R@nD0m
Years ago

The Value Of Locals

We in the West are a parochial and proud bunch, but it come to a few of us within the Basketball Fraternity (Players, Coaches, Refs) that despite amazing numbers at Wildcats home games since the move to Barney's (Reference to state premier Colin Barnett for those not from sandgroper country) Bright Blue Building a couple of years ago, the Cats don't have much local representation at all on their roster outside of Development Players, with G Hire the sole local in the team.

So then we got to thinking, well let's look at the WA talent around the League and see if we could make a decent team with the option of filling the three import spots also. This is what we came up with:

PG: Cameron Gliddon
Backup PG: Trian Iliadis - Former ODU graduate who had a decent enough collegiate career at a mid level D1 school. Currently one of the Top 5 guards in the SBL

SG: Import - Let's say Prather for arguments sake
Backup SG: Rhys Vague / Gavin Field - Vague has been a development player for a couple of years with the Cats; Gav comes off a stellar collegiate career at University of West Georgia and like Iliadis, is easily in the Top 5 guards in the SBL

SF: Import
Backup SF: Cody Ellis / Tom Garlepp - Both solid contributors off the bench for their respective NBL clubs, and both with strong family connections to Basketball in WA, Ellis of course through his Father, Grandfather & Uncle's, Garlepp a name synonymous with the Perry Lakes club over here.

PF: Mark Worthington
Backup PF: Alex Loughton

C: Tom Jervis
Backup C: Daniel Johnson

Now you could even put an Import in at Centre, then have Jervo or DJ backing them up. The point being that the Cats would get a heck of alot more buy in from local clubs here in WA if they were using local products. Yes the Cats are the most successful club in the history of the NBL, but what use is all that success if most of your up and coming players in the state have to move interstate to get recognised / opportunity on the National stage, after growing up idolising your James Crawford's, Ricky Grace's, Mike Ellis' etc.

I would love to see this kind of comparison done with other clubs around the League also

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Anonymous
Years ago

Great read R@ndom. Could have done this for the league website!!

For healthy debate i seriously question your Vague pick at backup SG haha.

And I know he's in the current team, but did you not include Hire on purpose?

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R@nD0m
Years ago

Haha thanks. I've actually emailed it to Adam but he's on leave until tomorrow so expect it up on the website / Social Media sometime tomorrow

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R@nD0m
Years ago

Re Greggers no it wasn't intentionally leaving him out, I just felt for his PF / SF position he plays, the other boys offered more. Nothing against the great man, I'll prob be banned from joondalup now haha, but yeah just one man's opinion

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Anonymous
Years ago

Nice work! Hope to see it on the website. I like your picks, I would personally move Garlepp to the backup PF thought not sure he is equipped for that position.

Could consider Armour for the backup position as well depending on your needs (better defender than Trian)

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Anonymous
Years ago

More buy in from locals?
They get over 12,000 people to their games... Are none of those 12,000 locals?

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Anonymous
Years ago

Exactly ^^^
Its just random again carrying on about how Wildcats do this and that wrong. Plus his infatuation with Trian Illiadis is out of control. Get over it mate, he is a top guy and solid SBL player, but he has tried out for Sydney, Townsville and Perth and they all passed on him.
Gav is no NBL player - again tried out with Townsville.
You understanding of NBL caliber players is limited, leave it to people who know what they are talking about and stick to announcing courtside at rockingham.

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Dazz
Years ago

Jervis was a local and a hometown favourite.
And he left for more money and opportunity.

That's the reality of basketball. Trying to focus on locals would be pointless, as in this sport they are no more likely to hang around than anyone else.

What were they supposed to do, dump Knight and prematurely promote Jervis?

Whilst on the other hand, the LOVE Perth fans have for Martin is genuine and incredible.

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Mock
Years ago

Good work random

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Roy Hobbs
Years ago

Love the anon's chirping behind no name.

Good write-up Trav, it certainly can be a hot topic on here regarding whatever path the Cats take.

I'm not sold on Vague at the 2 though, I'd say he's a bit slow laterally for that position.

It does make you wonder sometimes though if the perception is that the WA players isn't accurate. The Cats have gone through a few players from over east that haven't set the world on fire. Why not do the same with locals? It sure cannot hurt.

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Mock
Years ago

Is random a well-known NBL writer?

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proud
Years ago

I'm pretty sure you could add Luke Nevill to that list too so the bugs from WA are extensive but the backcourt/wing players not so much

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Anonymous
Years ago

if you dont think Gavin Field is good enough to play in the NBL then you are blind. The only thing that kept him off the wildcats roster is the coaching staffs insistence that his body shape wasnt right.. He is twice the player that Hire is and the only reason Hire gets a gig is because of his body. Hire is Horrible even at SBL level.

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Anonymous
Years ago

Field offensively would be fine. But he would get murdered defensively. Put him in the game against Prather, Prather scores 9/10 times due to physicality.

This is what he's judged on. Fair or not.

Reply #602909 | Report this post

alexkrad
Years ago

If Gavin was good enough to play in the NBL he would be playing in the NBL

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Hoops

The Value Of Locals

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