Typical same rubbish as previous years with Sturt becoming the 36ers' backup team. Sturty Sixers rumours to start up again. Same old story ..... oh hang on, he didn't sign with Sturt? LOL. Still waiting for someone to sign with the Western Magic .....

Moses, didn't anyone tell you about Julius signing with WM?

Julius? Surely you don't mean Julius Winfield II?

..... as in Erving (that may have been a bit cryptic). Cat turned 60 this year!

who else has moved clubs or left the league so far within the mens ABL or which teams have signed 6ers, interstate or overseas guys ?
Gazzo is going to sunny Qld and Gerlach is travelling but havent heard much else .....

West will need to sign as many players they can get after loosing Bond Molitor Kurtis Davidson and Crusher. not doubt Dowdell will need some support yes he will rip it up in the ABL.. but can West's bank account support big name players ( maybe raise junior fees lol ) or find a big sponsor

But they are going to need more than just Dowdell to compete. Anyway do people think he will make THAT much of a difference?

Has Davidson officially hung up the boots?

That along with the loss of Bond will have a huge impact in the backcourt for West.

Perhaps some other Sixer targets in mind?

belly will get an american, you watch.

Bearcats have added support now of magic which be a good revenue stream - good on magic.
Your support is very welcome.

Anonymous - perhaps a guard and 3 man from down far south may be going to bearcat land .... watch this space

their under 23s have so far lost to north by 40. And centrals by 36. They don't seem to have the next crop of abl players coming through that group.

But after recruiting a new team for next season over the top of their juniors, you will hear the Bearcats scream when they go off to play at other clubs.

PLus, who would want to go and play in the same team as Blake Truslove anyway?

under 23s are hardly juniors, plenty of clubs will start these guys in abl obviously just not west. Hell most clubs will start 2.

just heard braithwaite from southern to west??

Well Sturt started 3 U20 players last year.

And both Bond and Spehr have left because of the way they have been treated.

So yeah, keep on believing that juniors shouldnt get a go.

Southern just got a lot worse, if its possible!

Mimas19, how can you say Bond and Spehr didn't get a go?

Spehr actually got an ABL game when he was first year u18, which is very very rare. Left for Sturt not for opportunity in ABL but to have a good U18 season to push for the AIS.

Bond started for half the year in a top 2 ABL team and played third most minutes in the GF. Not bad considering the two guys who played the most minutes were Molitor and Davidson. With Davidson retiring, there was a massive opportunity for him to step up in that role, but he chose play for North instead.

Last season, West started three club juniors who have played since Under 12s (Kurtis (20), Molitor (21), Spud (23)) and their sixth man was Bond (19). A few years ago, they also started FOUR 21 or under (Spud, Craddock, Phillips and Molitor).


Unfortunately, there is not a lot of promise in the current U23 West squad. They have lost their best four players to other clubs (Bond and Spehr), college (Kurtis) or football (Molitor). Not a lot left after that to compete at ABL level, which is relfeted in their results.

hydra 26,

Ill give your answer a try.

For starters, a different coach gave Spehr a game. Not the current coach.

The year after Spehr got a couple of games. West recruited Ryan Kersten and Brad Davison. So realistically, Spehr may not have gotten anymore court time until next season had both continued along with Spud,Craddock, Pearce and Bond etc. So really Spehr left cause he wanted opportunity, rather than being recruited over in an already tough guard spot.

And Bond was starting until he told to the coach that he was still looking to go to college. Then suddenly went to the bench. And could never get a answer for why, nor any help as an individual. Dont you think it speaks volumes, that given he knew he would be getting greater opportunity, that he still chose to leave?

Kersten and Davidson played in separate years, they weren't recruited together nor were they ever in the same team. After Davidson was forced into NBL retirement, he decided to move from ABL coach to player and Kersten moved to North.

Pretty sure Bond didn't start because there were better players in the team in his position. Kurtis had made his college intentions known during the season and he wasn't benched.

Spehr leaving West for Sturt for less playing time competiton? Ng, Ng, Maynard, Daly, Bauer is a tough rotation to break into...

anonymous ... if its so easy toscore in abl who do you play for ? you must be leading scorer in league by sounds of it !
question for you - if Braithwaite didnt score for Tigers last yearwho would of ? think you'll find he wil flourish in a system that has genuine bigs ad other perimeter dangers, unlike at tigerland where there bigs are 3 men in any other team !
Think the quesion should b asked as to why he hs left ...why would you continually want to play at a club tht puts no resources or effort into trying to win - think you'll find others following suit if things dont change down south !

Think you'll find coach walked .... club was willing to reappoint !
if they wait for their juniors o come through they willhave a lean 10 years - not a whol lot there !

Don't know how a player's departure from West over two years ago is relevant here, especially since Spehr left (and remains) on good terms with everyone at West and certainly did not leave for reasons of bad feeling or frustrated ABL aspirations - at 17 years of age, ridiculous. As I hear it, he turned down ABL opps in 2009 because of Year 12 studies. Please use someone else to bolster the argument!

Bond has made a decision to go to North. Other players are moving too! That's basketball, par for the course, get over it and MOVE ON.