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Season 2 Episode 7: Groin Damage with Hamish Salburg (Central Coast Crusaders)
96 Plays6 months ago
Lachy and Squin are back with another massive episode!
This week they cover Round 5 of NBL1 East reviewing the CoE vs Norths Bears (M) and Hills Hornets Vs. Canberra Nationals (W). Followed by news and gossip and the all-star 5.
Lachy also introduces a new segment called '"Jersey of the Week"!
Special guest this week is the golden voice of the Central Coast Crusaders and jack of all trades, Hamish Salburg.
00:00:00-0:00:04:13 Intro
00:04:13-00:32:38 CoE vs. Norths Bears (M)
00:32:39-00:49:40 Hills Hornets vs. Canberra Nationals (W)
00:49:41-00:53:03 New & Gossip
00:53:04-00:56:10 Jersey of the Week
00:56:10-01:02:34 All Star 5
01:02:34-01:04:20 Round 6 Games to watch
01:04:33-01:52:12 Interview with Hamish Salburg
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Co-hosts
00:00:12
Speaker
Scott Game, an unofficial podcast about the MBL1 East season for 2024. My name's Jacinta, I am wearing my summer clothing, whereas my co-hosts, Locky France, you look very rugged up from where you are. How are you, Locky? I'm cold, Squint. I'm cold because I'm not into the Sutherland Shire. I am back home in Mudgee, where it is about six degrees colder.
00:00:39
Speaker
Yeah, listen, it's a very balmy autumn up my way. I went for a lovely walk through the city to the State Library on Southbank, and I'm literally in short sleeves. However, I did see other people in hoodies and long sleeves, and I don't know whether they were experiencing. It sounds something more similar to what you're experiencing down there. Yeah, but fortunately, it wasn't so cold in Sutherland yesterday for the game, so I can quickly acclimatize.
00:01:09
Speaker
That's good to hear. Very good
Weekend Recap: Round 5 Highlights
00:01:11
Speaker
to hear. So how was your weekend? It was round five in NBL1 East. And how was your round five? I mean, round five was entertaining. It was a massive weekend of sport for me, of course, with the A-League Women's Grand Final and Sydney FC getting the win. But big round. Not so good on Sunday for my Sharkies, but we got the win on Saturday in both. So both men and women split the games.
00:01:36
Speaker
big round. They had that big Aubrey Wodonga Maitland game. So yeah, what happening? And you were able to reveal, thankfully on your Instagram page, at Lucky Hill, who your very special guest was in the commentary box. Who was it? It was the one and only nemesis of the Sutherland Sharks just half an hour prior, Alex Delaney.
Guest Commentator: Insights with Alex Delaney
00:02:03
Speaker
So it was very cool to have a
00:02:06
Speaker
WMBL champion, WMBL commentator on the call.
00:02:10
Speaker
It was very nice. Yeah. I remember when Alex did a couple of games and I think we touched on it in her interview in season one of EGG. Um, yeah, a couple of games of WNBL, um, before it all got moved to Melbourne, she did a really good job. I really enjoyed her commentary. It's something that I hope the likes of she and our previous guest, Bien, could do for Maya continue to pursue when they're ready. Uh, how did she go on the call this weekend?
00:02:39
Speaker
She was good. It was really good having someone from Manly there. And she obviously like watches the Manly men's team as well. So that helped. Um, yeah, you bring someone in and especially like players on the men's and women's team, sometimes they're all doing so much stuff before and after the games. They don't get to see as much of,
Team Dynamics in Commentary
00:03:00
Speaker
you know, their clubs, other teams they might want to, but no, she, yeah, she was good. Very good to hear. And,
00:03:06
Speaker
I myself did a couple of games of the week for NBA One North. We went to Hibiscus Sports Stadium where there was the Southwest Metro Pirates versus the Rockhampton Cyclones for the women and Rockets for the men because why not? It was the first time though I've commentated in a team of three and similar to what you were mentioning about, you know, having Alex there to shed a lot more insight about Manly.
00:03:32
Speaker
When we were in a team of three, we just basically had to focus on one team each and it made it so much easier. Yeah, I can certainly imagine. So yeah, we've done three a few times at Sutherland. We had Abby Curtin last year, once. She came along to watch Kelsey play for Hills and I roped her into a call. We had Loggy Hutchison once as well when he was injured. So yeah, three is good if you can get the dynamic right. That's the important bit.
00:04:00
Speaker
That's right. It is about getting a dynamic right. When you have to commentate with so many different people, it doesn't matter really how good you are. It's very rare to hit it off straight away. So round five of MBL One East was the round. It was a few very interesting results and you were in charge of the men's competition this time, Locky. What did it look like?
Men's Matches Results and Analysis
00:04:24
Speaker
A few surprising, if not results, then at least margins of victory. Some games that weren't quite as close as we might have expected. I think every game this week finished with a double digit margin in the men's. So some teams really putting the hammer down and making sure of it. But it all kicked off with Manly Waringa taking on the Central Coast at Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre.
00:04:50
Speaker
And the Sea Eagles, their big three, Eldridge, Harper and Bragg, each with 20 plus, getting a 102-81 win, with Robbie Heath dropping 29 and Sean Nye with 20 for the Crusaders.
00:05:04
Speaker
Centre of Excellence took on Comets at the IIS Basketball and Netball Centre and Luke Fennell, the recent Southeast Melbourne development player signing, dropped 22 as COE got a 95-79 win against a Comets team missing for Wally Bales.
00:05:22
Speaker
Norris took on Inner West at the Bear Cave and despite 21 from Mandrill Worthy and 24 from Pietro Badalasi, it was the Inner West Bulls picking up a 112 to 89 win as Ramon Cowell, Alex Higgins-Titcher and Jacob Omer all picked up 20 plus points.
00:05:41
Speaker
Hornsby Corinne guy hosted Sutherland at the brick pit and was a pretty tight affair. Talk to coach Pat Williamson about this one. He was not happy with his team's first half performance as Sutherland trailed 54-37 and a half time before storming home for an 88-78 win. Brian Williams and Clarice Amir with 20 apiece. Lockie Hutchison, 14 assists.
00:06:06
Speaker
Newcastle hosted Bankstown, but it was Bankstown getting an 88-62 win. A Sharif side payer with 31 points in 23 minutes led the Bruins to an 88-62 win, a 38-12 second quarter for the Bruins.
00:06:24
Speaker
Of course, a potential grand final preview, Aubrey Woodonga hosting the Maitland Mustangs. And it was Maitland getting up 113 to 89 as Devo Hickey dropped 29 and had seven rebounds for the Bandits. But Will Cranston-Lowne matched him with the scoring and also had six rebounds, seven assists, and four steals, whilst Billy Parsons with a very handy 21 for the Mustangs who remained undefeated.
00:06:52
Speaker
Hills faced Illawarra and got a 92-69 win at the Hive. Ish Sanders and Chris Bryant combined it for 50 points between them, 26 and 24 respectively. Brad Ballinger, the young star for Illawarra with 21 leading the way for the Hawks.
00:07:10
Speaker
Canberra travelled up to Penrith to face the Panthers and came away with an 86-70 win as Glen Morrison, the Brindabella Beacon 25 points and 17 rebounds to lead the way for the Gunners. The Gunners then faced Hills
00:07:27
Speaker
and got another win 96-66 this time it was Will Mayfield top scoring with 26 points Morrison again chipping in with 15 and 4 rebounds and also had 7 assists so demonstrating a bit of his passing ability.
Current MBL1 East Standings
00:07:41
Speaker
COE faced North on the Sunday also at the AIS basketball and netball center as they had a home double header
00:07:49
Speaker
and Kai Savage dropped 20 to lead COE to an 83-70 win as Pietro Badalazzi fired early and Mandrel Worthy dropped 29 but just not enough support in the second half for the Bears as they fell to the 13-point defeat.
00:08:05
Speaker
And finally, a game that was incredibly close at halftime, 51-50, Sutherland led at halftime, saw Manly Warringa come away with a 96-81 win, as six players finished in double figures for the Manly Warringa Sea Eagles, Jonas Harper leading the way with 19, and Mitch Evans caught fire in the first half to finish with 16.
00:08:26
Speaker
Surprisingly for the Sharks, only three players in double figures with Hutchison and Amir both clearing 20 points. Williams with 17, but just not that usual spread of scoring we get from the Sharkies on this occasion on the Sunday afternoon. So if we turn to the ladder, we do see the Maitland Mustangs flying high undefeated. Seven played, seven wins. In the West and Canberra sitting at seven and one.
00:08:54
Speaker
Manly Warringa at 4-1 in 4th, Aubrey Wodonga at 5-2 and then Banks Town and Hills both at 4-3, Centre of Excellence 3-3 and then 4 teams tied for 9th at 3-4, Sutherland, North, Sydney Comets and the Central Coast Crusaders and Newcastle at 2-5.
00:09:16
Speaker
Penrith at one and six and then Hornsby and Illwara both yet to get on the board But they do play each other next week. So someone's O has got to go To take a take a boxing quote and completely turn it around because that's usually for undefeated teams not teams that haven't won again
00:09:35
Speaker
We can make it work, I think, given those ladder standings, but I do like those games where it's going to be either the team's first win or first loss because there's a little bit more of desperation or asserting authority on those games. Well, you'd hope anyway. Both teams know it's going to be their best opportunity to get that win.
00:09:57
Speaker
you know, get the monkey off the back. As we saw last year when we talked with Sharif, just how long it was taking them to get that first winner. It's just like, can we just get a win once we know the best opportunity next week. So Bradley Ballinger, probably a nominee for youth player of the year. I think so. I mean, he's already leading the way. He's pretty much the leader of the Illawarra team and
00:10:23
Speaker
He's, you know, still a teenager. I mean, people were earmarking him before the season. He's like, it'll work. I've lost a lot of players, but Bradley Ballinger is going to show up. Certainly has on a few occasions this season. And another point, um, I just want to make with the Stangers sprinting ahead with seven and oh, and still staying on top of the men's ladder. They are still shooting at a very high percentage. I think overall, um, against Aubrey Wodonga bandits in round five, I shot nearly 55% overall.
00:10:52
Speaker
Very hard to stop a team that's so good in every other facet of the game and shooting efficiently. Helps you get a 24 point win against another, you know, real, real title contending team.
00:11:07
Speaker
And I think compared to last season as well they're having a lot more like a big variety of scores like there's a lot more players getting in double figures, rather than just always relying on Will Cranston-Lown or, or Matt Gray, and then Billy Parsons as a third.
00:11:24
Speaker
Yeah, it's really, really cool improvement from the staying is increasing shooting percentage and getting everyone in in double figures, making everyone a lot more of a threat. Perhaps we should get Coach Boyle on as a guest and asking the Sherry secrets maybe after they've won a championship. Yeah, I don't think he'd be too keen to share much.
00:11:45
Speaker
share much at the moment, but you're so right. I mean, they put up 113 and Matt Gray only scored nine. Jimmy Hunter dropped 13. Christian Little had 17. Someone will pop up and put the ball in the basket for them. Yeah, I forgot to mention Hunter in that first lot of names that I was mentioning as go-to scorers for the Stangers last season. Looking unstoppable right now.
Women's Games Recap
00:12:11
Speaker
Alright, so in the women's competition, also starting with Manly and the Central Coast, played at Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre, Manly won at home 82-68, with a big third quarter from the Manly-Waringa Sea Eagles, winning the third quarter 25-10.
00:12:28
Speaker
For the Crusaders, Jazz4Cadilla had 27 and 5 and for the Manly-Waringer Seagulls spread across the board but led by Brie Delaney with 19, 4 and 5 assists as well. Then we went to the COE where they took on the Sydney Comets and the Sydney Comets snatching a win on the road beating the COE 68 to 75.
00:12:51
Speaker
Standouts for the comments were Devita Dale who played the full 40 minutes with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals and for the COE it was Monique Babongi with 21 and 10.
00:13:04
Speaker
Then the Norse Bears stayed in the Bear Cave to host the Inner West Bulls and they won 87-55. Hornsby Kringai Spiders played the Sutherland Sharks at the Brick Pit and going down 83-94 with Vanessa Penooses dropping 33 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the Sharks. Newcastle Falcons took on the Bankstown Bruins at home and winning that one 73-56.
00:13:31
Speaker
Then all the way down at the hideout, the Aubrey-Wodonga Bandits took on the Maitland Mustangs and are too strong, winning that one 99-65.
00:13:42
Speaker
with a big double-double from LJ with 43 points and 22 rebounds. Hill's Hornets were back at home against the Illawarra Hawks and they snatched the win 85-72. Also having a variety of scorers in that game including Hannah Griffin, Emma Carey, Rachel Macklemore, and Penrith Panthers played Canberra Nationals at home and got a win 56-53. Mia Heider from Penrith,
00:14:10
Speaker
Panthers, the import who was also a Duke graduate. She had 16 points and 17 rebounds. Then Hills were back at home and they played Canberra Nationals and they won 74 to 70. Then the COE stayed at home and they hosted the Norse Bears. COE going down 57 to 73 thanks to 26 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists by Maddie O'Hare from the Norse Bears.
00:14:36
Speaker
Sutherland Sharks were back in the Shark Tank to host Manly Waringer Sea Eagles and lost that one 71 to 86. So when we have a look now at the ladder as it stands after round 5, Aubrey Wodonga Bandits in similar fashion to the Maitland Mustangs men's team
00:14:52
Speaker
up top seven and oh and we've got manly waringa seagulls in second place five and oh new castle falcons are in third place seven and oh but again going on percentages because the aubrey wedonga women are averaging over 90 points a game hence why they're seven and oh clearly at the top of the ladder the north spares are in force with a win-loss record of six to one central coast crusaders are in fifth with a win-loss record of five to two
00:15:20
Speaker
center of excellence are in six with three and three seventh eighth ninth and tenth position on the women's ladder we have four teams tied at three and four well not tied we have four teams on win-loss records of three and four again just being separated by the smallest of percentages so in seventh position is the illawarra hawks
00:15:43
Speaker
8th position is the Maitland Mustangs. 9th position is the Hills Hornets and 10th position is the Sutherland Sharks. 11th position is the Canberra Nationals. Their win-loss record is now 3-5. Bankstown Bruins in 12th on 2-5.
00:16:02
Speaker
Comets and Panrith are also on 2 and 5, placing 13th and 14th respectively. And then we've also got Hornsby Keringi Spiders in the West Bulls, each on 1 and 7, in place in 15th and 16th. So probably a few teams on the ladder as it stands, in positions that we didn't expect.
00:16:25
Speaker
Yeah, a few, that's for sure. Don't really expect Sutherland at three and four at this stage, but still integrating Matty Norris back in and also awaiting the return of Lauren Nicholson. But with that said, when Nicholson comes back, that's when Knusis will leave. So it's not going to be just an edition. Of course, the edition of Lauren Nicholson is absolutely wonderful.
00:16:55
Speaker
It will also see a player leave at the same time. It's a substitution. And I think Newcastle are doing unbelievably well at this stage to be 7-0.
00:17:09
Speaker
As some of these teams in the middle start to play each other, that's going to even out a little bit. For example, Maitland and Hills are tired of win-loss record of three and four and in eighth and ninth position respectively, and they play each other next week. So I think that will be a really important one for each team to get.
00:17:26
Speaker
Really important game, Sutherland comets as well. You know, Sutherland get that, you know, they stay at least in touch with the remainder of the top eight. Otherwise they fall to, well, both teams would be on three and five and off the pace a little bit if they are, if comets were to get the win there. So some very intriguing match-ups coming up. And when it comes to game reviews, which game did you choose to review this week, Lockie?
00:17:54
Speaker
I want to make one more point about the women's league because there is one player I just want to absolutely shout out because I think she is still one of the most underrated players in the league and that is Josie Bullman. I knew you were going to say Josie Bullman. I knew it. Because she had 12 and 13 on Saturday and then 15 and 15 going up against Liv White for rebounds against Sutherland. I said during the call that she'd always been one of the players that does the things that aren't on the stat sheet.
00:18:23
Speaker
Well this season, she's doing the things that get on the stat sheet as well. And I think in that Manly, that star started Manly team, she is a few years ago when Manly went, just had, well I've always had a dynamite run of youth league players, but there was one group that was especially good and she was part of that. Very few of those players are still
00:18:44
Speaker
involved and she is the link to that. You know we talk about like in recent, I guess with Youth League we get a bit of recency bias because we keep watching the young players come up and when they become MBL One Stars we don't think about their Youth League anymore. I think you think back to just how many players Manly are pumping out and it's not just your Zoe Millers and your Sari Mowbrays and now Alana Reddy coming through. There's players like Josie showing that that Manly Youth League program and that Manly women's program has been going gangbusters for a long time.
00:19:13
Speaker
And she works really hard off the court as well. Go ahead and follow her on Instagram. I think it is at Josie Bullman and Bullman is spelled B-U-L-M-A-N.
Spotlight: Josie Bullman and Fitness
00:19:23
Speaker
She's also a strength and conditioning coach and she
00:19:26
Speaker
is able to focus on strength and conditioning just for basketball players too. And she offers some programs online for all those ballers out there that are interested and need to do a little bit more cross training or strength and conditioning. Hit up Josie on Instagram. She does some really good workouts. No wonder she is an absolute monster on the boards.
Game Review: COE vs. Norse
00:19:48
Speaker
It was interesting, they actually went with her against Liv White instead of Brooke Flowers most of the game to use the strength matchup. She had a held ball and I was just like, that's just pointless even trying to rip it away from her. The best you can do is a held ball. You're not getting a steal. Yeah, no, no, exactly. Let's pick our battles here, people. Very good shout out indeed. As soon as you said you wanted to shout out someone, I was like, I know where he's going with it. I was going to give her a bit of a shout out when I did the All Star Five, but I'm glad that you did it at the top. So because I probably would have forgotten by the end.
00:20:15
Speaker
Yeah, but yeah, what game did you review in the men's competition for round five? Well, I took a look at the Sunday afternoon matchup between the Center of Excellence and the North Fairs. So this game finished 83-70 in favour of COE after a third quarter
00:20:38
Speaker
I want to say capitulation by Norse, but definitely COE had the better of it. It was a 25 to 10 second, third quarter. And that was really what got COE a substantial lead that they could then maintain until the finish. But from the top, it was all about Pietro Badalasi and Kly Savage because Kly Savage had the first seven points for COE, all in different ways.
00:21:05
Speaker
Drove to the basket, earned a foul, hit his two free throws, then hit a three, then hit a mid-ranger. Just showing off all his skills. All right, Brisbane Bullets, you got a good one.
00:21:15
Speaker
Because he did, if you haven't heard, he did sign with the Brisbane Bullets earlier this week or late last week. So I think he's at DP and then into a full roster spot afterwards. Same kind of deal, Clarissa Mears on at the Kings. I mean, Kai Savage just coming out early and just, you know, that got COO off to a great start. Interestingly, Dave Herbert mentioned it on the call that both Julius Halafinua and James O'Donnell started.
00:21:40
Speaker
for COE, which isn't something that always happens, but when you've got Nate Masters, Lewis Holley and Pietro Badalazzi, who apparently now goes by the battle, the battle axe. The battle axe! Yes, that's what they were calling him on the call. They must have had to retire the Duke name now that he doesn't play for the Gunners.
00:22:01
Speaker
So, was that James and Garren that came up with the Battleaxe? No, because it was a COE home game. The COE commentator came up with Battleaxe. I don't know, I just... Oh, whoever that is, we want to credit you because that is gold. I love it. Yeah, so Halefinua and O'Donnell both started, so just... Looked pretty good. Halefinua, he is...
00:22:25
Speaker
He is developing in age only. He is pretty much a grown man taking on, taking on guys like Nate Masters and Cooper Wilks and doesn't seem to faze him whatsoever. Mentioning battle last, he had eight of North's first 10 points. So I mentioned earlier in the stats, you know, he got off to a great start and he had eight of North's first 10 points, but he only scored 10 for the game. See early in the first quarter, especially hard show on mandrill worthy.
00:22:51
Speaker
every time just doing anything to slow him down in that first quarter didn't stick with it throughout the game but first quarter especially just trying to stop mandrel worthy from getting going
00:23:03
Speaker
And they did open up a double-digit lead in the mid to late rangers of the first quarter before North brought it back to 24. It was 24-19, but I mean, mandrel worthy, he's just, he's too good. I mean, he will find ways out of things. And he did start finding some teammates and getting some points, but COE credit to them. I mean, it's an effect of the way that they train so much together all the time is that
00:23:32
Speaker
The bench comes in and the bench unit is just humming straight away. And they have 14 bench points in the first quarter. Players who come on and hit threes. It was Emmeter Dare and Shay Brogan both came on, if not at the same time, in very quick succession and looked almost telepathic at times. They were looking really good. Josh Dent, of course, just controls it beyond his years. I think it's a Dent family trait.
00:23:59
Speaker
It really is, honestly, because Elegant's very good at that as well. And definitely beyond their years. You would, as juniors, have already had such a strong basketball IQ and such great control over the tempo of the game. You forget that they're still only young people now. They definitely play beyond their years.
00:24:16
Speaker
And we move into the second quarter. Kai Savage, not the only NBL signing from that, COE team.
Player Highlight: Kai Savage Signs with Brisbane Bullets
00:24:22
Speaker
Luke Fennell, just signed with Southeast Melbourne. He came off the bench as the sixth man, just plays with so much confidence. First player in the second quarter, maybe not first player, but very early in the second quarter.
00:24:36
Speaker
took Australian in the paint, stepped through, lays it up. Doesn't matter that, you know, we know that North sense. It's got some, it's got some big boys. But what I found happened in the second quarter was no one really seized the initiative. No one's going to back to five late in the first. Uh, the depth of back to five late in the first, but no one sees the initiative and both teams just sort of play to each other's pace. No one really pushed, no one really like through anything. It just sort of
00:25:04
Speaker
went through the motions in stages. Worthy had to do a lot and I just don't know like if C.I.E. just, you know, just need a little bit of a...
00:25:11
Speaker
rev up or something just Robbie to have a word in their ear. A reasonably early time out from Norse and uh is when we start to see Nate Musters uh probably have probably tried to assert himself but I think it's just what Norse really needed. They needed it throughout the game uh but in the second quarter they started trying to assert themselves. The second quarter was their best quarter it was actually they won that 22 to 18. Also
00:25:37
Speaker
the time the only time they had the lead during the game you know in the first first half they shot over 40% from two point range had 22 points in the paint so they definitely know where their brains butted to this north team. Masters especially and now Wilks getting in there where you can get into the paint as well so can score in different ways obviously there's so many good players but it still it still sometimes feels a little bit like as Savage and Luke Fennell go so too to the CLE
00:26:04
Speaker
which is kind of how it felt a little bit last year with Tui and Henshaw. And I know it bold to compare anyone to something like Alex Tui from Ben Henshaw, but it does sometimes feel like if Savage and Fennell are on one, then everything's fine. I mean, Savage finished with 20, but he did have that electric opening and then it kind of, let's say peed it out, but it wasn't, yeah, definitely wasn't as fluid a second quarter.
00:26:34
Speaker
One thing I want to make mention of in the second quarter, depend is just going under a little too frequently. Not, not all the time, not stupidity. You know, not, you know, it's not like watching someone go under on Vanessa Penooses, like we saw at times in Sutherland Games. Little bit better decision making. First half finished, it was 42, 41 COOE. And although it was a little bit going through the motions, it didn't felt as close as it looked.
00:27:04
Speaker
Cause it didn't feel like anyone was really taking the momentum. Well, after half time, Jacob Furphy decided, watch out guys, my game. I think he scored 14 points in the quarter. I think after his fourth or fifth basket, North's called a timeout. And I don't think they made the right defensive decision on any of them. I went under on a three, maybe two, under on a three and maybe a long two. There was one battle as he chased him around the screen and was just on his back when he just raised up for the mid ranger.
00:27:34
Speaker
And other one, I'm another one, he just read the clothes out and was able to, so that was a really bad decision. It was just, he was able to read a player just flying to close out and just take a dribble and get a better shot. But still, player comes in like that in a game that's just been plodding along, just absolutely goes on a tear.
00:27:54
Speaker
get CLE out by 16 at one stage. Absolutely turned the game on its head. Yeah, it was all in the third quarter. It just came out and just, worthy after that, worthy started getting some more basket. I mean, he ended up with 29. So yes, he was getting his looks and knocking stuff down. Thanks to Dave Herbert for pointing out how often they were going to the Spanish pick and roll because
00:28:16
Speaker
I'm not going to take credit for being able to notice something like that. But they did a couple of times with Worthy. He got a basket on it once. Another time he got a good look out of it. Roman McKinlay, obviously, a very good coach. If they just kept running Spanish pick and roll for the rest of the game, Robbie's a good enough coach to adjust that. I think the most telling part of the early stage of that third quarter was when Battle Asi closed out on Fervi and he took that dribble.
00:28:47
Speaker
a doctor at home, about alas, he's just like, he's just kind of resigned to just the tear that Furty was on at that stage. Interestingly, see why you're doing a lot of this with Savage off the floor.
00:28:59
Speaker
which I think bodes very, very well for them. If they can get a win and in the big moment, Savage isn't always on the court. That's just great to see. But as I mentioned earlier, Adair, Brogan, a couple of other guys. I don't think anyone that came on had a particularly bad day. Yuto Kawashima nearly had a dunk. Would have been an absolute blockbuster, but got blocked by the rim, unfortunately. Just going up for the big.
00:29:25
Speaker
one hand or just jammed just straight into the side of the rim. But he was really aggressive. He was, it was good in parts. And that was when also when Halif and Noah in the third quarter started really going with the North Biggs, just on a couple of occasions, got into the paint, rode the bump, didn't always get the basket, but his age and taking on guys like Musters, only good signs. And then with, you know, COE up by about 15 heading into the fourth quarter, it was honestly a case of COE just keeping them at arm's length.
00:29:53
Speaker
at Shumbot score, it was 1916 North for the fourth quarter. Worthy can't do it all. He was 10 of 24 from the field. Robbie Moore had some looks, but he was three of 13 from the field. Holy, just a tough day out for him. You know, they just couldn't, they couldn't put the ball in the basket. They shot 30 odd percent from the field and only 36% from two point range. Whereas apart from O'Donnell was one of six, but he had 12 rebounds to make up for it. You know, no one really had a bad.
00:30:22
Speaker
shooting day for C.I.E. Dent back in the game, keeping things controlled, setting the pace, just recognising, you know, we've got this 12 point lead.
00:30:32
Speaker
We just play our game, they're not gonna get back into it. And even, it just didn't have the feel that Norse were gonna get back into the game. And I think all credit to COE for that, that defensively they were able to make it hard enough for Worthy, force other players to beat them on that occasion. Battle Asi ended up with a double-double, Holy ended up with 11 rebounds. So certainly positive to Norse, but I think, yeah, the main thing is going to be just not putting the ball in the hole. I mean, they picked up 16 o-boards,
00:31:02
Speaker
and only had six turnovers and I mean, COE only had seven. Definitely bought great ball security from both teams but wasn't always players, you know, gambling on defence as much either. Probably not something you expect to see from a COE team is too much gambling on defence, you know, they play very good team defence at all times. It's got to be wide open if they really want to go for it because
00:31:26
Speaker
If you go for it and your player ends up free laying to the basket, I do not want to be within 50 feet of Robbie McKinlay if that happens. There's a banner there that's about 20 foot high that says Australians are great defenders. But in the end, 83.70. I think if and when Norse get Brendan Reimer back, it's just going to change this Norse team so much.
00:31:46
Speaker
worthy won't have to do so much in the backcourt. Rhyme is obviously not a scoring option as well as a facilitator. And that's the thing you can say about teams at different stages of the season, when they get X back, when they get Y back, especially a player they haven't had all season and are likely to have later in the campaign. The game
00:32:05
Speaker
for either team just needed someone to turn up and show out at the start of the third, if anyone was going to break it open and it was Jacob Furphy. All right. So that sounded like a pretty entertaining game. It was, it was in parts. There were times where it meandered a bit, but especially the starts, the start, the first and third quarter were both real good. Yeah. Second, yeah. Second kind of meandered a bit and then fourth, COE just good enough and mature enough to swipe being young. Very good. All right.
00:32:33
Speaker
Well, I'm looking forward to when those two teams play against each other again. Should I go into my game review? I think you should. So which game will we be seeing from the women? This week's me. Initially, I was going to review the Hills Hornets versus the Illawarra Hawks because they're two teams I haven't watched yet before and I thought the result looked pretty interesting. However, it doesn't look like that game's actually been uploaded onto the MB01 website.
00:33:03
Speaker
I did notice that something was still sitting in the first quarter, even the next day. So I don't even, yeah, I don't know. So I'd had the score for all four quarters, but the live game was still sitting on Q1 when you looked in the list of games. So maybe someone didn't press the end of game button.
00:33:22
Speaker
Perhaps, yeah, because I couldn't even find a highlight, unfortunately. So I stuck with Hills, though, and did their game against Canberra because they were able to snatch a win over Canberra at home. And so I was pretty interested to see how that all unfolded. So.
00:33:37
Speaker
This was also the first time I've properly watched, A, watched Hills, and B, I think the first time that their two imports in Emma Carey and Rachel McLemore have posted some pretty decent numbers since they've arrived to MBL One East. Bit of background on these players. So Rachel McLemore, she went to Butler from 2018 to 2013. She was a redshirt transfer, so she didn't technically play that first year.
00:34:05
Speaker
She was ranked sixth in the Big East for three point percentages while she played for Butler and it showed in this game can shoot a deep three can make a deep three I should say everyone could shoot a deep three but she can make them.
00:34:20
Speaker
Then for a short period of time before coming here, she was an assistant coach for Taylor University Trojans and also played for the St Louis surge in the global women's basketball association tournament. I tried to find a little bit more about the St Louis surge in that league, but the only websites I could find were all password protected. So.
00:34:41
Speaker
If anyone knows any information about that league or that team, give us a DM at the E. Scott game Instagram page. And Emma Carey, she went to the University of Alberta up the pandas.
00:34:56
Speaker
Yeah, the pandas. We spent five to six years there. For reference, Alberta is in Canada and she also was a member of the under 18 team Canada squad in 2016.
Player Background: Emma Carey
00:35:07
Speaker
I don't think she ended up making the final team, but to be included in the squad is pretty special. So that was a bit of background on the new imports from Hills. I went to analyze this game quarter by quarter.
00:35:19
Speaker
But essentially, Lockie, everything happened in the fourth. Everything entertaining, everything significant happened in the fourth. It was a close contest throughout. So quarter by quarter, Hills won the first quarter, 21 to 19, and then Canberra winning the second quarter, 21 to 18.
00:35:39
Speaker
then the third quarter went to Canberra again 19 to 14 so all signs were pointing to Canberra as we're going into the fourth quarter but before we get there let me just quickly take you through quarters one to three nothing really significant or stood out too much in the first three quarters a lot of it just looks like three quarter case pace
00:36:02
Speaker
pretty basic basketball you know a lot of fundamentals which we love so there's a lot of transition a lot of drive and dish a lot of read and react but it looks like both teams were playing a lot of motion and it almost at times just looked like some of the both teams were just running a shell drill
00:36:18
Speaker
So I couldn't really tell exactly what each team were playing unless they specifically called a horn set. I think there were a couple of times Hills looked like they were running the flow offense. Um, but sometimes particularly the nationals, they were just running a shell drill. Everyone was having a turn of driving, dishing, driving, dishing. And I was like, is anyone going to score or?
00:36:41
Speaker
we're just going through the motions here a lot of one-on-one contests as well so a lot of scoring came from one-on-one contests and I think that is definitely reflected in the stats so Hill's Hornets as a team had 15 assists and Canberra had 12 and then when we came into the second quarter Hill stuck a zone on the Nationals which looks pretty good and then Canberra started to make a run
00:37:02
Speaker
because they also put a zone on hills. So both teams trying to change up the defense in the second quarter. It was a little bit more advantageous for the Nationals. That zone helped them get a few more stops and then help them make a few more scores on the running transition. But sometimes there was a bit of difficulty running their sets that obviously implemented a few more sets in the second quarter in the half court offense for the Nationals. But just after one
00:37:31
Speaker
phase it would just break down and they would kind of have nothing left. And the biggest note that I have for Hills in the second quarter is that not enough Meg.
00:37:40
Speaker
No, Meg Jefferson, she got very few touches in that second quarter, which I felt like they could have gone to her a little bit more, especially because Meg being a traditional textbook five man that she is, and very good at it, size, strength, skillset, probably could have exploited a couple of mismatches on the Canberra Nationals on some occasions. So not enough Meg in the second quarter was my main note for Hills.
00:38:09
Speaker
But rolling into the third, they definitely started to use make Jefferson a lot more, even if it was just for touches. But what I was noting with Canberra Nationals is anytime there was a post entry into Jefferson, they were doubling straight away. Sometimes the double team was coming from the weak side, but Nationals needed to tweak that a little bit because what happened in the stretch of the game was that the double was coming from the weak side.
00:38:35
Speaker
Meaning players like Rachel McLemore, the three point shooter, was then left wide open. So then Meg being smart Meg, catch them in the post, see the double coming, throws it straight to Rachel McLemore and she hits the three.
00:38:51
Speaker
So it was a good idea in theory to limit Megan that way. They probably did recognize in the scout in preparation that the Nationals would have to probably double team on her and that Meg Jefferson had the capacity to go off in this game. So the double team was a good idea, but perhaps needed to tweak where that double team was coming from. Or if it was your responsibility, but you're guarding Macklemore, someone else is going to have to go. You don't leave Macklemore.
00:39:18
Speaker
So the Canberra Nationals, they were heaps better when they started to move the ball a little bit more and they were starting to vary their ball movement. Because in the first half, like I mentioned, it was just like shell drill. It's either just getting passed around, no one really looking to score, or there was a penetration that wasn't producing anything else. It wasn't producing, you know, attracting any help defense. It wasn't creating any movement off the ball. So it wasn't shifting the defense. So there wasn't a lot of good scoring options coming up.
00:39:47
Speaker
Whereas in the third, it looked a lot better. So they were able to shift the defense a lot more and they were able to get a lot better shots. So I think people like Maddie Penn could get better shots and Bianca Du from I could get a few better open shots because I'll get to their three pointers at the end. And then the Nationals also made the adjustment in the third quarter to start blitzing Macklemore. So anytime there's a pick and roll between Macklemore and say Meg Jefferson,
00:40:13
Speaker
whoever was guarding Meg would go out and double team Macklemore. So I think that was a really smart idea as well. But otherwise the first three quarters were pretty, pretty cruisy, pretty easy up and back. Going into the fourth quarter though, the score was 53 to 56 in favor of the Nationals.
00:40:32
Speaker
So a pretty relatively modest scoring game by the end of the third. And then the fourth quarter, it all started to kick off. It did start very slowly. There was only the first score at seven minutes and seven seconds. There was an absolute drought from both teams. So Kelly Bourne managed to score seven minutes and seven seconds, but then
00:40:54
Speaker
Emma Carey from Hills, the other import, had a very quick reply. It was like she was a little bit dormant all game. So when Emma Carey got this very quick score, this kind of set off a chain reaction for the fourth quarter. She got a quick score, then she went back-to-back baskets in the two-point range, then she hit a three. And this brought
00:41:17
Speaker
This brought the score back to 60 to 61, about six minutes. So, Emma Carey went on a seven-point blitz in a minute, forcing the Nationals to call a timeout because it was now 60 to 61 at the six-minute mark in the fourth. So, Hills looked their best when they were in transition, so they just kind of stuck to trying to get stops and running as much as they could.
00:41:42
Speaker
The ever reliable Taylor Moss on transition came up really good in the fourth. She ended up I think with 10 points and five rebounds and two steals. But a lot of her baskets, I think six of her 10 points actually came in the fourth because she was just up in defense or running the lanes for someone to give her an easy layup.
00:42:01
Speaker
So at the 5 minute 15 mark after another timeout both teams turned up their defensive intensity and it started off with a very nice time from Macklemore to Jefferson which put Hills up 62 to 61. Then Tonks comes down makes a layup and then Hills goes down and misses the shot.
00:42:19
Speaker
Maddie Penn then takes a charge. Then she goes and scores immediately in the next possession for the Nationals. So now the Nationals are up 62-65 with four minutes and eight seconds to play. Then Moss gets a steal and a layup. So now Heels are up by one.
00:42:37
Speaker
then Meg gets a one-footed floater on a one-on-one situation, now heels are up by three. Tonks lay up, then a Meg Jefferson offensive rebound and a Moth lay up, then Macklemore's overplayed and finds Meg, and so now at one minute 14 heels are up, 72 to 68. This is how quickly
00:42:58
Speaker
This all happened all in the fourth quarter. It was legit in the last seven minutes of play of the game. All of this started to happen. A number of lead changes in that fourth quarter was really hard to keep up with. I would have to go back and watch the fourth quarter again to tally the lead changes. At 1 minute 14, hills were up 72 to 68. Hills made a really good decision to start chewing up some time.
00:43:22
Speaker
And instead of going for the foul, Canberra was going for the steal. So I think at this point in the game, the foul count was like four against Hills and one against Canberra. And instead of chewing up, you know, trying to get the count out, chew up the clock in it, you know, stopping the clock, I should say Canberra were going for the steal and not the fouls. And instead of getting a steal, they end up overplaying and Moss ended up getting another layup with 29 seconds to go.
00:43:51
Speaker
Canberra comes down, misses a three, but then managed to get a steal in the backcourt and puts in a layup and now it's 74 to 70 with seven seconds to play. Heels calls a timeout and advances the ball and they've got a sideline out of bounds play with five seconds.
00:44:09
Speaker
You would think it's over at this point, given how eventful it's already been in the score line. Maddie Penn then gets a technical foul for jumping over the line when she's defending the sidelines out of bounds.
00:44:23
Speaker
Of all the times to call that in a game, I can't, I couldn't tell in the replay if the Canberra nationals had received a warning about this before the point, but Mattie Penn was teed up straight away. So he'll have a free throw and now sideline out of bounds. They miss the free throw, have another sideline out of bounds.
00:44:42
Speaker
inbound the ball. Yeah, they are inbound the ball. Meg Jefferson just holds on to it. And a little bit too complacency, like a little bit too complacent with holding on to it because someone then puts their hands on it from the Nationals. And there was a query of whether they were going to call the jump ball for the last second. And there would be Nationals possession or if they called the game and the referees decided to call the game.
00:45:05
Speaker
So the final score ended up being 74 to 70 with the Hills Hornet scoring 21 to 11 in the fourth quarter. And when I mean it all happened in the fourth, that's what all happened in the fourth. The most entertaining parts of the game were in the last seven minutes. It must have been great to see Taylor Moss back contributing. She looked back to pretty much full fitness. Yeah, I would say that she's definitely full fitness. I think perhaps she's probably just trying to
00:45:33
Speaker
Understand a new role and where her piece fits in this team But honestly if she just continues to stick to her strengths of a really good on-board D Anticipating those steals and being a great lane runner. She's probably one of the most consistent lane runners
00:45:49
Speaker
Honestly, like ever since, even when I was playing, she was always very consistent and reliable to run a lane and make a layup. She just sticks to that. That's going to be a very important part for this Hills team. So it was really good to see her kind of contributing as well, especially in the crunch of that fourth quarter. But we got to talk about the national shooting. I mean, I mean, do we? I mean, I see your point. Do we need to talk about it?
00:46:16
Speaker
They were two from 32 from the three point line. 6.25%. Well, I looked at the box score before going into the game. And as soon as I saw Maddie Penn make her two three pointers, I knew in my mind, that's it. Every other three pointer is gonna miss.
00:46:32
Speaker
In reflection of the three point attempts they made, I would say 75% of those three point attempts were you could have given it up for a better shot. Sometimes it was when the clock was winding down, sometimes the threes were going up when the ball hadn't moved enough. There hadn't been any shift in the defense. It was a contested three.
00:46:55
Speaker
Yeah, I think some of the decision-making around the three-point attempts is reflected in this very low percentage.
Hills Hornets' Chemistry Boost
00:47:03
Speaker
The times when Maddie made her three, she was wide open. And it was in that third quarter, Canberra started to shift the Hills defense a lot more to get her wide open. That was, I'm sure that they're all disappointing and I don't want to rub salt in the wound, but I think that was a massive factor. But Hills looking really good. A friend of the podcast, Matt McQuaid, did kind of mention to us
00:47:26
Speaker
that once Emma Carey and Rachel Mack the more kind of get going, this Hills team is going to be far more competitive. They definitely look like they've got a good chemistry so far.
00:47:36
Speaker
I think it's going to be hard on Meg Jefferson though being such a great center that she is, she doesn't have a backup. And I think that's a lot of pressure on her to be a target on the offensive end, meaning that it's going to be easier for teams to target her like double teaming that we saw in this game that Canberra were doing, but she's also then
00:47:57
Speaker
having to play lots of minutes and getting in foul trouble. In this game she played 23 minutes 39 seconds she had 17 points six rebounds and three assists pretty good for those minutes but she also had four fouls. There's a lot of pressure on her when she doesn't have an opportunity to play in a different position like a four or to have someone else switch in that five for whatever reason.
00:48:19
Speaker
Interestingly, points in the paint were even with 46 apiece. Canberra had 25 points from the bench to Hill 17. Yeah, Canberra had 21 offensive rebounds. 21 of their 49 total were offensive rebounds, which is massive. Massive.
00:48:37
Speaker
Um, not a lot of boxing out going on from the rest of the team, but equally they'd still gave up 13 rebounds to Hills, which is also still too many, but 21. So this was really Canberra's game to win. Given the number of offensive rebounds, given that going into the third, they were up by three and then it just all unraveled in the fourth. Well, they shot six more attempts from the field and 13 more free throws than Hills.
00:49:08
Speaker
I thought a lot of opportunities to put the ball in the basket. Correct. But yeah, so that was a really interesting, like the fourth quarter was really super interesting. Yeah. I imagine that Canberra will be going home and fixing some shooting. On the gun all week. On the gun all week. And perhaps just tidying up some of the secondary or tertiary phases of their half court offensive sets. Cause it just broke down very quick, very easily.
00:49:39
Speaker
All right, rolling into news and gossip. Lockie, what have you got for us? Well, the big news is that Newcastle Falcons men import Joy Smith is no longer with the team. I am shocked, especially after we were excited for him to join the league, given some of his experience and the nice write up that the club did ahead of his arrival. Do we know much more about his departure?
00:50:06
Speaker
No, unfortunately, there was a story in the Newcastle Herald. Unfortunately, I don't subscribe to that publication, not being from Newcastle. That's the big news player wise. We'll have to check. I might have to check on his Instagram to see if he's actually posted anything about it or maybe it's keeping it a secret.
00:50:28
Speaker
Very interesting. And other news, as you already mentioned, some of the COE boys have already signed for bigger and brighter things for
Olympic Qualifiers: Australian 3x3 Team
00:50:36
Speaker
their future. Kai Savage, three years with the Brisbane Bullets. And did Luke Fennell sign a similar contract with South East Melbourne Phoenix? Let's see the exact. So no, Luke Fennell has just signed a one year development player deal with the South East Melbourne Phoenix.
00:50:58
Speaker
Still pretty good. I mean, that is, that's his home area, apparently, is the southeast of Melbourne. He gets to, he gets to stay home more or less. Yeah, I think that would be nice. I imagine that going to the COE and being away from home so long while pursuing your basketball dream would take its toll. So to continue a dream at home would be pretty ideal.
00:51:21
Speaker
And a quick shout out to the Gangaroos, the 3x3 team. Our women's team recently competed in an Olympic qualifying tournament in Japan and it was a very tight competition. It ended up being a three-way tie in their pool between our Aussie Gangaroos, Canada and the Netherlands and the Gangaroos ended up winning the tie break. They went to the semi and played against Brazil and knocked over Brazil and met Canada again in the final.
00:51:52
Speaker
not the top two or two or three or four teams in this qualifier went to to go on to Paris only the top team so it was do or die in this final against a very strong Canadian team and our gangaroos got the win I was so excited lucky but unfortunately I couldn't watch it because I don't have a KO subscription. I got home from commentating Sutherland Manly at 6.30
00:52:19
Speaker
and immediately just dropped everything and threw because the games the semi-finals started at 6.45 and early on I thought Clarissa dos Santos was going to eat the Aussies for breakfast but they regrouped got the win
00:52:35
Speaker
went back and beat Canada a second time, which we all know is so hard to come back and beat a team a second time, especially in such short turnaround. They got it done, so yes, big shout out to Annalee Mayley, Marina Whittle, Lauren Mansfield, and Allie Wilson. No MBL1 East representation, but three former Sydney Flames in there. That still counts. It's just good for basketball in general, I think.
00:53:01
Speaker
It certainly was.
New Segment: Jersey of the Week
00:53:03
Speaker
And now we're going to introduce a new segment, hopefully going to be a weekly segment. I'm not too sure if I'll ever be able to contribute to this and I'm okay with that. No, I am honestly okay with that. It's Jersey of the Week. So for those that follow us on the Eastcott Game Instagram, you would have noticed that last episode, you know, Locky had Jasmine forcadillas, St. Mary's training singlet up in the background.
00:53:27
Speaker
Yeah. And we, Locky very kindly posted a photo of Jazz Valkadilla's training single on our Instagram page. So hence inspired the new segment Jersey of the Week. What do you got for us this week, Locky? I picked this one because this player is the sporting hero of a player who played very well this weekend. So this is my Phoenix Mercury number 13
00:53:52
Speaker
Penny Taylor jersey. And I picked this because according to those get-to-know player graphics that MDR1 have done, Penny Taylor is Matty O'Hare's hero. And seeing as Matty dropped 26 this week with a few stats in every other category, that was my jersey for this week. It's Penny Taylor Phoenix Mercury number 13.
00:54:19
Speaker
It might always be time to get a new Aussie three at Phoenix, because Beth Allen is now at Phoenix. So it might be time for a new generation of jersey. But yeah, so that's my jersey of the week is Matty O'Hare's hero Penny Taylor. And also my favorite player of all time, NBA One East players accepted.
00:54:46
Speaker
Yeah, I think that's the perfect jersey for the week for all the reasons that you mentioned. And who doesn't love Penny Taylor either? So very nice pick there, Matty O'Hare. I love those get to know you posts that the MBL 1A's have done this season. I found out that a lot of MBL 1 players and I share the same favorite movie, 10 Things I Hate About You. Interesting. I would have not have picked that for your favorite movie. Really? Yeah.
00:55:13
Speaker
I like angry girl music of the indie rock persuasion. Do I not? You absolutely do actually. Now it makes a lot more sense. Julian Styles in her brooding teenage era in 10 things I hate about you actually is the perfect pick for you. Have I ever told you what my favorite movie is? You have not. Uh, do you want to take a wild guess? You know, something like random, like where the wild things are or something like that.
00:55:42
Speaker
Oh, it is something kind of random though. You're on the right train of thought. It is Scott Pilgrim versus the world. Oh, that is even more random. It has everything. It's action. It has very geeky references. It's funny. There's a love story. It's the perfect film on double cast. It's great. Love it. Love it. Okay. Fair point.
00:56:10
Speaker
All right, so to finish off our show before we get into our interview with our special guest this week, we've got our All-Star fives to reveal. How did you go picking an All-Star five for the men's competition this week? Was it tough? Four were pretty easy. Not easy, but four were far easier than the last one.
00:56:32
Speaker
My fifth name has flipped and flopped, but in the end, I had to give it to a player who got two wins on the weekend and did well in both games because at the end of the day, you're out there to get the win. So, I mean, like, Mandrel Worthy tried, you know, he tried everything, you know, you know, trying to get north over the line, but they suffered two losses. Robbie Heath had a big 29, but they fell to a loss. Dave O'Hickey had 29 in a loss.
00:57:01
Speaker
Battle Asi had 24 in one game and then a double-double against COE. And players like Chris Bryan and Ish Sanders for Hills had one really good game and then, you know, not as good in the second game. Clarissa Meir dropped 20 for Sutherland on both occasions. Lachie Hutcheson, a big double-double against Hornsby and then 25. But, yeah. Sometimes you just gotta go with the player who gets the win, helps his team get over the line.
00:57:31
Speaker
Moving on to my All-Star Five, well, I think the two easiest to pick this week was Shareef Saipa from Bankstown dropping 31 with two rebounds and assists and two steals in 23 minutes in an 88-62 win over Newcastle.
00:57:51
Speaker
The man can hook. And then, of course, Will Cranston-Lown for Maitland dropping 29 with 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals in a big 113-89 win over the Bandits on the road in the hideout. So that's worth even more. He's going for back-to-back MVP titles.
00:58:13
Speaker
He certainly is. And then we had Matt Eldridge from Manly Warringa. He had 27 points, 14 rebounds and assists and a steal against crew. And then he had 12 points, another 18 rebounds, three assists and three steals in the win over Sutherland.
00:58:34
Speaker
Another man who was dominant in one performance and then helped his team in a vastly different way in the second game was Glen Morrison, the Brenda Bell Beacon. He had 25 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks in the 86-70 win over Penrose. Then he came out and changed it up a bit against Hills, getting 15 points, four rebounds. But this time he ditched seven assists and then had a steal and a block in the big win over Hills.
00:59:03
Speaker
And then I went with a player who picked his role perfectly in both games and had two really solid performances. I went with Mason Bragg.
00:59:12
Speaker
So he had 23 points, four rebounds, nine assists and three steals against Central Coast in their 102-81 win. And then only 11 points against Sutherland in the 96-81 win, but he would defer to his teammates really well with Mitch Evans scoring so well and Jonas Harper as well to finish with 14 assists alongside three rebounds and two steals. So actually averaged 11 and a half assists for the weekend. So that was what put him over the top, just
00:59:40
Speaker
They didn't have to do all the scoring because mid-range Mitch, as Alex Delaney called him, was stepping out behind the line and Mason Bragg was only too happy to oblige him. Got the manly boys over the line and they are cooking other seagulls.
00:59:55
Speaker
Wow, so Delaney not only giving her expertise and insights about the Manly men's team, she's also coming up with nicknames. So she's a real commentator now. I think that's a Manly wide nickname in the same way that the Brindabella Beacon is a Canberra Gunners Nationals nickname. That's just what everyone at Manly calls Mitch Evans is Mid-Range Mitch. Mid-Range Mitch. I love it. I love it a lot.
01:00:20
Speaker
Wow. Okay. So really, really great five. It's great to see some different athletes in our All-Star five for this season that probably haven't been since last season, like Sharif. I didn't realize that part of his 31 points was seven from 10 from the arc. It was hot in, it was getting hot in Newcastle on that night. All righty. So for me with the women,
01:00:47
Speaker
I think I probably gave a little bit of indication earlier in the episode of at least one person that's going to be included in this All-Star 5, and that is Lauren Jackson. Shock me, shock me. First as Maitland, she had 43 points and 22 rebounds, and she shot at 62.5% overall, which included 3 threes and 10 from 11 free throws.
01:01:11
Speaker
absolute clinic. I also included Jazz Fall Cadilla from the Central Coast Crusaders. In her game versus Manly she had 27 points and 5 rebounds and she shot at 64.29% overall which included 5 from 9 three-pointers.
01:01:30
Speaker
I also included Vanessa Penussis from the Sutherland Sharks with her 33 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in the win against Hornsby and this also included 12 from 12 from the free throw line.
01:01:46
Speaker
And then there was Matty O'Hare from the North Spares. I also had Matty O'Hare from the North Spares who had 26 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block versus the COE and she shot at 61.54% overall. And finally, again, the last spot is always a little bit tricky, but I went with Jesse May Hall.
01:02:13
Speaker
She had 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals versus the Sutherland Sharks. And listen for an eight, 17, 18 year old, that ain't half bad. Pretty good indeed. You've got the goat of Australian basketball in the five, and then you've also rounding it out with the future of Australian basketball in Jesse May Hall. So that was, that was my five for the week. And looking ahead to round six, Lockie, you're going to be covering the women's competition.
01:02:39
Speaker
Are there any games sticking out to you so far of interest? The avian affray between the new castle falcons and the melee waringa seagulls on the sunday afternoon looks like it could be an absolute blockbuster and another opportunity for me to coin a nickname for a game albeit comet southerland so that should be good but i think basically both new castle games this weekend because they take on center of excellence as well so that should be a fun couple of games up in new castle
01:03:07
Speaker
Actually, and Central Coast Canberra, I don't mind the look of that as well. Canberra looking to, you know, kind of a tone for that loss to Hills against a Central Coast team that's a key pace with those real top contenders, especially seeing as Newcastle and Manly are playing this week, someone has to lose. Someone's going to have to fall back a bit in the women's competition, at least by one game. You know, if you're in that chasing pack and you can pick up wins, you might find yourself launching up the table a bit further.
01:03:37
Speaker
Perfect time to strike with a win, absolutely, for the Crusaders. I would say in the men's competition that Crusader's Gunners game is probably standing out to me as well. And then later in the day, so Sunday the next day, I think the other pick for me would be the Inner West Bulls versus the Centre of Excellence in the men's competition. I think that is going to be a very, very fun game. But I will be otherwise occupied on that Sunday.
01:04:06
Speaker
I will also be occupied on the Saturday. I've got another game of the week to call in the sunny coast. Oh, how good.
01:04:14
Speaker
I know, very lucky, very good. All right, so we will take a break before we head into our interview with our very special guest, another fellow commentator of the MBL One East and the golden voice of the Central Coast Crusaders. So stick around and we'll be back very soon with that interview. Our very special guest on East Got Game this week comes from the Central Coast. He is someone who we've mentioned on this podcast a couple of times before.
01:04:42
Speaker
And if you're playing at home and following us on Instagram, you will know he also very kindly submitted his predictions for the 2024 season. He is the voice. He is the kingdom of the coast. It is none other than Hamish Salberg. Would you like the full name Hamish? Oh, yeah. No, I want you to say it three times really quickly and see, see how you go. That'd be great.
01:05:12
Speaker
Hamish. Yes. Salberg. Salberg. Von Falkenstein. Beautiful. Well done. Well done. Hey, good work. Thank you for joining us and hopefully by now people will perhaps recognize Hamish's voice. Thank you for joining us as a guest today. I think you're the second or third commentator we've had as a guest on Eastcott game at some stage. So yeah, welcome.
01:05:38
Speaker
Thank you. I've got to say it's an absolute privilege. Thank you for inviting me to be on eScott game or EGG as you two like to call it, which I think is a fantastic acronym. Personally, I'm part of the AA AA.
01:05:52
Speaker
which is the Association Against Acronym Abuse. But however, I will let this one fly because I think egg is fantastic. But now seriously, it's a privilege being part of this podcast. You guys, both you, Squin and the Frenchman, Locky France, are doing a brilliant job. And it's seriously one of the best podcasts, not just about NBA East, but about basketball. I think that Australia produces. So well done. It's it's really, really good.
01:06:22
Speaker
That's very kind of you. Thanks Hamish. And is it funny that um, I didn't realize you and lucky hadn't met before today But I and now I'm just realizing that you already had a nickname for him despite the fact that you haven't met before You're the Frenchman. That's the thing and I think You could this is I think my third season with the crew The only out the only value that I've added
01:06:46
Speaker
it has been giving players nicknames. So, um, you know, I, that's, I think that's, I just see your name. I go, Oh, what's the, what's the name that could might be catchy? So, um, I mean, with Locky, it wasn't too much of a stretch, which was great. Where are peas in a pod nicknaming players? Oh, well, that's it. I've noticed that with you too. And, and I reckon it just gives that little bit of individuality to, uh, to the players and, and the players actually don't mind it. Like when you talk to them after the game.
01:07:16
Speaker
It was really funny. I got to meet, um, Robbie Heath's mum and his sister last weekend. Cause they'd come up from Melbourne to watch him play. And that's how they introduced me. They said, Oh, this is Amy. She, he's the one who calls me deep three teeth. And I go, Oh, righty. Oh, there you go. Yeah. We love your commentary. It's great. So, you know, it's, it works for some people, maybe not others, but it's a bit of fun.
01:07:41
Speaker
Between the two of you, we might have to start a glossary in the same vein that we used to joke about right in the book of basketball cliches. That is like a guidebook for any commentator who's starting out. Jacinta has got this textbook of cliches that if you want to become any good at commentating basketball or any sport, you need to pick up a copy from any good bookstore. Is that right, Squint? I think it's only on Amazon at the moment.
01:08:11
Speaker
It's fantastic. It's such a good breed. Very recommended. All right. Well, we'll get into the serious stuff.
01:08:19
Speaker
very, very serious because we are both very serious individuals, the three of us. But Hamish, as mentioned, you're known in the league as the play-by-play commentator for the Central Coast Crusaders. But you're also a voiceover artist and a writer and a broadcaster. And it looks like you've been doing it for quite a while. So tell us where it all began for you. Probably 2002 is when I kind of got into the voiceover stuff.
01:08:49
Speaker
Uh, it was a, it was someone that we, there were, it was, they were starting a business, I think, and they needed something like for a jingle for a radio commercial. And, um, and I, I'd studied acting. So, uh, I went, Oh, I'll give it a crack. I can, I can do that. And so, um, the little voiceover jingle for him and, and, uh, worked well.
01:09:10
Speaker
And I thought, oh, this is fun. You know, voiceover, you don't have to be seen, which, you know, fortunately is probably a good thing. Let's do some voiceover work. And so, yeah, on and off, been doing that for, you know, what, 20 years, I guess. And it's just something that I enjoy doing, you know, whether it's radio ads or e-learning or multimedia, some sort of an outlet, because I think everyone needs an outlet. And for me, it's happened to be that, you know, over the last couple of years.
01:09:38
Speaker
So have you done anything particularly noticeable that we'd know about? Yeah, see, this is the thing. If you're an Essendon fan, which I am, probably my
01:09:52
Speaker
This is probably my personal, my greatest triumph was when they contacted me and they said, Hey, listen, we're doing a hot, you know, how they do like the best and fairest. They do like an awards night. And they said, we need someone to voice over the highlights package.
01:10:10
Speaker
for our, what they call the Crichton Medal, which is their best and fairest. And so I'm like, are you serious? And so I'm like, yes, please. So I got to voice over the highlights package for them, and then did some work for Essendon for probably about two or three years, their hospitality events and stuff. So for me, that was kind of like the highlight, because
01:10:34
Speaker
as a passionate Essendon fan and then getting to talk to people like Kevin Sheedy, the coach and stuff. So that was pretty cool. Any other notable stuff? Yeah, probably not. Probably not. Not at all. I've always been kind of just, and again, that's the great thing about VoiceOver is that you don't really become notable. It's just a voice, but it's good fun. As a fellow Essendon fan,
01:11:03
Speaker
That's absolutely massive. Oh, are you serious? Oh, I like this man. Squint. This is brilliant. Couldn't have planned a better really. Well done. We can stop right now because.
01:11:19
Speaker
I'm just jumping on the inside and the outside. Yeah, no, it's, it was cool. That's the thing. Like when you, you've got a team that you've supported your whole life and then obviously, um, you know, they're based in Melbourne and I'm up on the coast. And, you know, even when squid and I were calling games, there was always some sort of AFL reference in there somewhere. And the other thing about, and I guess for me, going back to.
01:11:42
Speaker
Commentating basketball. Is there so many similarities between AFL and basketball when it comes to positioning and those sorts of things? So it just it transcended really well. So my two great sport loves is AFL and basketball. So it was win-win. It was nice that you had the photo of Jazz for Cadilla's singlet. So is that a, is that a weekly thing now that you guys, you put a singlet up every week?
01:12:08
Speaker
I brought one. I brought another one this week. We'll put that up later. I've got to find a place to hang it because I'm sitting outside at the moment, so not a lot of places to hang things. So it becomes players of note that you get their, what, their college jersey or just their playing jersey? It's just a random jersey that I pull out of my wardrobe that I'm feeling at the time. And I've definitely got more than a season's worth of jerseys.
01:12:36
Speaker
So, no, I guess you guys asked the questions, but, um, if you, obviously you're a Sutherland Sharks fan, Locky. Yes. Good. So how many Sutherland Sharks jerseys do you have? Zero. No, sorry. I have one. I have the intake day one from last season. What am I talking about? Uh, I'm probably not even setting him up, but holy smokes. I was like, you're having a laugh, mate. You definitely have one.
01:13:03
Speaker
I have one. I have one Sutherland jersey. I have Lauren Kalber's Anzac Day jersey from last season. That was getting a bit awkward. That was awkward. Holy cow. No, I was thinking that they have replicas at the stadium now and I've got to get around to buying one. So I was thinking I need a Sutherland jersey completely indicating the fact that I already do have one Sutherland jersey.
01:13:28
Speaker
It's all right. I love you commentary more than makes up for now. Look, can I, can I just say, I will throw to basketball real quick. I know. And listen, we don't have to talk about basketball for very much longer in this interview, but, um, just a little point about jazz for Cadilla, the way she started this season has been absolutely unbelievable. And obviously you talk about whether you're given the, the captaincy, whether that either is a positive or a negative. I think she's fully embraced it.
01:13:56
Speaker
She's averaging 18 points a game along with five rebounds, you know, four assists. Um, but the way that she attacks the, that's probably the big noticeable difference watching her play this season is the way that she attacks the basket is relentless. It's relentless. And I think Mika and I made mention that a couple of times.
01:14:14
Speaker
in the last game is that she's just solely focused on the ring. And I've never seen her attack. Having said that, she's also hitting from three quite a bit. I think five from seven over the weekend. So, you know, she's stepped up big time. I love it. Love it. It's very much on point, especially when you're talking about
01:14:35
Speaker
Um, or asking Locky about the, the Jasmine fork a dealer singlet that he very kindly posted on Instagram. So that's, that's cool. I like that we can sometimes add a visual reference or, you know, show people what we're actually talking about, given that the podcast is audio only.
01:14:52
Speaker
Well, this is the thing like, and people ask me about commentating and the thing is that I, that I love the most is getting to know the person behind the player. And there's something that Mika and I have talked about, you know, before the season started as well. And you probably see that they've tried, we've tried to increase our social media presence with interviews, you know, after the games, because
01:15:17
Speaker
And to be honest, I think Sutherland is probably the benchmark of that. You got to get faces out there. You got to get people to know these players and watching them being interviewed after a loss or a win, either way, just getting to understand them and know them.
01:15:35
Speaker
That's one of the things that I really enjoy from doing this gig is getting to know and meet these players behind, you know, who they actually are. So I think it's really important. And again, I'll take the, you know, the Robbie Heath example, meeting her, his mum and his sister, you know, their families that the travel that support and we see them as players with a number on their back and
01:15:59
Speaker
know, representing a club, but there's, there's stories behind them. And I reckon that's something that, you know, it's great to tap into and find out about their journey. You know, so that's, that's something that I really enjoy. When you share the more meaningful content, like you show the person behind the player, that's when you're going to get a lot more fan engagement. And that's how you're going to get new fans as well, especially when you're sharing that stuff a little bit online.
01:16:22
Speaker
Um, I remember someone from the crusaders camp last season saying how they surprised they were by the number of views that the video of jazz sharing her journey and her family's journey of when a mom was diagnosed with breast cancer ahead of the pink round. If you show those meaningful things and relatable things, then you're going to have a stronger fan engagement.
01:16:44
Speaker
A hundred percent. A hundred percent. And like you see any player interviews like I'll go I'll go to America. But with Graham Bensinger when he interviews players or even Shannon Sharp was interviewing Charles Barkley last week.
01:16:58
Speaker
It's like these players that you've watched play for so long, but you don't know their stories behind it. Um, you know, you find out 20 years later, it's like, well, the benefit of technology now is, well, let's find out about them whilst they're actually playing, which is really cool. So that's, that's been really helpful. And that's why the social media content, you know, we're trying every, after every game, make sure that we interview people and, and find out about them and.
01:17:22
Speaker
You know, you get the bio sheets you sent out to players before the season starts to try and find out, you know, where they went to school and their heroes in basketball, their ambitions, all that sort of stuff. All of that is valuable, especially us as commentators because it helps shape, you know, who we're talking about. And I love that sort of stuff.
01:17:39
Speaker
When I was doing a bit of Googling that you're a writer, as I mentioned earlier before, and also when I was doing a bit of Googling, I came across a book on sale on Amazon called, Grown Damage, The Danger of Parenting Adjumnus by Hamish Salberg. Is that something that we can credit to you?
01:17:57
Speaker
One of the things, again, as I said to the Frenchman earlier, I'm getting old. I'm on the other side of, well, just the other side of 50 now. You've got to try different things. And I reckon one of the benefits of getting older is you just don't care as much anymore. But in 2018, I was, you know what, I'm just going to publish a book because they often talk about you do one of two things. You either run a marathon.
01:18:20
Speaker
or you write a book. And as soon as I heard that, I went, okay, time to sharpen a pencil, because you're not going to see me running. I thought, well, I'll just, I'll publish a little book on Amazon and, you know, growing damage. Yes. I remember my experiences with my daughter when she was doing gymnastics. So it just kind of
01:18:39
Speaker
prompted me to put some words on a page. Thanks for look and squint. I don't even know how that... I didn't even realize it's still there. That's kind of cool. The digital media footprint, I guess. Holy moly. But look, anyone can read it. It's tailored to a large audience, put it that way. There's only five chapters and I think it's eight pages in total. So it's not a big stretch to read. It's pretty easy.
01:19:03
Speaker
Yeah, see, I asked that question purely just to make fun and tease a little bit, thinking that it wasn't written by you. And here I am now learning that you have actually written a book called Grown Damage, the Tanger of Finding a gymnast.
Comedy and Commentary: Personal Journeys
01:19:18
Speaker
This is an absolute revelation.
01:19:20
Speaker
I know it's what you call a scoop. You've unleashed a scoop. So comedy is probably the other facet to what I'm all about. I've written comic material for, again, for ads and different things and copywriting and that. And comedy for me has always been one of my go-tos. Doing a bit of stand-up I did years ago.
01:19:48
Speaker
absolutely, absolutely bombed. And it was the scariest thing I'd ever done. But it was, again, luding back to now that I'm older, you're like, Yeah, I don't care. So I did it again last year, up at Newcastle. And again, it was great.
01:20:06
Speaker
The only problem is people just didn't laugh. I mean, other than that, it was a fantastic experience. It was really good. I enjoy making people laugh and look, to be honest, we need it more than ever. And it's one of those things that.
01:20:21
Speaker
know, if I can have fun with that. Don Rickles is one of my comedy heroes. And he was famous for being what they call an insult comic, but he never really insulted people. He made fun of them. But it was always in love. And I figured the same with comedy. If you don't completely offend people, but at the same time, have a bit of a joke and have a bit of
01:20:43
Speaker
light-hearted moments, then great. So that book, if you were looking to get your children into gymnastics, I wouldn't be using it as a guide. I put it that way. It's not something you would get people to read. But if you've got two minutes on the train and you need a bit of a laugh, then go for it. Don't look at me. I don't write books. So I'm finding out the Frenchman, his family farm is in Muji.
01:21:13
Speaker
It's not it's not a farm. We've just got a we've got a third of an acre in the village in the village. Okay. Yeah. See, I see I grew up in a village. So I'm originally an Aubrey boy. And while I'm coming, I'm coming back to basketball in a second. But so I grew up in a little place called Walla Walla, which is half an hour out of Aubrey.
01:21:35
Speaker
So you've got Aubrey, Wodonga, you've got Wagga Wagga and then stuck in the middle is Walla Walla with 600 people. So I grew up in the country and I loved it. I'm going to come back to the first game that Squint and I called together was Lauren Jackson's comeback game at Terrigal. Talk about the privilege. It was unbelievable to see her in action and
01:21:59
Speaker
You know, we were fortunate she's going to come back. I think the 1st of June, she's back at Central Coast. So looking forward to that. And that's the thing with basketball. I remember being a Bandits fan way back when I was like 10 or 11.
01:22:14
Speaker
Uh, and I say players names now that people have never heard of, like Richard Ross and Randy Rick to American imports. And they were amazing. They were heroes growing up. I'll go to my, um, prediction for the, uh, the women. It's a lock. And then with unique Thompson coming back in. Oh man. Forget it. It's over. What are your predictions?
Season Predictions and Team Watch
01:22:36
Speaker
You two is winning the men's and the women.
01:22:39
Speaker
I predicted Aubrey Woodonga for the women even before unique signs. Would you like to remind our listeners who your pick for the 2024 Men's Champion was it was going to be or would you like to retract it? Oh no, please share with the listeners how much I do not know about basketball.
01:22:57
Speaker
Look, to be fair, Hamish very kindly submitted his predictions for the 2024 season. He picked the Illawarra Hawks to win the men's championship this season, perhaps basing that off last year's roster, but then you did go on to nominate Davo Hickey for MVP or pick Davo Hickey for MVP.
01:23:17
Speaker
Nicole Munger from Newcastle Falcons for the women, Evan Wardlow from the Crusaders as defensive player of the year next to Isla Juffamans, Luke Boyle for coach of the year for the men's and Sam McDonald. Sammy Mack from the Aubrey Wodonga Bandits for the coach of the year for the women. So listen, every other prediction you provided, it's pretty sound to be fair.
01:23:36
Speaker
Well, I'm hoping. You just, you never want to be an island because you see all these other brilliant commentators like Locky and yourself who've made a pick and you go, oh yeah, and then you see yours way out in the
01:23:52
Speaker
Outback no one's even picked no one's it's even even talked about it's like yeah, okay I'll just go and hide for a little bit. Shall I because I know nothing about this league shocking Shocking hopefully the women I'll get right now having said that I do Reckon if we can talk about the Crusaders for a little bit. Can I just say again?
Central Coast Crusaders' Team Spirit
01:24:12
Speaker
This is probably this is the third season. I've done it from both the women and the men and
01:24:17
Speaker
The step up in intensity and just the willingness of the whole outfit, the whole club has been immense. And you can feel it. Around the club, if you come to the training, if you come to, you know, before the games, there is a sense that something's building and it's really exciting for the Central Coast Crusaders fans and
01:24:44
Speaker
for the players. And the other thing that I do want to say is it takes of going back to Locky's term, it takes a village to get a club to compete and to present. Like the amount of people just around the Central Coast Crusaders that make that game day experience happen.
01:25:03
Speaker
There's so many people, you know, and it's a shout out to every volunteer or staff member of any club to make those days happen. And obviously the NBL one has gone in leaps and bounds with the competition. You see players now who are a training run to get up to the NBL level and beyond. So the league is absolutely going gangbusters, but the amount of people it takes to get the game day experience can't be underestimated. And so thank you to everyone who makes it happen.
01:25:33
Speaker
Getting back to it, I reckon that, particularly with the girls, I mean, the five and two coach, Rachel Mayampas said top four, if we don't do top four, it's a, it's a bust. I definitely reckon that they can achieve top four. With the men, I reckon they're still feeling it out a bit. And, and obviously, shout out to coach John White, who had a bubba.
01:25:53
Speaker
last weekend, which is very exciting. Him and his wife, little, little JJ, uh, which is awesome. So I think that the, the fellows are still working it out, but I still think they've got the roster to challenge at least make finals. Is there any other observations that you've noticed from the crew camp so far or any, any surprises that you've noticed from the crew status team so far?
01:26:14
Speaker
When you get Leilani Mitchell and Michaela Domkins, you would expect no, no surprise of what those two are able to do. And it's funny when you talk to the other ladies in the team about what it's like having those two in the side, just inspires them to go to another level. And obviously you've seen that with.
01:26:35
Speaker
know, their five and two record. But it's just amazing, you see, I guess, from the sideline, because you get an up close personal view of just the way amazing players
01:26:50
Speaker
Brilliant players have just got time and space that other players don't have. And the way that they move the ball, that they move without the ball, it's such a delight to see it because you go, this is what experience and skill and hard work will give you, right?
01:27:09
Speaker
So that's been a real highlight, just watching those two and elevate the other players on the crew team. And probably for the men, I mean, I'll go to Robbie Heath again, you know, he's averaging 29 points in the league and leading the league in scoring. And people were getting on his back in the early rounds about, oh, he's, you know,
01:27:28
Speaker
He thinks he's Kobe, but he hogs the ball a bit. What's going on? If you see his game in the last couple of rounds, a willingness to distribute and to hand off like if he's double or even triple teamed, he's now looking for his teammates. So obviously he realizes that I don't have to do this on my own and.
01:27:48
Speaker
I can trust my teammates to deliver as well. So you're starting to see more of that side of him the last couple of weeks, which is really encouraging. And I think for the Crusaders men to challenge, and we saw that against Maitland actually, Maitland double teamed him pretty much from the opening tip and negated any scoring chances that he would normally have. So they knew, they did their homework, they scouted obviously, but he realized that. And so when he gets the ball now,
01:28:17
Speaker
he's still going to get his 20-30 points. He's now realizing to just, you know, to let it up if there's a better shot somewhere else. And, you know, Sean and I, Evan Wardlow have been fantastic additions. I still, Evan's still my pick for DPOY. I think he's magnificent. And then you see guys like JT and Ty McCann, it's like,
01:28:40
Speaker
a new lease of life. They're looking as fit and as trim as I've seen them. I mean, JT, awesome dunk last week. And even he commented, oh, the old legs are still getting up there. You know, so yeah, there's a lot to be excited about.
Crusaders' Potential and Comparisons
01:28:56
Speaker
I think I said it earlier, like there is a bit of a buzz around what's possible.
01:29:02
Speaker
with both sides. And I think there's just a step in level of professionalism. When you come from a smaller club, and we see that up on the coast with the Central Coast Mariners, you know, they've just won the Premier's plate again. Smallest club, smallest budget, smallest fan base.
01:29:20
Speaker
but they always punch above their weight. And I reckon Crusaders are very similar. You know, we've always been a smaller club, but now I think we've got belief to go with obviously some great additions and just a great club mentality that we could really challenge this year, which is exciting. It's great for basketball, I reckon.
01:29:42
Speaker
Speaking of the Mariners, if Ebs is half a good defender as his partner Jasmine, he's a lock for Defensive Player of the Year because Jas was the heart of the Mariners defence that made the semi-finals this year in the A League women.
01:29:56
Speaker
That's it. And it's funny, like, when you watch, um, you know, it's a, it's her own version of Nathan Cleary and what's her name, Mary, um, Mary Fowler Matildas, you know, it's like when you have two professional sports people, um, and they push each other and it's, it's really cool. It's cool to see.
Commentary Career Highlights
01:30:13
Speaker
Harking back to your work with Essendon, you actually won a competition that they ran called the Your Call From Home series in 2020.
01:30:25
Speaker
And it was Bruce McAvaney that selected the winner.
01:30:30
Speaker
So tell us about that. Again, you talk about moments, you kind of pinch yourself and go, man, I can't believe that happened. So obviously, 2020, COVID, not a lot was going on in the terms of sport. They were playing football games to empty stadiums, you know, and it was funny. And then the networks are putting on the audio in the background, so it felt like a crowd. But one of the things that Essendon did is they decided, oh, well, everyone's at home watching football.
01:31:01
Speaker
Let's have a little competition. And so they had three pieces of vision from over the years and they asked anyone from home to put their own commentary against the vision and then submit it in this competition. I mean, one of my absolute heroes, Bruce McAvaney. So the other thing.
01:31:20
Speaker
for me is sports commentators are in my other hero's group. So when I found out that he was judging in the winner, I thought, okay, well, I got to give it a good shot. And anyway, called a bit of action to the, to the play. And then he selected from three finalists of which I was one. And then he, and it was interesting that the play he was talking to was Joe Watson.
01:31:46
Speaker
who had since retired, this was like, you know, seven years later, and he was talking to Joe Watson as he was announcing his decision. And he said, well, I'm gonna have to say, Joe, I'm gonna have to give it to you. It was your goal, which is the one that I commentated against. He picked me and it was like, oh man, that's, I can die happy now. That was amazing.
01:32:07
Speaker
Bruce McAvaney chooses me out of all these entries and stuff. So that was pretty cool. Because that's the thing, as a kid I grew up listening to football on the radio, watching on TV, and that was what I wanted to do. That was my goal. If it wasn't sports commentating, or if it wasn't being a stand-up comic, or writing, or you know, well actually that was probably it.
01:32:29
Speaker
then that's what I would be doing. That would be my absolute passion. Calling football or calling basketball, doing comedy stuff, that's kind of me in a nutshell really. That was a pinch yourself moment for sure. Did there are other opportunities to do voiceover work for Essendon come from being a winner of this competition?
01:32:49
Speaker
No, I'd done stuff for the bombers previous to the competition. So I think it was 2017, I'd started doing work for them with their highlights package and stuff and then other bits and pieces. And then, you know, this came along a couple of years later. And so it was kind of like, or
01:33:12
Speaker
Hope is not favoritism, you know, cause, uh, I've been, I'm on their books sort of thing. You know, I think the other thing is you gotta, you gotta back yourself. And I think it's one of the great things about what we do is we've had such amazing people who've gone before us, you know, and again, growing up, I remember Phil Lynch calling basketball. And then of course, John Casey, who is still the benchmark for Australian basketball commentary. Um,
01:33:41
Speaker
You know, they're the guys that you tried to emulate. So you've got people that you're kind of standing on the shoulders of and trying to emulate. You go, man, this is what I remember as a kid. And you just want to make sure that if people close their eyes, they can hear, okay, what's going on, you know, and try and make it entertaining a little bit at the same time.
01:34:00
Speaker
You guys are cool. This is a cool podcast. You're rockin' it. I'm lovin' it. Oh, man. Why aren't sponsors knockin' on your door? That's what I want to say by golly. Come on. Do you guys... Isn't there... Isn't it a little like a podcast awards? Do they have podcast awards every year? Not for MBL One. No, not for MBL One. Well, as my friend Dada would say, he would say, this is the most tremendous podcast. It's tremendous. I think of all the podcasts that I've ever listened to, this is one that's probably the best. Number one.
01:34:30
Speaker
Of all the podcasts I've ever listened to, this is going to be the best. A lot of people say to me, of all the presidents we've had, you probably be the top three. I say, no, no, not really, not the top three, probably number one, probably number one presidents, not three, but you guys are tremendous. Well done. That's what he'd probably say. That was outstanding. I've never heard you do.
01:34:52
Speaker
an impression and a Trump impression at that. That was outstanding. I promise I haven't put any effects or producing over that to make it sound as good as it did because I don't have those skills. But Hamish thankfully has the impressionist skills. I will give myself one plug.
YouTube Channel and Commentating Style
01:35:11
Speaker
Obviously you've plugged the book, which has been a massive bestseller right up there with Grisham.
01:35:18
Speaker
Matthew Riley, but now I do have a YouTube channel. And if you, again, if you're looking for some light entertainment, it's me doing a couple of impressions and stuff. So that's something that I'll probably look to grow, um, this year as well. Um, it was, you know, that, that kind of started sitting in the car in traffic. You kind of just sit in there going, huh, what am I going to do? All right.
01:35:39
Speaker
I'll turn on the phone and camera and record something. So if you go to YouTube and you look up my name, which you've pronounced beautifully, Jacinta, you'll see there's a couple of impressions there. What's your favorite impression to do? It's a tricky one. I think maybe because of my Austrian heritage.
01:35:58
Speaker
You know, it's the thing I always thought that the honor was my father. I wasn't sure. But every time they got to the chopper, like we talked about the chopper that you had to ride down to the north. And then the Alaki goes, he goes from the Magi to the Sutherland Shires to fantastic. He's one of the best fantastic places I've ever been to. I've never been to Magi, but I want to go there. Bring me there, Alaki. Bring me the Magi. I want the gems. I want the honey, the wines, all those things. They want tremendous.
01:36:25
Speaker
He's, I'm probably related to him somewhere. I'm sure dad and him were mates. I don't know. Cause dad came over in 61 so that possibly who knows actually one thing I still haven't done. I promised you this a year and a half ago. I still haven't watched Ted Lasso. I would like to rewatch it because I was stealing so many quotes from Ted Lasso to use in commentary. So I need to watch it again to add some more phrases to my toolkit and see if anyone picks up the reference.
01:36:54
Speaker
But the great thing is that you, with your commentary, you've created quotes that other people will start using now. Um, and the same with you, Frenchman. And then that's thing like listening to commentators or watching them. They've got like a phrase that I was, I was reading on Reddit the other day. Um, someone put something like, Oh, what are some catchphrases that, you know, basketball commentators are famous for, you know, with Mike brain with bang and Marv Albert with yes and all that sort of stuff.
01:37:23
Speaker
But I want to see the squint and the locky France catch phrases up there. And then we start adopting and using. So is there ones that you would use that I can start incorporating into the Central Coast broadcasts? Well, the one I use is buries it. That's definitely mine. The three, buries the three. The other thing is my sign off.
01:37:46
Speaker
where I call the audience amazing. I say, I've been locking France and you've been amazing after every game. There's actually a team, an under 12 reps team from Sutherland last season. They made all these amazing signs. And last game of the season, they do one of my face with the headphones on saying, we've been under 12 girls division three and you've been amazing. So that's, that's, that's certainly my two.
01:38:15
Speaker
pull to my heartstrings that story was so great that A, the girls were turning up and making signs and B, they even made Locky a sign. I was like, that's the commentators, the officials, the referees, you know, the statisticians, they don't usually get that kind of love. So it was really nice that Locky got a sign.
01:38:35
Speaker
The funny thing is, because I came into the game and someone said, oh, the kids have got a sign for you,
Supporting Fellow Commentators
01:38:40
Speaker
Locky. And I'm like, no, they must mean Locky Hutcheson, of course, because, you know, star player, they haven't seen the sign. No, that's me. Oh, I love it. Oh, how good is that?
01:38:51
Speaker
I'm not sure, I've definitely used a couple of the same phrases a few times. I think one that comes to mind I used yesterday was making lemonade from lemons in a situation when, you know, there's been a fumble, a turnover, a mishap, but a team just being able to play on and follow through and make a score out of it or make a positive out of it. So sometimes I'll say, that's a good example of how a team can make lemonade from lemons by XYZ.
01:39:21
Speaker
Oh, I like it. I like it. See, that's deep, deep analysis. That's why you're the best. I don't know if it's deep or very good analysis either using a cliche metaphor, but I think I tend to go to, as we used to talk about when we, um, commentated together the basketball book of cliches of you go to the well when the well runs dry. Uh, and another one I think I used yesterday was let the ball do the work.
01:39:49
Speaker
That is actually, I'll do like that one. I'm pretty sure I stole that from coaches over the years as well. Well, if it's okay with you, we can incorporate that, give that credit to you, um, with all the ones, all the games we continue to call for this season, if that's all right. And then I'm going to borrow the Frenchman's berries. Again, giving credit where credit is due.
01:40:11
Speaker
Because, and I'm going to, I'm going to jump on this before Squint, Squint says, original ideas, please, original thought. And if you're going to borrow from someone, make sure you credit them. That's important. I'm a big believer and advocate for, and I say it and I adopted in my everyday life. I always give credit where credit's due, but that includes what we were talking about before our commentary.
01:40:38
Speaker
cliches, common phrases, or what we're known for. And Hamish, you are certainly the one that needs to be credited for nicknaming Aaron Redhead, the big ginge. So when that was on a clip on social media for the club he's playing for now, and someone was like, Oh, the big ginge. That's so funny. I had to tag you and be like, that was Hamish's work. Thanks.
01:41:02
Speaker
That was very kind, that was very kind. And only because his parents came all the way across from Perth to watch him play, and they'd made T-shirts with a big ginge on them, Mr and Mrs. Redhead. So I thought, well, gosh, it's only fair. They're supporting their boy. But yeah, no credit where credit's due. Again, it's a small community that we're part of, our little fraternity. But this is the sort of stuff I really love is supporting each other and making sure people know
01:41:30
Speaker
How flipping good you both are. Like seriously. And this podcast, I'm coming back to it. If you need information about other teams, like preparing for a game coming up, this is where I'll go. You know, that's why it's so flipping good. So well done. We've covered a lot of your colorful history across a lot of different formats. I covered a lot of things, but have nothing of substance, uh, which is typical really.
01:41:56
Speaker
A lot of substance, especially I'm glad that you touched on your history of acting and comedy and doing stand up and your voiceover work. So we've got to learn a lot more about you, you know, that we've got to learn a lot more about the man behind the voice. And the other day you did mention to me that you want to continue pursuing your dreams of being a sports commentator. If you're comfortable sharing, tell us a little bit more about those dreams and aspirations that you're aiming for in 2024.
01:42:25
Speaker
Getting back to this fraternity. So you posted on the East Scott game, or it may be, I can't remember if it was your or the egg Insta about the, you know, the wheelchair basketball EOI for commentators wanted. And it's like, Oh,
01:42:40
Speaker
Awesome, what a great opportunity, you know, so I reached out to them and and said, Hey, listen, this is what I do. And so just kind of again, something I said early on is putting yourself out there and give it in a shot, you know, so I mean, who knows what's going to come out of it. But again, thank you to you, screen for making it aware for people.
01:42:59
Speaker
And again, this is where the sharing comes in. It's so cool. If something comes out of it, great. If not, that's cool. At least we're, you know, putting ourselves out there. So for me, commentary opportunities, I'll definitely put myself forward for and whether it's basketball, football.
01:43:18
Speaker
You really got to live in Melbourne, but that's cool. You know, who knows what might happen. The comedy stuff, I'll keep pursuing that as well this year and see what happens with that. So, you know, I'll try and keep my hands full while I enjoy listening to E. Scott game on a weekly basis and enjoying both of your commentary with your respective clubs. But yeah, it's been great. It's been a great, great fun ride, I reckon.
01:43:42
Speaker
I think that's so important what you mentioned about like Squint just sharing that post about wheelchair basketball Australia. Anyone could have kept that quiet and improve their chances of getting the spot. What are you in this for? Are you in this to be the commentator who gets all the gigs in a league that is below average or are you trying to build the entire competition?
01:44:05
Speaker
I get calls, you know, from people, can you commentate? Well, not really, but I'll always pass on a name or if someone comes to me and says they want to commentate, I'll always pass their name onto a club. If I can, that's how Comet's got their new commentator will. Is he just messaged me and I said, here's some clubs. Here's where I think there might be a spot for you. Here's a contact. And I think that's more important for the league and it's more important to me than me getting every single opportunity because that doesn't help grow the league. The more good commentators out there, the better.
01:44:35
Speaker
Also to Locky's point about sharing opportunities and making the league better overall, making the quality of the broadcast and commentary for the league overall, is in a similar way, that's what you would want for the game of basketball or a sport in itself. You can be the best player in the worst team. And if you keep being the best player in the worst team and playing against all the other worst teams, sure, you're always going to be the best, but are you actually ever going to get better?
01:45:04
Speaker
So it's the same with commentators. If we keep bringing in new talent and we keep boosting the talent, the league is going to be more professional and the broadcast is going to be better. But it's also going to make us as commentators as individuals better as well. So I already feel like from yesterday doing two games of the week with John and Dave,
01:45:24
Speaker
already keeping me on my toes and trying to refine my skills because now I'm commentating with people who know a lot more than me and have done a lot, I've done a lot more than me in NBA One North. So that's the, that's the whole idea. It's not only going to make the league better, it's going to make us as individuals better as well by sharing. And Dr. Casey Simons from Siren Sport once said to me that there is enough space for everyone
01:45:51
Speaker
There are so many different outlets and platforms for everyone to share their own opinions and ideas on sport at whatever angle you want and there's enough space for everyone and everyone's going to have a different perspective that is going to relate to a different population or a different group of people.
01:46:08
Speaker
We don't need to be competitive with this stuff. And like you said, Hamish, we're building a little community. Even like, I'm sure Locky will agree that my favorite memory that I took away from the first NBA one nationals where Locky and I got to commentate was actually not getting picked to commentate the grand final games because East teams weren't in it. So instead, everyone else who didn't get picked, we all sat in the stands together. We had our free GYG burritos and our free GYG stocks on.
01:46:35
Speaker
And we just sat there and watched the game and enjoyed it together like we had been friends for years. And it was the first time we'd all met each other face to face. That was one of the best memories I took away from that competition. So the community that we're building of commentators in MBL One East, very important and can really be to everyone's benefit. I mean, it's a whole other group of like-minded people and a great way to stay in touch with the game without having to be a player or coach or a referee.
01:47:04
Speaker
Oh mate, so well said, you know. And I mean, the other thing is there's only one of you. You can't be everywhere.
01:47:12
Speaker
Um, but again, that speaks to the generous nature of, and for both of you, it's such a great point. It's like, it's, it is part of a community that we're part of at this basketball community, but then, you know, to another level that the commentators, but if you can see opportunities for other people, I said it to Mika, they run here for a short time, trying to help as much as you can. And if there's an opportunity for other people, throw them their way, you know, that's, that's so important. So good. Um, so well done you too. Oh.
01:47:41
Speaker
Hey, did I tell you how much I love this podcast? I don't think I've said it yet. I love it. Or in my case, get into the game. I mean, not through commentary, but media. Cause I was all soccer media until I started doing basketball. So I didn't go from playing basketball to doing media about it. I went from another sport into basketball.
01:48:03
Speaker
Top of the heap, I know, but it's so cool. I mean, and like everything you both have just said, it's all about growth, yet grow the game, but then grow as you individually, the whole, like you said, like-mindedness. And what a life experience to be able to spend time together over a couple of days at the finals, even if you're not calling the game, but to be sitting in the stands together and going, how good is this?
01:48:26
Speaker
You know, I mean, that's, that's what it's about. You know, that sort of life experience you can't buy. It's so good. But yeah, and I reckon you got to get, look at getting better every opportunity you get. You know, like I look at it, to be honest for me.
Maintaining High Standards
01:48:45
Speaker
I've gone, Oh, okay. Well, the crusaders are really stepping up. They've got these new players that have come in. They've got, geez, Leilani, Michaela, automatically you go, I better raise my game as well. You know, that that's the automatic, what you start thinking. So, okay. My preparation time that I spend, you know, has to reflect that because you're representing that club. I don't even know what the stats are with live streaming.
01:49:12
Speaker
I think someone threw a number out the other day. I think it was actually with LJ's comeback game, something like 40,000 people tuned into it, something ridiculous, get the exact figures on it. But it's like, if that's really the reach, then you want to make sure that whatever product we're putting out there, it's got to be the best, you know, the pursuit of excellence. And I'm all about that for sure.
01:49:35
Speaker
Um, this stuff, what we're doing now, I, man, this is so cool. I love it. I'm going to cry. I am. That wasn't our intention at all. When we invited you to bring me to tears, both of you. Love you so much. We've never had a guest cry before. I don't think it's about time. Hamish, before we wrap up any final thoughts, feelings, words, predictions that you'd like to share, um, on Eastcott game.
01:50:03
Speaker
Yeah, I'm going to take back my pick for the men's, uh, championship, uh, delete and insert whatever the heck team you prefer.
Conclusion and Gratitude
01:50:12
Speaker
Uh, anyone that what I've selected is fine. Lachlan pick the Stangers. So I'm going to, I'm going to pick the Stangers for you as well. I think, you know what, having seen them up close, here's the thing. They are a massive, like you look at the men's, they are huge. They are a huge club. And then with Will Cranston, who just like unbelievable.
01:50:33
Speaker
sat Tom Akamama on his butt. Oh, you know, and, and here's the thing, I miss that call, right? Like it's, I don't know about you two, but you, you listen back or you watch the replay and you go, Oh man, I missed a call there and I should have said this and I should have said that. And it's like, okay, well I'll get better for the next time. But yeah, that move, we'll translate, put him on his skates and it was like, whoo, he's gone.
01:51:04
Speaker
Yeah, if we had the, if I had the capabilities of making a clip like when Shaq'd in the fall, I would have used that clip of Tom Akamamoi. But yeah, thank you so much for joining us, Hamish. It's been an absolute pleasure chatting with you, especially being a commentator and the jack of all trades that you are. But Hamish, thank you so much again. And hopefully depending on how the rest of our schedule pans out for the end of the year, we might have to get you to jump on towards finals time.
01:51:32
Speaker
Hey, anytime. And again, congratulations to both of you for this podcast. I think it's brilliant. Well done to both of you for what you bring to the game, basketball and to, and to fans around the world. It's fantastic. And thanks for having me. Thanks for listening to another episode of East Scott game, an unofficial podcast about the MBL one East season for 2021.