I spoke to Cat after their last game here and he said this was his final season.

Seemed strange that they didn't play Cooper much , this season, even when Burston was injured, when he's fit and doing ok. Therefore would think this is his last.

Wonder about my friend Cortez Groves, who at 32 years, may get a gig somewhere in the world, or become an aussie and get an NBL spot somewhere.
Don't think he'd retire yet.Would he?
Seems unlikely to be a sixer though (from reading hoops sa the forum)

Cattalini, Campbell and Pero.

Boucher has been brilliant this year, he can go again.

Campbell is 33, 34 by the time next season rolls around, a few months younger than Sav.

Based on the way he's playing, can't see him retiring any time soon.

Maybe Campbell just looks a bit older. Can still play so shouldn't quit in a hurry. I'm thinking Ronaldson, Anstey, Mackinnon, Cattalini, Cameron, Grabau (pessimistically assuming Cairns drop out).

Looks like the NBL could lose a large chunk of its remaining Australian marquee players this off-season. It will be a sad day for the sport.

Catt has another good year in him. but the Cats are looking to the future and wagstaff will probaly will eat into his minutes if he were to return. hence why he'll retier. as will paul rogers

Had forgotten about Rogers - that'd be another likely retirement.

XY, bit pessimistic? It's going to be interesting to see which younger players take these spots as marquee NBL players.

Perhaps the problem is that the NBL has failed to make any of the next tier of players household names.

Of course it is always an opportunity for younger guys to stand up, but the loss of so many great players at the same time says something about the sport, where it is going and where it has been. I can't see that there has been a lot of succession planning for the huge gap that will be left by the retirements over a very short time of such great players (particularly counting the large number of retirements at the end of last season, such as Maher).

It's not ideal, but I think they'll get there given that crowds are OK and Fox are at least showing something. Guys like Worthington and Redhage have some level of infamy and kids like Abercrombie and Goulding will start to exert more influence.

It's a shame there aren't more players with a story, or at least not a story that we know. Television shows are superb at bringing out identifiable characters and the NBL should be copying that (short of making them cry).

Pitch Abercrombie as the high-flying guy that out-jumps the visiting Yanks and is in the Tall Blacks after getting virtually pushed out of college. Goulding is the cocky guy with long hair who wants to show up the opposition, etc. Ng is the guy juggling multiple careers. I'm sure there's a story they can get out of Gibson, Weigh, etc.

But something they absolutely need to stop are these rubbish game headlines: 36ers clip Hawks, Blaze burn Cats, etc. Not only are they predictable, but they're so brief that there's no room to build identities.

Just copy ESPN's headline formats:

- James gets hot early, scores 47 to propel Cavs
- Kirilenko, Jazz slow Nuggets for eighth straight
- Jefferson rallies Wolves to fourth straight win
- Bogut, Mbah a Moute power Bucks past Pacers
- Jerebko's perfect play helps Pistons' stop skid
- Odom shines as Kobe-less Lakers rip Blazers

That last one is great - tells you who had an impact, sets up a story of a team winning despite being without a major player, and tells you the result.

I think the biggest problem was the next group of stars coming through have all left the league!
Ingles, Newley, Jawai, Knight, etc.
I think the league could really be missing Marquee players for a few years to come.

I agree with your view of the headlines, boring and formulaic.

Not that it has ever made me watch it, but the Ultimate Fighting Championship adverts on One HD are excellent at building character familiarity and imparting a sense of interest and tension in the show.

Problem is, I am not sure that Ng saying to the camera 'They have no idea what's they have coming, I'm gonna rip their heads off, they don't stand a chance' is going to quite get the desired effect.

Alternatively, they could just put a mike in front of Hodge before every game. He is bound to say something memorable and stupid that will get plenty of interest in the game.

Bruton is only 34, I think he'll play for a few more seasons yet, same hopefully with Sav and the Saviour.

The league will drop markedly in standard unless the dollars made available by retirements can lure a few of Knight, Khazzouh, Rush etc etc back from Europe.

Even then I think a golden age in terms of standard from 2006-2010 is coming to an end. That doesnt necesarrily mean the spectacle will be worse though, in fact it may allow imports and the remaining Boomers/Tall Blacks guns to shine more.

Look at the start of this season when teams were struggling to come together, there were heaps of star performances. As teams have improved there have been much fewer standouts each week.

I've heard the Cats are very interested and are hopefull of getting Rush or Kazzouh if they return to Australia. Rush in particular was very close to signing at the start of the season before he choose returning to europe.

With these retirements and potentially two extra teams, there could be significantly more money available for the likes of Khazzouh, Knight, Rush, Petrie, Gibson etc, those emerging players with potential to be genuine stars.

If as rumoured Worthington is looking overseas for next season, the NBL will end up being a very second rate league. Homicide has been around a few years, but is no guarantee of making Australia home, Redhage and Ballinger are not highlight reel material, and Bruton and Penney being across the ditch do not make a great face of the league. Interesting times ahead.