This year will likely be around the 28th of May, following the halfway point of the season.

south australia - we will know later today

victoria is usually the last group to be confirmed

From NSW it's Norths Bears, Hills Hornets and Manly who have qualified

Maybe outlined which age groups you are referring to when mentioning teams (i.e. U12 / IU14 / U16 / U18, girls or boys).

Out of curiosity, what's the qualification process for the SA & NSW to come to the classic?
SA had their champs this past weekend so I’m guessing top 3-4 from there or is it based off something else?
What about NSW?

Thanks!

I think NSW top 4, some NSW associations notified a couple weeks ago, some teams subject to results. Everyone in NSW should know by now.

I stand corrected but I understand NSW run a state championship as well

In NSW top 3 qualify for the Classic with the 4th spot going to ACT. ACT doesn't have to qualify. Sometimes if a team pulls out, organisers may invite a metro team that is coming fourth or a team that has done well in previous years

NSW get top 4 so I believe it is Norths,Manly Hills and Bankstown are going.

ACT get their own spot even though they are not strong this year in some age groups.

Most of the time, teams are formed after the selection process. Teams decided process dependent on the organizer schedule. I hope before the few weeks of events, teams are separated.

U18 Girls early prediction

Gold - North Bears

Silver / Bronze - Melbourne, Nunawading, Forestville or West Adelaide

Looks like a strong comp if everyone is available

Any word if the 17WC players will participate in Classics ?

CoE releasing Lehmann to her club but on a considerable minutes restriction. Needs playing time to prove her fitness.

I'm sure Perkins, Jackson and Finney will suit for Norths.

The Classic fixture is now up, cant post the link here for some reason.
Search: PlayHQ National junior Classic 2024

Looks like Casey and Sandringham are the only VIC clubs in the girls that are represented in all age groups.
Nice achievement

If North's can’t win massive underperformance.

Will there nt players be allowed to play?

Who's the early favourites in boys/girls in each age group? Players to watch ?

coe not releasing Lehmann. good quality game time would have been beneficial to her and the aus team you would think?

i wonder if those rules will apply to other WC players?

@Sabretooth - not a surprising outcome. My contact told me a while back she has been dealing with a major injury. It would be more surprising if she travels to the WC.

If it was me, would probably do the same. Letting her play under a minutes restriction, with a club coach focussed on winning, spells disaster. I hate to agree with the CoE but they've made the correct call.

I expect the non-CoE, injury free CoE athletes in the Sapphires team to play NJC (predominantly Norths players).

Sorry typo. Don't expect any CoE athletes (male or female) to be released.

It is interesting that Queensland aren't invited to send any teams...

^ only reason is because Queensland doesn't have the long weekend at the same time. It’s the same reason WA also aren’t invited.

VIC CLUB QUALIFIERS
Number of teams

Casey 8
Sandringham 7
Kilsyth 6
Nunawading 5
Dandenong 4
Frankston 4
Melbourne 4
Bulleen 3
Camberwell 3
Diamond Valley 2
Gippsland 2
Geelong 2
Knox 2
Wyndham 2
Ballarat 1
Bendigo 1
Sunbury 1
Whittlesea 1
Waverley 1
McKinnon 1

looking at the numbers and the clubs above - how times have changed.

Healthy competition. Good for the leagues.

Just need SA , ACT and NSW to give them a decent challenge this weekend.

Ideas for teams that'll be challenging?
My guesses solely based off state results... (Vic here so excuse the lack of interstate knowledge)

18 Boys - Can Central push Knox/Dandenong/Frankston/Casey/Diamond Valley? All great teams.
Or do Norths/Maitland get it done coming down from NSW?

16 Boys - Nunawading most looking likely once again ?
Unsure of this age group for interstate groups!

14 Boys - Casey & Keilor are clearly head & shoulders above the other vic teams, Knox in 3rd are good enough to take on the best interstate teams.
Norths/Hills & South Adelaide will push those 3 all the way

12 Boys - Frankston look a class above, unsure of interstate teams here!

18 Girls - sounding like Norths? Just depends on who’s actually suiting up?

16 Girls - Casey/Kilsyth/D.V all strong from Vic

14 Girls - Melb & Kilsyth always strong in this age group.

12 Girls - Nunawading out on top in VC, hard to call anything in 12s as always

Love to hear some thoughts from interstate/Vic country side of things!

14 Girls
Bendigo and Kilsyth

16 Girls
Sandringham if M Ryan is playing.

With an Under 14 Club Champs, and the newly started Under 18 Club Champs...is there a future for the Classics?

Maybe Start an Under 16 and Under 12 Club Champs and rotate through each state each year?

With an Under 14 Club Champs, and the newly started Under 18 Club Champs...is there a future for the Classics?

Maybe Start an Under 16 and Under 12 Club Champs and rotate through each state each year?

Massive - Like last year I think the Victorian teams will get more than a "decent challenge".
Expect NSW and SA teams to be in the mix yet again after dominating last year.

2023 Results

NSW teams took out U18 boys and girls
SA teams took out U16 boys and girls

Love it Blues67

12 G - Norwood
14 G - South Adelaide
16 G - Norwood or Eastern
18 G - Forestville or Northern Bears

Gee i hope these teams form other states are good enough to give them a decent game...!

cantshoot3s - provocative :-)

U12G Norwood did not win a game at Adelaide Easter Classic!

CantShoot3s - your other guesses are much better though ;)

forestville 18g not setting the world on fire to be fair. just beating out a depleted west team doesn't give me a lot of confidence

whilst having U12, 16, 18 club championships sounds great to go along with U14 national clubs.

You would have to drop the classics - trust me it would just be too much for amateur sports players and families every year.

Is the classics not a version of this anyway ?

Having lived through several successful U14 teams that have done the lot - it is a big commitment. It would be possible for a good group of parents and players to face this every year if that was started up.

A week in Perth or Qld compared to a weekend in Melbourne.

Predictions

Of late you tend to see VIC dominate the 12/14 girls age groups with SA/NSW start catching up in 16/18. In saying that I'm predicting a lot more VIC teams winning this year.

Boys
12 - VIC
14 - VIC
16 - VIC/NSW
18 - VIC

Girls
12 - VIC
14 - VIC
16 - VIC/SA
18 - NSW

Who do you think is contenting from NSW in the 16Bs Pinch? Sydney Comets? Bankstown Bruins?

Mainly Norths, maybe Bankstown. I like Sydney but I'm not sure if they are deep enough.

agreed - vic teams on the up

U14 Boys, I can't see any team touching Casey, too big, too talented, too deep.

Keilor have the height and may beat them on a good day. Knox and Bulleen will be close with South/North/Norwood, but I predict a Casey-Keilor Grand Final.

Would love to have seen how Brisbane Capitals Under 18 Boys matched up at this tournament this year. They won the state tournament in Queensland and have up to six kids who have represented Qld. Their coach has high standards of them and they played basketball in the right way.

There's always the U18 club champs later in the year.

@pinch is the covid influence now gone if VIC are going to dominate the weekend? Back to BAU?

I personally think other states focus on development at a younger age rather than winning and you see SA/ NSW win at older age groups with better skills etc. not always the way but just recently it seems like that at NJC.

I think the COVID bump up was short lived for other states. WA and QLD probably the 2 states that did better out of it at a nationals level.

WA is up and down some years very strong other years middle of the road

Bankstown were without Browne in 16B's. That'll hurt their chances if hes not back by the classic

Predictions?