Half your teams are not exactly in great financial positions and you struggle to get games on TV and you are more worried about the 1 NZ Team in the comp lmao

About 4 years ago, I would have agreed with you Phil, why bother with a NZ team if they play in an ugly tin shed venue in front of only 2000 people when there could be a better franchise out of Hobart.

However, the last two years the Breakers have perhaps become the most professional franchise in the league. They've taken a few games to the impressive Vector arena - and attracted very good crowds - and their games at NSEC have been played to capacity crowds this season. Winning a championship will help that of course, but they also have their own TV deal, and the whole country seems to be behind them right now.

So nothing but good things are coming out of NZ and is actually helping our league in a big way. I just hope they don't win tonight and the championship comes back to Perth where it belongs!

^great post. i dont get along with Wildcat fans usually, but awesome to see you tell it how it is. Respect

Wasn't the question about having an NZ team playing in Australian National Championships - not about the Breakers in the NBL?

let them play - just change the name of the title / championships

What channel will the game be on tonight and at what time (AEST) is tip off?

Is this post about the NBL, or more generally speaking about other championships where junior teams travel over the ditch to participate against out state teams?

As far as the NBL goes, what is the issue, really....?

The Breakers have Aussie born players and imports the same as any other team, if they are financial and professional we should embrace them as part of the national/international competition!

Maybe some of our clubs or franchises here can take a leaf out of their book, if they are leading by example, well good on them...

As far as juniors go, I don't see us travelling over to NZ very often, so good on them for coming over and compting.

Nothing more inspiring than for our juniors to go into a final against a Kiwi side that performs the Haka in front of packed house of 800+ people screaming and shouting their approval...

Been there and seen it first hand, awesome.

Inspiration, motivation and national pride, that's what we want to see, isn't it.....?

as i said on the other blog, you develop faster when you compete (play actual game time against stronger teams)not sit on the bench or at practice.
very clever NZ coaches (please take note).

well said again Bear worth repeating.

Nothing more inspiring than for our juniors to go into a final against a Kiwi side that performs the Haka in front of packed house of 800+ people screaming and shouting their approval..

The question was more about the National Championships rather than the NBL. Not in any way knocking NZ or the Breakers who are probably the best side to watch ATM in the NBL. Also happy to play against them any time in AUST v NZ contests which are becomming epic struggles. Just do not understand why they are invited to our national championships. Are we invited to theirs?

Don't know the answer to that one Phil, but I can tell you this mate, the cost for parents of kids that compete in Nationals and State tournaments is very high.

I for one would not be able to afford to go overseas as regular as within my own state or interstate, so I think it is as much a financial consideration as maybe one of coordination and accomodation.

Maybe down the track NZ Basketball will organise a high level junior tournament worthy of attracting our state teams over there, but at the moment I am not aware of any, not at junior level anyway.

Vic Country pulled teams out of the Pacific Slam, partially because of the cost and in part due to the competition (supposedly)!

The cost of junior basketball at the highest level could be another post in itself I guess.....?

Including NZ is a real positive at the junior champs. If you ask any of the players I think you will find that they are impressed by the inclusion of a national team in their event. Sometimes I think we loose track of the fact that we are talking about 14 to19 year old kids here, having a positive experience that they have all worked hard to achieve. Some will go on to make it a career but most will see it as the peak of their sporting life.

Ahh fair enough... Just thought it was about the nbl and the breakers since all the focus it about that right now - the GF. But I see your point.

Hey Tassieballer great call

"having a positive experience that they have all worked hard to achieve"

By having a New Zealand franchise in the NBL, NRL and A League they have access to a whole other market of fans and sponsors. Kiwi's have been playing in these comps for some time so I guess it was just a natural progression to have a franchise based over here especially when it is no further away than most Australian based franchises.
Australians have been playing in the NZBL for years also.
NZ doesn't have the population or depth to have top level national comps in most sports so it is great that our kids can play against strong Australian club sides to help further the respective sports. If we can fight and die together in war, surely we can play sport with and against each other in peace?

Mystro, I agree and let's not forget that Facebook and all the social media access kids have these days means they can become quite good friends and stay in touch on a regular basis no matter how far away they are.

It is a really small planet in some respects and the kids get a kick out of comparing notes and accents with each other during such events.

Precious memories and classic comments always amuse me, I envy the young ones with all their opportunities these days.

agree Bear, the internet has def bought the world closer.

They are a part of Australasia.

The colony of NZ was once part of the colony of NSW (A.H. McLintock (ed), An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand", 3 vols, Wellington, NZ:R.E. Owen, Government Printer, 1966, vol 3 p. 526.), so it is only fit and proper that all Australasians past, present and future be invited.

s6 of The Australian Constitution permits the inclusion of NZ as a state of the Commonwealth is they wish to be included in this great land.

"The States" shall mean such of the colonies of New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia, including the northern territory of South Australia, as for the time being are parts of the Commonwealth, and such colonies or territories as may be admitted into or established by the Commonwealth as States; and each of such parts of the Commonwealth shall be called "a State".

When you have a birthday party, you generally invite all your brothers and sisters, cousins, uncles and aunties. Our cousins across the ditch are no different.

Look up NEW WORLD ORDER/CLUB OF ROME,and then it will all be unveiled.The plan is a federation of 10 world regions-us being with NZ & South Africa as a federation,so the sporting side of things is just a precursor to the main event.conspiracy theories -anyone?

We "invite" the NZers to come here once they are of working age to get the dole and rental assistance, so why not invite the active ones to be involved in a great competition?

All this being so, why don't we invite all our Papuan brothers too?

Not sure if I am keen on this merged Aust/NZ entity we are becoming. Don't think that too many Kiwis would like the idea either, based on their opinions of our fighting folk.

Seriously folks, just wanted to make the point that the Nat. championships should be to determine the best side in Australia. Just like I am sure the NZ championships are to determine their best team. No disrespect to anyone.

previous anon post

quote

"We do them a favour basically.

Unfortunately, they often send weaker teams than what they could and they get beaten pretty easily.

I've coached in 4 Nationals for different states/territories. Always beaten NZ pretty easily."

Ok, so that means you have never coached an ACT rep team ?

If ever there was a state that was just making up the numbers it the ACT,

Always loved the NZ boys , watched them giving one of the Stackers absolute hell from the sidelines , barracking against the Vics at an u18 championships here in adelaide about 1976 - loved it !

This question has been asked ever since the Auckland Warriors (now New Zealand Warriors) first played in what was then the Australian Rugby League (ARL) back in 1995 and now its continued to be asked with the Breakers in the NBL.

While even I questioned their inclusion to their respective competitions at the time really there has only been positives. Its helped bring a new dimension to both comps and both teams have been successful with the Breakers going into the current GF series as defending champs and the Warriors played in both the 2002 and 2011 NRL Grand Finals.

Their inclusion in 'our national championships' has also brought a higher profile to both basketball and rugby league in New Zealand with record crowds at both club and international level and more people playing the games. It has also helped both codes national teams to be more successful than they had previously had been.

One question I do have is why is it that this question (Why do Kiwis play at our national championships) only ever comes up when the NZ based team is successful? You rarely hear it asked when their losing...

^ great post Holden V8


and for the record that dickhead in NZ talking shit about Australian Diggers is just as offensive to us Kiwi's as he is to you Australians and in no way reflects New Zealand opinion or how we hold our trans tasman relationship

No problem. Just think of Kiwis as Tasmanians that talk funny.

Generally speaking and from what I have observed only in the past four or so years the quality of NZ teams at junior level can be anything from easy beats to exceptional athletes that double as state level rugby players when they are not playing basketball.

I am sure it comes down to the all mighty dollar, NZ cannot send teams over that are fully sponsored because that kind of coin is just not around in basketball over here in the Southern Hemosphere...

So, what we get is a mixed bag, and every now and then NZ Basketball send over a team that competes at the top level and is even good enough to win one of our championships, but I for one will encourage the competition and would be very sadened indeed should it ever cease...