Round 1 showed how good they can be today probably the opposite

"supposed international coach", well no he actually is an international coach mate and worthy of more than your loser rant.

You seem to have failed to cover your development pathways and junior state teams performances over the past couple of years as they would hopefully be feeding in to his program.... How are they going? All running swimmingly i guess and the Waves coach is the only person in WA not holding up his end of the bargain?

What budget does he have to work with? How is the WSBL going, as he is obviously trying to utilise some of WA's "home grown talent". So i hope you are emailing all the WSBL coaches and expressing your disappointment with their efforts.

Yes your team is struggling, but i think you might want to look further than just the Waves if you are looking for answers...

Really? With the same budget??? Not doubting Mark's coaching ability but i don't think he would know what to do with such a small budget.

Program is a disgrace (by program i am including Basketball WA in that- not just the current coaches/players)!! Two successive 50 point losses- the AIS team was beaten soundly in their years, but they were kids, there are some senior and international players in the Waves team. How can a program be SOOO crap for so many year- @ OP, i feel sorry for ya, having to put up with that sort of crap year in year out!

After seeing them play today and not knowing really anything about wnbl outside of SA players, all I could think was how horrible the waves where. I've never seen so many turnovers in my life. 52 point loss was lucky for them really. Surely there's better talent in WA?

I don't get why WA always brings over coaching and players from interstate or NZ who are worse or no better than what is already on offer. If they could get coaching gigs or playing opportunities in their own state they would, they go to WA because BWA are the only people who think anyone from outside of perth is better.

If they're going to finish bottom of the ladder, they may as well lose with homegrown talent, including coaches, unless you bring in someone proven and highly experienced i.e Tom Maher etc. Agree the budget is a huge issue, though I don't think it would have been utilised correctly anyway. Only two of the starters who are out are worthy of missing in the team and most of the players in the lineup are at state-league level at best.

Wait until they have close to their full roster and then make an assessment. Their first three games were pretty decent and that was without Burton. At the moment they just dont have the talent to cover three starters.

I'm not fan of Kennedy and how this roster is put together. A couple of those players are a complete waste of time at WNBL leave, refusing to talk to Whitcomb who wanted to stay and had a visa that enabled her to play for free. A massive investment in Deanna Smith who hasn't got through a season in about 5 years. A messy guard rotation with no consistent minutes. If someone did a strong job with these guys they may be able to sneak into the middle of the pack ahead of Canberra, Sydney and Logan (they blew leads against Canberra and Logan which would have put the 3-0).

In saying that I agree that it is time for BWA to put up the resources or fold it. Either invest in the program so that a coach can bring in three or four strong players (not interstate or NZ scrubbers) and then provide that leadership and framework to build some depth in the squad.

Kennedy has done a a great job with his NZ girls and has a history of producing results with little resources.

He is as good a coach as any for this team. The issue is the lack of talent in the SBL to draw from, you say bring in the WA juniors so he does with Perini and Endwards into the rotation, players that dont dominate SBL.

Other issue is alot of WA SBL players don't want to play for the Waves. Very few girls get paid on the team definately not enough to even go part time. So these girls work their ass off for little reward.

SO a bit of respect here, the players dont have talent but they are the best available for Kennedy to select no player wants to move to WA for peanuts.

BWA need to either increase its budget (total less than Abby Bishops salary!) or fold the team. Sam Richards is in WA but wants $30k which the budget does not have.

Missing Nat Burton is a huge loss for any team let alone the Waves. DOccy is a fantastic CLub person and wanted to come here to play for the Waves. For her quality she is a valuable recruit. Mel Marsh would be in her last season so you can't expect too much from a seasoned veteran on the back end of her career.

So what more do you want a Coach of the Waves to do?

Perhaps you should apply.

jeebus, how much is Bishop getting???

True that hardly any sbl players even try out for waves because of the huge commitment for very very little or zero money.

I do think folding the club till more money is available might be a good idea.

You can't buy marquee players with a limited budget when you are sprinkling what you around to players that should be volunteers. Kennedy also passed up plenty of girls in WSBL that would be very handy to add to the current group. Certainly better than bringing in Brittany Morgan.

That said - I'm not sure there is anyone around that could do a better job, Vlad Alava got half a season after Joe McKay and they decided to go with David Herbert instead the following year.

Need a bigger budget can't blame Kennedy for that, but they should of taken Sam Whitcomb and Jennie Rintala (still in Perth).
BWA also has to change the rules for SBL clubs. Some of these girls that are getting minutes could end up being restricted players for sbl next year meaning 1 less import spot or clubs can't chase wnbl players from other teams. We need a stronger sbl competition and if clubs can't bring in stronger players because of this rule (average 14 minutes wnbl game time) these players will never get better.
Nothing against Britt Morgan but this is the coaching staffs fault, she hasn't played sbl for 2 years how can you bring her in.
Come on BWA, come on waves.

I get sick of people naming budgets as excuses. I believe he knew what the budget was when he took the job. It seems coaching is a lost art. Look what Bret brown is doing in Philidelphia. They may not win 30 games but they are always in every game. I believe this one is on the coach. It's his second year, he should have his systems and expectations well established which should be enough to prevent 50pt dismemberings even if your missing a few. This league is so list driven cause only a handful of coaches can actually coach. Things won't change and the league wont grow until they stop recycling the same coaches. It's one thing to be able to develope players. It's another thing to be able to lead them.

True, but if Brett Brown loses three starters to injury I don't think they'll be doing so well.

I'm sure Adelaide have problems with Buckle too. Especially in terms of temperament.
Kennedy isn't terrible but I'm not sure what his motives are.
I disagree with all this starters are out stuff, I'm not convinced there would be a huge improvement.

Michael your a joke mate, Kennedy is a first term coach in the league (not recylced), he is young and dedicated and must know somthing about the game to have the Tall ferns 16th in the World.

He brought in two NZ girls because they are cheap and want to keep being coached by Kennedy. Both are better than any player in the SBL (perhaps other than Whitcomb)

BWA cant sign SBL imports as locals as under the WNBL rulings they must be on as sportsmans visa thus you still have to pay minimum wage and accomodation etc.

BWA want to promote WA talent where possible. It comes down to money and attracting talant that WA does not have. Richards and Tolo would make this team a top 5 contender. Thats an extra $70k

No coach not even Brett Brown could win with the lack of talent on hand if you think this your not a fan of the game.

THe issue now is with the limited budget players like Darcee Garbin and Nat Burton will be poached by other clubs thus continuing the spiral.

THe BWA Board and CEO need to either put up a realistic budget or pull the team.

16th in the world, with the depth of women's bball countries like that really means anything, and the guy runs the same stuff in every team no matter what.

That's rubbish about the imports... Yes they have to play as restricted but Whitcomb and Rintala both had visas and wanted to play for free.

Waves have very little resources, Kennedy could have at least maximised what he had available!

Reality of wnbl. Sponsors $$ = player budget = on court success= sponsor $$... And so it goes. Yes it can go wrong (pay big $$$ and player gets injured) and yes sometimes even small budget teams can get to finals. But mostly it is $$$.

Something that reading through these posts I am thinking some people are struggling with. It seems most here want a team based almost entirely of WA state league players to play in a national comp. How many players playing for Canberra are Canberra juniors ? or in Townsville, Logan or Bendigo are their own juniors ?

It is a league where you might buffer your bench with some quality locals if available, but your first 6 are usually recruited.

Kennedy is doing the best he can with what he has. Does he have the best talent available? (in western Ausralia state league)possibly not. But it is a huge jump from a state league to WNBL and dont kid yourself if you think it isnt.

WOW

I believe there are 3 major problems here
1. Budget (undeniable)
2. Lack of talent bought in to build the local WA girls around.
3. Coach/coaching staff/Basketball WA. They are responsible for 1 and 2

Sponsorship needs to be hunted down in a very wealthy state.
At least 2 big name talents (international/opal) should have been bought in.
A high quality point guard and a solid big (how good is Poppens by the way!!)

WA home grown (and we have quite a few if they could be given direction under great players and coaches) is a must in this state.
We are too remote from the East Coast not to build on what we have here.
This should be an ongoing priority, to build our local talent into great players, and this unfortunately does not come about overnight. It is built over years of good leadership and under the guidance of good players.

As for starters missing and that being the cause. 'What a load of crock'
Burton - has not suited up for any games this season (BIG loss)
Smith - injury prone at the end of her career who came off the bench. Great player and ambassador for the game of basketball who unfortunately cannot and could not give us her best.
Amos - good young player, up and coming who should not have been given the responsibility of point guard as not yet up to that level.

So really only missing one real talent and she has not even hit the court this season.

That should not make or break a 'team' at this level.
To many second teir 'individual' players trying to win a game they are not capable of doing and falling in a heap as the pressure builds.

Lack of respect shows that we even have to blog on a site that is not even our own :((
Sorry SA