Season 3, Episode 4 - Men's Rosters pt. 2

Transcript

Speaker: Welcome back everyone to another episode of East Got Game, an unofficial podcast about the NBL1 East competition this year covering 2025.

Speaker: My name is Squinn. Welcome back to all of our viewers and all of our listeners. And of course, I have with me our regular co-host, commentator extraordinaire, and it looks like you've got a brand new jersey to showcase for us this episode. It's Lockie France.

Speaker: Hello, Lockie. How are you? G'day Gwen, I am spectacular as always, how are Very good, thank you, very good. ah Wearing my very Queensland looking shirt today that we had a Harmony Week slash Harmony Day celebration at work today.

Speaker: ah so I mean, if Queensland wear a shirt, this was it, so I can't complain. Very nice. How has your week been so far yourself? Very good.

Speaker: Got out to the Blitz. The soccer was postponed. ah As one head coach pointed out when he saw me, shouldn't you be at a soccer game? And yes, I should have been. but ah Interesting. so ah The soccer was postponed, but the Blitz went on. So I got to stay a few extra hours at the Blitz and I got to see all the Saturday women's games.

Speaker: But then I had to unfortunately leave. Well, wonderful. I mean, at least you got to see a little bit of the Blitz and hold that thought about the NBL1 East Blitz 2025. We're going to circle back to that with a very special guest.

Speaker: Just before we get started, though, a reminder to our listeners and our viewers tonight that this episode, we're going to be covering be covering the rest the of the men's rosters for the 2025 season. So we're going to be covering everyone from Central Coast Crusaders, Hornsby, Keringai, Spiders, question mark, and Illawarra Hawks. So those that we haven't covered in Episode 3, it's now the men's the rest the remaining men's rosters.

Speaker: ah here in episode five. Before we get into that though, we are going to talk about the NBL One East Blitz in a little bit more detail and we have a very special guest um to join us. Let's bring him on board.

Speaker: It's none other than Caleb Fogarty who is sporting a BNSW polo shirt because he's now part of the family. Congratulations Caleb on your new appointment in BNSW.

Speaker: Yeah, thanks guys. Thanks for having me on. It's ah good to have East Court game back. It really feels like the season's just around the corner with the Blitz, but yeah, loving be part of the BNSW family now and ready for the NBL1 East 2025.

Speaker: That's really good news. and We were both very chuffed to hear that you were going to be part of the the family and especially in the role that you've taken on. Tell us a little bit more about it.

Speaker: Yeah, no, just doing um content creator and comms coordinator here. So yeah, doing it for BNSW. A key focus for me coming into the role is the NBL One East, which as you both know, is a massive passion of mine, the ah the league, covering it last year as a commentator and doing a bit of content. So yeah, they've roped me in. I'm so stoked be part of their family and yeah, covering the league this year and doing all the content, very much something I was doing over the Blitz weekend.

Speaker: Very good indeed. Very good. And yeah, the role's going well so far. Are you able to tell us a little bit more about what we can expect from the NBL One East content this year?

Speaker: Yeah, look, honestly, we're just trying to get the ball rolling, be as consistent as we can as we can be really. um Very storytelling focus is where we're kind of going. Like,

Speaker: I do have the background in journalism and but I'm sure both of you guys being sports fans yourself, like there's a lot of stories behind the sports that we love. There's a lot of things this season, like Jason Caddy coming home to Bankstown, Nicole Munger, which you do three-time MVP, Newcastle, like I don't really remember a team coming back after winning a championship looking even stronger than when they went into the off-season with the championship. So,

Speaker: There's plenty of storylines and lot of stuff that we're hoping to cover. We've already started that with Next Question. We've already done that, trying to talk to the faces around the league and we're trying to key into the Waratah League as well. So hopefully get some stuff out there in the future.

Speaker: that looks That sounds really, really great, Caleb. Lots of content, I'm sure, that's able to be shared. But it sounds like a big job for one person. Is there any chance that you'll be getting some help during the season?

Speaker: Oh, absolutely. I've got Jaylee Ismay, who's the manager of the media team with me. She's absolutely stellar co-worker and boss. So she's awesome. And also Chanel Bailey, who runs the league.

Speaker: She was a... Awesome. Over the blitz, he just let me cook up there in the – well, not – it was quite a hot there. I wasn't actually cooking. I was actually probably the only air-conditioned spot in the Penriff Regional Sports Centre. But I will get help, plenty of help, that is. and But, yeah, looking forward to it. It's going to be a big year, and I'm i'm itching to get going.

Speaker: How are you doing? ah We saw a few behind-the-scenes videos of the players up in the ah upstairs in in front of the green screen, in front of the curtain. Is there any any particular moments that we are should be looking forward to seeing?

Speaker: Oh, well, you'd be happy to hear, Lockie. I'll tell you what. There was some piece of content that we did with AC and Lockie Hutch um with the Sutherland Sharks. Those boys, they had me in stitches. We had Floyd Mallon on the camera as well.

Speaker: um Everyone around the NBA is well ah well known. well They would know Floyd quite well. So him and I, Liv McGregor as well, Rob Schatz, Rob Shealy over at Illawarra, he helped out.

Speaker: So it was awesome content. But, yeah, the one that definitely sticks out was our Lockie Hutch and AC. They did ah bring a lot of smiles to the faces. Manly girls did really well. Everyone was a vibe. Everyone had great attitudes. They weren't too worried about being silly.

Speaker: um even in front of the camera doing some pose. ah We had a bit of a lookbook there. So give give the players some inspiration and they were all comfortable going ahead with it. So yeah, big props to the players and the associations for making sure that they were ready and raring to go and fully accepting of what would happen.

Speaker: Yeah, that's good. that's That's so great to hear. It's a lot of new content that we're not used to in East. So I think the players are going to appreciate being looked after in that respect. ah for I shouldn't say for a change, but, you know, so bringing them something different, allowing them to be a little bit more involved with the face of the league, um giving some opportunity for them for perhaps some fan engagement. So great work so far, Caleb. Very good.

Speaker: Thank you. ah so what we So speaking of the Blitz, ah we've also got you on tonight, Caleb, just to give us a bit of a recap. But Lockie, I'm going to go to you first because you were therefore part of the Blitz and saw mostly women's games.

Speaker: Give us a quick recap of what you saw, some highlights and some lowlights and some things to look forward to for 2025. Well, I think just about everyone, when you ask them how their games went, responded the same way. And it was scrappy, but it was good.

Speaker: I think that was just about the the prevailing theme. Yeah, I mean, it's tough with some teams to know exactly how they're going because like Nicole Munger wasn't there. That's just one example. Jazz Paul Kadilla wasn't there for Central Coast. So kind of hard to get a read exactly. like if you just look at the results, as I always say, trial paper trial form's not worth the paper it's written on.

Speaker: But, you know, teams... For a preseason run in a league where we don't get a lot of preseason games, some teams looked good. Others, um yeah, especially teams missing a point guard. That's kind of difficult.

Speaker: I think co Comets, especially, without Perini were kind of... but I mean, they said as much themselves, some of the players I talked to, you know, once once they had their full roster, they'll look a lot better. um Inner West with Talia Tupaya, she dragged them.

Speaker: Maybe not dragged them to a win over Comets, but definitely looked good. And word around the campfire is there are got a couple more couple more recruits coming, so that should be good. But I think... um yeah Illawarra.

Speaker: Illawarra looked look good against Central Coast. um Fortunately, that game was on court one, which was slightly cooler than court three and five. That was ah good to see. i think I saw Emmerson McRae touch the rim during warm-up as well, which was cool.

Speaker: Yeah, so that was fun. ah Yeah, it was just and was just a good good day, you know, seeing everyone again but um and just talking to people. i Things you don't did you only find out when you bump into someone at the stadium or in the car park or before or after a game and just have a chat. and um Yeah, just a great, ah good a good day out.

Speaker: Yeah, that's definitely the advantage of these pre-season tournaments as well. It's the first opportunity the community can really get together, ah probably get people a little bit excited for the season ahead and have those conversations. For us three as commentators can certainly dig up some gold nuggets for the commentary box and our insights when we are commentating just from those conversations. So ah tournaments like the Blitz can be really helpful like that. But let's quickly just bring up the...

Speaker: results from the women's competition. I'm just going to quickly share the screen here. ah So it looks like Penrith hosting club ah getting away with a loss, unfortunately, in the opening match to Hornsby.

Speaker: But on the plus side, it looks like despite Hornsby not announcing any players for their men's and women's roster. They obviously suited up and and turned up, so that's a good sign. And as you can see, North's getting up over heels in the second game, Inner West, as you mentioned, defeating the Sydney Comets, Central Coast over Illawarra, Canberra over Bankstown.

Speaker: Manly Warringah over Newcastle and Maitland over Sutherland on that first day. And heading on to the second day of the women's competition, we have Hornsby beating Newcastle, Inner West beating Bankstown, Canberra beating Sydney, North but beating Illawarra,

Speaker: Maitland defeating Hills. Sutherland and Central Coast looks like an NA. So I've been told that due to player numbers, I think that game was agreed upon not to go ahead.

Speaker: And then Manly with a convincing win over Penrith as well. Caleb, did you get a chance to see much of the women's competition are at the Blitz? Oh, look, we were up in that media room for a majority of it we are The way the Penrith Regional Valley Centre looks, though, you can kind of see over the main court.

Speaker: So I did manage on the Sunday to actually have a proper look out over to the Newcastle-Hornsby game. And Jessie Mayhall, she's just absolutely, she's just so good, isn't she? She's just very good at basketball.

Speaker: There's no other way to say it. ah Everyone that was there was just kind of, and all the players just kind of watching over the court. And she just is just on another level. I'm so excited for her this year.

Speaker: That was only really the only time I had a chance to go out and see the women's game. I saw a bit of the inner West on Sunday as well. I had to go get some highlights and Talia Tupaya, She made my job quite easily easy because there 30 seconds left in that first quarter and she decided to just go on from a five-points run by herself.

Speaker: So I grabbed what I needed there and I just shook on back to the media room. But honestly, I'm just, yeah, the competition's really good, but those were the two players that really stood out to me in the women's comp.

Speaker: Very good indeed. And what about the men's competition? Did you get a chance to see much of the men's competition, Caleb? Yeah, look, I'm i'm not going lie. i wandered over and checked out the Sutherland-Maitland game when I could. um It was quite, you said scrappy. It was very scrappy, i was very chippy as well.

Speaker: like There was a lot of pushing and shoving. AC, eight Adrian Cabrera, got a nice little cut under his eye. We did just put up a post as well. ah Dan Milburn, of course, the old rock and the shoe we like to call him on the Maitland-Mustangs game, did get into a little bit of a push and shove as well. So,

Speaker: Obviously, two grand final rivals from the past. No love lost between them. um But, yeah, Sutherland looked really good and Maitland looked very different without a Will Cranston-Lowne at the point guard.

Speaker: Yeah, that's going to be really, really interesting to see um how Maitland shape up. I mean, they've got very great, a lot of great players that fill his shoes. But I think just the what he brings to that team in terms of his playing style and his foot speed um and how he can just light it up when they need it is going to be it's going to be a ah different looking Maitland without him. But yeah.

Speaker: That's a team that we will be covering a little bit later in the episode. So we'll be able to chop it up um a bit in a bit more detail. I'm just going to bring up as well now the men's results from the Blitz on the screen.

Speaker: And you can find all the results on the NBL1 East Instagram page and social media outlets as well. So it looks like the first game of the NBL1 Blitz for the men's competition was Canberra and Bankstown in Canberra with a convincing win there.

Speaker: Manly Warringah went on to beat Newcastle. Central Coast went on to beat Illawarra. ah Sydney Comets got a win over the Inner West Bulls. Sutherland and Maitland, it looked like a tight competition as well on the score sheet, 96-87 with the Sharkies getting up in that occasion.

Speaker: Panerith Panthers are defeated Hornsby, Keringi, Spiders and the Norse Bears finished the first day by beating Hills Hornets. And on day two, Canberra again with the earlier game and they lost the Sydney Comets only by three points.

Speaker: Newcastle defeated Hornsby. North Spares defeated Illawarra. ah Hills beat Maitland by three points as well, so that would have been nice and close.

Speaker: very entertaining game to watch for a Sunday. Sutherland Sharks beat Central Coast. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles defeating Penrith. And to close out the day, a two-point win, Bankstown over Inner West.

Speaker: So, yeah, the men's competition looking very tight, but I believe, Lockie, that there are a lot of key players missing from both the men's and women's rosters. Is that right?

Speaker: Oh, 100%. I mean, I don't think any team I watched was at full strength. I mean, I mentioned Munger, Perini. Bankstown women didn't have their imports.

Speaker: Bankstown men didn't have Cadiz on the first day. ah i mean, the list the list just goes on and on. I think if you think back to it just about any Maitland women didn't have Shakira Riley and Drakos didn't have Jazz for Cadillac. I mean, I just kept going. I'll just keep thinking of more and more players. But I think i think I've made my point.

Speaker: Yeah. ah Caleb, what were the notable omissions for you? Oh, look, I honestly, as I said, it didn't catch many games. But the Bankstown won no Caddy on the first game. But I will say that second game, I did manage to catch Caddy in that second game.

Speaker: He looked every bit like the player that we were expecting. Even he said he was sore. And because he'd just been moving all weekend, um but he did just shook on and he looked so good.

Speaker: um Surprising. I know you were talking about omissions, but there was some surprising additions for the other teams. i Seeing Leilani Mitchell again, sued up for the Central Coast Crusaders. We saw her there Saturday. So there was a couple of little, and Jessie Mayhall, as we said before, but she hadn't been announced either.

Speaker: So there was some good additions. people that did play, but the emissions, yeah, there was, as Lockheed's covered majority of them. um Yeah, I was definitely hoping to see Davida Dale for Bankstown.

Speaker: Her defense was just spectacular last year. I think when we were commentating her in Maitland, she nearly got a quadruple double. She got like nine steals. She was one steal short. Never seen a defender like that.

Speaker: So i was disappointed not to see her, but we'll be able to see plenty of her in 2025.

Speaker: Well, she's been busy playing in the UK, actually getting a quadruple double, ah probably the first. Yeah, she's probably the first in ah the newly formed professional women's league over in the UK, I imagine.

Speaker: um But I can't imagine that anyone, especially not in NBL1 East history, but perhaps even before that when it was still ah champions or what did we call it?

Speaker: Waratah League, Waratah Champions. I can't be certain that there was another female athlete that got a quadruple double in that time. So maybe this is the year that she's going to get it done for NBL One East.

Speaker: She'll have all the opportunity on that Bank Sound roster, I reckon reckon. So I'm a betting man, or not anymore, not on basketball, I should say. But I should say that.

Speaker: I should say that. It's on the record. It's on the on the record. On the record. but I reckon she's good for it this year. Yeah, we're very excited to see her and see her ah in the Bankstown colours too. But before we say goodbye to you, Caleb, is there anything that you would like to mention to our NBL1 East fans and East Scott game listeners out there ahead of the season or anything that you need to plug?

Speaker: Nothing really. Just honestly, just keep up to date with the NBL 1 East. Like, we're on the way up. Like, this league is just getting bigger and bigger every year. I've been a part of it now.

Speaker: miss the first year. Just life happens. But 2022 is my first year doing commentary. 2023 and this year. Every year it's grown. I think with the players that we've brought over, that we've seen start signing up for these associations with these teams, it just shows how much growth there is in the NBL 1 East.

Speaker: So just make sure you're just following the NBL1 East page. Follow East Golf Game, Two Feet Into Paint, Love of the Game, Silver Slashes. Just really embrace all this media surrounding this league because I don't think there's another NBL1 conference that has the support like an East Golf Game. I think just definitely embrace everyone and follow the content because story around the around the conference is just you don't want to miss it. There's really good basketball happening here in New South Wales.

Speaker: We couldn't agree more, hey, Lockie? 100%. Awesome. Thank you so much for your time today, Caleb. I'm sure we'll talk to you again ah throughout the season and we'll hit you up for some pre-season. Well, it won't be pre-season predictions because we're going to allow...

Speaker: two weeks at least for the the first two rounds to happen before we reach out to our ah peers again for their predictions because what happened last time was that, well, we didn't have half the rosters and then we all looked a bit silly. It was a bit harder last year. It was very hard, wasn't it? Yeah.

Speaker: And so we'll make a prediction and then ah a week later it's like LJ's announced it's like, well, that just throws everything out, doesn't it? I felt pretty good about myself when I did I think I said Bawali Bales last year was going to be the top player. I i i've a ride or die for Bawali on that one. I was pretty happy with that.

Speaker: Oh, yeah, you weren't too far from the truth. He was a noticeable admission actually from the MVP conversation. But we won't dig up – won't unpick old wounds, will we?

Speaker: No. Reopen old wounds, that's the saying. All right. Thanks heaps, Caleb. I'm sure we'll talk to you again very soon and good luck with the rest of the season.

Speaker: Thanks for having me, guys. See you soon. Thank you. Bye. Bye. Very nice of Caleb to drop in on the last minute and remember to go and follow NBL One East on all of your social media platforms, particularly on platforms like Instagram where Caleb is doing a lot of great work um creating and uploading some very fresh content to showcase our league.

Speaker: I should also mention that if you are happy are you what if you're joining us live on YouTube or Instagram, feel free to drop in a comment on either of the chats and if we feel If it is a appropriate or if you have a question, we can always put your comments from YouTube up on the live stream and those on Instagram. I'm also checking if you've got any questions or comments that we feel we can have a chat about. But otherwise, Lockie, this is episode number five. We are going to showcase the rosters, the remaining of the men's rosters that we didn't showcase in episode three.

Speaker: Are you ready to get stuck into it? I am. Episode five. Hooray. I can't believe we're in episode five already. Only another 25 to go. thereabouts.

Speaker: That's probably way too many. i can do another 25 if you want. Yeah, I know you could do another 25. bet you can. can

Speaker: And like Caleb said, there are so many great stories around the league. We could probably fill another 25 episodes with with something. But let's just focus on episode five for today.

Speaker: And the first men's team that we're going to talk about ahead of the 2025 season is the Central Coast Crusaders. Here is some of their stats now. I'm aware that the logo is probably covering part of it, so I might try and move that if possible.

Speaker: But here we go. As we have in the previous couple of episodes, Lockie is very kindly... um kind like made all these graphics for our live stream episodes.

Speaker: First, we've got some 2024 season facts. Lockie, take it away. What are you seeing here? oh What have you got to to show us here with these facts? Well, first of all, their top scorer, Robbie Heath, and top rebounder, Ben Stevens, are not yet announced, not back by the look of it, possibly. So that that's that's already a big thing for a team that finished five and fifteen last year. And I will say probably for the last time that if they had everyone all season last year, they would have done a long battle.

Speaker: I think that was the one thing we got out of Crusaders' season last year. But um good to see that they get to the line and make the most of it a lot. And They don't turn the ball over a lot, but that is on the flip side. They didn't shoot it all that well and their defense wasn't too crash hot.

Speaker: So if your defensive rating is down near 13th and your offensive rating isn't considered a statistical strength, that's going to make it very tough. yeah committing 20 fouls per game and putting the fruit opposition at the line almost as often as you're there. It's ah really burning one of the strengths you have to do that.

Speaker: Yeah, and sure, the aim of the game is to score more points than your opposition, but the other half of that is, a you have to stop the opposition from scoring as many points, but B, if you're going to shoot it that much, you also... you have it's It's kind of like the double-edged sword of... ah of the things you're not supposed to do. It's like you're missing too many shots and you're letting too many of their shots in. And that, you know, I'm not very good at maths, but that doesn't equal a win.

Speaker: No. um But, yeah, I remember particularly we are with the Crusaders and men last season, they certainly had a lot of great pieces and a great lot of new pieces to the crus owner Crusaders program as well, being people like Ben Stevens and Robbie Heath. But, yeah,

Speaker: I think it was, I feel like it took them a little bit too long last season to build up a chemistry for people to understand their roles and for some of the key players to have trust in the other players.

Speaker: um So there were lots of times where perhaps some players were shooting a little bit too much and not trusting that the their teammate could shoot and score just as well as them if given the opportunity.

Speaker: it's just unfortunate that took a little while um to gel for the Crusaders. But, yeah, let's see what happens this season. And I guess with that, let's look at the roster.

Speaker: As it stands, like you said, yeah, Callum McDonald, Shan Nye are definite outs. um ah ah Sorry, apologies. Under that logo, it does say TBA, so the likes of Ben Stevens, ah Robbie Heath, like you mentioned.

Speaker: James Trustam.

Speaker: that You know, he's been ah a crusader for a very, very long time. He's been in that starting five a long time. Not as long as someone like William Bates. You know, William Bates I think last year or perhaps I think it was last year celebrated his 20th consecutive season.

Speaker: playing for the Crusaders in some in some way. But, yeah, so JT not on the roster ah is a it a somewhat surprising um and a little bit of a, not disappointment, but I'm a little bit sad that he's not there.

Speaker: Yeah. I mean, even I mean, they're, Just name, it he's like a name I knew even before I was following the men's league, like back when I was just really only watching women's waratah. It's just a name like you couldn't avoid seeing because he was but there for so long.

Speaker: Yeah, it's going to it's be really, it's going to be a bit odd without him. the The likes of him and Ty and it's weird for me saying William Bates, Wombat, his everyone knows him as Wombat.

Speaker: it It is odd when those three guys aren't there because they've been such anchors for that men's program for such a long time through all the highs and lows. But it looks like time again is going to be playing Waratah League for the Central Coast Waves.

Speaker: um I'm not too sure if I can't remember if I saw on the roster if JT or Wombat are on that roster, um but there were rumours that JT was heading towards retirement. I hadn't seen anything official, but then again, I'm not too sure if he's the type of guy to make an official announcement. So um maybe he's just gone out quietly.

Speaker: But let's focus on the roster that we do have. ah Who's standing out to you? Who are you most excited for in this roster, Lockie? Well, it's bittersweet to say it, but it's got to be clear on us, really, doesn't it?

Speaker: i mean, um yeah, I mean, we we had him at Sutherland. He showed flashes of just how good he can be. Yeah. I mean, we talked about him in a previous episode, but I think and east Central Coast have really got a good one here, and I think he can... He'll definitely be... I mean, when you're as young as he is, it's impossible not to get better if you're putting in the work he's putting in. So i think well i think he averaged about 10 or so points per game last year. I think that number's probably set to to rise quite a bit higher this season, and I think he'll probably get... um

Speaker: He'll probably be more of a focal point of the offense than he was able to be. Coming into what was a fairly set Sutherland team at the time, you know, Sutherland, you know, not just a fairly set Sutherland team, but a lot of guys that have been there for a very long time and, you know, just reached the grand final together. so ah So, yeah, really looking forward to seeing how he does at Central Coast one year one year on from his time at Sutherland.

Speaker: Yeah, I agree. He's definitely going to be a focal point of their offense, and I think he's going to complement the likes of Luke Cassidy and Alex Bailey quite well. I'm expecting Cassidy and Bailey to ah continue their point guard duties, and I'm expecting, say, Washington and Amir to slip into that shooting guard role for the Crusaders. Yeah.

Speaker: And I think that as well, like Claris, I think is a similar age to those guys too. So I, so you know what you tend to see with teams, you know, if they have a really great rapport off court and they can kind of like have fun together, get in the gym together.

Speaker: and kind of build that friendship off the court, it will translate nicely on court. And I can see this happening for this young Crusaders team. A lot of them have grown up playing together as well. So the likes of Jamal Schwabe, Seth Chapman, Hayden Gunderson, remember playing watching them as juniors playing for the Rebels team.

Speaker: And now they get to start to step into the big shoes of NBL1 East. And they're all very talented as well. I mean i um think this is going to be perhaps the new dynasty of the Crusaders.

Speaker: You know, that was previously the the the Bates, McGann, Trustam, Rebellion kind of, Cracknell kind of dynasty that we used to see in this Crusaders men's program. I think this is going to be the new chapter.

Speaker: You missed the most important name. No. Tom. Jeevers. Oh, of course. Callum Jenkins, of course. He was, of course, part of that dynasty as well. But I was trying to think of players who have played in like maybe the last three years. But, yeah I mean, like you can't deny Callum Jenkins. I mean, put the guy's statue you at the front of of the stadium, really.

Speaker: Really. that just just a Just a statue of that tip in ah to help the Crusaders men win the championship just before it became NBL1 East. Yeah. just that That's all we need. But, ah yeah, Washington's going to be great. Have you watched um now? This is how I'm going to pronounce it. I did try and look up some footage of this particular player to try and get the pronunciation of this last name correctly.

Speaker: But like ah Manum, Lino Manum, that's how I'm going to pronounce it. How are you going to pronounce it? I would say Lino, but I have i didn't find video that had his, yeah, Lino.

Speaker: and for that sorry I heard some commentators say man home, but I was like, I don't know i don't know if that's correct. I'm going to have to contact Coach Miko and and double check. But he's he's the seven-footer that Crusaders have recruited this season. um And I have confirmed that he's probably going to be the only true big player for the Crusaders this season. that So they're going to be running a little bit smaller, smaller got quick and guard heavy, whole lot of shooters. I think the next in line that can play under the basket would be Seth Chapman.

Speaker: ah But otherwise, I think they're looking a little bit small. Yeah, it's it's it's a weird one in that when you when you've got a seven-footer on the court and then when you don't, it's the complete opposite.

Speaker: Kind of thing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's like the, you'll have a lot more breathing space when that one seven footer is taking, taking a rest. Yeah. Or maybe he will just be playing 40 minutes every game.

Speaker: oh I don't see that happening. Not being seven foot. i ah and Not being seven foot. I can't speak to how or you would go playing 40 minutes.

Speaker: No. i i' so I've got to measure myself right when I wake up in the morning just to get to six, let alone seven.

Speaker: um And, of course, they've got Garrick Young, who's coming from the Tanworth Thunderbolts from the Waratah League as well. So they've got a lot of scoring power ah in those guard spots, but their Achilles heel seems to be in the front court.

Speaker: Shall we move should we move on to Hills? Oh, sorry, you go. but i mean, yeah, I was just going say, I mean, yes, they look a little thin in the frontcourt, but if they've got everyone there from the start, which was their big issue, that it's that that's the main thing. They get this roster here from day dot.

Speaker: Those two things combining is what will put them on an upward trajectory.

Speaker: Fingers crossed for them. ah And as you said in the previous slide, they can have the opportunity to get the split on Bankstown, Hornsby, Maitland, Newcastle, North. So, yeah, they've got quite a task.

Speaker: That's tough. That's very, very tough. All right, let's move on to the Hills Hornets men's team starting off with their 2024 season facts, including win-loss record of nine and eleven and unfortunately just missing out on finals in absolutely devastating circumstances last season.

Speaker: ah ah still feel for you, CB, if you're listening. um Me too, because I went down to that Hills Illawarra game. that kicked off, you know, that last weekend where they got the win, then they got the other win, and then Bankstown went to overtime to put them out. but saw Yeah.

Speaker: And it Manly was caught up in it as well a little bit, and I remember we had CB and Mason Bragg on a very quick Instagram Live episode, and they were talking about the potential match-ups and results ahead of that weekend. and Yeah, because Nathan and Manly had to win keep Hills ah alive and they did it for them. and Yeah.

Speaker: But Bankstown got it done on the final day. Everyone counted out Bankstown and I'm like, don't shut the door on us just yet. Here we come. So, yes, so the top scorer was Chris Bryant, 26.3 points per game and top rebounder with 8.3.

Speaker: And Ishmael Sanders, should I say ish? Ishmael sounds very formal. Led assists with 3.9 assists per game. But unfortunately, ah probably a a little bit more of room to improvement as well. Lockie, take us through it.

Speaker: Yeah. Yeah, so, i mean, yes, a little bit of room to improve. I mean, they they missed finals by the barest of margins, but they were right in the hunt. They they they slipped late.

Speaker: slis white um I mean, assists, not great. Defensive rating, not great. And defensive rebounding rate, not great.

Speaker: And when your opposition is shooting 47%, you're not getting as many opportunities to get defensive rebounds. And you still know it. Like 66.8%, that's giving the opposition every, that's basically every third shot they take, they're getting a second opportunity.

Speaker: I mean, points in the pay, 36. thirty six That should be 36.6 per game. um But I guess you had CB there, but he doesn't mind playing out on the playing out on the perimeter a bit. So he's sort of,

Speaker: yeah take take from one side, give to the other kind of thing. um But um kept their turnover rates down and opposition second chance points.

Speaker: They might have given up... a few too many um offensive rebounds, but ah they didn't really yeah let their opponents convert them into second chance points.

Speaker: sorry But it's still a lot of extra defense to play. And i think I think sometimes that's also part of it, is you know all those extra 14 seconds of defense you have to play giving up offensive rebounds. gets in your legs after 40 minutes.

Speaker: Yeah, it definitely does. That's when you need to be reaching for the pickle juice in that final timeout in the fourth quarter just to hold off the cramps and keep going until the final siren.

Speaker: So they have they play Aubrey Wodonga Bandits, Bankstown Bruins, Inner West Bulls and Sutherland Sharks and Sydney Comets twice this season. So their opportunity to get the split on them if possible.

Speaker: um That's also looking like a pretty tough run for the Hills Hornets. um But I feel like I'm going to say that for pretty much everyone now. I just realised that I still have the Crusaders banner up. There we go. Now it says Hills.

Speaker: ah But let's look at this roster. We know now that, you know, CB and Ish Sanders are on the TBA list but probably likely unlikely to come back.

Speaker: Well, they won't be at Hills because Hills assigned two new imports. They're correct. They sure have. Yeah. So that's not to say that they won't come back for another club. You're right. But, yes, it won't be for Hills.

Speaker: One of the imports being Meek Payne. Have you looked at very much up film on Meek Payne, Lockie? I did, aside from Lachlan Hudson posting all these ah individual workouts throughout the offseason, which is very nice to see, um ah did watch some of his college highlights playing for CSU Pueblo, I believe.

Speaker: And before that, he played for ah University in New Hampshire, but I watched his CSU Pueblo highlights in D2. He can definitely get up.

Speaker: Lots of our blocks and dunks in it, but ah can certainly rise up for his shot as well and shoot over people. Yeah. Came from Big V D1, which is actually the second level of Big V, but was having twenty twenty games down there for Whittle C. like Got to the point where I don't think there were just enough possessions in a game for him to get more stats than he got, kind of thing. When you get to stats that high, you're just like, well, sometimes other people do have to do things on the team, kind thing.

Speaker: Yeah, it's probably a good idea to try and get, you know, most people involved rather than just be like, oh, you can do it all. I'm just going to run up and do the sideline. Exactly. It's like, yeah, he got 27 and 20 and it's like, well, could could he have got more if they, you could he do the same at a higher level, which I guess remains to be seen. But um that certainly ah certainly looks at the part.

Speaker: Yeah, definitely. From the footage that I saw online, I really liked how Meek can play through some contact. Looks like he's got a really quick first step. And I really liked how he was able to find some very unique and precarious gaps when he's driving to the basket.

Speaker: um and he looks slightly like in the matchups that i saw in that footage for when he was playing for widdell c he looks like he was ah slightly bigger and a little bit longer compared to the regular guards like he almost looked like he should be playing in the three spot but he was playing like a two man and so i wonder how i wonder how he's going to size up against the guards in nba one east yeah did you see something similar Yeah, I did, especially with his length. That was something I really noticed as well.

Speaker: um It's just how yeah how long he is. When i say he can shoot over people, that's partly because he's got but such reach. um Yeah, he pretty much nailed it, Swin. What he was doing at Whittlesea is pretty much transferred from his college days.

Speaker: Yeah, that's right. Yeah, it was a very yeah American style of of play. And, I mean, that's obviously why people like to sign him for those assets. So it's going to be interesting to see how he matches up against the existing guards or the guards that have played a long time in NBL 1 East that may be potentially ah could match him for size. But, yeah, he's ah he's a very unique package. So I'm excited to see him.

Speaker: um think overall this roster is quite a young, versatile roster. I really liked how last season they all played their roles really well around CB and Ish, but they're all really willing to hustle.

Speaker: And I think that that's what they're going to bring again this season. So, like really great role players willing to do the dirty work of chasing down rebounds, diving on the ball, um things like that that always make a big difference.

Speaker: um because Do you remember that game that we reviewed for last season? It was Hills versus Maitland, and that's the game where Hills won in Maitland. And that's when I saw some of these young people really start to shine. Do you recall that same game that we watched? Yeah.

Speaker: Yeah, and I think that's the game when we were talking about Manly and talking about Jack Giddens and Jamie Munro. I think that was one of the games that stood out among others. But, I mean, some of these guys, they're they're still young, but they've ah and been around a while, right?

Speaker: Saxon Orsini, he's coming back from injury, but um I called his, actually called his debut. And um he was just out there looking hungry straight away. But like Liam Moss, Joe Patmore, Marv Fidel, I mean, Mish Smith, we've seen them for a few seasons. They always just get out there and they are just, you know, lunch pail guys.

Speaker: Yes, Lunch Power Guys. Yes, that's a really – put that on a T-shirt, Hills Hornets, and put an EGG logo at the back. But I think that's that's Lunch Power Guys is a really good collective name for them. Collective noun almost. Yeah.

Speaker: um The other person on this roster that I'm excited for is Jacob foy So ah for those that don't know, Jacob ah grew up in Port Macquarie before his family moved to Newcastle where he really flourished under the very successful and strong Newcastle Juniors program.

Speaker: ah He spent three years playing ah for the University of Hawaii. And then since he's come back, he spent some time in NBL 1 South, which includes the Nationals, one or two Nationals wins with the Knox Raiders um under some very good coaching with a very good roster that won the Nationals last season.

Speaker: But for me, I hope that he is going to come to Hills and he'll have a bigger role. because he's a very talented guy. Obviously, you know, not everyone gets to go to what ah Hawaii. So he's got the the basketball chops. He's pretty much someone that grew up with a basketball in his hand, um given that he's from a basketball family.

Speaker: But I remember when he played for Knox, he was a bit more of a bench guy, come on and have a particular role of getting some quick threes, you know, hassling on defense. But he wasn't like one of their core players in the core rotation.

Speaker: So I hope that he has a bigger role now that he's coming to Hills. What do you think? Yeah, I mean, 100% agree. He played, I think, 15 minutes or so last per game last season for Hills after Knox.

Speaker: But you know like yeah didn't get a lot of opportunity. i don't think a lot of plays were really run for him kind of thing. And I ah think, you you know, if you can come back, I mean,

Speaker: It's not quite home, but I'll tell you what, getting from Castle Hill to Newcastle lot easier than getting there from Melbourne. So, you know, you come ah yeah back to, you know, at least somewhere near home.

Speaker: um Probably roster where, I mean, the any roster is easier to get minutes in than Knox's, let's be honest. um I think it's just a real opportunity for him to, you get back, play,

Speaker: Hopefully 25, 30 minutes a game, if not more, we'll see how it all pans out, what the rotations are like. ah i But couldn't be more stoked for a great opportunity. Yeah, I agree. I can see him even being, you know, in the big three with ah Hudson and Payne perhaps.

Speaker: ah Yeah, i think I think it's realistic to expect him to be playing at least 25 minutes a game. So fingers crossed we get to see his talent showcase a little bit more this season.

Speaker: Of course, Zachary Hudson, I think we mentioned in our first episode of season three, very big signing for Hills Hornets as well. Yeah. also gonna I was going to say, other than Zach Hudson, though, Lockie, where's the frontcourt?

Speaker: um Who's filling in this frontcourt for Hills Hornets? Just just run it, boys.

Speaker: I feel like they're going to be in a similar issue as the Crusaders that we just spoke about. Like, they're running they're running a lot of guards and they're running quick and they're running a lot of shooters, but who's going to be protecting their rim?

Speaker: ah I mean, they've still got a few in the TBA column, but mean, who knows? I mean, they've still got a so got room to sign a couple more and they've been and been drip feeding us a bit.

Speaker: I mean, we weren't expecting Jay Kurosame for the women. And then they topped that with Sheree Kalaya. So maybe the Hornets men have got another up their sleeve as well.

Speaker: Yeah, maybe CB's – oh, no, we said the CB can't come back, like you said, because it's got two imports, um even though CB's off in Indonesia. But, yeah, I'm worried about their frontcourt. But, yeah, hopefully they've got something up their sleeve, like you mentioned. Yeah.

Speaker: But just before we finish up with Hills Hornets, I just want to give the club and their social media team a big shout out because I don't know about you, Lockie, but I'm loving these roster announcements videos from Hills Hornets this season because ah not only is it – it's not just like a ah typical kind of – photo posts on their social medias of like, hey, we've signed this person and a bit of a spiel, which we still love, by the way. Don't ever stop doing that to any club.

Speaker: But instead, Hills are now um uploading, you know, Instagram reels that have like a whole video and showcasing where the players kind of started their career and what they're looking for for the next season.

Speaker: I'm loving it. What about you? i well it's so well done as well. You know, you get – It's real because they go in and like, you see like Cherie starts and she laughs or most of them, they start to talk and then they laugh and they're like, oh, or someone was like, what was the question again?

Speaker: And then once they get talking, then they just play that over some actual highlights. So it feels really like properly produced as well. It's a great concept and it's executed really well.

Speaker: Like the triangle offense.

Speaker: Great podcast, and they executed really well. I 100% agree. The production value on these video announcements are really high. Like yeah if you go back and watch Saxon or Sini's video and they've overlaid it with footage of him playing as a as a tiny, tiny kid for Hills Hornets when he was a junior as he was talking about where he started, it's actually really cool.

Speaker: I really, really enjoy it. So, um yeah, massive shout out to Hills. We love your work. Please keep it up.

Speaker: Okay, are we ready to move on to the next team or what we know far? Yeah, sure. Sure. This one may be a bit shorter short and sweet, but it's the Hornsby Keringai Spiders men's team.

Speaker: In 2024, they had a win-loss record of 3-17, finishing 14th, which obviously meant they did not qualify for finals. The top scorer was Aaron Redhead, who averaged 13.9 points per game.

Speaker: And the top rebounder was Alexander Sidhu, who averaged 6.6 rebounds per game, with Raymond Takshi averaging 3.8 assists per game.

Speaker: Obviously lots to of room to improvement, given where they finished on the ladder last season. But they certainly had it so a lot of statistical strengths as well, Lockie.

Speaker: Yeah, and I think um we mentioned this with um a couple of women's teams that were Lauren, I think severally some of the men's teams in that boot teams getting what they can, like the fast break points, 10.8 per game, you know get out and run. You know, if that's yeah that's an easy basket when you get the opportunity. You know, if you if you know you've got a tough matchup in the half court, get out and run.

Speaker: Yeah. Non-paint two scoring, top of the league, threes and layups. We love it. ah But, I mean, yes, the I mean, the rooms to improve, you know, three things they're bottom of the league in. and And you mentioned with Central Coast, you know, the opposition's shooting it well and you're not shooting it well.

Speaker: unless yeah Unless you're racking up David Dale-level steals, you're not going to be able to overcome that overcome that issue. And, I mean, just giving up too many opportunities to the opposition.

Speaker: um But, I mean, they finished three and seventeen I mean, there's going to be room to improve. That's just how it works.

Speaker: And they they had, you know, essentially a brand new roster from 2023 and a new coach. um And there were certainly a lot of great signs of this men's program rebuilding and showcasing a lot of talent. So we're hoping that they were able to retain a lot of that roster from 2024 so they can continue to build on what they started.

Speaker: um Because, yeah, they certainly have a lot of potential. give Hopefully they've got a ah few more key signings. to help them to improve on that 3-17 record, but they've still got a lot of potential to improve on that record.

Speaker: I'm pretty confident that they won't be finishing the 2025 season with 3-17. and die um So let's have a look at this roster, shall we? and you know what I'm going to do?

Speaker: have to play that again because still we've given them, you know, like we did our Believe the Hype episode, what, four weeks ago now? yeah Hopefully that, you know, talking about some of the key signings announced so far, everything prefaced with so far in the hope that by the time we got to this episode, Hornsby would have announced someone, but we got nothing.

Speaker: but You got a couple in the outs column. Speak to me about that. ah Just a couple of guys that are off at college. um So Isaiah Walters at UMass Lowell in Massachusetts, D1 school, and Kingsley Jesse Bissar is at Western Wyoming Community College, G College. So if...

Speaker: I mean, they're they're outs for now, but as we know with college guys, if especially I think Juco guys could still come back and play, and sometimes players just come home from college and decide they're not going to go back. I mean, Emma Donnelly from Norse has won, so they're outs for now, but

Speaker: they're also kind of TBAs. Yep, and that TBA list is very long and all I can add from that TBA column over to the confirmed roster is Aaron Redhead because that's one person I could clearly see based on the footage that I saw on social media on the weekend during the NBL1 Blitz competition.

Speaker: who Did you recognise anyone else while you were there or did you not have a chance? you i don't think you had a chance to see the men's, right? didn't really see them, but I did manage to.

Speaker: Fortunately, the two feet in the paint boys are also the Hornsby commentators and they were tagging like crazy on Insta and I'm pretty sure I saw them tag... Nate Chappell, Raymond Takchi, and I think i ah think Stephen Hall's back as well.

Speaker: And word around the campfire is Daniel Titus. are Yes. I had great memories of commentating in a youth league grand final, which unfortunately Central Coast lost, but still a great, great game that was. And he's been killing it up in Queensland, up in your neck of the woods, Queen.

Speaker: Yeah, he certainly has. So just to back you up there, I have also had a couple of different people confirm that Daniel Titus will be playing for Hornsby Keringai, but I don't think he was there on the weekend.

Speaker: Or if he was, I don't think he suited up. ah But, yeah, he was playing for the Gold Coast Rollers, who was coached by Anthony Petrie. So for those that don't know Anthony Petrie, he was, you know, a great NBL player in his own right.

Speaker: His wife was also a really great WNBL player when she was able to play, and now he has, I think, two or three daughters that are playing at a high level. Definitely at least ah Emma Petrie, who's playing for Nebraska in the NCAAW.

Speaker: Oh, sorry, Jess Petrie. And then Emma's going to join. can't remember if she can committed somewhere, but Jess is definitely playing for Nebraska, and I think Emma... maybe committed. I can't remember, but they're talented nonetheless. So yeah, Titus doing great things for Gold Coast Rollers. He was someone who I think he even started a couple of games. So this is a Rollers team that had Jason Caddy and Will Magne.

Speaker: And then Titus was starting a few games alongside, you know, that the two boomers. Um, Yeah, and he was, you know, obviously a role player in that team, but he was able to showcase his talents. He had a few great dunks. He was able to score from the three-point line. Like, he was really accelerating his game playing up here. So that's why I was kind of surprised that he didn't stick around a little bit longer.

Speaker: oh again, another conference's loss is East game, the homecoming. It continues. The homecoming. Yeah, it would have been a true homecoming if Titus came back and signed for the Crusaders, but we'll still take it that he's at least back in the east, so it is still somewhat of a homecoming.

Speaker: ah But otherwise, I don't think I have any other notes on Hornsby because that's all we can really go off. um But thanks to the Two Feet and the Paint Boys for putting up some footage on their social media pages so we could try and get a sneaky like look of who was there.

Speaker: Okay, let's move right along down to the south coast. We're going to talk about the Illawarra Men. Here are some stats from their 2024 season. They had a win-loss record of 2-18, finishing 15th, obviously, meaning they didn't qualify for finals, unfortunately.

Speaker: Riley Abercrombie was their top scorer and top rebounder, averaging 23.3 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game, respectively. And Lockie Dent, you know, only making a cameo appearance,

Speaker: in that 2024 season, but still led assists as a dent does, doing as a dent does, ah with 7.3 assists per game. And now, Lockie, I think that record of 2-18 for the Illawarra Hawks doesn't truly reflect how competitive they were, particularly at the back end of the season.

Speaker: No. So once they had Dent and Abercrombie and Frierson, who was, God, he was so fun to watch, Matthew Frierson. um Once they had all three of those, you know, kind of clicking, Brad Ballinger um as well, you know, everyone just sort of getting, you know, getting the full side on court and everyone coming back from Europe.

Speaker: They... look much better than the two and 18. I mean, i don't have game by game stats at hand to like slice it after a certain date, but I think if you would, you would see significant improvement after a certain time.

Speaker: Yeah, absolutely. I absolutely agree. Absolutely. And some ah talk to me about some of the other strengths and things to improve for Illawarra ah that you've got up here. Well, last season they shot the three a lot, but it didn't go in a whole lot.

Speaker: Uh, so that, that's probably a problem. Um, they are, I mean, free throw percentage wasn't great and they committed a lot of fouls. So, you know, again, one thing you're a weakness in is also what you're giving the opposition opportunity to do.

Speaker: And I think the fact that their three-point rate was high and their three-point percentage was low just makes the points in the paint rate that is 15th in the league just even more of a glaring issue.

Speaker: If you're to shoot lot of threes and not make them, well, maybe you should yeah i try to get the ball into the paint a bit more often. But... I mean, to be fair, because we're going to go to the next slide and look at the roster, how much of this are we just going to be able to yeah print it out, scrunch it off and throw it away?

Speaker: Yes, throw it away in ah into a waste paper basket as someone like Todd Blanchfield and McDowell White will probably throw away, ah ah make a couple of threes, I think, this season for Illawarra. But, yeah, that roster is short, but it is sweet.

Speaker: We already spoke about in a previous episode about the signings of Blanchfield and McDowell White. And now they have added, in the meantime, since our first episode, they've added Bradley Ballinger and Patrick Lancaster, who are two outstanding locals that have played the last couple of seasons.

Speaker: CJ Moran, Sean Mullen, another local, and Toby Campbell. Looking pretty good so far, I think. They are. i um CJ Moran, another homecoming. um Interesting I found out today about CJ Moran, has played for the Syrian national team.

Speaker: Oh, wow. How did you find that? That's a deep cut. I was just, I just was looking him up today and it was like six. It was like, was like, it comes up like in the heading, FIBA stats. I'm like, ah must have gone and played three three tournament or something. It's like, nope, FIBA Asia Cup qualifies.

Speaker: Wow. Okay. So that's pretty cool for the ah Mackay, was he Mackay's Defensive Player of the Year last season, I think, which is. Yes, it was. Good.

Speaker: um And Toby Campbell as well, for those who don't know, he played for the Darwin Saltees last season up here in the north, and unfortunately the Saltees won't be returning to NBL1 North.

Speaker: um I'm not too sure if they're yet to return to any NBL1 competition. There was rumour that they were going to join Central, but I'm not too sure what's panned out. So might they may be sitting 2025 on the bench, unfortunately. But I digress. Toby Campbell.

Speaker: ah based on the footage that I've seen, ah really good role player, very mobile and agile in that four to five position. I think he's going to be really, really solid in the front court for Illawarra and perhaps another player who will have a good opportunity to increase his minutes now that he's come to the east.

Speaker: Yeah. I mean, I mean, Matt Flynn would have been his coach at Darwin as well and now coaching Illawarra. going back to the well, ah Yeah, if find find a player you like, bring them down.

Speaker: um ah Yeah, like you said, it's a short roster. I like i like the Sean Mullins back. It's been a couple of years. Crushed. Crushed.

Speaker: but the But the Philly Chiefs, the big sweaty boy is gone. but Big sweaty boy. He's taken his sweat elsewhere. has. Feel the push.

Speaker: But... la I mean, the first two signings alone almost confirmed that they were going to do better than 2-18. And it's just got better from there. I've defense with Moran. I've had a Ballinger.

Speaker: Brought back Patty Lancaster. Added a bit in the front court with Toby Campbell. And I mean, there's still a few names on the TBA list, and a lot of them are ah locals. So...

Speaker: If they fill out the bench sprinkling a few of those in, it'll already be a massive, massive upgrade. And if they can bring Abercrombie and or Dent back from, are they both playing in Europe at the moment?

Speaker: um

Speaker: Bring at least one of those back. The Hawks will be flying. We love to see it. And, yes, am i I think from what I've been told at the Blitz, the majority of the men's Hawks roster was filled with their Youth League players who I suspect would be either playing Youth League and NBL1 East or, you know, the Youth League players that are on in the fringe squad, like for development.

Speaker: um My question is, you know The Illawarra Hawksmen side had a pretty good roster a couple of years ago and they had the likes of Dave O'Hickey, Tim Conrad, Lucas Waxy Walker all on their roster.

Speaker: But the problem was that a couple of those big players didn't play consistently. They only cherry-picked a few games here and there, which was obviously... to their detriment.

Speaker: So question is to ah Todd Blanchfield and Kobe McDowell. white i ah Can we expect them to play the majority of the games? Are they just going to cherry pick some games?

Speaker: I i think in this situation, especially Kobe um wanting to make an impression and with, and I think Todd as well.

Speaker: I think they're, It feels like help early how much earlier it was all sorted, it feels very very much like they're fully on board. And with Matt Flynn around, who's, you know, so involved, has been so involved with the NBL side, it feels like there's more of a ah connection there.

Speaker: And I think some of some of those players were going away for like 3x3 tournaments and things like that. They weren't just always sitting out kind of thing. they They did have other commitments at times. So

Speaker: hopefully hopefully hopefully we don't find out that Kobe McDowell-White is a 3x3 fiend and misses half a dozen games. I mean, more more power to any player who wants to ah travel the world playing 3x3. It'd be a great way to see the world. But...

Speaker: We'd like – having watched some Kobe McDowell highlights today, Kobe McDowell white highlights today, it would be nice to have him in the league full-time. And I think that will be. I don't think there's anything to worry about there.

Speaker: Yeah, interesting that you mentioned the connection between some of these players and Matt Flynn and obviously the NBL Illawarra Hawks program. But another common denominator with a lot of these players is a coach named Joel Karlou.

Speaker: He was the men's coach for the Mackay Meteors last season who won the NBL One North title and just narrowly missed that national championship. They had a huge roster. They had Isaac White, Emmett Nairn,

Speaker: Todd Blanchfield, CJ Moran, Aidan Krause. Like it was ridiculous to watch in person, to think it was an NBL one game. Unfortunately not having Isaac White at Nationals because he of his NBL commitments. But they I feel like ah Joel, and Joel also has been an assistant coach with the Illawarra Hawks NBL side this season. So I wonder if he is also um giving some of his sound recommendations of who they can get from the north ah over to play east for Illawarra ah in 2025. But based on this roster so far, they are going to be very tough in a sense of not just because of their skill level, like physically they're going to be tough.

Speaker: I know that that Makai Meteor's team last season were yeah very quite physical, very high pace, very intense.

Speaker: um And if they bring that same level of, intensity and caliber to the east with this roster purely based on you know what cj moran has experienced and what he's going to bring with his defensive intensity they're going to be really really tough they're going be tough they're going to make your yeah they're going to make all of your senses uh really push themselves then absolute limit of trying to keep up with their their speed whether you're a fan or playing against them they're going to be great they're going to be a very tough team

Speaker: I think it will be good for the league overall as well if they're going to be such a high calibre and high intensity team. Everyone's going to have to catch up and that's going to make everyone else improve as well. So the league benefits overall.

Speaker: A rising tide lifts all boats. Yes, it's very good, yes. um All right. um So we probably expect a lot of that TBA list to hopefully be added.

Speaker: um

Speaker: And they haven't announced any imports yet either. Do you think there's a chance they'll get an import?

Speaker: I don't know. Because as I mentioned Abercrombie and Den. So you start you start running out of spots in the starting five to put people. and I mean, there's there's nothing wrong with bringing import off the bench. It's just trying to sell an import a spot when you've got, yeah if you if you're holding out and...

Speaker: You thought we might also be getting to the point in time where some imports might not be available until later than you want them kind of thing. You know, if you've got to run five or six rounds without your import, you may as well just get a really good local instead. Yeah, and also the budget. I mean, if you're you've already announced the likes of Todd Blanchfield, McDowell White,

Speaker: um Moran even, and having Toby toby Campbell relocate potentially, ah budget budget is going to be an issue.

Speaker: All right, let's move on to the reigning champions of the NBL1 East men's competition, the Maitland Mustangs. 2024 saw them finish the regular season with a record of seventeen and three seeing them play second, but they ended up going home with the chocolates winning the NBL1 East championship and heading to nationals in the same only a couple months later.

Speaker: Will Cranston-Lound was their top scorer with 20.6 points per game and also led the assists with 5.8 assists per game.

Speaker: Top rebounder was Billy Parsons with 7.6 rebounds per game, who unfortunately couldn't take the court in that grand final. But according to their social media pages, it looks like he is back for 2025.

Speaker: What else are you seeing with some of these stats, Lockie? A whole lot of firsts. They don't turn it over. They offensive rebound. They get steals. They get blocks.

Speaker: And that is why their net rating is 19.2 points per 100 possessions.

Speaker: I mean, room to improve. I mean, you know you know you're scraping for things to put in the room to improve when you put opposition bench points on.

Speaker: ah Yeah. but I don't think that even... i That doesn't even really mean It means a bit, but not that much. I mean, they committed 20 fouls per game. Opposition, assist rate was good.

Speaker: i mean, but...

Speaker: And their're three but i mean their three-point percentage could do with a little bit of help. But even that, they were 11th in the league. They weren't horrible. And 29.8% in a league that shoots just, like, low to mid-30s.

Speaker: I mean, not nothing here is really egregiously bad.

Speaker: Yeah, no, not at all. I think there were probably some games during the season where their fouls, they they ended up having a lot of quick fouls in a short period of time, particularly when it was like, you know in the first three minutes of the game.

Speaker: um I can't remember what game it was, but I remember one game where Billy Parsons, I think, had three fouls within... the first eight minutes or something, which puts puts them under a lot of pressure. But, yeah, not a lot of room to improve. ah Love that they have Canberra twice this season. That rivalry continues.

Speaker: Central Coast twice, Hornsby, Keringai Spiders twice, Manly twice, probably another perhaps ah rivalry starting there but with Manly, and Newcastle twice. So not a lot of long road trips for them either, which is probably a good thing.

Speaker: um i mean, they've obviously, yeah, they don't even have to travel to Albury. No, so Albury will do the distance double this year, but Newcastle and Maitland, I don't think, new well, we'll see Newcastle soon, but Maitland definitely don't go down there.

Speaker: Awesome. So let's have a look at the roster that they've announced thus far. um a lot of ah usual suspects in the likes of Billy Parsons, Luca Veyer, J. Cole, Daniel Milburn, James Hunter, Josh Clifford, ah and Christian Little is back. I mean, Maitland must be doing something right because it's very rare for an import to sign A, in the same league back-to-back, and B, especially for the same club.

Speaker: But Christian Little's back, and even the women's program, Sydney Hunter, is back, back, back again with Maitland. So they're doing something right up there. So keep doing your thing, Maitland Mustangs.

Speaker: ah And so Mandrell Worthy being the the big um lynch card here for Maitland Mustangs coming over from Norse Bears. ah How do you think this is all shaping together so far?

Speaker: I mean, it's pretty good. ah i mean, you say Christian Little came back to the same league, came back to the same team, but without his mate.

Speaker: His mate, Will Cranston, the Lions moved on, and he's still re-signed. So they definitely are doing something right. I mean, the obvious question is not about the talent. It's how they fit Mandrell Worthy compared to how they fit Will Cranston-Leon. And

Speaker: why and also they've got to figure out how they replace Matt Gray. that's the That's just the two big questions. for I have Will Mortimer in the outs, but he's at college. So once again, that's just ah at least for the start of the season kind of thing.

Speaker: So, I mean, they've announced eight and it's a very good eight. We've got remember that Billy was in this row it was in the team for most of the season last year. He got injured very late in the piece. So it's not like they were missing him all year. He's not really an in.

Speaker: ah But yeah, I think it's, it's more a question of fit than of talent at this stage and what magic Luke Boyle can work.

Speaker: Yeah. Did, ah did Mandrell suit up at the Blitz? Did you happen to see him around or do you remember seeing any clips on, you know, NBL one East Instagram pages at all?

Speaker: I didn't see him at the Blitz. I think, I saw some Baitland players mainly about, but not him particular, unfortunately. Yeah.

Speaker: yeah Yeah, perhaps is what is he, do you know how he's been spending his off season? Has he perhaps been um playing overseas on another contract and we might have to wait a little while until he gets here?

Speaker: I'm really not sure. I'm so enamored with him, the idea of him coming to a, Maitland doesn't really look like he's posted much about being playing playing overseas.

Speaker: No, not a lot on socials, is there? little bit quiet. um Because I'm interested to see how little and worthy are going to be able to gel together. I'm sure it will be fine.

Speaker: And the way that I kind of see it is probably a little bit superficial in a sense where, you know, little is going to be, know, in a similar way. Okay, this is my absolute basic knowledge of gridiron.

Speaker: But, you know, in Gridiron, you play like you're really good at offense or you're really good at defense and then you kind of have a coach for each. Yes. Or you kind of have a leader for each. I kind of see Christian Little for this Maitland team as the leader of their defensive prowess and perhaps Mandrell Worthy is going to be more their leader on their offensive end.

Speaker: Or am I just kind of making this a little bit too easy for myself seeing it this way? i mean, i think that... I think they will definitely take the lead on either side, but I think that probably does a little bit of disservice to, you know, how did they how good they are at the other end.

Speaker: Oh, they certainly are. Yeah, no, that's not to take away what they can also offer as individuals on the other respective ends. But I think in terms of strengths, especially, you know, Christian Little coming into the 2024 season saying that he wanted to be a real pest on defense. He wanted to really showcase that in his debut season. So I think that's maybe planted the seed in my hand of like, he's the guy that's going to dog the ball the most.

Speaker: He is the guy that's going to dog the ball the most. Yes. But, yeah, I'm interested to see if they're able to ah recruit perhaps someone to fill the shoes of Matt Gray I'm also confident that perhaps Coach Boyle is going to be confident in his players like your Parsons, your Vea, your Cole, who have been doing a lot of the hard work and sticking in the men's program for a while. Maybe they can all just equally kind of start to step up now and contribute

Speaker: either just as much or, um I mean, I think Billy Parsons is going to be a lot more of a ah you know, be able to showcase in that spot and be just as productive, if not more so than Matt Gray.

Speaker: ah Oh, 100%. He can, I mean, we we know, I mean, there's a reason he's a, you know, a cult hero amongst the two of us. oh But, I mean, yeah.

Speaker: there's still the guys on that far right column, the TBAs, to come in. And, I mean, looking at their youth league, Will more and more is listed in their youth league men's roster. And so is Tom Parsons.

Speaker: So... If not this season, there's definitely room for... ah Definitely room for players to grow into that role throughout this season and into the future. So...

Speaker: bring a very, can still make a run at it and also have a very good long-term plan here. Absolutely. And I think I did see from some social media footage ah via Basketball NSW, the NBL1E socials that Jack Edwards played at the Blitz.

Speaker: So I'm guessing he is going to be suiting up for the Stangers again, yeah, Hopefully he'll be able to play a few more games and not have to go represent his country again.

Speaker: Yes, the the ah the small matter of a touch football World Cup does sometimes take precedence. Yeah, certainly. I mean, play for your country.

Speaker: it's it's ah sounds like a pretty good opportunity that you should probably take. yeah Yeah, I think that's probably a ah good idea, but especially when you're as good as he is. Oh, yeah, so good. I remember when I first saw him play in Youth League a long time ago and he just blew my mind. His foot speed, ah the way that he can read the game at that speed.

Speaker: ah Yeah, he was ah he's still such an outstanding talent. so well But we're a bit selfish. We just want to come and watch him in the East for a little bit more. Yeah, 100%.

Speaker: Yes, we've got on Instagram someone commenting that Jack, awesome guy, a heck of a player, very tough defensively. Yeah, I mean, imagine being in the backcourt coming in against up against Edwards and Little ah just dogging the ball.

Speaker: You know, I'd just be very, I'd be calling a timeout, subbing myself out, going home. see you later. but

Speaker: All right, let's ah roll on down the road um over to Newcastle ah where the Falcons, oh but let's start with this 2024 facts first. ah They finished the season with record of finishing twelfth overall meaning they didn't qualify for finals. Their top scorer for 2024 was Leo O'Boyle with 17.8 points per game.

Speaker: Myles Cherry led the rebounds with 10.2 rebounds per game and Jaden Goodwin with 3.7 assists per game. Talk me through the rest of these stats, Lockie.

Speaker: Well,

Speaker: they're... I mean, they at this rate, they move the ball really well. And when you've got and you've got Ryan Beastie in there, just basically as an extra yeah an extra ball handler, he finished third for assists.

Speaker: um

Speaker: They get a lot of second opportunities. They don't convert them to a lot of second chance points. And they committed a too many turnovers for my liking last year.

Speaker: mean, I don't like a turnover rate. I mean, nobody likes a turnover rate that isn't zero. But I think once you yeah start getting up around 20% and you're basically giving away every fifth possession, it starts to get tough.

Speaker: Yeah. But I think the fact that their top scorer last year, Leo O'Boyle, for points per game anyway, he was only there for eight games and he's already been announced again. So I think that is probably one of the biggest things for them is who their top scorer is and hopefully he'll be playing a lot more than eight games in 2025.

Speaker: And I know that it's his last name is O'Boyle and not O'Doyle, but how many times do you think he gets the reference O'Boyle rules? that is That is an elite reference.

Speaker: I'm going to say not enough. I'm going to say not enough. But we would probably have to ask him that personally. Hey, are you getting hounded with the O'Boyle rules? And how do you feel about this? Because I feel like we could be doing it more. Yeah.

Speaker: i yeah and I'm sure he's going to, like you said, he was an early announcement. So that does suggest that he's going to be around for the season a lot longer. I actually didn't realize that he played college with Myles Cherry and that's the connection.

Speaker: Yes.

Speaker: And, uh, in the same In the same vein that, um you know, Kyra Evans was able to recruit Nicole Munger with that Michigan connection and then Alyssa Brett, the men's side, go, hey, let us let us try that same strategy as well because we look at their roster and One of the most recent signings is EJ Stevens, who also went to college with O'Boyle and Cherry. So it seems like the men are catching on to something that the helped the women's winning formula in the last couple of seasons.

Speaker: Yes. EJ, yeah, another Lafayette player. He also went to Minnesota after Lafayette. So there you guys Shout out EJ. might have to put that on my...

Speaker: key ring on my keys if I get to commentate Newcastle. I watched i watched um i wish actually a few highlights of EJ Stevens. ah First first of all, shout out. I can't remember who made the highlight video, but It was very good.

Speaker: It was all sectioned in. Here's his scoring. Here's his assists. Here's that. get so many highlight videos where it's like, here's him doing this. Here's him doing that. Here's him doing the other. And you're just like trying to find the guy on the court every time.

Speaker: Just tell me what he's doing. Tell me this is his scoring plays so I can watch the guy with the ball.

Speaker: Yeah. So was able to get to the rack. Yeah.

Speaker: ah like I liked his three-point shot as well. I'm not sure what his stats were like, but I definitely liked it. I would like to have seen it. There were some plays where he was maybe settling for the mid-ranger a bit, but I don't know if he was just being guarded by an absolute, you know, elite defender.

Speaker: But there were certainly times when he met... This was him playing for Cheshire in the UK, so that's where he last played. Which...

Speaker: Honestly, judging by some of the players that have come from the UK to here, think East might even have the edge. mean, it'd be tough to say, but I mean, yeah, I think he'll he'll do a really... I mean, Terry and O'Boyle will obviously not... He's been a teammate of both of them. They're going to say, yeah, bring him in, because they've been playing with him and watching him if they don't think he can do a job.

Speaker: And I think sometimes that is... better than any video you watch. Especially when it's someone like Miles Kerry. you get Miles Kerry's tick of approval at Newcastle, it's probably going to be someone who can do a job.

Speaker: Yeah, that's right. I agree. i don't think they would be pulling just anyone in um because as we saw last season and perhaps the season before, Newcastle have announced these kind of big signings, you know, big imports with all these kind of big hype around them and they haven't eventuated. So i think it's really smart that the likes of O'Boyle and Cherry are pulling on their resources and knowing that They've played with Stevens before.

Speaker: They know what he can do. He's going to be reliable. He's not going to be too much of an unknown and have someone that they have to just purely rely on references and highlight tapes for because they, you know, have lived and breathed the wins and losses with him.

Speaker: So I think it's a lot more of a reliable recruit for them. But I also watched some of... EJ Stevens footage online. ah He also looks like he's got a lot of length for another guard, similar to what we were saying about Meek Payne from Hills Hornets.

Speaker: Also another, i think, another drive first guard just based on the highlights that I saw. And I think a ah few of the imports we're going to see um this season in the East, more so maybe for the men's um competition or a lot of drive first kind of guards.

Speaker: So it's going to be interesting ah to see some of our defensive ah masters of the men's league try and lock that down. Going to be some really fun matchups this season.

Speaker: ah But, yeah, it will, I think... adding Stevens is going to give Newcastle another like legit scoring option and bolster their backcourt a little bit because their backcourt is still really talented because you've still got the likes of Jaden Goodwin who can score, but I think his primary role is getting everyone organised, um,

Speaker: what's with controlling the tempo, finding the likes of Beastie and Cherry, which he's very, very good at. And we know that he can score, like I said. But I think just adding Stevens is just going to add that um scoring power that Newcastle probably lacked last season.

Speaker: Yeah, i think I think when I've watched Goodwin, I think I've much preferred him taking a more active role in the offence. um which, I mean, he led the team in assists last year, so clearly clearly was. And I think, yeah, just giving him another option to, our I mean, exactly as you said, to be more involved in the offense rather than just waiting for the ball almost.

Speaker: Yeah, so with nine on the roster ah that have been announced, are we expecting some more TBAs to be added? I think I've seen they played a preseason game and there were some photos and there were players tagged, but um I think a lot of those younger names on that list were were tagged in various photos and some of their other youth league guys. but So I would expect maybe one or two and maybe even some others who are just from youth league or elsewhere to get added.

Speaker: But yeah. And you never know teams pull up players preseason, how many of them are actually going to stick on the final roster. But I'd be shocked if at least a couple of those guys didn't get, didn't make the final roster.

Speaker: Yeah, I think so too. Obviously, ah ah investment in local talent has certainly been the theme for these types of roster episodes that we've had so far. ah But let's move on to a team that you are very familiar with.

Speaker: The Sutherland Sharks, I'm going to let you take away this 2024 season facts, fact sheet that you've got prepared here at your leisure.

Speaker: um Oh, well, look, there's a rebounding stat. Sorry, Sutherland, but I think everyone at the club has talked about it. Sometimes we don't rebound as well as we should.

Speaker: Offensive rebound. Offensive rebound rate, low and giving up 12.87 chance points per game. ah Too many turnovers and three-point percentage. I mean, we just haven't had a lot of shooters before.

Speaker: And so if one of them's not connecting reliably or if they're not both doing it at least semi-reliably, that are falls in a hole pretty quickly.

Speaker: Unsurprisingly, the non-paint two scoring and the free throw attempts, points in the paint, sky high because you get guys like AC going to the rack, Auckland Hutchison going to the rack, Clarice Amir going to the rack, Brian Williams going to the rack.

Speaker: Jeff Gerlach getting down in the paint. ah hu Even Angus Lake doesn't mind taking off with that quick first step of his. So unsurprising that most of the team's statistical strengths come from getting to the basket and not settling for mid-rangers.

Speaker: I mean, 8-12 had some... i mean eight and twelve but some ins and outs throughout the season, injuries, whatever else. Just we're never really quite able to stitch a proper season together.

Speaker: Clarice played 16 games. Adrian Cabrera only played 13. Chris Vera was a good addition, but he took a while. He only played 14 games. And, yeah, just, you know, mean,

Speaker: A piece like Adrian Cabrera out for seven of 20 games, that's that's tough to rearrange your roster and your rotations and keep everything humming along just as well as it was. so obviously,

Speaker: a not the best title defence from the Sutherland Sharks. ah I think a better team than the circumstances allowed them to show, I think would be the best way to put it. But also,

Speaker: could have done some things better themselves.

Speaker: Yeah, that's right. Like you mentioned before, their record for the 2024 season was 8-12, so they finished 11th in that very tight race for the top eight and didn't qualify for finals, which is unfortunate given that they went nearly all the way the season before, or they did go all the way the season before, of course.

Speaker: They won the season before. um Yeah, they did. ah But, yeah, let's have and let's take a look at the roster for 2025. They'll be under the new coach as well, Sean Roger, who has an absolute wealth of experience with coaching, um especially for someone so young too ah But, yeah, so we've still got Lachlan Hutchinson is back, AC is back, Jeff Gerlach, Angus Lake is back.

Speaker: Two of the kind of outstanding signings and additions to this roster is Harrison Rainer and Jason Spergen.

Speaker: Yeah, so Jason Spurgeon, we talked about him in an earlier episode. He's the Sydney Kings centre who went to college. ah Bowling Green actually won an award for the entire ah athletic program. I believe it's called the Iron Falcon.

Speaker: I think it might be. Yeah, the the Iron Falcon at Bowling Green University for the athletic program. I think it was actually the first year they awarded it, so I'm not even as sure. Yeah, so every team every team gets in the program gets an Iron Falcon Award, so he won that.

Speaker: Before coming back, big seven-footer that doesn't mind shooting a three, so got a couple of bigs now because, Jeff, we are the know. that Either the shark fin or the three-point tri celebration.

Speaker: So, yeah, so interesting to see how they work together. And then Harrison Rayner, young guard, was on the roster at Melbourne Tigers last year. He's also been listed in our youth league roster or youth league one roster. So might be splitting a bit of time, but ah I think the most surprising out is Callum Norris.

Speaker: Yeah, is he hanging up his boots for good or what's the story? He is going to play with his mates in Warratah League. so if you liked the pre-COVID Sutherland Sharks Warratah Championship team, you're going to love the 2025 Warratah League Sutherland Sharks.

Speaker: So we've got Callum Norris, Brendan Wynstanley, Jake Carey, Bailey Muslin, Jake Wilson, I think a couple of other guys that might have been been around. So for all you Sutherland history buffs, court three on a Saturday afternoon. You might have to split your time between NBL 1 and Worreta League.

Speaker: But, ah yeah, so that'll be that's one out. And then we talked about Claris before. Spencer Musgrove is over in college. And Jordan Hilde has actually gone to play Big V for Warrandyte.

Speaker: Oh, Warrandyte. Now, the the way that I learned that Warrandyte was a place was through Kath and Kim. So I know where Warrandyte is. My best friend is from Warrandyte. there you go.

Speaker: And I doubt that she knows Kath and or Kim. Probably not. Gemma Potter's also from Warrandyte. and so There you go But i do I do have one big news story from Sutherland, and it's straight from the hawth his mouth. It's Aaron Webber.

Speaker: He told me that he signed a four-year Supermax contract. don't don't know how I don't know what a Supermax is. Maybe he gets like a free upside for the zinger box on the bus or ride home or something, but he told me he signed a four-year Supermax with the Sutherland Sharks. Yeah.

Speaker: I was going to ask him when he's going to be added to the roster. I was like, he's a big TBA. Where you at, Aaron? He is a big TBA. That Supermax announcement. Yeah.

Speaker: Are you sure he didn't mean Supermex or Madmex? Madmex. Madmex. Supermax, probably breaking ground and...

Speaker: setting the new NBL 1 East record with his four-year Supermax. Listen, Aaron, we'd love to hear the details of your Supermax deal. or Jump on one day or send us a DM.

Speaker: but But he's very funny. Yes. I was going to ask how you think jeff if Jeff Gerlach and Jason Spurgeon are likely to play for each other, like sub each other out, or is there a chance that Gerlach will have to slip into the four?

Speaker: say i On the face of it, yes, that's centre, centre. There's only one centre. But they're both, on the face of it, too good to be you know spelling each other kind of thing.

Speaker: I mean, equally into the situation where sometimes they spell each other and if the situation calls for it, they do play together. i the The options are open. They can both step out to the perimeter and shoot it and are both willing to We know Jeff is great at, you know, dishing dishing the ball off, so...

Speaker: Do we have a comment? yes a sorry Yeah. Sorry, I'm laughing. um Also, still getting used to being live and live streaming and people can see me. i was just checking on who's watching and commenting on our Instagram live and Aaron has just let us know that his four-year Supermax deal is worth $6.4 million. So certainly setting a new record in NBL 1 East, NBL 1 and probably the NBL as well or any other kind of professional league in Australia. It just cracks me up. I love it. Good on you, Aaron. All right. Well, I know who shouted is it boils after round one then.

Speaker: i was going to say, by the way, East God Game are always looking for some sponsors. ah I mean, any kind of shavings off that 6.4 max deal that you could part with, you know, send us a DM. You know, we're open.

Speaker: We're open to the conversation. We are. But, um I mean, returned three members of the starting lineup. um I mean, they've still got to be names to come, obviously. I'm not just saying this. I actually haven't heard much of anything about who the next player is going to be. um But, I mean, Hutchinson's going be... Hutchinson, Cabrera, Gerlach,

Speaker: like you know what you're getting with all them i think bailey mcarthur's set to have a breakout year if he gets the opportunity uh you know new south wales uh junior representative sorry i'm in the youth league invitational he looks really really good uh i know it's youth league and nbl ones a step up but yeah looking good at pre-season even at youth league levels a positive sign so was almost unstoppable getting to the basket at times was bailey

Speaker: And Harrison Rainer, like you mentioned, was playing South last season. Interesting that he's playing the double. He's signed up for the double of Youth League and NBL 1 East. So I wonder if he's coincidentally moved to the area for lifestyle or if he, you know, has just got to such a great deal here with the Sharkies that he's willing to play both. But I looked at some of his footage online.

Speaker: He has a lot of energy, this kid. Really high-energy player, both ends of the floor. He looks like he's also going to be an absolute pest if he's guarding you.

Speaker: So good luck to all those guys having to be guard by Harrison Rayner. um But also quite a tough scorer. Like he doesn't mind contact. If anything, he, like, welcomes the contact. He likes to make big plays.

Speaker: Yeah, real high-energy guy. i think he's going to inject some – Some useful energy. I shouldn't say useful, but he's going to inject only because he's playing youth league. But very useful energy, very high intensity. I think he's going to be able to bring that to this roster this season that maybe they needed a bit of a spark compared to their performance last season. So I think he's going to bring a lot of energy.

Speaker: think the question will be just being able to moderate that energy at the right time because we can't be going 110% all the time. Like sometimes you can get away with a youth league.

Speaker: And BL1, different story. So he's going to be exciting. And Lachlan Hutchison is also coaching Youth League One men this year. So not only will he be playing along, Harrison be playing alongside Hutch, he'll also be being coached by him at a youth league level.

Speaker: Yeah, okay. Very good. Very good. Good insight. We've got a comment here on Instagram live from the Athlete Lab Performance and they said, get in the lab so we can be on Aaron's salary.

Speaker: ah Look, I'd love to, but I don't think my joints would allow that anymore.

Speaker: um All right. So, yeah, Sharky's looking pretty good. Obviously still some to add to the roster, but so far um looking pretty good. Excited. Yeah, and I mean, Josh Dehe and Oliver Smith are also on the youth league roster, so wouldn't be surprised. i mean, Josh has been in and around the NBL1 roster for a little while now.

Speaker: So definitely opportunities there if they're able to take them.

Speaker: Very good. All right, let's roll on to our very last team to preview is the Sydney Comets men's team. So... In 2024, they had a win-loss record of twelve and eight finishing seventh overall, losing the semifinal to Manly Warringah.

Speaker: Their top scorer was Bawali Bales, averaging 28.5 points per game. Top rebounder was Obieche with 11.2 rebounds per game, and Bawali also the top of the assist ladder with 5.7 assists per game.

Speaker: So some statistical strengths definitely up in the top five and six in some of their strengths, but also in the very, very lows of some of their rooms to improve. Lockie.

Speaker: Yes. So, I mean, that free throw percentage. has to improve, especially for a team that gets to the rack so often. You can't take 24 free throws per game.

Speaker: That's leaving eight or nine points at the line on average per game shooting 64%. I mean, when your net rating is only 5.2, it could be a lot better if you could even get that free throw percentage up to 71, 72%.

Speaker: you know seventy one seventy two percent um I mean, yes, they cop a lot of blocks per game, but they've got a lot of guys who are more than willing to go to the basket.

Speaker: um ah gar For a team whose offensive rebound rate isn't in their statistical strength, they're still putting up fair whack of second chance points, which is good to see.

Speaker: And they tend to keep their opponents to a really decent field goal percentage. So... ah I mean, if they could just ratchet it up a little bit on defense in general.

Speaker: I mean, and we've got to remember that Bawali at the end of last season was absolutely ridiculous. So if he can start like that, depending on how things go in Switzerland, what when he actually gets back, I think Comet's...

Speaker: Judging based on what they've got here and what we'll see in the next slide and where they can improve, I think dallah i think they'll be doing better than seventh this season. Yeah, because they also have a new coach at the helm. Is that correct?

Speaker: Yes. Both the men's and women's teams at Commons have a new coach at the helm. Yeah, so I'm really excited. It's great that they were able to retain so many key players for 2025, being Bales, Che, Mundine, Baby Choll, Syngorak, and they've even ah ah they were able to recruit Fiketti from Inner West as well. He looked like he was having a pretty good ah time at the Blitz. I saw some great highlights on I think it was Two Feet in the Paint.

Speaker: Posted some um of his Feketi scoring on Instagram. ah And Gok Malul. This is a very nice get for Sydney Comets. Yeah.

Speaker: um Did not see that one coming at all. know, junior national team player. ah Another addition to the frontcourt for them.

Speaker: So between Johnny, Viliami and Gok, I mean,

Speaker: really Really good start. they They're only seven deep at the moment, and as well as players we've seen snapped around various ah photos around the way, but they're certainly a very good start so start to things.

Speaker: Yeah, I agree. I think yeah adding Fiketty is going to be great for them in both ends of the court. um I mean, I've even put in my notes here, can we say Gok Malul is Rookie of the Year?

Speaker: Is it too early too early to predict this? That is a big call.

Speaker: but Hopefully he's able to stay on on court long enough, and depending if he has any other responsibilities. The problem with predicting your Rookie of the Year is the um number of potential Rookies of the Year the COE have every year.

Speaker: Of course. And then, I mean, I keep forgetting, is it even called Rookie of the Year in East or is it Youth Player the Year? think it's Youth Player of the Year.

Speaker: I would like... I like breakout player of the year or young player of the year, but you can only win it once. Maybe emerging player of the year. Yeah. And then if you've won it if you've won it, then you've clearly emerged and you can't win it again.

Speaker: Yeah, that's right. That's right. once you Once you go forward and you've technically emerged, there's no going back and then re-emerging. you You just stay. Charizard can't go back to Charmant.

Speaker: No, correct. That is correct. That's the best way to describe that. um I'm interested. So, yeah, I was saying before, I'm really glad that they're able to retain such a high-caliber roster as last year, especially under a new coach.

Speaker: But what I'm interested to see is if... their systems and their offenses and what they run is going to change under this new coach. So last season, a lot of stuff, everything was going through Boali to the point where I think he was holding onto the ball for too long and ended up being to his own and his team's detriment.

Speaker: It was different, obviously, in the back end of the season when he came back from injury. really had that spark ignited in him, it looks like, after he played that Indigenous basketball game up here.

Speaker: um I think it was at Logan, but here up in Queensland, and he came back a totally different player. He was making so many great plays, so many great shots. But I wonder if the new coach is going to implement some other stuff because they have such a talented roster that you wouldn't want to waste any of their strengths, right?

Speaker: oh I mean, 100%. I mean, like you said, Bawali, second half of the season, Bawali was just a changed player. But, I mean, we won't know until 11 days from now exactly how it's going to look. But, I mean,

Speaker: ah Bawali has to be, going to use that term again, focal point of the offense. ah But, I mean, You've got Anthony Mundine has, if he can be as good consistently this year as he was on occasion last year, he will take so much of the load.

Speaker: ah in the In those crunch times when everybody's looking to Bawali or Obi to do something, Anthony Mundine could be the John Paxson hitting the three instead of Yeah.

Speaker: And then we've also got to talk about who you alluded to before, Sharif Saipaya. We've got to say he's going to be on the roster as well. We've seen we've seen it on a couple of media day clips and and similar online. So, yeah.

Speaker: And I think the two feet in the paint boys just came out and said it. I think Love of the Game interviewed him and he mentioned it. So it' it's happening. Yeah, it's happening. It's happening.

Speaker: Sharif will be back with the comments, which is going to be awesome too. You know, he's going to be a great a backup for these guys if for whatever reason, injuries, fouls, whatever. Sharif, he's a flat-out baller as well. Oh.

Speaker: I mean, it's it's a matter of, I mean, Sharif could go somewhere else and has been so other places and played the best part of 40 minutes a night like he did two seasons ago at Hornsby.

Speaker: But, you know, he mentioned in that interview in Love of the Game, just the but quote that was on it, that the guys on this team are all absolute dogs and that's spelled D-A-W-G-S.

Speaker: Yeah. so And that's what and that's that's the kind of guy that he wants to be around. Yeah.

Speaker: that's where that's, you know, the kind of environment he wants to be in. So more, more power to him, you know, he might, and I mean, he he'll be more than a backup, I think. Oh yeah. Yeah. He'll be heavy in the rotation. Yeah.

Speaker: Love to see it. Just on Instagram as well, we did have a comment asking us to do the Sharks, but unfortunately you've just missed us doing the Sharks. We did do the Sutherland Sharks, but ah you just missed it. so make sure you either re-watch this video that will be uploaded to our Instagram page at ESCOT Game or you can watch the full episode as well on YouTube.

Speaker: If you look up ESCOT game, we have our own channel. Or we still be streamed on your regular streaming platforms. But I think that more or less wraps up our preview of the men's rosters, Lockie.

Speaker: Yeah, the only thing i was going to mention was that in the Swiss Basketball League where Bawali is currently playing and um Leo O'Boyle as well, not sure if anyone else is, but... um It's a nine-team league, but eight teams make the playoffs.

Speaker: Oh. So it's a fair, fair chance that both Leo and Bawali will be at least in the first round of the playoffs over in Switzerland.

Speaker: So it remains to be seen just how early they... i was just looking up at Boale. There's so many other players playing in Europe that will be in the same situation. But just considering we talked about those two players as massive parts of their respective teams, yeah, they'll... um ah Remains to be seen how they are how they go when they finish up in Switzerland and when they get back here.

Speaker: Yeah, wow, eight eight of the nine teams. You'd hate to be that one team that misses out. It almost is a little bit reminiscent of the WNBA, isn't it, though? Like, isn't there only, like, one or two teams?

Speaker: It was eight of 12. It was eight of 12. And, well, bing fortunately, there's now been expansion, so it'll be slightly better. Yeah, that's right. That's right.

Speaker: All right, yeah, that wraps up our preview of all of the men's rosters that will be featured in NBL1 East for 2025 as best as we can based on the information that was available to us, e.g. Hornsby.

Speaker: We're still waiting. I can't wait for the drop, though. It's just good that it looks like you both have teams that are going to field the court. um Just to wrap up the episode, Lockie, have you got any news at all from around the grounds of the East?

Speaker: Well, Central Coast just dropped. Central Coast just spilled the tea, quite literally.

Speaker: <unk> Yeah, they definitely did. Dylan T has has ah officially been announced ah as part of the Central Coast Crusaders men's team. We actually have a question here on Instagram, Lockie.

Speaker: Where did Ben White go for this year? Great question. He was ah first with Hornsby and then most recently with Sydney Comets. He was on that TBA list with Sydney Comets but hasn't been announced anywhere else yet.

Speaker: Have you seen him? Have you heard any rumours, Lockie, about Ben White? I have not. I should i might have to ah get down to our Alexandria and start poking around and asking some questions or maybe just DM people and install.

Speaker: Yes, or alternatively people can DM us on Instagram at escottgame if you've got any intel that you are at liberty to share. I'm hoping that Ben White will return to that Comets team. um I'm trying to recall if I saw him on any glimpses of media days, et cetera, on social media, but I can't recall. So...

Speaker: Ben White, TBA, hopefully back with the comments. But, yeah, have you got any other news? I think the only piece of news I've got is that the Inner West Bulls will be playing part of their season at the Sydney Uni venue.

Speaker: Yeah, which is interesting. I mean, it's ah it's a much better venue than EOS Hall Park, no offence to all many of the other venues they've played at. um Yeah, not really in their...

Speaker: area it's funny it's probably closer to the inner west than their regular stadium but correct correct it's still it's but regardless it's still a much better venue for teams to play than where they played in the past so yeah a bit different good venue holds some very nice memories for me as well Definitely does. And, yeah, just a better grandstand, you know, talking to the Two Feet and the Paint Boys about this ah change in venue as well.

Speaker: Perhaps there was some issue with using the venue with the local council or something like that too. But I think Sydney Uni, as as bad as the parking can be around there,

Speaker: It's still super easy to get there, like, when you by train and foot. The grandstand and the facilities are a lot better. um I'm hoping that it would attract more people from, like you said, the actual inner west to come and watch them play.

Speaker: um but yeah, that's exciting, exciting times for them. certainly is. things are Things are happening with the inner west bulls. As I alluded to, as we were talking about the Blitz, I might have a couple of couple more signings to come, but we can ah get into that when we discuss the remainder of the women's rosters.

Speaker: Correct. And, yes, so did you have any more news? i don't think i Don't think I really do, unless I've said something to you during the week I'm not remembering that you're trying to get me to talk about.

Speaker: No, no, sorry. I was just making sure that i'm like, I just want to make sure i I haven't missed anything or that I'm giving Lockie enough opportunity to share something. But maybe you can share ah with us some more info about that lovely jersey you have hanging in the background.

Speaker: Well, first of all, it is the furthest thing from brand new, as you said earlier, because that is 2014-15 Sydney Flames jersey.

Speaker: So Leilani Mitchell's first season with the Flames. So I put it up because I like Leilani Mitchell.

Speaker: It's one of five Flames jerseys I have from that season. Wow. What are the other four that you have? Katie Ray, I'm sorry. Yep. Hayley Moffat.

Speaker: Former North star Nicole Howe. And one with my own name on the back in yellow that I got signed by the entire team. Very cool. Very cool.

Speaker: And ah sorry, I did say brand new before, but what I meant was it's new in a sense that you've changed it from the previous episodes. yeah It's not brand new. It has been worn a lot.

Speaker: Yes. Yeah, it's definitely not brand new. It still looks in good nick from here. Including to Dandenong Stadium for the grand final in 2017. Ah, very nice.

Speaker: I always have this silly fear about supporting the away team when I go to ah game and wearing the away stuff. I'm like, yeah um good is is my safety going to be compromised or are people going to be okay with this? Yeah.

Speaker: ah But that that wraps us up. It was quite a long episode, but I feel like we really got stuck into the remaining men's rosters. um Some really exciting players being announced for the men's competition so far.

Speaker: And the next episode, naturally, we will ah showcase the final eight rosters for the women's competition that we haven't already previewed in a previous episode and that will include some similar clubs to what was featured in this episode so we will cover the crusaders hills hornets hornsby karingai illawarra hawks uh inner west bulls women i'm pretty sure we need to do newcastle women ah sutherland women and sydney

Speaker: think that's it. No, Maitland. Maitland and Maitland. Ah, how can I forget the Stangers?

Speaker: ah Yeah, so that will be our next episode of the final women's rosters. And then we get straight into the season. Woo! Speaking of seasons.

Speaker: Although we don't start to know until March 29th in NBL One East, please, if you can, get out to a Waratah League game this weekend. It all kicks off. I think there's a Friday night game maybe at Penrith.

Speaker: And then Saturday it's on for young and old, but mostly young because it's a lot of youth league. Yeah, very good. Very good plug. I forget that sometimes ah that will start sooner than NBL One East. so very good plug indeed.

Speaker: And, ah yes, I will be back again next week. Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel. If we get a certain number of subscriptions, it means that we can...

Speaker: ah makes monetize our episodes a little bit with the Google ads. So please subscribe to YouTube. Follow us on Instagram at East Scott Game. And you can also find us on Facebook where we'll be live streaming very, very soon.

Speaker: ah But in the meantime, Lockie. Don't sleep on the East.

Speaker: Very good, my friend. Thanks, everyone, for watching or listening in the future. We'll see you next week.