Hoops

Hawthorn Magic looking to enter NBL1

A few clubs are going to opt out

I'm hearing that they will opt-out of this years Big V season

Given that Hawthorn are looking to crowd-fund their way out of financial trouble (and doing pretty badly at that effort), I doubt that they’ll be entering NBL1 any time soon.

They might even have to reduce their inter-club and inter-state presence unless the government or some other wealthy benefactor comes to the rescue.

Who are they people that have left SEABL and are now at Hawthorn?

This idea that NBL1 goes to clubs with great junior players??? is laughable. Ringwood.

You don't need good juniors, just a strong board, committed area/region. You don't develop a point guard - you just go and buy one!

id say not next season but nbl1 season 3 or 4 would be better for the magic.

Junior program isbottom heavy (12s,14s,16s), will take a few years for them to have a nice lead in to nbl1 to top up senior rosters.

you're kidding if you think keilor and werribee are better than hawthorn, you obviously haven't been to any games this year

And a major benefactor

Nice venue they use

Would be able to find the funds, this is a junior club with some very high profile coaches on-board and in the ranks.

@Reality, they'd be playing out of the Boroondara Sports Complex. Closest teams would be Nunawading and Waverely some twenty minutes away on a good day so not really super close.

To the point of adding a team from the West, go ahead if the results demand it but currently Keilor and definitely Werribee aren't making a case that's better than Hawthorn other than the 'not another team in the east/southeast' argument.

Casey and southern penn?

While there is exceptions, a lot of the kids who are very good in 12s and 14s don't grow as much, so by the time they're in 16s and 18s they lose out to the taller and longer athletes coming through, who previously weren't as good in comparison as their bodies held them back coordination wise, just how puberty works.

Some clubs, like Hawthorn have such intense development programs at an early age that they have a lot of very good kids at 12s and 14s, and there is nothing wrong with that. But it bites at the top end of 16s and 18s when they aren't as gifted athletically anymore. This is just historically, most clubs have started a balancing act in the last few years or so.

There is also a issue of differing priorities due to the socio-economic area. Hawthorn being in a well off area, a lot of the kids are private schooled and have a lot more academic pressure as a general rule, combined with the fact they have school sport at 8am coming off a 9.40pm game the night before before, something has to give. And school and school sport is one that can't give.

for some reason their u/12s and u/14s are generally great but then it drops off for 16s and 18s.

are there to many other clubs close by?

Good club.