hoopie
Years ago
I'm not enough of an AFL fan to know who's who, but here's one for those of you who are fans.
If the AFL could put up a team of basketballers right now, how good could they be?
Jack Watts, Dean Brogan, Nick Naitanui, ... who else could play? And what sort of standard would they be if they had a reasonable coach? (ABA?)
Vart
Years ago
Adding to your list hoopie, off the top of my head - Scott Pendlebury, Kurt Tippett, Todd Goldstein, Ryan Bathie, Ben Dowdell.
Probably would lack the genuine size needed in a basketball frontcourt to be really competitive.
A.W
Years ago
Jenkins
Tippett
Bathie
Watts
Pendlebury
Brogan
Goldstein
NicNat
Dowdell
Would be a decent squad.
Smithy
Years ago
Add
Roughhead State team Cv
Seaby State team WA metro
Chaplin State team CV
Dal Santo CV ITC
Brown twins Nathan and Mitch CV ITC
Jordan Lewis CV ITC
hoopie
Years ago
Maybe BA could organise a curtain-raiser for a big game sometime - something like AFL stars vs NBL Legends or an SEABL team.
Even if you reckon they might be a bit small, they can still out-jump and out-run and out-muscle most players below NBL. (I played against the Collingwood guys in the off-season and we got monstered.)
...
Years ago
Jimmy Bartel grew up playing basketball too! Also, Richmond drafted Nick Westhoff two years ago, who was a State baller at Forestville. You could also take a couple of guys from the SANFL - Matt Illman and Jordan Dodman (36ers).
Mick
Years ago
Jake Spencer for the Ds can play a bit of ball. Stands about 6"10' too.
Matt Dea for Richmond was a very good Vic Country basketballer.
Daniel Bass played for Vic Metro & I think hung 40 on SA Metro at a nationals in a bronze medal game.
Tornado
Years ago
Matthew Jaensch played Ball at a good level growing up as well I think?
doesn't nicnats twin brother play ball in wa? how good would it be if he was basketballs version of his brother! instant media coverage on that for sure
Sam Day - Gold Coast
Scott McMahon - North Melbourne
tyrell
Years ago
Nic Nat's brother was (not sure if he is still ballin) an awesome baller- never continued on after juniors and I don't think he played at district level ever but he could play. Nic Nat was an awesome baller too. The best thing about both Natanui's boys is that they are very down to earth, great guys who are genuine and love their sport- not some egotistical "hero's"!!
Jaenschy played in the local league at Mt Barker, was pretty handy but never played district (although he certainly could have).
Jarrad Redden (SAC), played against Watts @ the U/18 Nats a few years back. Also Chad Wingard (SAC) & Danyale Pearce (SAM) both played 16 Nats
Not Me Again!
Years ago
Danyle Pearce - I think he played State Metro at U18's. Definitely did at Under 16's.
Pearce didn't make U18s... think his priority was footy by that stage but was Kersten's backup in 16s.
Gaylord Focker
Years ago
If someone could teach Buddy Franklin a few post moves, try stopping him in the low block! Would also be quite handy running the floor..
Tony Shaw used to play men's A or B grade at Nunawading with Graeme Wright, Tony Morwood and a few other Collingwood players from the early 90s. They were rubbish. We used to spank them with a team of U16/18 Spectres/Rangers benchies..
LOL Buddy is only 6ft5, don't think he'd be a post up player.
On a news item recently, it looked like David Rodan has a shot and some moves.
I heard Andrew McLeod used to be a good baller.
orbit
Years ago
Great thread hoopie!
What about an AFL bball team of the century?
Brogan captain/coach. Only bloke ever with championships in both! That will last forever (even though he had minimal impact with the 36ersthat year)
Who else?
Luke Davis (on Essendons list) won an U14 nationals gold medal with Sturt.
I believe Dyson Heppell played against him in the semi for Melbourne that year too.
Luke Russell from Gold Coast played in the same U16 Tasmania team as Greenwood. Was one of the better kids at Nationals.
What about basketball players that could play aussie rules? i could see russel westbrooke busting packs through the middle and tacking hangers in the goal square. May not have the engine but athleticism would be off the charts.
Chris Dawes - Vic Metro
Steffan Martin - Nunawading Junior
Jack Watts - Vic Metro Captain
Todd Goldstein - Vic Metro
Jordan Jones - Vic Country
Matt Dea - Vic Country
Jordan Dodman - SA Metro
Jonathon Patton - Dandenong
The Brown Twins - Vic Country
Robbie Gray - Nunawading Junior
Daniel Bass - Vic Metro
Scott Pendlebury - Vic Country
Brett Meredith - Vic Metro
Tom Downie - Vic Country
Dean Brogan - AIS
Ben Dowdell - AIS
Jordyn Gysberts - Kilsyth
Jack Grimes - Diamond Valley
Mathew Kruezer - Diamond Valley
Justin Westhoff - SA
Tom Scully - Dandenong
Great knowledge above anon, very good list!
I find it fascinating to hear of AFL players bball backgrounds.
Just one minor adjustment:
Jordan Dodman - SA Metro
He was actually SA Country, but played for a metro based club (Sturt)
You know how us Basketballers get "angry" when the AFL target and steal basketballers away from us... I wonder what the AFL would think if the NBA started targeting their players?
Just thinking if the NicNat dunk hit the highlight reels in the US, they might think the AFL could be a place to find recruits.
NRSwans
Years ago
I heard that Chad Wingard was offerred an AIS Basketball Scholarship after an outstanding U-16 Nationals in Perth. Chad could seriously ball!
AK-47
Years ago
Yeah, I played against Chad last year in Knockout. Great handles, good foot speed and some nice hops to go with it!
Gaylord Focker
Years ago
Adam Ramanauskis.. Had enormous potential as a junior baller at Dandenong. May have played Vic Metro U16s in around 1995? He chose footy quite early though so maybe not..
Although he only played 3 games for Adelaide, a guy called Brent Williams drafted by the Crows in around 1996 and was a top ten draft pick.. Couldn't get a regular game in Blight's team that went back-to-back in 97/98.. Played Vic Metro U16s and 18s and was the best shooting guard in the country at junior level. He should have stuck with the round ball!
Vesta77
Years ago
In response to smithy:
Add
Roughhead State team Cv
Seaby State team WA metro
Chaplin State team CV
Dal Santo CV ITC
Brown twins Nathan and Mitch CV ITC
Jordan Lewis CV ITC
It surely cannot be that hard to make country Victoria itc!
whaleoilbeefhhoked
Years ago
Never played AFL but Leigh Carlson captained SA Country, went to the Tute and played for West Sydney Razorbacks for a couple of years.
Ended up captaining Coburg Tigers for about 3 or 4 seasons
hoopie
Years ago
That's a shirt-load of good talent you've mentioned, but could any of them have made NBL or even the Boomers?
Green
Years ago
NRSwans,
I think you are seriously mistaken. And I mean seriously.
hoopie
Years ago
After all the hype last year about the AFL recruiting US basketballers, does anyone know how those recruited are actually doing?
Have any of them played AFL yet?
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