...but its Goorj! We only get to bag his coaching once a year >_> But yes BORING your absolutely correct, with the injuries etc taken into consideration the team couldn't look all that much better.

A few coaching errors, and sure we would like smyth to coach and sixers players to be in the line up but really Maher would be the only one who would win a jersey don't you think?

But instead they decided to go with Bruton as the senior leader.. which i would tend to agree with.
Purely because Maher by himself with that team wouldn't receieve the support & free nurture like he does under Smyth and fellow sixers teammates.

"If the people on this forum were true basketball fans there would be talk of Yao 'Minge' leading the scoring"
I know! I was amazed to see that. When i first saw it i forget they write his name backwards, and thought hmm do they all have the same name over there "Y. Ming and M. Yao in the same team... neat".

But yes excellent point Ming HAS shown leadership in a rather 'average' side in this competition (so you should at 7'6).

Same with Dirk Though, how can one of the NBA's greatest players with so much experience get 11 points in one game, but then 45 (or something) in a following match???

Very wierd indeed..

Anyone see that Chinese guy hit winning shot against Slovenia?

Sideline, runs to 3PT line (Bird confidence style, 2 to tie, 3 to win, roll the dice), pulls up with four guys jumping at him and ices it on the buzzer.

Defintely above average.

Lots of people have suggested better rosters. Dump Kendall for DMac for one thing. Convince Cattalini to come in for Barlow even if you have to relax his trainings to get him in. Or if not Cattalini, try Holmes.

DMac/Bruce
Bruton/Newley
Smith/Cattalini/Worthington
Mackinnon/Kickert
Bogut/Hinder/Helliwell

Bit more experience, Cattalini adds some aggression, good flexibility in the guard ranks, etc.

Some suggested names:

Cattalini
Holmes
Ronaldson (I don't agree but was suggested)
Harvey
Boodnikoff
Mottram
D-Mac
Moore
Pepper

Pero Vegemite not suggested name?

Couldnt agree more Isaac. That is exactly what i would do .

Cat could still get it done at the WBC.

And while this might sound controversial, i would have dropped Hinder and given Vanderjagt a run. Hinder has been pretty timid and not played much anyway.
I dont think you lose much by running the young fella instead.
Look out for him to have a good year with Townsville this yr.

In terms of the team we already have, it is disappointing to see Newley not getting the big game minutes. I have seen a desperate need to have another scroing option on top of Bogut and Bruton at times against the tough defensive teams (esp Lithuania & Greece), I would think Newley is that type of player exactly. Not going to go out there and be intimidated and will attack the basket with ferocity over anyone and shoot the three. I think he could be the missing link on offence in those big games. Barlow has no right to be getting the treatment he is getting.
Also, did anyone see last night Goorj running 4 of his Kings guys on court at the same time for a lot of the game? Seems he is not only coaching Australia but preparing to coach Sydney

Maybe Newley is not getting big game minutes for the same reason he was asked to leave Boomers training camp. Attitude.

93482, I could ask you that same question - what's the point of having Kendall and Barlow in the team if they're not going to be at the next Olympics (as per the team you've named)? Neither even started in the full Kings roster last year.

And what's the point? Err, because we're trying to get a decent result? Surely you'd look for a balance?

You can put one or two veterans in and still allow for the development of Bruce, Newley, Kickert and Worthington. I think DMac and possibly one other would be a good compromise between developing and putting a better team on the floor.

If BA dumped a coach solely because losses meant they went without federal funding, then I think that's ridiculous. That's an arbitrary decision.

Are you saying that had the recent losses to NZ contributed to BA losing funding, Goorjian would be gone too? Doesn't seem like it - Derwin made it sound like they've got their man locked up for the next few years at least whatever happens.

93482

"What is the point of having Cat or D-mac in the team if they arn't going to be at the next Olympics?"

This is a ridiculous comment, it's the World Championships!!! This event is equal to the Olympics on a global level, if not even more prestigious due to the fact there's 23 other teams to beat instead of 11. As Isaac said you need to strike a balance, this isn't a warm up tournament where you pick an inexperienced squad to blood the youngsters, this is the event that they're blooded for.

thank you billo... I've been preaching this for days and I would of had more lucky doing myself in with a paperclip and a set of chopsticks.

I've deliberate avoid posting in this thread as I made it pretty clear how I feel about the whole WBC shambles.

You can join Nutwork and myself for beers next time I'm in Adelaide.

Will do, I'll have to be in Adelaide too though, living in London at the moment!! (where there's zero WC coverage)