Hopefully Rod Grizzard is also present and smiling in blue.

can you listen to this online???

What's Mike Chappell up to?

About 1.2ppg, 0.3 rebounds, and 0 assists.

Ha! Loco, that's very funny !!!

Well played Loco!

That alone gives us a pretty good indication that Hodge is gone, done and dusted.

Will an explanation be given or do they not even know themselves and just cutting it off and focusing on the task at hand, winning games.

I'm guessing the latter and, IMO, that's the right road to take. Have to focus on the games to come.

on 102.3 they just said they had info on hodge comign up

Are fans allowed to be present for this press conference?

As long as you take your shoes off before you go in!

keep us updated jc

So far they've only played sound bites of Ninnis stating he was unhappy with Hodge.

nothing new just really whats scout said on thats on NBL

Agreed whole heartedly Isaac. Re-focus and move on.

For Anon - http://linky.com.au/uwzjj

Click on "View Statistics".

Tigers 08/09 he went 13.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 1.9 apg.

All those numbers were up when he was at the Slingers 07/08.

Grizzard's stats:

2007-08 with Singapore: 40 MPG for 19.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG. 48% FG, 30% 3P, 76% FT.

2008-09 with Melbourne: 32 MPG for 13.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG. 48% FG, 31% 3P, 77% FT.

Ninnis unhappy played on few radio stations, and Hodge not turning up means his future is in doubt, they are saying.

His agent has found another team for him, would be my version of it.
(Late payment would have accelerated that)

Someone please liveblog this! :)

The more cynical amongst us might even suggest the late payment / incorrect payment details fiasco was orchestrated by a commission based manager that has identified a far more lucrative contract for his player.

In what I'm sure is completely unrelated news, New Jersey needs a guard.

so Loco you are trying to say Hodges Manager some how managed to make Mal Pay 4 days late originally. Sounds like an amazing agent to me :P

lol I gotta get me an agent like that.

Apparently the reason the pay was late (according to Mal) was that the transfer details he was initially forwarded were missing 4 digits. He then notified Hodge / his agent that they'd need to supply full details to get paid.

As soon as the full details were sent, Mal forwarded payment (with delays being caused due to the festive season). My understanding anyway.

ABC 891 just announced Hodge ended with 36ers because not happy with contract. Advance payments will be pursued back by 36ers management.

Hodge to the Tigers... set to be announced on Saturday.

could not get FIBA clearance in time to do that, and you would have to seriously question whether the sixers would be all that co operative in rushing to help clear him from their end in time to any league not just the Tigers

the comments are intersting to that story - and agreeable

According to Gaze last night when i spoke to him he will not be going to the Tigers. Gaze was disgusted with Hodge not showing up or returning calls.

KingJames, I see some merit in what Loco said. I am sure he wasn't suggesting that Hodge's manager had the power to get him paid 4 days late but however is playing on this problem to his benefit and blowing it completely out of perspective.

Anyone know if & where we can hear the press conference live?

Im sure Melbourne could fit him in the cap, could probably get him naturalised as well so they didnt have to get rid of an import

I would hope ABC Adelaide has a reporter on the scene. This is a reasonable story, especially given the coverage Hodge has generated in the last two months

It wouldn't be that hard for the manager to manipulate the pay situation, you simply give a wrong digit or two in the account details then complain the pay hasn't come through, when all along it was because you gave the wrong number, not difficult. I'm hoping Julius stays, the crowd and the atmosphere was a bit flat without him last night, even with winning a reasonably close game and the biggest crowd I've seen in years.

i really hope hodge stays too and i still feel theres another dide of the situation we havnt heard

hmmm.. who nos

side*

It should have been "who knows?" too Kobe...

sorry mutley ;)

I'd expect to hear a "We're very disappointed with Julius' decision. We, as an administration, have done everything we could to work with Julius and his agent. Our focus is on the finals. We're in talks with a number of replacements" type speech at 1.30pm.

Keen to see how diplomatic Scotty is about the situation though - he hasn't pulled any punches with the media all year - and he sounds understandably angry about the situation.

Imagine the animosity amongst the guys if Hodge stayed on? It really is quite a shame that it's come to this - the league and its have suffered enough this year.

Thanks Mutley, Kobe's grammar leaves just a little to be desired. Seems like a year 7 or 8 departure from school I suggest.
One thing for sure, if it comes out that our mate Hodge is entirely to blame, then he sure would not want to come back into the Dome. He would get the worst reception ever seen there!

And I meant if he was playing for another club!

^^^ Mine should read "...league and its fans..."

Fiveaa are going to it, and report at 2 oclock

Thankyou Loco.

And if he and his agent have conspired to cause this then the LEAGUE should also ban him for life. You can't have imports coming here and doing that to a club.

Personally, I have no trouble believing that the Sixers admin stuffed up the pay issue, and that Hodge has taken the coward's way out and used this as a reason for leaving to take a 10 day contract in the NBA, rather than having to actually tell his team mates and coach that he was exercising the NBA out-clause in his contract (which he would be within his rights to do anyway).

I wonder how he will cover this in his documentary? Might I suggest a title, "The Mercenary".

I reckon Julius' time in the NBL is over.. to be signed and and eligible for the playoffs does he need to have played a certain amount of games for one club or just in the league?

The club has done the right thing IMO.. getting rid of Tyndale when he wasn't performing, got Hodge back, and if Tyndale is looking for any excuse to try void a contract then they should let him go. I think Grizzard would fit in nicely with the team.

Slightly OT, but Dicky V is commentating the Miami Denver game atm.. its great, Beasley is gonna be something special!

It is good that this conference is being held as it is a chance to offer clarity and certainty.

Over the last 18 hours since he didn't show the sense of panic, anger and agnst has been overwhelming. Various conspiracy and alien abduction theories have surfaced and there has been plenty of 1+1 = 3.

While we may not like what is said in about half an hour's time, I hope that the club uses this incident as a learning experience in going forward.

I am so disappointed with this whole scenario.
I am disappointed for the players and Ninnis and most of all the fans who expected him to be part of what we pay for when we attend.
I don't doubt that Mal screwed up and is a victim of his own creation, but for an agent to tell his player not to suit up and then go MIA is a lack of credibility on his part- the end did not justify the means.
He could've taken it directly to the NBL and said that if he is not paid x amount by x date, that he will be walking.
First the Bullets, now this- I was finally starting to give a toss about this farcical season as my first season as a sixers supporter.

Edit: if Hodge is looking to get out.. my bad.

Cheers for the "Five aa" heads up Bruce Beck.

If the pay dispute was the issue, why did Hodge play the Gold Coast game when he hadn't yet been paid and walk out on last night's game when he'd not only been paid, but also paid in advance and shook hands with Mal hours earlier?

Maybe we're barking up the entirely wrong tree and there's been some sort of personal dilemna? Bring on 1.30pm.

So, is he sacked yet?

LC - 1:30 local time. It's just gone one.

Loco there's a lot that goes on in front of the public (eg shaking hands, staying on for long enough to be pacified into getting what you want then shooting through) that is just a front!

who wants to start a facebook group that isn't being wasted on singing hodge's praises. so far they are all in support of him.

True. But it's not like a player has every burnt the Sixers like that before.










Wait.

*tsk*

Couldn't help it :p

Bradtke should come out of retirement and form a WWE style heel faction with Dunlap as coach, Martin Cattalini at forward and Hodge at guard. Imagine the heat! Ticket sales through the roof.

I just thought someone in the know may have leaked it by now.

IM SO PISSED OFF!!

At least Hodge won't be going to the Tigers.
Imagine that collective outrage, not only due to lack of professionalism so recent, but the fact that all other clubs get 68 points to spend and $840k, and the Tigers get 680 points and $8.4 million to spend a season.
So the latest for us not listening to the radio is what exactly, and what is the talk of Ere getting the chop- was that only in anticipation of securing Hodge or a likely scenario regardless?

Loco, why Cattalini?

He played for Perth once. Like Rogers did.

Since the Jo-Jo mauling of yesteryear over there, I just can't get the vile taste of Wildcat out of my mouth :p

Classic!

With 5 minutes to go until the biggest Sixers press conference of 08/09, BetFair have closed the betting on likely outcomes. Current odds as follows:

$1.20 Hodge is sacked.
$2.50 Grizzard is hired.
$5.00 Darren Ng to suit up this Saturday.
$13.50 Wiley Farley is back.
$155.00 Global warming to blame.
$234.75 Rob Rose re-activated (I can dream).
$378.45 Alien abduction occurred - all is forgiven.
$500 even - Gong fans pull off practical joke of the season.

Wow, I forgave Cat years ago for the Wildcat unpleasantness of 1995.

I've also forgiven Bradtke.

Not Rogers though. That doughnut of '04 was awful and it was his fault. Mostly.

its 130, has it began?

Here's my guess: no Tigers, no D-League plan, no 10-day, no other conspiracies. Just some stuffing around with payments and agent+Julius deciding to ditch the game as a statement to warn against any future issues. Perhaps a decision that wasn't given the consideration it deserved and has backfired meaning that he might've stayed in hiding a little longer out of embarrassment at the reaction.

Given the impact it might now have on team chemistry, the club might have to act in response? Self-proclaimed best player in the league, "hardest worker", whatever, the team must come first. Could the team take him back now?

Like I said, just a guess. I have as much idea of what might be said at the press conference as most here.

So - the verdict is?

Isaac im thinking similar.

..And yes i think they should take him back if thats the case.

2 o clock now.

any updates?

Released by the club at the request of his agent.

i just cant see with all the public talk and comments how the two parties can come back together. The only think binding them would be the desire to win and the the ego's involved is that strong enough?

what was the reason given for wanting a release?

Unhappy with his contract, one can think unhappy with being payed late, easy way out to take up some better offers. Be interesting to see who stays on the 'Hodge' watch after all alot of people here were BIG fans of his game.

I'm interested to see where he ends up, especially if it is Euro and how he goes over there.

Adelaide fans are notoriously harsh on anyone who has appeared to be disloyal to the club. I am not different Hodgey, good riddance. NOBODY is bigger than the team (ok, well maybe Maher, but only because he puts the team before himself).

XY I don't think it's specific to Adelaide to be harsh on anyone disloyal to their club.
Brisbane fans for example were up in arms with the off-season shenanigans of the Bullets players, and that was even after they had a buyer at the time.
(eg Bruton, Boucher, etc)
Anyone that shows their true colours in such a manner is going to have loyal fans to the game, come down on them like a tonne of bricks- irrespective of where you are and as we know, Adelaide fans are among the most loyal of the lot.

julius hodge is a (Mod: Don't be a tool.) who will never make the NBA. David Cooper has a better jumpshot.

(Mod: Give it up. This is not the place for that.)

Well for your sake hodge i hope u dont come back to the dome in any way shape or form! EVER! If it is with another NBL, which i would highly doubt then you will get no love at all!

Any player no matter how much i loved there personality and game, that can not show up to a game.....Dog his coach, fans and most importantly his TEAM-mates, i cannot forgive.

I will go to sixers games with or without hodge, and hopefullt the rest of adelaide feels the same and the crowds are still the biggest in teh country.

Rod Grizzard? Yeh i think he would probably be the number 1 choice to fill the import spot, i mean he was probably the best and most consistent player for the tigers over the last few months he was there, and he has shown he is a consistent offensive threat.

With winatana back adding some much needed defense and hustle i think Grizz would go nicely right about now.

ps Hodge just moved ahead of chris anstey and is right behind shane heal on my hated list of nbl players, wonder if he can knock heal off for top spot???

haha

Harsh Spiderbait be careful.