If team B scores and team A is entitled to the ball, and team A calls a timeout the ball is then advanced to the half way

If team B scores and team A is entitled to the ball, and team A calls a timeout the ball is then advanced to the half way

And Phill Jones throwing his shoe ... may have been the angle but it hit the ball. Surely that has to be a tech.

Anonymous what do you base your claims on?

That's convenient

And what is your personal experience?

I was just wondering if you had experienced referees in other states and how they conduct themselves. Have you seen how Scott Butler prepares? Have you seen how much fitness work he does for an example? Have you seen how much video review Scott Beker from newcastle does? Have you done the fiba beep test on a national action day?

FIBA only requires a level 10 pass on the beep test! Thus this is the Basketball Australia requirement. Have you watched referees in Victoria run the test up to level 13 and 14?

Have you seen a copy of the referee performance management policy at the NBL/WNBL level? Do you actually know what their accountability is? Have you sat in on a Netball Australia Natinal Seminar? Have you sat in on and AFL umpire coaching clinic?

Support, education and development just doesnt grow on trees. Its called resources! Basketball unfortunately doesnt have the resources other sports have its a simple as that.

It's quite easy to sit back and take pot shots at the NBL/WNBL and make rash generalisations about it's referees level of professionalism and fitness when you havent experienced what the entire national panel does in this regard.

It's not about being defensive. It's about people like yourself who make these rash general statements and then back it up with "close friends are involved in 5 sports blah blah blah".

I have no doubt that some people in the NBL/WNBL ARE lazy, that is the same in any target demographic that you choose ( Shane Warne in Cricket for instance). But to come out and say that "NBL referees are the most arrogant and lazy referees/umpires of any of the sporting codes in the country." Is a gradious statement that lacks no basis or fact.

Yes Scott Beker. The same Scott Beker who refereed the GOLD medal game at the Under 19 world Championships in New Zealand in June/July.There are a dozen guys at least who have fantastic fitness levels in the NBL. But unfortunately i agree it is not the norm.

There are a couple similar to Butler and they are now becoming the norm as all the top guys want to get to the next level.(Olympics)

I have an intimate knowledge of several sports and how their officiating is run, evaluated, reviewed and administered. It all comes back to resources and this is where we agree. Until Basketball Australia and all the State Associations start to put resources into Refereeing at all levels it will be left to each individual to improve and do this by self evaluation and assessment.

Until all referees are provided with dvd's of their games as a minimum only receiving post game evaluations will not improve one official. Referees at every level but especially the state leagues and beyond need greater direction, greater resources and greater tools to improve education process no doubt. But this takes funds and as you would be aware with your massive experience Basketball doesnt have it. Netball only has it to a certain degree because the Government pays for netball to be on one HD as part of policy.

The main problem with evalutators at the elite level is they are paid peanuts ( we all know the old saying) and most have never reached the elite level as referees. i leave that there.

One of the main problems over the years is that there has never been a succession plan in refereeing thus along the way there have been plenty of good referees across the country who have given the gig away due to lack of opportunities. You add that to the gap between the old guard, Milldenhall, Hunt, Shiels, Godden and the new group Butler, Aylen, Giersch and Mayberry and there is something like 15 years difference in age between the two group. The closed shop for all those years hindered development big time of younger officials.

Once this group retire the big issue is going to be who are the next crew chiefs? If you look across the board....... Yep!

But i disagree with the professionalism comment. Any referee who gets to the NBL has had to have some degree of professionalism. Yes like stated before there will be some just like there are in the AFL and NRl who arent as committed as they should be but by enlarge every referee wants to do there best and are as professional as can be expected with the limited resources available.

Im more than happy for you to email me at [email protected] if you would like to talk more specifics.

BA change due to public pressure.................. i'd like to see that.