Someone make a change.org petition to get burton to play gk for netball,diamonds because she ain't a basketballer.

Great frame, very athletic, mobile for her size.

We can't even beat a sub standard NZ team by more than 20, and he still leaves Burton and Lavey on almost the whole game! Excruciating!

Great game by Tessa. One of the Opals best.
9 points, 11 boards & 5 assists.

If we are building for the future...
Under 25 side would have been nice to see...

Lavey
Garrick
Madgen
Cumming
Kunek
Jarry
Talbot
Blicavs
Thompson
Mijovic
Bunton
Scherf

Cole (although injured)

Anyone who wants to bag Lavey has an axe to grind or doesn't know shit about basketball. Young player, can do some things better but a very very good talent. Tenacious and speedy defender, hustles well, plays well from on balls, pushes the ball and finds open players. Will be an Opal for many many years to come

All you said perhaps true except the last sentence. cause THERE ARE BETTER PGs coming through.

Who?

No one's saying that Lavey is terrible. But the fact is that we beat a team with 1 wnbl player, 1 big v player, a former wnbl player and a few college kids by 20 points. The 2 players that seemed to rarely leave the court were Lavey and Burton. Even our B team which this clearly is should beat that group by 50 at least. Something's not right.

Joyce professes to play a fast running up tempo game. I watched the most boring, slow scrappy game last night that I have seen in a long time. Coach has to take some blame.

What wasn't right was our shooting percentage and the number of sitters that were missed. The margin was 20 on the scoreboard but the gap between the teams was a lot wider should have been way more with just a bit more concentration on finishing plays

Reading this forum for the past 6 months, plenty of people have been saying Lavey is terrible. They're wrong. Burton can be a good role player for the team and her minutes last night were more a reflection of the bigs that weren't available to play. The reality is that when we have our best 12 available both of them will be backup players to the main rotation in their position and they're both worthy of the spot

How can burton backup when you have at least six players ahead of her?

Cambage, Jackson, tolo, Francis, bishop, batkovic
I would also take penaluna, Tomlinson and thompson(at pf) ahead of her.
Maybe even bunton and mijovic lol.

I was almost going to put (if Burton makes the team) in that last post. You never know, age may catch up with some or there might be a big music festival on somewhere haha
IF Burton makes the 12 she can play a role

Is there anywhere I can watch a replay of this game?

Agree, no one has said Lacey is terrible but I certainly think not ready for a spot in opals side. Yes she got rebounds and yes she got assists.. But she is guaranteed 32 mins to our other guards 15. Easy to play with confidence when you know the infatuated coach will give you nearly the whole game. I think very undeserving!! Tess Madgen was getting on a role during third qtr and he subs her off instead of Lavey!! Why? I think he doesn't want any of our other guards to outshine lavey because he knows there is really only one back up PG spot and how can he not take his favourite! This is what sickens most people!!
Same deal with Nat Burton. Both would be in my B side at best!!

Cole should be the 3rd pg in rio behind Phillips and mitchell.

^ spot on lavey and burton will both make the final twelve thats a given ,Joyce is guaranteeing that by giving both maximum crt time now , regardless of how anyone else plays ( not that anyone else will be given the chance) sad really but as they say 'he's the coach'

Does anyone else think that burton would make a great goal keeper for the netball diamonds beside one of geitz, Layton or corletto.

She would be amazing. I don't think their are any 6'4 goal keepers.
She would get paid better also?

I personally have been frustrated seeing Lavey being selected over some guards who are better than her in the WNBL however last nights game I have to say she did well. Agreed with the amount of confidence the kid would have she should be doing well but it was nice to see a point guard push the ball up the court like she did and the rebounding! Good on you Tessa! Keep proving people wrong.

As for Burton. Oh my god! I would be embarrassed if I was her. She is so far away from international level it's a joke. How can you start her in front of Laura hodges for one let alone the players missing out for her spot

I just hope that when it comes to RIO the team picked has not got her in it. Surely (with all players available to play) the likes of Francis, Tolo, Jackson, Cambage and Batkovic will get in the team before her.

I look forward to international comps like Worlds and Olympics and I do get disappointed when the team is announced and he has his favourites. Hopefully this time for RIO he might shock us all

I for one sure hope Joyce picks a valid team for rio now.. Not one full of his favourites that nearly only scraped through the second game against NZ!! Great game by cocks.. Goes to show!!

If cole is available... Would you take her over lavey as the 3rd pg?

This team wants to play intense, up in your face defense.

I can see the benefit of doing that in the full court although in the half court there were normally 2 or 3 NZ players that didn't need to be defended. The Opals overplayed every player on the court and ended up giving up back door cuts and drives and too many shots to Cox. The could have just crowded the paint and made non factors shoot from the outside.

When Burton was on the floor no player went within 10 feet of her on the perimeter or when she went to set the pick n roll and it really crowded things for the likes of Talbot and Lavey. The guards that played with the Hodges/Bat Girl combo looked better due to the increased spacing. NZ also looked to attack Burton on their end. Being a net negative on both ends isn't a great combo.

Lavey has all the tools you'd want in a young pg. I'd almost be hating on Bernie at this point for not playing her in the wnbl as she has talent.

Katie Rae was great while she was on.

Its a bit of a worry that Bat Girl is still one of the best players on the team. I'm not sure if she will every be a role player that will contribute when not in the role of the main scorer on a team.

Hodges just doesn't miss from the mid range.

Jarry goes all out every minute while on the floor.

I know from personal exp that it is very easy to play down to the level of opposition and good job NZ for giving the Opals a good hit out.

Burton has the perfect frame for a pf.
But she just doesn't have the skill to match. Can't shoot, dribble, rebound, block or pass with any consistency.
Joyce it's time to let go...

3rd in minutes played for 3 points and 4 rebounds.
Ain't gonna cut it...

Spend some time developing young pfs or Cs
6'2 pf Thompson, 6'5 pf mijovic, 6'5 c bunton or 6'5 c scherf.

Or at least give other Middle aged (around 25y.o) pf's a shot like penaluna, Tomlinson, Langford, Oliver etc.

But Joyce won't pick ohea and he won't pick bishop.
Instead he'll pick jarry and burton.

Personally I'd like to see...

Phillips/mitchell/lavey or cole(whoevers in form)
Taylor/allen
Ohea/Talbot
Francis/tolo/bishop or penaluna(whoevers in form)
Cambage/Jackson

Yeah bishop has been pretty terrible so far. Although centre is not her position... Way to small in that league.

That's why I'd look at penaluna or Tomlinson.
Penaluna is taller, longer, pretty mobile and a much better shooter compared to bishop.
Tomlinson is similar but has less range on her shot.
Mijovic is another pf to watch but seems to lack motivation....

Will be interesting to see how they go during this up and coming wnbl season.

Tomlinson, mijovic and burton all at Lynx.
Penaluna at boomers.