Ben Todd as coach took them to Finals with Jess Mahoney playing

Early 2000s

Spending an unsustainable amount when your junior program is floundering isn't something I would be proud of.

Each to their own though I guess.

Their girls program looks to have significantly improved in general. All their D1/2 girls teams seem to be competitive and have come a long way the last few years, instead of being the easy beats, or not even fielding D1/2 teams. Wish my club was doing some of the things they are doing and investing in their junior program. Their junior girls now also have NBL1 role models to look up to, which is only going to help. Could be the start of a big power shift in girls basketball in SA. I'm actually a bit jealous. Never thought that would be the case

Spending an unsustainable amount when your junior program is floundering isn't something I would be proud of.

Is that a high spend roster for NBL1 Central? Doesn't come across as high spend. Are the Fejo sisters local to that club?

Wouldn't think it was that high spend compared to others. Other teams like North would be more with Basham, Mansfield, Batisch, Freer etc.
Not sure if Fejo’s are local but Samuels played there 2 seasons ago. Good to finally see some other clubs doing well

North aren't breaking the bank because of those names you listed, there are two sets of partners between them that want to play together. Mansfield also has 3x3 commitments that will limit her games played.

Taylah Levy recruited from Eastern, Jaz Fejo from West, Samuels from Rockingham. None of them were cheap. Plus they have an import in Ritz.

The junior girls program doesn't have a div 1 team higher than 7th, and their U10 program is basically non-existent. Their boys are even worse.

Competing with the likes of Southern and Woodville wouldn't be my definition of a "power shift". That's actually laughable.

Nothing like SA basketball either trying to rip shreds off each other or eat their own.

Agree Sebastien, feel bad for teams/clubs that have been ripped for years, then finally when they start doing better they still get ripped. 7th for their D1 teams is a big leap from where they've been. Power shift was more a ? And referring to across the state, as some other clubs seem to have dropped in their girls, like North and Sturt. If clubs get better the standard of competition gets more even and better overall, and then the kids develop more. Thanks + for trying to start a positive post

Without the import considered, Levy, Fejo and Samuels are costing the club almost $70,000. But without being inside the club to know the financial position it's hard to say if they're robbing their junior program to pay for it.
Mansfield actually took 10k less than she could have earnt somewhere else to play for North being her childhood club. That's loyalty, sometimes money isn't everything.

My point is that spending an excessive amount on NBL1, which could otherwise go to improving your junior program, is not something I would be championing online.

Most clubs don't have the same geographical and demographical constraints that Centrals and Mavs do. This just further shows why they need a thriving juniors program, otherwise success is unsustainable.

Totally agree, but how do we know they aren't spending money on their juniors too? Not sure if the have JDO in place or any other strategies, but it takes time to change a program around and all I’m saying is that from an outside perspective it looks like they are, so why keep being negative. Any club that is trying to improve and be positive in my view is great for bball in the state, so let’s support these clubs instead of slandering them. Woodville and South junior girls also improving by the looks. Let’s hope Southern can get things moving in the right direction also

Saw the thread and contacted some contacts at Centrals for some fact checking. They are not paying anywhere near the numbers stated, and if people think clubs in SA can do that on one half of NBL1 programs and be sustainable they really don't understand the SA basketball landscape. They also mentioned they have invested in a JDO and Coaching Director as well as starting a Domestic program, while deciding to reduce the number of district teams being entered.

Crowds at NBL1 games are impressive and growing. Reckon they might be switched on and doing OK, without going all in! The guys out there are quietly excited and a couple watch hoops and are enjoying the comments.

@Interpreter obviously don't know if you are from SA, but Centrals and the Mav's geographical and demographical constraints, are now VERY short term, the two highest population (and housing) growth areas in SA are in their "zones" and suggest other clubs know that all too well.

Kudo's to Centrals for putting the effort in to try to capture that change, and looks like the Mav's are on the same page.

Yes $70k was rather laughable

I think if you dont know if the Fejo sisters are local to centrals it might be time to stop commenting

My point exactly...… I'm not commenting as a centrals person but and outsider looking in. Been away from the game for a while, kids have stopped playing and now coaching, so still hear things and watch from a far. Seems Centrals improvement is causing some angst o other. How sad, it’s only good for the game in SA

Obviously Jaz Fejo is a West junior, but not sure if she lives local to Centrals now. She definitely seems to be playing with a new lease on life. Watched the South game and they were all very impressive and seemed to be all smiling and enjoying themselves. South not so much, lots of undisciplined fouls, tech fouls, Sam Defrancesco and John Turnbull ejected. Will be the interesting to see if Centrals can keep this going

All the lions have done is up the budget significantly and bought a competitive team, not saying that's a bad thing , seems to be the way it’s done these days except maybe at Sturt.

Most teams in another conferences treat it the same way

Lets say lions are spending a large amount on the NBL1 team.
That of that funding would be from sponsours who want to be mentioned or linked to the NBL1 team. So if they dont get good players, sponsors most likely drop off.

Secondarily lets say the club has this money what can they spend it on that will make the club more competitive? they dont own their stadium, are they going to pay juniors to move clubs? even if you pay for "better" coaches doesnt guarantee better results