Jade Crook (NSW) * Sienna Lehmann (SA) *
Emilija Dakic (VIC) * Prasayus Notoa (QLD)
Sitaya Fagan (VIC) * Ruby Perkins (NSW)
Erica Finney (NSW) Zara Russell (ACT) *
Jessie-May Hall (NSW) Madison Ryan (VIC)
Zoe Jackson (NSW) Lara Somfai (SA)


Coe* but of course.

Taylor injured. Aherne dropped.
Dakic over Hodges is just not right...
I reckon backcourt going to struggle mightily bar Hall.
Apart from Finney, very few capable shooters.

Agree with everything you said Weedy.

Hodges miles better than Dakic. CoE / BA 100% trying to justify their jobs

Lehmann has probably played 5 games in the past 12 months and still gets a spot, has been constantly injured. She's a talent, no doubt, but surely not an ideal preparation for the best in the world!

Madison Ryan? Really?

COE = waste of money.

I don't get Dakic getting selected in both when she is yet to look anywhere near as good as she was prior to her knee injury. And, I agree that the Ryan selection is unnecessary, she's got a lot of potential but what has she been selected as? Similar to Fagan last year, she's a big who doesn't have any inside presence. It's almost as though the NSW coach is doing the NSW U16's a favour by weakening the Vic Metro team for the 2nd year in a row.

U17 WC Team selected
5'7 Perkins PG
5’8 Lehmann SG/PG - inj
5’8 Hall SG/PG
5’9 Dakic SG/PG
6’0 Notoa PG/SF
6’0 Finney SF
6’1 Russell SF/PF
6’2 Ryan PF/SF
6’3 Somfai PF/C
6’3 Fagan PF/C
6’3 Crook C
6’4 Jackson C

Those that did not make it
5’9 Seumanutafa - inj
5’10 Hodges
6’0 Aherne - inj
6’1 Taylor - inj
6’1 Petrie - inj
6’2 Gardiner
6’2 Hanson

3 very unlucky imo in Hodges and Gardiner. Thompson also.
If they are taking 09s, Olechnowicz would have helped slashing and on D.
Unfortunate that auto COE selections can change a team dramatically.
Those overseas also don’t get a look in.

Having 5 NSW Athletes in the team is interesting but 1 of them is lucky to be there and only because the coach is her Association Rep coach as well.

She plays the 5 spot for her Association and NSW State teams and personally I think she is over rated.There are better 5's out there than her who have missed out.

She struggles to finish off inside the key in comparison to others and has not improved in that area.

Finney is a player who has stepped up and deserves her position.

Croc of shit. Bias beyond belief.

We came 5th in 2022 with quite a solid team, time will tell if the quality of our National Championships has deteriorated when we see how this group goes. Not sure how much zone will be played.

Group stage puts us up against

Puerto Rico
USA
Croatia

Usa obviously stacked and croatia have the best big in the world in this age group.
Half the euro teams and both North American teams might be too good for us. Possibly even Mali.
Top 5 = pass, medal = fantastic job, outside top 5 = fail.

In that case Croatia is a major problem other than Somfai, are bigs are long but not strong. No Isla Juffermans's in this lot.

Canada very strong this year with 3 top 25 players.
France + Spain always very good.

I haven't seen Somfai play for a while, but on past form her and Hall will be carrying a heavy load. Our other bigs (lack strength and finishing) and shooting concern me ... Finney has an opportunity to shine if she can stay on top of her defensive duties and earn good game time.
It's frustrating that the COE golden ticket is in effect, but tbh I don't think any of the better alternatives (that I know of) would be game changing.

I think the COE golden ticket was more abused in the women's U18 Asia cup team, and especially disappointing to see players that performed badly at nationals and haven't shown any improvement since. It would be refreshing to have a selection process without the baggage of COE entitlement.... I'm sure that would do wonders to motivate players and their coaches across the country.

Sorry for the rant, but if players who have been at the COE for a while and clearly still aren't going to be Opals/Boomers calibre (isn't that the goal?), then stop renewing their scholarship. I feel like we're just subsidising their efforts to get college scholarships, and at the expense of other talented players who miss out on junior national teams.

100% agree with Retired on his comments. Jessie May the best combo guard for her age and Somfai the best forward. If these two stay healthy they will lead this team to a top four finish possibly a medal as well. Jessie May was outstanding at the nationals and she will do the same at the World Cup. I thought NSW Metro girls were over coached. They had the best line up in the country. I'm predicting Australia will go deep at the world cup.

Lehmann hopefully gets lots of gametime prior to the WC.
Both Dakic and Somfai are also playing a few weeks beforehand at the u18 asia champs.

S5?
Perkins
Hall
Russell
Somfai
Crook
+
Notoa/Lehmann
Dakic
Finney
Fagan/Ryan
Jackson

Reserves appear to be
CG Hodges
G/F Aherne
SF Petrie
PF Gardiner
C Hanson

Once again odd that one of the best performers in asia and in the S5 (Hodges) did not make the team.
Gardiner one of the top performers at u18 ajcs could not beat out a double bottom ager.
Thompson could not even make the camp list.

Agree with Steed re scholarship renewals, a couple girls stay and don't play or improve for that matter.

Not convinced Finney can create her own shot. Most successful against long close outs.

Although in saying that deserves a chance.

Add to your comment on Ryan vs Gardiner

Gardiner is a very young 2008, December born, so pretty much the same age as Ryan and has been a standout at the past 2 AJC's.

State bias? Fagan and Ryan getting a dream run

Seems like some states get a better run than others.

Where are the Queensland players other than Notoa? The U18 tournament leading scorer, Bond, couldn't get an invite to camp? The defensive player of the tournament Smith from Tassie wasn't invited to camp?

Not saying that they wouldn't have been selected in the final team but odd indeed.

There have been a number of threads on here about players having to sign up to programs before they will be selected for state teams, kind of thing.

Is it possible that BA puts some conditions on camp attendees which they reject and so don't get selected?

Can Weedy or anyone assure me this isn’t the case? Otherwise, apart from injury, why do so many good young players miss camp? Do the players not get selected, or decline camp invitations, or are they badly timed, or ??

COE selection is bewildering at best. Granted, there are some truly talented players in the women's roster- but it's the exception rather than the rule.

National team selection should be open to all and not just existing COE (or potential COE) players.

This reeks of COE trying to justify their selections and existence and so are given preferential treatment.

COE is a biased pathway - once you're a favourite, your path is set.

There are some many good players that get overlooked by the state and BA system and will never get a look in.


On another note, noticed a few new players in the COE NBL1 women's roster- have new scholarships been given??

I think they're bringing in replacement players due to so many players out injured Eagle80, not permanent scholarship holders.

Yep
Lomu, Nousis, Juffermans, Jackson are only at the Coe for a limited time.

Wouldn't surprise me if both Nousis and Juffermans end up getting a spot in the future as they are looking at 08s to replace 06s leaving.

The player I was talking about above who I consider is overated was invited to play for the COE from 16-5-24 to 27-5-24 so she played last weekend and did not do much at all in 11.minutes 45 seconds.

She will also play for them this weekend as well so will be interesting to see how she plays.

As Eagle 80 mentioned the COE players are basically assured of playing in the junior Australian sides but they are not always the best Athletes who who get selected to the COE.

There are some better athletes out there who choose not to take up a scholarship offer.