Hoops

Andrew Gaze expects Aussie NBL players to improve

Drafted from the NBL:

Chris Anstey 1997
Ben Pepper 1997
Brad Newley 2007
Nathan Jawai 2008
Ater Majok 2011

Signed from the NBL:

Andrew Gaze 1993/94 & 1998/99
Shane Heal 1996/97 & 2003/04
Mark Bradtke 1996-97

fstos,

I can't really compare between now and the 90s beacause its hard to cross compare the skills in different eras. I won't touch on the 90s because admittedly i'm no expert at the NBL during that time.

But I will say that I feel players do get positions by default. The points cap and salary cap means that if you're a low rating and you're willing to take minimum/low pay, you're going to get a position by virtue of the fact that other players having a higher points rating or want/need too much money.

For me, it's a case of not always the best players being chosen, but those that simply have favourable points ratings.

There's been a few non-sensical signings over the past few years.

I do think extra import does equate to a better product.

If every team replaced say there 10th man with a import even a DQ Montreal level import for the same money, that is a big upgrade imo. Lets face it losing many of the 10th men wont really cost the league much in qulaity, the good players who start as 10th men, will overtake a few team mates before too long and not be replaced naturally

I think a temporary move to 3 imports would help whilst the league is expanding. Say Brisbane next season, maybe Wellington year after, etc.
Not all imports are going to be guns, especially for teams on a limited budget, but it would make it easier to fill gaps in your squad.
But I think they also need to tweak the PPR. There's currently not enough difference between a gun import on 10, and decent bench player on 8.
The danger as always is in allowing cashed up clubs to get 3 guns, whilst struggling clubs go without.

I still feel the biggest impact will be the 4 marquee locals rule.
I get that they want to attract more Aussie (& NZ) talent back to the league, but gees that is opening a can of worms.

And here's the thing, even if more money = better players = better standard, so what? Is that what is best for the league? I enjoy watching NBL because its relevant and accessible. I support the Wildcats because they're our team. I'm sure they're are many better quality leagues in the world, but they have no interest or relevance for me.
One of the good things about this season is that only an injury ravaged Sydney have been easy beats. We've dominated at home, but had some close games, and almost every road game has been a challenge. Last thing I want to see is a league where only MU and NZ can give us a run for our MONEY.

Also gotta be honest. The Cats have something like 8 players out of contract. Now I expect some tweaks, and I am prepared for Redhage's retirement, but I don't want to see 8 new players next season.

Yeah. Play a fair bit of shield didn't he. Gordie was a good keeper in his day as well and was in the HSW Sheffield Shield squad a believe.

MACDUB. Sorry but I completely disagree with both Gaze and yourself.

Brad Hill would probably have started and played major minutes back then in many teams.

A lot of that was probably due to the amount of teams BUT

Peter Walsh
Ian Rouse
Ray Gordon
Mark Oliver
James Kirkup
Brian Goorjian (import)
Al Westover (import)
Nigel Purchase
Andrew Gaze
Russ Dyer (import)
Mike Dimattina
Peter Morse

there is a LOT of by default in that team. In fact Gaze is about the only player even at his young age who was not in the league by default.

fstos, i mean i agree with Gazes' proposition that he believes players in today's game get playing time and roster spots by default. As in, i agree that it was probably harder to get a game by default back then.

MACDUB. " do agree with Gazes' assessment about certain Australian players getting positions by default."

But wasn't he using his first Tigers team as some sort of example about him not getting a game by default.

As I said my memory told me that his team was shit (relative to todays league) when he entered the league. After my memory (I have watched and followed the/a league(s)from before the time of the NBL)was reinforced by the publication of the actual roster the players were even "shittier" than I remembered. Peter Walsh started and he would be dominated by Ben Allen. Goorj, Westover were imports that you get by giving them a part time job due to the fact that they would have no capacity to earn money from full time playing elsewhere. Can't even remember Dyer.

Nigel Purchase was probably their second best Aussie player. His claim to fame was racking up assists by passing the ball the ball to Gaze. He went to the Bullets as a role player after years at the Tigers from memory. I'll be generous and say that he was almost as good as maybe Greg Hire but a poorer shooter.

Decent imports and Gaze along with the top tier Aussies looked like superstars back then because the quality dropped off to part time players on most teams benches. Not anyone I can think of in a teams top 8 who got a gig by default this season. PLENTY back then.

I do agree with Gazes' assessment about certain Australian players getting positions by default.

I do think perhaps the league wanted more stability before pulling the trigger on changes such as these, but I think they ultimately realised that a TV deal was needed. It's a case of instead of waiting for others to catch up (which could take another 5-10 years if at all), the league is saying were moving forward regardless and you have to keep up.

I like it - it weeds out the weak links.

Maybe LK sees this as a way to increase revenues and fill stadiums in the short term, and get a solid base of fans for the long term.
We certainly don't have the crowds that we did in the 90s

You do realise Cairns are about the most solid financial team in the league since they don't rely on a sugar daddy?

Gaze is good commentator for games. He has respect, and he knows how to play. However he seems to have limited understanding of how the league works.

It was a different league when Gaze played. I still respect hi commentary, but you can't compare his era to today.

We have already discussed the 3-import rule, however the 4-marquee locals rule is really going to shake that up. I'm not sure what they mean by "up to 4." Every rule is by default "up to." Does it imply that maybe the number of marquee locals allowed will change depending on say the number of imports?

I just cannot see how this is not a MASSIVE rearrangement of the competition? 4 marquee players basically shreds any semblance of the salary cap having any meaning at all. If you can pay your best 4 players whatever you want, then use the cap for the remaining 6, does it have any real meaning?

My biggest concern is this. Sustainably powerful clubs (like the Cats and NZ) are one thing. But what this opens the league up to is more crap like we saw with Tim Johnson, Mark Cowan, and now allegedly LK. Guys come in for a few seasons, throw their money around, buy a championship or two, then get bored and piss off.

The problem is that the NBL is barely sustainable. In fact we know its not sustainable without owners tipping in money from time to time. That's fine as long as its not extreme, and as long as its sustainable in the long term.
As a Cats fan I am eternally grateful that Dr Bendat stepped in during the challenge years, kept us afloat and kept us competitive. But I would hate to think that he would now tip in even more millions to make us competitive under these new rules. Great for the Cats and a few others, but many teams would fall too far behind.

It would seem that the only restriction left will be the PPR system, and I have a major issue with that. Why would a team bother with 8 or 9 point locals, when they can go and buy ex-Europe players at 9 points?

It's going to be a return to the bad old days when you rock up to game 1 and don't recognise anyone.

The "Asian Player" rule just makes no sense. Does that mean we just ring up the Chinese camp and buy our own Yao Ming?

Good analogy, paul.
Unfortunately great playing skills do not necessarily translate to great punditry skills. He is Exhibit A.

This is from my old memory but when Gaze started playing for the Tigers, while they may have had 4 imports a couple of them were probably shit and the team had SFA depth in Aussie talent.

For a great player he really has NFI about much else about the game including what the league was like back then.

You do realise Cairns are about the most solid financial team in the league since they don't rely on a sugar daddy?

Buying a championship will be easier than ever.

So they're essentially getting rid of the points cap and the salary cap?

Hope everyone likes Perth and NZ.