and there we have it, short holiday down under for those guys and a long flight home.

Heard about this. Was surprised the crocs were this proactive. Credit to them.

Just hope they dont rush to sign both replacements. Hold out as long as possible to get the right guy.

Just read that they are looking to replace Withers with an Australian..?!?!

Who is available? Starting calibre Australian centres don't exactly grow on trees.

Neville???

And are they just going to ask Gill back to run the point? haha...

It's dissappointing that after the most talk out of any NBL club this offseason about how good their imports were going to be, they ended up with not one but two duds.

@Mick
You didn't hear diddly squat.
Thought you had the inside word on the Crocs????

Have never claimed to be anything but a fan way on the outer.

Get your story straight mate.

Mick. Seams to me like the Crocs finally figured out what ALMOST everyone on here knew. That their current line up was very ordinary.

Of course they have also realised I think that rather than having two great young point guards they have a couple of OK young backup PG's and will fill the spot with an import.

BUT they will soon realise also that "we have so mcomingming from our Australian content here that we do necessarilyrily need to look beyond Australia" based I guess on pre season form from the likes of Ben Allen is so far off the mark. Unless the other Australian they will pick up is indeed some one such as Luke Nevill I will say right now, the Kings have some company in the battle for the spoon.

Ignoring the trolls, and back on topic, what Australian bigs are even available at this point?

There is also the option of taking a flyer on starting Ben Allen, given his consistent pre-season form, and shoring up the bench...

@fstos - Crocs, even if they fill both roster spots with bench calibre QBL players, are still better than Melbourne.

But yeah, unless they unearth a couple of great signings, they are just ahead of Sydney and Melbourne and a great step behind everyone else...

Wonder if they'd get Blalock back? Is he contracted? They've obviously left it pretty late. The Jazzmar SEABL guy?

As for the big, Vanderjagt is a year out of the league. Going through the player points list: I assume Dowdell and Helliwell have retired. BJ Anthony!? Gynes, Iti, Lang?

Should read "We have so much comming from our Australian content that we don't necessarily need to look beyond Australia" for our second player.


This was from the press release and could only have been based on pre season. PC is really the only top class Aussie they have. The rest are roll players.

Don't think Blalock would be in contention. Was too passive for this team. Need a leader with a bit of fire.

I just hope they dont rush into signing anyone just so they can have a full roster come game 1.

Sometimes it's better to bite the bullet for some short term pain then get the long term gain.

Been told they have spoken with an ex SEABL import.

Not sure which Aussies are around that fit what they are after...unless they get a PG on a short term deal until they can find the right import.

The fight for wooden spoon is on between Melbourne, Sydney and Townsville!

When the Croc's CEO is shooting off his mouth at the Blitz in full hearing of others saying the team wouldn't want to have a 0 & 2 start to the season or the coach will be looking for a job I could only imagine what he has told Wolpert behind closed doors. No wonder he sacked the imports!

Id say give Jazzmar Ferguson a go and see what he can do. He was sensational in the SEABL for Albury - many people said he wouldnt last in SEABL as he came from a small college. Now people are saying he isnt good enough for NBL.

Im sure he could prove people wrong again. The Crocs imports were pretty average though.

Maybe they could get Lester Strong from Knox and see what he can do in the NBL. He mustbe close to being naturalised as well. He got 13 points for the Singapore slingers against Perth last night.

Yep Ferguson & Strong would be a good addition to the Squad

Bring back Diamon Simpson to the league.

@ Anon: Smythe has said they will be replaced before the first game.

I doubt the Crocs would be looking at SEABL players. Firing your two imports a mere ten days before season tipoff and hiring a replacement from the second tier Australian league isn't great for fans' confidence in the club when you are trying to sell season tickets and sponsorships.

Even if though there are NBL-capable Americans playing in the SEABL, I wouldn't think it's a path they will go down.

Ferguson would be the first player that comes to mind and you'd think he'd be more than capable at NBL level & fits the need for a PG. If they are after a 3/4 swing my first thought was Barrett but i thnk he is still injured.

If they are looking at Aussie bigs maybe they speak with Vanderjagt but thats only if they think Rusty & Allen are up to the job for the season....imports bigs are hard to find on a tight budget!

Erv would have to be at the top of list.

I doubt the Crocs would be looking at SEABL players. Firing your two imports a mere ten days before season tipoff and hiring a replacement from the second tier Australian league isn't great for fans' confidence in the club when you are trying to sell season tickets and sponsorships.

Massingale has only done well because he has not been scouted. Give it 2-3 rounds of regular season before he is worked out and will struggle to score. 1 tip I will give is to make CJ put the ball on the floor. He is a deadly catch and shoot guy.

There is no reason why they can't grab Ervin and Neville, fiscally speaking, and assuming they both will be available. All they need is the balls to pull the trigger.

If the necessary capital isn’t there it isn’t there, but if there's anything left in the coffers at all right now they have to ask themselves if the club can survive a year of not being competitive with the title contenders.

If you skimp now you might finding yourself paying double when no one is coming through that gate...

Crocs should enquire and try to lure Ervin or Homicide Down Under. Either man would be great for the league.

Was the past parting with Homicide all that amicable?

Mick, Nevill has a job AFAIK, so I don't think it's even worth the hypothetical.

Anybody from the Kiwi league worth enquiring about?

How about bring Larry Abney back to the NBL?

Get Ron Dorsey

BJ Anthony has to be worth a look as a bit of the muscle the crocs sorely need. I just read he had 31 and 17 in his last game in nz, so definately over his injury probs. Then pay up for Gary Ervin.

not exactly what you want less than 2 weeks from season tip off.....especially for a team that needs its imports to be good to be in the mix. I hope for them and the league they can get it together sooner rather than later.

Neville is contracted to the nba during preseason so doubtful he would be back anytime soon. Smythe is still at the crocs so Homocide wont go back until he is gone. Some ex-nbl bigs playing qbl for mackay/rocky but would you really go after that if no one has before ? Ervin has stepped up a pay grade and the crocs aren't going to throw the baby out with the bath water for 1 season, just not their style.

Crocs will be short 1 maybe 2 players come rnd 1 with visa requirements etc for an import(s) unless this has been planned over a week ago. Aussie bigs maybe from seabl/qbl (Mackay/Rocky).

From a team management perspective - a big cock up with even worse timing, but it had to be done. What damage this does to their season start is up for debate but i believe it will cost them a few W's they were expected to get in the first half of the season. You can't just gel 2 new guys in a week and expect success. Crocs have the team to make a late run if it sticks together.

Homicide firing was not amicable at all. He just came off an MVP and they fired him via an sms or an email. Smythe later admitted to the press it was the wrong way to go about it. Homicide went public about the whole botched affair.

Smythe has turned the club from the most fnancially stable in the league to one of the least profitable during his reign. Time to go in a new direction?

yeah neville wont be giving up his shot with the pacers NBA training camp team to play for the crocs.

but he might come if he doesnt make the cut.
in the meantime t-ville could sign bj anthony (or someone similar) on a short term contract. he's not a centre but he's close enough, provided crocs get a gun import PG and the probably the best available local within oz/nz

Daniel Dillon and BJ Anthony?

Lol at massingale not yet been scouted. That is funny. Has played what seven years and not been scouted?????



who? played at what level?

I just hope Smythe isn't steadfast about the roster being filled come game 1.

Take the time, get it right. The Crocs start slow every year anyway.

I'd seriously re-consider filling either spot with a local player. Cannot think of anyone who is of the calibre that is required.

Flip Forte for an import PG, and just stay with the original plan for the big by swapping out Withers for someone who plays the same sort of game except is, you know, good at it. If Allen keeps producing at the same rate you swap the import to the bench for an impact sixth man role and have Big Ben as your starting C.

The roster right now is only at about $ 500 000. Plenty of flexibility....

Playing basketball at this level may not be their FORTE!

According to Boti, the local big is potentially SEABLer Jack Osborn who trialled with the Hawks and was overlooked when they favoured Auryn McMillan.

Ervin is indeed a "gun import point" candidate they're considering. They will need someone of that calibre to win games, IMO.

If Ervin is available Melbourne should cut their losses with Braswell now and go after him.

This looks like they are saying to themselves "Ben Allen has been a surprise improvement so we can skimp on the replacement big. Why get 8 points and four rebounds out of Withers when we can get that production out of a player half of the cost."

They are lowering the bar here and I hope they see the light.

Most NBL coaches would have seen Massingale or at least seen him play. Also a very good portion of NBL players would have played against him. The reason Clarke took him was from watching him play when he coached the AIS.

Much more scouted than any new import anyway.

If townsville get Ervin and a SEABL level import that would be all good.
If their must they would've planned an available player before they sacked the two imports.

I'd go Ervin and vanderjagt. A stud and a cheapie.

Horvath is teaching in palmy so i'd try get Larry abney with ervin

Ervin and Osborn I think.

Massingale was still 2nd in scoring and lead his team to the final so he hasnt lost much. His form seems pretty good to me and I watch him play fairly often. He is there to score....thats what he does. He would be close to being naturalised as well if that is a appealing.

Massingale is a perfect fit for the 36ers.

He is a great pickup to come on and give them another scoring threat among Weigh, Schen, Gibson and DJ.

He wasn't recruited to be the man, and go out and score 30 every night.

As a coach your not going out there to secure the services of the 'best overall player', you are going out there to secure a player who is the best fit for your team. Massingale fits the bill for the 36ers.

What happened to Craig Bradshaw?

With the way this Crocs team was constructed though, they needed both imports to be both a perfect fit and "the man". They were neither of those things.

Still think it's a mistake to try to replicate Withers poor production with a guy who is worth what Withers output is actually worth, though (ie bringing in SEABL player). Crocs need more, even with Allen improving. They needed more down low, even if they KEPT schensch...

they should look at Brandon Brown, Mt Gambier Pioneers import that finished the year at the point. Great alround passionate point guard who wants to make his team better and isnt concerned about padding his own stats just doing whatever is needed to get his team the win. Better than Ferguson as a point guard in my opinion.

I dont agree they needed them to be the man, the Crocs have decent Aussie talent. But one of them needs to be able to score and draw the defence.

I dont agree they needed them to be the man, the Crocs have decent Aussie talent. But one of them needs to be able to score and draw the defence.

Craig Bradshaw just came off a season in NZ averaging 17 and 6.
For the same team, Labney averaged 19 and 10.

Either wouldn't be a bad option IMO.

Should get one of those relatively cheaply (compared to a normal import price), then they could throw the rest at Ervin

Why has nobody signed Craig Bradshaw??

Bradshaw isn't an import, he is a kiwi, giving us the option to add one during the season if we get an injury, and have the funds.

PG - Ervin/Norton/C.Cedar
SG - PC/M.Cedar
SF - Blanchfield
PF - Holmes/Hinder
C - Allen/Bradshaw

Front court has no studs but if Allen can continue his pre season form, the others are serviceable and bring certain skills to the table(although none of them are really go to low block scorers or big lock down defenders). The backcourt has some studs in Ervin & PC, good young talent in C.Cedar & Norton, a promising athletic wing in Blanchfield & although M.Cedar hasn't grown into the player we would have hoped, he can still knock down the 3 ball.

A reminder for recruiters: combo guard doesn't mean they are awesome at the point and at the 2. Generally it means they are a shoot-first, pass-second guy who isn't a great shooter.

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