Relax, he's already signed.

Yes he is already signed and that's why I haven't barked loudly for him. I do like him and glad he's staying with the 36ers. A great recruit, great hustle, aggression, leadership, shoots, drives. Does plenty for this team.

How can we take you seriously with a user name of "Corey"

Yeah, love Brad Davidson. Glad he will be back next season.

Another Corey making a fool of himself..

Davidson
+ NEWLEY
Hodge
Balls as an Aussie
+ IMPORT CENTRE


Ng
Motram
+ HOLMES

This is the group which should stay for next season.

There is big $$$$ in the kitty with Maher retiring.........

I should say "If Maher decides to retire"

They should be saying to Maher that if he is to sacrifice some salary next season ( recoup after retirement via role with club at inflated $$) they will surround him with the neccesary talent to have a real crack at the title .
Bring him off the bench for 26-28 minutes a game , and i reckon he would put up similar numbers to this year .

DAVIDSON / MAHER
HODGE / NG if possible / BURDON
HOLMES / TOVEY
BALLINGER / DODMAN
MOTTRAM / COOPER / import to slot in when Balls oz up .

Rotate, Maher is already on such a deal (2 + 4 from memory)

I have seen a lot of posts with Newley on the list for next season. Is everybody dreaming or is there some hint on whether he is any chance of actually playing with Sixers next year, or is he going to stay in Europe? Or is he going to get a call up to the show?

MW, correction & anons: You can take me seriously as I do not own a pair of gay oversized yellow sunglasses......

My apologies for not knowing that Davidson was already contracted for next season of which I am very grateful for!

BTW: I am relaxed!

cheers XY .

who is signed for next season from what i have read on her over time i think it is Maher, Davidson and Cooper and maybe dench, is that correct???
I think if we resign Hodge, Ballinger and Ng if possible that gives us a good start

PG Davidson/???
SG Maher/Ng
SF Hodge/???
PF Ballinger/???
C Cooper/Dench

If we completed the roster by signing someone like Holmes, maybe resigning mottram and giving the remaining spots to young SA guys like Burdon, Dodman and Sutton i think it gives us a reasonably good squad, i think just having Hodge for a full season would give us a big upgrade on this years team.

I personally would start Ng with Maher as his back up from next season.
Where do you put Holmes in that team? Do you start him in the Bench? If so i cant see that enticing him back. Same for Balls and Hodge.

How about playing Hodge at 2?

Davidson / Maher
Hodge / Ng
Holmes / ???
Balls / Dodman
Cooper / Dench or Motts depending on points.

yea i also wouldnt be apposed to having a startting 5 of
PG Davidson
SG Maher
SF Hodge
PF Holmes
C Ballinger

With both Cooper and Dench and/or mottram and Dodman off the bench Holmes and Ballinger will play plenty of minutes in there natural position with Hodge sliding to either guard position, i think its a good versatile line up with most of those guys being able to play 2 or more positions.
But yea if we are to get holmes back we would have to start him id say, i cant see him coming off the bench for anyone at this point in his career, as im sure the Dragons and other teams would offer him a spot in the starting 5.

If Holmes does come back then Hodge can play the 2 spot and Balls can play the 3.

PG - Davidson
SG - Hodge
SF - Ballinger
PF - Holmes
C - Schenscher(or Mottram if we can't get Luc)

Bench to look like (hopefully):

PG - Sutton
SG - Ng
SF - (free agent or young SA player)
PF - Mottram (if Luc plays)or Dench
C - Cooper

Other things the sixers should be looking at is aussie players that will be coming home from playing US college.

and Holmes is far more a 3 than a 4.

yea i dont mind ballinger playing PF or C but couldnt see him playing huge minutes at SF.
I agree we need to look at the up and coming SA guys and guys returning from the college so we have a chance of landing the next Ingles or Jawai

I like Jonno's 169761 lineup and it looks the most realistic..

If we can have Cooper, Mottram, Ng off the bench plus another decent backup guard we would be playoff bound surely?

I think Holmes is fine as either a SF or PF. Him and Ballinger together wouldn't give up too many boards.

That's good 'bout Davo and Brett.
Ballinger about to sign now (just on radio)
Hodge love to have him but he indicates he's going back to the states, and Ng just depends on how much time he can train and play whilst being a doctor.

Somebody please tell me Dench is not NOT signed for next year, I am desperate to hear it.

EC, he is NOT signed!

Camel 31, what's this about Ballinger re-signing? Did he confirm it on Coast FM?

Assuming... Ballinger isn't naturalised yet, Schenscher goes back to Europe and Newley stays in Europe...

C Mottram/Cooper
F Ballinger/ Dodman (Or find a David Stiff like player)
F Holmes/Tovey
G Hodge/Ng
G Davidson/Maher

This would probably make them 1 15-20 ppg shooter down... If Rillie was available Sixers should go for him or Harvey. They would also have 10 points available, half way through the season may be too late to get another import.

Yes, confirm that Adam Ballinger was on coast fm tonight and Jason Dix asked him if he would sign or would he wait until end of season. Adam said that 'he and his wife love it here and it's happening now'
He will sign, all is good. I gather paperwork is being done right now and he's happy to sign.

123abc - Rillie aint ever coming back to Adelaide and there is no way I or many others I would think want Harvey in a sixers uniform.

I don't want Harvey in a 36ers uniform. I hate the man. I don't mind Rillie returning, but don't see it happening.

That's great news about "Balls" on radio. Hopefully Boti says something this week or tomorrow in his articles.

What other Australian 20 ppg guards could Adelaide lure?

Forget Newley.
Doing very well in Greece and getting the big bucks. PLUS the Rockets are happy with what he's doing.

He's young and ambitious - can't see any reason at all why he'd head back to the relative obscurity of Adelaide.

being a fellow point guard called Brad Davidson "no joke" it is obvious he must have real talent. he must also bring plenty of hot chicks to the dome, and he is a great player who plays with heart. more braddy d's the better!

Hodge wants to play for Phil if he doesn't make the NBA.

Julius Hodge mentioned he didn't like Italy at all and loves playing and living here.
Will try for NBA. Our coaching situation is getting interesting now, isn't it?

When has he said he wants to play for Phil? From my discussions with peopel at the club, he is certainly interested in coming back to Adelaide if he doesnt secure an NBA gig but no mention of specifically Phil.

A Ha! Just read todays paper.

"I love Phil's coaching," Hodge said. "After playing for Phil, you have the feeling you don't want to play for anyone else."

That is a huge accolade for the 36ers' three-time championship coach. It is especially big from someone who has played under Herb Sendek (NC State), George Karl (Denver) and Larry Krystkowiak (Milwaukee).

"Phil does a good job of staying positive," Hodge said. "Phil knows when to give you freedom and when to be stern.

"I want to get back to the NBA but if that doesn't work out, I'd want to play for Phil."

Skeptics might suggest that this was merely just an opportunity for Boti to pump Phil up when he is being critised by all and sundry. Instead of focusing on Hodge's performance, the whole last half of the article is about how good his coach is.

He's really only reporting what Hodge had said though - would hardly be doing his job if he purposefully excluded that info. Hodge's style of game would suit Phil's style and I'm not surprised that he's enjoying it - the stats suggest as much too.

I know some feel that Boti is reluctant to criticise Phil, but there was actually a Q&A with Boti here (though seems that they've moved or removed the article?) where he says that he thinks it's time for a change.

maybe Phil isnt a bad option for next season, if Hodge is praising him and likes playing for him, Ballinger likes playing for him, Maher obviously does or he would of left by now, and guys like Davidson are doing well and having good years. Also Schenscher doesnt mind Phil, and we had Newley signed to play for Phil only European/NBA aspirations got in the way maybe keeping him and the above players and building around them wouldnt be a bad option. Would someone like Holmes come back and play for Phil though??
Sure he doesnt seem to be known as a great development coach but guys who are not necesarily after that but are still young and enjoy Phils freedom such as Hodge and Cat in the past seem to flurish under Phil and the freedom he gives his players to play. Sure some players may not want to stay and play for him for that reason, him not being a development coach but id rather have Hodge over say a Ingles in the SF spot anyway and if he can bring them back like he almost did with Newley once they are proven performers its not necisarily a huge issue, plus 3 titles in 11 seasons is not matched by anyone, goorj only has 2 or 3 more titles in like double the seasons. Also look at how Darren Ng has improved during his time, there must be some things going right with Development, i think Phil brings them on a bit slower than some coaches, not giving big minutes to rookies, which probably put off guys like Ingles wanting to play here, but as i said i would rather have Hodge as the starting SF anyway. In the long run if they stay they may end up better off being bought on slowly and with a lesser role in there early days, plus they will probably win more games than teams usually do when they have a rookie starting. As good as Ingles, Newley and Jawai have been over the past few seasons as rookies, they were hardly ready to carry a team to title contention and they would have had more team success if they had come off the bench for a stronger team, for example had ingles stayed here and being backing up hodge but still playing 25-30 mins per game the 36ers would be stronger and he would be doing better than what the dragons are currently. I personally think had Newley stayed on this season and the import situation worked out better ie getting Hodge in earlier, we would be in the finals with Phils coaching and the injuries we have had, so its not just his coaching and he did out coach Goorj, had maher less team almost knock off the tigers within the last month so he must be doing something right.
I do admit at times ive thought it would be nice to try something new and would be interested in seeing a Ninnis coach the team, and do sort of expect someone new in next season, but just think keeping Phil wouldnt be that bad at the same time, especially if guys like Hodge are wanting to play for him. Hypothetically I personally would hate to see Phil coaching another team and taking guys like Hodge and Ballinger and Schenscher with him.

Yeah Isaac I realise that Boti is just quoting Hodge but he did add his own opinion about it being a huge accolade etc for Phil. As a journalist he can also ask leading questions to Hodge to get him to comment specifically on Phil etc.

You know I'm not a Phil or Boti hater - I just thought that the skeptics might have read the article in this way.

As an aside, I went to the Q & A part of the foxsports site where David Barlow was answering questions and found this pretty interesting:

"Hi David. Do you ever think about the turnover you had in the final moments of the pool game against Greece at the 2006 World?

Yeah I think about it every now and then and especially when I go to Adelaide and the fans tell me about it. Fortunately it did not change our standing but I personally felt responsible for it and it was a horrible moment because we had played so well. But for the most part I try and forget it."

Conversely, it's quite possible that Boti just asked Julius how he found playing for Phil. The response, given that he's played for a number of notable coaches, was probably worth being spoken of as it was I thought. Maybe not an accolade, but definite praise. That said, you could look at it and wonder if he'd really say otherwise (see 170261 re Dragons players all talking up Heal which Dicko would get a kick out of).

How many current players would stay (if none were under contract) and Phil was no longer the coach?

Strange timing though don't you think?