SABOY
Years ago

Mildura win Big V Div 1

Good to see a country team beat all the Vic Metro city teams, I hear they are looking at going to the ABL soon.

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Happy Days  
Years ago

With 2 imports you would expect to win D1. Should come back to SEABL.

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HO  
Years ago

They play in D1, not even the championship division of the BigV, so looking to get back to ABA level through Championship, or then on to SEABL, would be big steps to take.

They beat another country team who had no imports and lost 5-6 players (and five of those starters on any given night) last off season (and gained one starting fie quality player from what I can see). My premise here would be that D1 was not the competition it was last year for BigV, which happens from time to time.

Did they really have 2 imports? That is a lot for D1 level.



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Anonymous  
Years ago

It was actually tougher than last year, but Mildura arent a SEABL level team.

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LC  
Years ago

Div 1 was arguably the toughest it has ever been this past season...

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Bear  
Years ago

One country team with local players developed in their home town for the majority against another country team with two imports and a few dollars less in their bank account I'd say!

Not sure who is actually the winner here???

Hopefully it is basketball!

Is it financially sustainable for Mildura to go ABL?

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Sixerfan  
Years ago

Mildura beat Geelong in 3.

The Geelong Big V D1 team is the Supercats (SEABL) 2nd team and the 3rd strongest in Geelong after Supercats then Corio Bay (Big V Championship).

I think this puts it in perspective.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Going and actually watching Division One Men puts it in perspective.

Tough comp.

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Happy Days  
Years ago

Division 1 is a good level for small associations on a limited budget. Ideally you'd love to have 8 locals and two outsiders but that is dependant on the strength of your representative program.

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HO  
Years ago

Not sure where the league got better argument can be sustained?

Geelong lost 5-6 players including Reardon, and gained Goodgame. Losing Reardon is like losing a quality import in that division. The guy is a former SEABl mvp or at least AS5 and still under 30.

Geelong still made the GF, with key guys from their roster last year bringing bigger contributions in line with with bigger minutes.

Last year they made the GF, and won it, in 3 games.

This year they made the GF and lost it, in 3 games.

That sort of would suggest that the league certainly did not get better. But that overall it dropped.

I reckon the "league got better" argument comes from the fact that there were more imports in the league, and quite a few teams listed "name" players like Timmons or Anstey. Does not mean the talent around them was significant. Means these teams were winning largely based on the exploits one or two players.

The facts are a significantly weaker (on paper) Geelong side first made finals and then made the GF - I don't think that suggests a better league.

Bear, if Mildura got great value from their imports off court, then they'll recoup the investment over the next 5 years and the championship is just icing on the cake.

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Goggles  
Years ago

Geelong had things fall their way durings finals to not just make them but the grand final.
Your argument doesn't really make much sense the league lost Reardon, Cuffe from the All Star 5 from last year and maybe 2 or 3 players of significant. But this season there was more talent across it, itmay be spread out and there may be some players who are getting a game not up to it. But as a whole you would have to say there is more talent playing, who were capable of going off so making it a tougher league.

Would Mildura have won against the Geelong team of last year prob not but doesn't mean it isn't tougher.

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Goggles  
Years ago

Geelong had things fall their way durings finals to not just make them but the grand final.
Your argument doesn't really make much sense the league lost Reardon, Cuffe from the All Star 5 from last year and maybe 2 or 3 players of significant. But this season there was more talent across it, itmay be spread out and there may be some players who are getting a game not up to it. But as a whole you would have to say there is more talent playing, who were capable of going off so making it a tougher league.

Would Mildura have won against the Geelong team of last year prob not but doesn't mean it isn't tougher.

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Goggles  
Years ago

Geelong had things fall their way durings finals to not just make them but the grand final.
Your argument doesn't really make much sense the league lost Reardon, Cuffe from the All Star 5 from last year and maybe 2 or 3 players of significant. But this season there was more talent across it, itmay be spread out and there may be some players who are getting a game not up to it. But as a whole you would have to say there is more talent playing, who were capable of going off so making it a tougher league.

Would Mildura have won against the Geelong team of last year prob not but doesn't mean it isn't tougher.

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Goggles  
Years ago

Sorry about that triple tapped on the iPad

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HO  
Years ago

Goggles, my argument is not about what the league lost. I acknowledge the league added some very big names this year and a bunch of imports.

The argument is about what Geelong lost and still achieved.

If the league was tougher than last year, and if as LC says, it was the toughest it has ever been, then Geelong should not have got near finals, never mind winning 3 of the 5 they played. (BTW, that is a lot of things "falling your way" - winning 2 sudden deaths and then game 2 of a best of 3 away.)

Its not like last year they completely smashed every team and were so much better than everyone else. If that had been the case and they had simply come back to the pack this year then fair enough. Last year they were very good, minor premiers, had home advantage for their finals and won their home finals. This year they won finals on the road...

and ... i have to say it again...

with an arguably "much" weaker lineup.

Would Geelong of 2012 have beaten Geelong of 2011 - no way! The 2011 unit would have wiped 2012.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

HO, I played in it. It got better. Geelong played great team basketball all year, beating teams with more talent consistently. They deserved their spot in the GF because of how they played, not who they had.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

As somebody who has played in the league for the last 5 years I can tell you that the league was pretty much the same as previous years.

Geelong may not have had as many stars as in the past, but they were younger, faster, and a more cohesive unit than the team of 2011. The 2011 team were heavily reliant on the likes of Jason Reardon and, if you look at the stats from that year, you realise that if Reardon didn't play that team struggled to win. That was not the case with the 2012 team and they certainly didn't rely upon 1-2 players to get the W.

I don't think anybody within the league expected them to make it to the GF series, but the results went there way and they hit some good form in the latter part of the year.

In terms of talent, the quality of the imports was up. You only need to look at the imports from Southern Pen, Mildura and Mildura to see that. You also had the addition numerous ex Champ players to the league.

The league itself was also much tighter than previous years. ALMOST anybody could be anyone on any given day. This is of course with the except of probably Sunbury & Southern Pen.

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HO  
Years ago

ok, good observations Anons. Did the style of play change this year? Anon #2 mentions that Geelong were faster (that hardly surprises me with Goodgame) but was it a different style of game in D1 considering how many changes there were?

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Anonymous  
Years ago

It was interesting and inconsistent. Almost any team could beat you on any night as anon #2 said, but some nights youd win easily when you werent expecting too.

It's a bit about the definition of whats better. The NBL a few years ago had Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne all at the level of New Zealand last year, so you could say it was better. But then they had Singapore, Wollongong and West Sydney who were terrible compared to teams now.

Maybe its best to say it was tougher and tighter, but maybe the top teams werent quite as good? Its hard to know for sure, but it certainly wasnt easier.

Dont know if that helps at all!

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Anonymous  
Years ago

It really depended on the conference.

In general the "west" conference was a more uptempo this year. Whittlesea have played that way for the last few years and certainly Geelong, Mildura and Werribee in particular played that way.

In terms of playing rosters, the west was also much younger, more home grown and deeper. Geelong were all locals, likewise with werribee. Whittlesea lost a lot of veterans at the end of 2011 so were younger, got an import half way through the season, which is the first time they've had an import. With the exception of the country teams, the rest were locals.

The rosters from the eastern conference on the other hand were not as deep, older, slower and pretty reliant on outside players. Camberwell as an example only really played 6 deep and relied upon Anstey, Anstey 2, Canovan, Smith (import) for almost all their production.

La Trobe relied heavily on their import and again, were not deep at all.

Much the same at McKinnon where if Dench and Timmons didn't play/didn't perform they really had nothing else.

Warrandyte were good on paper, but a "purchased" team.

The only team in that side of things that were any good, didn't have an import, and were reasonably home grown were Hawthorn. Again, Jay Allen had a huge year for them and seems to carry that side on his shoulders at time.

Was quite interesting because each conference was the opposite in terms of style of play.

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Isaac  
Years ago

Really appreciate those first-hand accounts from the two anon posters. Very interesting.

By the way, make up a name guys so you can be differentiated - the posting form has randomised name recommendations to help. I can tell you apart by IP address, but others won't be able to see that to follow who is saying what.

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HO  
Years ago

Agreed Isaac. Good stuff guys.

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Rhea 82  
Years ago

I also played in Div 1 (west conference).

Many of the teams that succeeded without imports (Geelong, Werribee, Hawthorn) played full court pressure for 40 minutes and just wore teams down.

Then at the same time they executed when they needed to and all of those teams had players that were demons on the O-glass. For Geelong, Wiasak was just unstoppable. Only about 6'2" but so crafty at getting easy scores and getting to the line. For all the talk of other players I thought he was easily their best.

That said I don't think Geelong were one of the best teams, I think they were just in red hot form in the finals and when they're all elimination games it's all it takes.

As for the quality compared to other years, I think this year was the highest quality I've played against. Most teams had an import and many had two (or an import and Australian 'import level' player). WIth the league having 16 teams and as said above, even the bottom teams being able to upset the top teams every game was a danger game, and every team had numerous weapons.

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Bear  
Years ago

Good post with some great insight, well done guys.

I do think basketball is the winner, great to see younger players coming into the league and doing so well.

The message I get from this is that it is better to develop your young local talent for the most part and not go hunting for a championship based on one or two stars!

A team approach usually wins out in the long run and if you can coach your young guns by skilling them up and keeping the team structure together you will reap the rewards and the competition also benefits...

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Basketball was easily the winner.

As discussed earlier Mildura's imports will pay off in the coming years and anyone who was at games in Mildura during the year would easily know this. They had to add extra stands for game 2 of the grand final and the estimated attendence was 1200 plus an extra 700 on Sunday for game 3 (this is on the same day as jnr football finals and the Mildura Racing Cup).

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Tom  
Years ago

I've heard that Mildura are looking at SCM next season and MtGambier are coming across from SEABL?

Anyone know about these 'rumours'?

Would be a great boost to SCM

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Anonymous  
Years ago

both mildura imports will not be back, and mildura looking to join the CABL not the big v to cut back on travel costs etc

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Tom  
Years ago

Is that confirmed?

What about Mt Gambier?

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SABOY  
Years ago

Have heard Mildura to stay in D1 for next season and Mt Gambier and Albury are looking at Big V SCM due to costs associated with SEABL.

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Tiger Watcher  
Years ago

Albury just won SEABL there is 0% chance they will drop to Big V and they just resigned players which was annouced on the SEABL website.

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Sixerfan  
Years ago

Mt Gambier in the Big V? Very doubtful. If they were going to drop back a level surely they would play in CABL?

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