While I can't comment on how hard the training is; there's also the need for the players to rest themselves and cool down accordingly.

If there's a large time period between games, then any player that feels tired needs to utilize any services they can to recover: massage, physio etc. or even make sure that they get some extra sleep.

If you're talking 2-3 hours of solid training then a game within 1-2 hours, I could understand the fatigue, but if you're talking a 4-5 hour break or overnight rest, then what excuse if there for fatigue?

Agree about the rotations and import plan though; certainly need to look at scouting better rather than reading charts and relying on stat lines.

The rotations were certainly sporadic. Glad even Maher picked up on that.

They'd be watching video of the players rather than just looking at stats, etc. We see YouTube videos and the like while clubs would be watching full games or at least halves demonstrating ability.

Might be wrong, but I don't think McLeod travelled OS to pick Ervin for the Hawks.

Still, sitting on your behind and relying on media isn't a proven method. McLeod in all his wisdom and worth of judging talent, could have picked Ervin on Pot Luck.

Not taking anything away from the Hawks or the talent that they have; but it's worth that money travelling to see someone play 1st hand.

In a situation where you have footage from a game 3-4 months earlier versus their skills at the time of selection could be quite different.

gordie went to see ervin play in the states on homicides recommendation

There you go. Applause to Gordie.

OK, corrected. Thanks. Definitely worth even a barebones trip OS to scout. As you said, current ability is key - Groves, Chappell and Grizzard were all 20 PPG players once in the past.

I agree coaches should be in the States to pick players first hand - also gives a chance to gauge personality.

Throw a tape measure in the suitcase though - I want to get to the bottom of the mysterious 3 inch height shrink when players get off the plane here.

I have been saying this for years! Cant believe it doesnt happen more often, videos can be heavily edited!

It's always made sense to me to send a coach to the US to find players (having played and worked with many duds can't really believe how many duds we actually get in Australia!).

Having said that, I'd hope that Adelaide might get better value from that trip than the Blaze did - they sent Joey on a much-publicised scouting mission (which I'm sure was more on the $15K variety than the $5K variety) only to go through two imports, one of whom was a recycled NBL guy.

On the scouting note, and I know the draw worked for Marty to be able to do it, but it was conspicuous that he was the only NBL coach at the 20's on the men's side, and Chambers and Dalton (who are part of the Gems staff) were the only coaches on the women's side where I think there's even more of a chance of seeing somebody who will be a player in the next 18 months.

Probably reinforces the win-now mentality of all the pro clubs but doesn't say much for BA who are charged with developing the sport and run these comps (whether the 20's should actually even be in-season fro these teams is a whole other argument!).

I thought Goorg spotted Ervin & rang Gordie?

gorg definately spotted ervin and rang gordi.
gorg saw him drop 50 i think at a bigtime ball park over in the US.

These guys are professionals playing ONE GAME A WEEK. If they aren't training, what the hell are they doing??? Playing playstation?

How can anyone justify Ballinger's contract at nearly $200k a season when he plays ONCE A WEEK for HALF A CALENDAR YEAR (no less) and he's tired because Marty trained him too hard...And IZZO AT MICHIGAN STATE didn't when he won an NCAA title?

Someone please enlighten me FFS. What a bunch of softc**ks. And you guys want these players representing YOU. Amazing. No resilience.

billo, not discounting your general point that over-training will impact a player, but I don't think the 36ers training schedule itself is that far different from other teams. The schedule they send out to media has a daily 9-11 session (other than pre-game shootaround, post-game recovery sessions, etc). I assume that weights and probably individuals are in addition to this. Seems pretty similar to most teams - I was in Wollongong for the last few days, and their Tuesday was 7am weights and then 2-4pm training.

I think it might be about intensity or additional fitness programs? Watching the Kings-36ers game, Gary Ervin said he thought the 36ers looked over-worked.

(From that, you either have to spread out the minutes, or you adjust the intensity a bit. If you were going with the former, I don't know why you wouldn't also try to out-run the other team.)

Pretty sure Balls is on well under $200k. Around 125k I heard.

no player would be on $200K..

from memory there is an player payment cap build into the salary cap...$160K i think...was a few years back when i read it.

BMF, that's an old rule.

Last year, I think there were two players on or over $200k in the league.

Anon, not that many 36ers fans were overly keen to pick up Oscar in the off-season. The reigning champs weren't interested in keeping Schensch either, saying he was asking too much. Much easier with hindsight obviously.

I know the deal and he's a decent player and even better person, but I just try to understand club/coaches decisions in these things. Fans watch some games. The clubs/coaches see all the trainings, the analysis, etc. Last year, Luke was barely played in the finals series. Even in Townsville this year, he is rarely played in the fourth quarter.

Pay rise is one thing. Asking more than they thought it was worth paying him is another. Maybe they got wind of Matt Knight early, maybe he was cheaper and they figured they could have a crack without paying Luke's asking price. Big advantage of having Bevo is going to be first contact for that bracket of player. Hopefully Clarke will have the same advantage with the Creek, Dellavedova, Greenwood group.

We wanted to sign Luke again , after his first season here, but he wanted to go overseas for D-league, for a little while , with the Lakers.
He came back here to training , and we'd signed Burston. I wouldn't have minded both here.
But , later we signed Cortez Groves instead, so Luke went to Perth , then -Burston went down with injury , playing for the Boomers. Later , Burston had other injuries for half the season and wasn't match fit for some of the games. Schenscher sure would've been handy to have here.

Aw, ..later, .. we signed Cortez Groves as an SG and David Cooper as a back up Centre, .. instead of Schenscher...
However, the Coach used Ballinger at Centre, with Burston's injury and didn't play Cooper.

Anon, you don't need to sell him to me! ;) Unmentioned is that the last two seasons he's toyed with NBA/Euro aspirations and hasn't made himself available as a clean, early signing to build around. First time around, Adelaide went with Burston rather than waiting. Last off-season we went with Johnson though later we did have a chance to get Luke as I mentioned in a thread recently and canned the offer.

I seem to recall John Gilchrist training here at that time, for 2 weeks trial out , to see if he could get a spot on our roster.
Seemed a good idea, rather than us going over there.
Only thing was he passed first , for 2 weeks , mostly to Burston. Then Burston went out injured and then, Gilchrist tried to do too much himself.

(Adrien Sturt came over from the Melbourne Tigers for 3 days trial out, also.
This pre-season we asked Jordan Dodman to come out for a tial out, on the first day of training, ...
.... but , .. he didn't turn up.)

Luke knocked back a contract with the sixers a couple of years ago because his agent promised mega bucks on dream contract somewhere in Europe, America wherever.
Luke got all excited and went.
Guess what? the agent couldn't find that amazing gig after all.
As a result Perth picked him up for a year for a peanuts deal.