core Waratah League games or NBL One games, but every finals.
Speaker: you know he's turning up. He's an absolute staple of Waratah finals weekend. so Yeah, really looking forward to see how the Marrickville boys go. in ah youth men's one next year because uh Yeah, they are both these teams went 15 -1 in their conference, and they didn't actually play each other during the regular season. So because of the conference system. and There were no crossover games in the regular season. So not only did they not play each other, they didn't even have any common opponents from the regular season.
Speaker: So you're going here yeah blind. mm -hmm Um, And then I had the quick turnaround for Waratah Women. Canberra Nationals Academy versus the Hornsby Karingai Spiders Youth League Alumni Team.
Speaker: Um, this This guy, I mean... Just some of them. Like you get to. Yup. Kristen Langhorne, the three -time MVP, won the grand final last year. Tegan Kettles, the reigning grand final MVP, they both played for Queanbeyan last year.
Speaker: And then you've got. I mean. Amy Laws. Sabrina De La Franca. Charlotte Valador, few tattoos from Norse. Cambostics there, the American.
Speaker: But... Look. Moment of the year for me. Commentating on one of the oldest friends I have in basketball, Jess Sancataldo.
Speaker: and she won grand final mvp all right Yeah. that's that's That's it. That was. Just the icing on the cake for me.
Speaker: Seeing Jess win grand final MVP as Hornsby got up. 68 46 in their first See them as a team. Jess was saying it's taken them three years to cobble this team together. She said that. post -game speech. and ah Managed to win it all.
Speaker: So three years waiting was worth it. Certainly was. So in between all that, ah Canberra Nationals Academy were pushed all the way by Central Coast Waves in youth to women.
Speaker: I think it was. I was tired. Bye. late in the fall early in the fourth quarter i was ah poking my head in and out they got up 81 67 to complete what i'm pretty sure it was an undefeated season let me just Most certainly.
Speaker: Yes, it was an undefeated season. They went 21 -0 in the regular season with a points difference of 1 ,052. So they're averaging 50 points of win per game. Um,
Speaker: And fortunately, they will now be up in Youth Women 1 next year, where they deserve to be. It's just they haven't had a team for a few years. Um, And then...
Speaker: Youth men. One. Manly got up 80 to 59 over Hill. So big win there. Congratulations to the Manly boys. And then. The rematch in Waratah Men. Tamworth versus the Mossy Magic.
Speaker: And. Oh. Boy, Mossvale, they are going to be... Oh, ruin this one. For a long while they were up IT.
Speaker: They were up. 84 to 70. with eight minutes or so to play. Then that was still up 86 -79 with five minutes to play.
Speaker: They're up 91 -84 with three minutes to play. And then. They lost it 94 -93.
Speaker: Turnover on the inbound pass after advancing the ball with the score at 93 all. Reece Chillingworth makes one of two. And it's enough to get. Tamworth over the line and get revenge.
Speaker: Sorry.
Speaker: Davon Bolton, 49 in the grand final. Jordan Rawls, 30. He scored 49 in a grand final. and Your team doesn't get up. That's a tough one to take.
Speaker: Bye. Tom Parsons, 22. Jerome Bivens, Jr., 21. Reggie Martin, 21. In the old stages, Rhys Chillingworth and Scott McGann shipping in double figures as well. time was pretty sure that's an undefeated season for them as well so Just making sure. I'm almost certain they were undefeated.
Speaker: rotime men north Yes, they were 20 -0. Sorry. I had to pull it out though. But they did. And the atmosphere was electric during that game.
Speaker: the fans the fans really turned out for both teams for tamworth mossvale greatest I mean, they always do travel, but great to see it. Wow, so across the whole Waratah season, including Youth League.
Speaker: State League, essentially. and all and both divisions of each. there were at least two teams that went through the season undefeated. Bye. Yeah. Yeah, well, yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, and Marrickville only lost one game. Yeah, Marrickville and St. George both came in with just one loss for the season. Wow, that's that's excellent. And then on the flip side, you had eight versus six.
Speaker: in the Youth Women's One Grand Final. So eighth place, Newcastle, had to beat top seeded Bankstown, second seeded Illawarra, and then Hills, who had knocked off third seeded Maitland. So.
Speaker: Comes in all shapes and sizes, but... Look. Bright games! Shaq did a great job on the call. JP did a great job on the call. Had Jem Hudson on the call for Waratah women. um great to see her progress throughout the year and she didn't just do the calls sure She also did the post -game interviews for the women's games, which was great. I'm loving how much Gem is getting involved and how much.
Speaker: Everyone. is asking her to do stuff and she's saying yes or she's saying can i do this and people are giving her the opportunity um and Got to shout out the great man, James Milan.
Speaker: uh he was on the call for the so i did play by play for three he did play by play for three We tried to keep it locked down as best we could. He had Cooper Moore for a couple of games. He had Jem for his women's game as well.
Speaker: Cooper always shows up for Hills, for Waratah Finals, the man from Hills. And James was on post -game for... The Men's Guides. Sorry. Between us all, we managed to... ah Keep the show on the road media -wise with Jay Lee overseeing everything with our Caleb off at NBL One Nationals. Absolutely killing it as always as well.
Speaker: Yeah, well, the NBL One East is well and truly covered with reliable. ah and up -and -coming content creators and broadcasters. So well done to you and the team for an awesome Waratah weekend. All the content that was rolled out on the BNSW socials looked really, really good as well. So shout out to BNSW for...
Speaker: investing in quality equipment. investing in people to be able to create that content and put up those post -game interviews because For those that were unable to attend, it was a great way just to stay up to date with something that was. uploaded in such a timely manner as well.
Speaker: Yeah, and ah James O'Donoghue and Damian Clark. were there as well. Um. It was hard to see... who the media were and who the actual... um employed by bnsw photographers were on the day because the uh media parts didn't really show it but I saw James and James and DC both had a. respect the game hoodies on so i know that they were doing work for bnsw so I got some of the all -star photographers down there as well for that too.
Speaker: Tschüss. Awesome to see too. And I know they... They both put a camera in my face, so thank you, boys. um And while we're here, we missed him last week. Aaron Kamua putting a camera in.
Speaker: squint and my face as well during finals and i think a lot of the commentators did that but aaron sent us some which was um thank you so much because especially where we sit at sutherland comments not a great Not a great photography spot.
Speaker: um we're up in the stand at comments right in the front row and then at southern we're in the dark so okay but he's saying you can take some shots at some of them they're like no no we cannot
Speaker: Yeah, get your lighting sorted, Sutherland. You've got everything else sounding like a professional operation. Just need some better lighting. But, ah yeah, that sounds like a great weekend. Did you did you score yourself a Respect the Game hoodie?
Speaker: No, unfortunately not. I had to make do with our free sausage and bacon roll from the barbecue. I mean. Look. we we We've got plenty of hoodies. Sometimes when there's not a lot of nola there's not a lot of time to eat.
Speaker: in some of these uh big days of commentating so i'd probably take the The food as well. Yeah. Well, gee, especially ges basically mean that 1pm, 3pm turnaround.
Speaker: yeah back to back is tough sometimes it's easy in a sense where you can just kind of keep rolling But you certainly start to fatigue by, you know. the third quarter of the second game.
Speaker: it It would have been all right. if they'd been on the same court. I had 1pm caught 3, 3pm caught 1. Yeah, now why are they going to do that to you?
Speaker: ah well Happy to do it. As I say, you give me youth one you give me youth one women and I'll call anything you need. Yeah. That's fair. Yeah.
Speaker: um But yeah, we had MBO1 East representing the conference very well at MBO1 Nationals, as you mentioned. caleb fogarty was there ah selected as the NBL One East representative of commentator, but also down there doing some work for BNSW. The man doesn't stop.
Speaker: The man does not stop. Well... and Apparently he's on his... Flight to Bali. Yesterday, straight as soon as he got back from Adelaide, doing the same thing he did last year when he jumped on the ah the call with us a couple of years ago.
Speaker: Yeah. And the year before, yeah. So he's gone to Japan, Europe, and now Bali straight after either NBL 1 East finals or nationals. So it's a well -deserved break.
Speaker: um But, yes, and we also had Aaron Kamua was also there taking some photos. some snaps for mbo one as a whole and i have to give him a second shout out because he got a couple of snaps for us that were commentating the men's grand final.
Speaker: So thanks again for those great snaps, Aaron. We also had, who else did we have down there? Oh, also then the Norse crew travelled with the team, so big dog Eric Stevens, and finally got to meet Josh Fellows, who's the full -time media guy at the Norse Bears. They were down there.
Speaker: supporting the team. and uh having a chat so it's good to see them again But in terms of our teams, certainly did us proud while we're down there. Probably a lot of...
Speaker: three Three different, very different stories for our NBL One East teams that went down there. So the first one I'll just talk about is the Norse Bears. So they...
Speaker: oh as we As we know now from NBL One Nationals, we can expect that the n b one and NBL players... essentially never get to go. um So unfortunately for North, they were missing the likes of.
Speaker: Fabian Krislovich. Hunter Goodrick. Hunter Goodrick, I think, was already in Melbourne suiting up for South East Melbourne Phoenix in the pre -season games. And Wani Swakar as well wasn't there.
Speaker: but The bad luck unfortunately continued for the Norse Bears leading up to the Nationals. So they had their final on the Sunday. Lewis wholly rolls his ankle at training on the Tuesday.
Speaker: Which is just... cruel. Just cruel. if yeah I'm pretty sure. He that there's a picture of his ankle. on the NPO one is socials that he that you know they posted with his consent but that he played on that ankle like that isn't after his nbl one nationals games that was like during the tournament.
Speaker: Oh wait, so that was a picture of his that was a picture of his ankle. Sorry, I thought it was a cricket ball. Yeah, one in the same, one in the same. Somehow, I don't know if he's fuelled by a marcher.
Speaker: The International Spot. The guy really came through for the North Spurs. And unfortunately, Mikey Young as well suffered an injury somewhere along the way, a and knee injury, and then he had to come back home.
Speaker: for a prior engagement on the Sunday anyway. so But Norse didn't have to play the Sunday, so that that kind of worked out for them. um But their first game.
Speaker: But their first game they drew Frankston Blues. ah who won the NBL One South. um They lost 79 -93, which, to be fair, with a... Pretty depleted roster.
Speaker: was a good effort. um Lewis Holy went and had five from eight from the three -point line. On set ankle to have 17 points, four rebounds and two steals. Iggy Mitchell had 13, eight and four. And Maddie Waitcher had 14, three and three. And then they had to turn around and play.
Speaker: rocky Rockingham. Rockingham flames. And they got up. 96 to 84. Rockingham were also missing their NBL players, but they still had Emmett Na, Ryan Godfrey and Blake Jones.
Speaker: Blake Jones. was it Was a development player for the Adelaide 36ers last season? a Bit of a question mark as to what's going to happen to him next season. Ryan Godfrey has been a staple of Rockingham forever and Emmet Nga. He's also an NBL caliber player. He had 20 points and 14 assists.
Speaker: And Blake Jones had 27. Seven is three, pop. Norse boys got up. They had five of their eight players in double figures. boffinger had 23 9 but okay boffinger had 23 points nine rebounds five assists three steals and two blocks.
Speaker: So just everywhere. League this man. League this, man. Seriously. Robbie Moore? Had 18 points and 4 rebounds. he ah And then Iggy Mitchell had 16, 5 and 6 to get the win over Rockingham. So just goes to show you the depths of that North Spares team. They definitely did us proud.
Speaker: um And then also we had the Bankstown Bruins women. Didn't they just put a staple? let's stamp on everything Oh, yeah, good. So good. So good. They won their opening game against the Warwick Senators 72 -50. Shiloh Hill was named Foot Locker Player of the Match with 22 points, three rebounds, eight assists.
Speaker: ah Then they rolled on to play Waverly Falcon. This was their game on the Saturday. It was kind of like a semi -final, so they had to win to make the grand final on Sunday, and they won 89 -73.
Speaker: Kiana Davis -White this time was named Foot Locker Player of the Game with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists. And again, Bankstown had five. people in double digits to get over Waverley now Waverley came second in NBL one south They were missing a couple of key players, but they still had a really deep bench. you know what caitlyn shoemate who's been an import for a few seasons now and of course amelia todd hunter who is on her swan song.
Speaker: of retirement. um But she can still she's still got lots of game in her. ah Then we roll around to grand final day and the Knox Raiders take on our beloved Bankstown Bruins.
Speaker: uh the final score was 86 to 73. 13 sometimes sounds like a comfortable win. But honestly, the Bankstown Bruins were with. the knox raiders the whole game they won the first quarter by one point they won the second the third quarter by two points it was just in the fourth quarter in this I'm thinking about the
Speaker: Two. to two and a half minute mark in the fourth quarter. where Knox just started to run away with it in a short period of time. And that's all it really took. it but once Paige Burrows hit this Dagger 3.
Speaker: Around a two -minute mark we knew it was kind of game over. But like they will. Really competitive. Hmm. Yeah, 8 -2 run. to finish it off in two and a half minutes. so Yeah, 76 -71 with three minutes to play. They were right there with the Bankstown Bruins.
Speaker: They really were. Like, I think Knox were getting. understandably and rightfully i a little bit worried. um But Shiloh Hill played all 40 minutes. She had 30 points, five rebounds, and seven assists.
Speaker: um She was making some unreal shots and then she was 11 from 11 from the free throw line. Um, And. Again, strong bench. Kayla Proctor. great on defense she had seven rebounds Um, Rachel Dunlop was set had seven and four. So everyone really chipping in when they could.
Speaker: um But, yeah, did us really proud. And Shiloh Hill also made the All -Star 5 for the tournament, so NBL won East. Very strongly representing in the women's competition. Big shout out to Lauren Curtin and her coaching staff. like they really showed how strong this team is how competitive they are how disciplined they are And I think they represented the East.
Speaker: beautifully So massive congratulations to them. 100%. And then last but not least, the Canberra Gunners were at the Nationals tournament because they won last year, so they had automatic entry.
Speaker: Still no Glen Morrison, but he was there as an assistant coach. Um, They won their first game against the Rockingham Flames. 93 to 110 with Will Mayfield being named the...
Speaker: Footlocker. player of the game he had 29 points six rebounds, two assists and three steals. in 26 minutes of play. Darnell Hoskins also had 18 points.
Speaker: and cam pender had 18 .7 rebounds and eight assists so almost a triple double from pender um Blake Jones did have 45 points and 15 rebounds on him, but they still lost.
Speaker: Can we just, because... Just because Rockingham were in the 22... Actually, I think... Rockingham, Canberra, Gold Coast and Frankston were all in the 2022 nationals that we went to. Four of the six men's teams are the same.
Speaker: Ryan Godfrey. From Rocky, yeah, the next has... I think TP said this was his 376th. W -A -S -B -L slash NB01.
Speaker: like top flight in Western Australia slash Nationals game. Jeez Louise. That's outrageous. I've got 200 games of commentary and I'm exhausted.
Speaker: I can't imagine playing 375.
Speaker: And the guy, that he's 36 and he's still playing 30 plus minutes. Yeah. Go. go off godfrey Yeah. Love your work.
Speaker: um So with that win, the Canberra Gunners then found themselves playing the Gold Coast Rollers on the Saturday night. Again, essentially like the semi -final, whoever won got to go through to the championship game.
Speaker: I got to do the sideline commentating for this one and sat behind the gunner's bench. And it was a little bit tricky sometimes to separate myself from being. on the broadcast and being a fan of the Canberra Gunners. Um,
Speaker: But I had the best seat in the house. Unfortunately, they lost. 90 to 98. Gold Coast was another team that were unable to bring their and NBL talent.
Speaker: but my god Do they have some depths? They had seven people. They brought along three youth league players to the competition, but they weren't registered in time. so they weren't allowed to play.
Speaker: No. So Gold Coast had yeah seven seven players. A lot of the players were really young. I'm talking like. 18, 19 to... early 20s so really young a lot of them had only averaged at most three to four minutes.
Speaker: a game in the regular season and here they are having to carry the load. at the national championships and they were balling. They were balling. um But the Canberra Gunners, they...
Speaker: They really could have had this one. not gonna lie they really could have had this one um they came back in third quarter winning that quarter 26 to 19. They took an extraordinary number of three pointers.
Speaker: they were 16 from 51 three -pointers they shot more three -pointers than they did two two -pointers And they shot 93 field goals for the whole game.
Speaker: What? Yeah.
Speaker: 93 field goals. Have you ever seen a game where a team shot 93 field goals? i I don't think so. 22 -0 boards. and But they only turned the ball over four fewer times than...
Speaker: It's 93. To 62!
Speaker: But yeah 37 free throws for Gold Coast. Yeah. That's up there with those Sutherland numbers the other week. Yeah. yeah so one team's got 90 90 What did I say? 93 field goal attempts.
Speaker: The other has 37 free throw attempts. Ghana is understandably getting. frustrated with some of the fouls called against them. It was one of those games where a lot of body fouls will let go. But all these soft kind of hand fouls kept getting pulled up.
Speaker: um Gunners not making the adjustment quick enough on the defensive end to keep their hands out. So Mayfield saw himself in some early foul trouble. Pender, I think, saw himself in some early foul trouble. Lockie Smith did a good job coming off the bench in the first half.
Speaker: to provide a bit more spark at both ends. But then I think he tweaked his ankle and then he didn't return to the game after that. um But it was, yeah, they were just really lacking some leadership in the Gunners. There were a lot of people lot of people with lots of ideas.
Speaker: a lot of people that wanted to steer the ship but there wasn't one particular anchor in the team that everyone was kind of gravitating towards and following so i think that was perhaps their downfall um potentially. There's lots of leadership and making the same mistakes over and over.
Speaker: But look, they still... Showed out they still showed out they still did us proud If only they had a beacon on court to show them the way.
Speaker: Clip that up. I can't top that at all. I can't top that at all to the point where I'm not even going to talk about camera gunners. Any longer, we can. End on that perfect metaphor.
Speaker: Absolutely perfect. if that If that was a three -pointer swish, that was at. 100 % accuracy. Ayyyy! But yeah, again.
Speaker: NBL One East certainly showing up on the national stage. depleted rosters or not, showing our depth, showing... how talented and how competitive our league is. I had a couple of NBL One East coaches message me over the weekend saying,
Speaker: that MBO1 East is definitely the second best conference now. Um, And if anyone wants to dispute, there was even some chatter. on the ground people just dismissing the gunners and I was like and and the broad And Bankstown Brawns, just because you haven't heard of a lot of these players doesn't mean they... Comp. Play.
Speaker: Like. their game is going to speak for themselves like put some respect on and be on one east name please like I hope you do. Bye. That Bankstown team, even before you...
Speaker: think about The Bankstown Babies What? You don't need a team with Shaila Hill, Talia Tupaya. and a form of French Division I player is going to be... Good. And look, if you haven't heard of Kiana Davis -White by now...
Speaker: You ain't been paying attention. Like do your homework or don't come. Yeah. so yeah was super proud that east was still a little bit of the underdog flavor and we just totally turned up and put our stamp on it and Certainly shows that our conference is definitely a lot stronger than what people give us credit for.
Speaker: Yeah, I mean... What? I think I would say that we're probably still a little bit top heavy. I don't think anyone's going to dispute that. But I talk. is very heavy.
Speaker: Yeah, definitely. what Whether we've got NBL one talent. Or not. ah But I wonder, speaking of Our league being top heavy, we know that the Central Coast Crusaders are...
Speaker: in a bit of financial trouble that can... put their NBL One season in 2027 in jeopardy. So watch that space. Um. And it'll be interesting to see if all teams do return for 2027.
Speaker: depending on finances and things like that. ah no Obviously, no guarantees. No, you you do have to get re -licensed. We're not spitballing here. It's just a fact of life.
Speaker: Mm hmm. That's right. Yes. yeah I should also say Will Mayfield was named in the All -Star Five as well for NBL One Nationals. Of course he was, because he will make the audit nationals. And when he when he went to go... Heep!
Speaker: He reluctantly attended. grand final day to accept his award. Oh. And then he tried to hide at the back of the crowd. Which then meant he had a longer walk to his set award that he didn't want to receive.
Speaker: And when it was all quiet, I yelled out, he's just a tradie repping his city. But I didn't yell it out loud enough. ah i My favorite All -Star 5. Of the weekend.
Speaker: was the Waratah women. Because four members of the of the team weren't there. two from maitland two from port macquarie The one person that was was Kristen Langhorne. So she got up there and got her award and was there in jersey number five. So she truly was. the all -star five
Speaker: You can't write that better, any better. Sometimes thinks the universe just has to provide those things for us. Yep. But yeah, that comes to the end of MBO1 East and MBO1 for 2026.
Speaker: I think in the men's final, it was Gold Coast Rollers with that depleted team I was talking about versus a very... A full roster of the Forestville Eagles, including Daniel Johnson, Alex Starling.
Speaker: Um, And it was just a case of. who are young versus old, even in their first hit out on the Friday night. Forestville looked gassed.
Speaker: Yeah. ah Yeah, they looked. guest. guestst um and they had an opportunity to win make history just like the gunners did last year win a national championship on their home ground and they misfired So big shout out to the rollers for getting it done.
Speaker: but um Yeah, that's the end of another season. As we mentioned in our last episode, we've already got some coaches signing for 2027. There's going to be some question marks around which teams are going to be returning for 2027. But there's certainly been a lot of highlights. from this season have you got any off the top of your head lucky i know i'm putting you on the spot ah Highlights for the seat. Look.
Speaker: I think just the continued growth of the league is... the highlight in itself we talked about homecoming last year This year we got... More players from interstate. we we We kept a lot of the players that we got to come home last year and we added to them. I think that's just... um Yeah.
Speaker: hi I don't know if there's... The problem is all the Most of the close games at Sutherland finished in a Sutherland loss this year. okay Yep. Women losing in overtime, men losing in overtime, women losing by one.
Speaker: um
Speaker: Yeah. um Look. It was just. You know what the highlight was? Calling the Women's Grand Final with my friend, Squinn. Hey, that was certainly a highlight for me, definitely, on our on our home court.
Speaker: the The two of us getting to... commentate the inaugural NBL one East women's final. And then. I don't remember if we mentioned this last episode, but between us... At least one of us has covered the NBL One East women's final.
Speaker: every year it's been on so the two of us in year one Caleb and I in 2023. And then you did it 2024, 2025. Yep. And now we're back together 2026.
Speaker: but Yeah. It's almost like women's basketball fans. I know. Who would have thought? I don't know if we ever give that away too much. ah Oh, yeah. Please tell me what jerseys have you got hanging up today in the background? I did want to get to that.
Speaker: I've got... the So that's a 2014 -15 Sydney Uni Flames. Jersey number 43. It's got my surname on the back. And it's signed by... Most of the team. I think about nine members of the team.
Speaker: And then. The black one is... Waratah State Champs 2015. Souvenir jersey. I went out to Hawkesbury and watched... ah 16s and 18s. Yeah, I think 16s and 18s were out at Hawkesbury that year. So I went out there and picked up a jersey.
Speaker: That is niche.
Speaker: That's what I'm known for. Very nation. Yeah. correct Correct. um But otherwise, we need to say some thank yous. We definitely need to say thank you to everyone who tunes in every week, whether you tune in live or whether you listen to the episodes later.
Speaker: Thank you for. again. listening This is season four now, understandably. You get sick of something after four seasons, but we have such a lovely, loyal group of followers ah that we really do appreciate. we Also want to thank all of the new people we've made connection with via our Instagram page this year um and people that we've been collaborating with this year on some posts, particularly Jacob Farrar, who's doing some great stuff up there.
Speaker: um Also, the coaching staff from across NBL One East that also support us and are consistently in contact with us too. um And also all of the other content creators. so ah we've we've already We need to give Aaron Kamua one last shout -out because we missed him last time even though we mentioned him twice already.
Speaker: But, yeah, anyone else, you we do you think we need to thank Lockie? Hopefully I haven't left. Left it too brief. Um... I mean, thank you to my clubs, Sutherland and Comet. Thank you to Alex Delaney for always giving me a call when manly need a commentator. um And mainly in general, because... you know.
Speaker: I'm always happy to go wherever I'm. wherever I'm needed. So it was very nice of you to be up there for me only for that one game. You want to say thank you to Caleb?
Speaker: The great man doing such great work for MBL1. He is. but for nbl one ace he is just Remarkable. um And.
Speaker: Whoever at NBL One is putting together those... stat PDFs with all everything every week. Thank you as well. because there's commentators and podcasters.
Speaker: They're a great help. And Hoops TV. Yeah. Oh, massive thanks to HoopsDB if you ever get a chance to listen to it. But yeah, of course, we've got to give a big shout out to BNSW. for hiring Caleb.
Speaker: So Caleb is able to do such a great job. um The absolute GOAT of MBL1. media content. creating everything, all the all the things all the things that are umbrellaed under his role. So hopefully BNSW are able to keep him for a long time. Hopefully his role is able to grow a little bit too and maybe he can. exercise some more.
Speaker: creative juices and ideas in 2027 given how successful uh it's been so far like we still we're not and we're not biased in saying this NB01 aced. Social media content is the best.
Speaker: of the conferences. It's so varied. It showcases the players, the coaches as people. It's not just kind of stat based and results based. It's great. We love it.
Speaker: We do. here ah But yeah, ah hopefully we haven't missed anyone saying thank you. Thank you to all of our... Athletes who were guests this season, apologies that we didn't get to do more, but just because we record on a Tuesday, it can be hard to organise when lots of athletes are training. But thank you for those that were able to make it. Thank you for those other guests.
Speaker: Our co -hosts we had during the year, like James and Gemma and Robbie. Who else did we have? Were they the main three? live And Liv Douglas. And Liv Douglas, of course. Liv Douglas. We've got to get Liv Douglas back. um Um.
Speaker: And, yeah, thanks for people for always having our back and listening in. And there was one thing that I made sure to get on the broadcast for that Gunners -Rollers game, Lockie. Can you guess what it was?
Speaker: Was it? Don't sleep on the East.
