If only this could be the case in juniors as well..?

The way the NBL was called was never remotely close to FIBA, this change will move it closer to the international game, not further away. Who wrote the article?

Would be nice to pick the best of the way the NBA, Euroleague, NBL and international game is called and create a mix, but that is probably a bit complex.

The best news is Mal Cooper says he will be giving a lot of feedback and instruction to refs and penalising those who don't call it the way they want, this is what's needed to get consistency. A promising move to clean the game up.

Good to hear.How about give 3 points for a dunk...I'm not serious, but they do need to encourage an offensive game where players attempt to dunk rather than Gaze version of 'play it safe and get the bucket, don't worry about being flashy'.

Fantastic decision if followed through. It will be interested to see how quickly the referees and players adapt.

Qusetion is can Hollywood keep his ego in check....

Apparently so far they've been stricter on the guards and away from the basket, but let a bit go in rebounding contests. That sounds reasonable to me - in a loose ball situation, you want to allow some hustle.

I'll third that. Physicality with the body is ok if in a positional battle, but the grabbing, pushing and checking has to go.

I don't think this will see a huge increase in scoring, but it will make the game cleaner to watch.

The defence and scouting is very good at the moment, so they will still find ways to make it tough for the offence. I expect average scoring to just go back to the low 80s, where it was for a number of years before last season.

Anon, I only mentioned rebounding contests and loose-ball situations, not any case when someone had the ball making a move. I think they'll be pushing for what you're talking about.

Reffing was good at Taipans vs Hawks game on Saturday, they only called one (blatant) travel, even though there was heaps of feet shuffling going on. Contact calls were pretty good, players learnt early what they couldn't get away with. Though it seems the refs were doing their best to let Hawks back into the game in the last quarter with some dodgy calls then. 50-50 calls went to the offensive team.

Spin move was allowed back last season, and about time too.

It was effectively banned. I was told it started from Ian Stacker complaining about it one year at the pre-season meeting and refs were told to crack down on it, removing a great play from our league for a few years there. Apologies to Ian if that isnt what actually happened!

Geoff Weeks is the best ref in Adelaide's NBL history. Closely followed by a few in his era. Calling everything wasn't their way, using their voice and punishing the player who did stupid things.

Best NBL was back then. I don't think calling everything will make the game exciting. Just call the FIBA game.

that's regulating the game not controlling and dictating how players are allowed to play according to them.

Glad to hear this is the intent. Hopefully the referees genuinely follow through on it and we can get some more spectacular basketball instead of the Gooorjian inspired grind that has dominated for the last decade.

I'd actually like to see NBA style illegal defence rules as well, which would open up the key for more post play, athletic drives and dunks.

I laugh at the generalisation that the past decade has been a grind! From about 98 to 00 was very physical and the past season and a half has been too, that's why change is needed just as there was in 2001.

But over the past decade I think the NBL would have the highest scoring rate of any of the top 10 leagues in the world.

so if referees will be penalised if they don't call the game right does that penalty get removed from their pay for the game or accumulated and paid at the end of the season?

Good to hear Billy Mildenhall is employed by the NBL again as he was always my favourite referee

I don't see that happening. The NBA and Euroleague have the cleanest and most consistent reffing standards and yet physical strength and power are enormous factors in both comps (and low scoring games are common).

If you crack down on the hand/arm contact then body strength becomes more important. What this welcome change will do is allow players to show off their offensive skills a bit better, but it wont be a monumental change.

Paul, no doubt I don't see as much NBL as you do, but Perth has certainly been playing grind it out, ugly basketball for more than the last season and a half! Cairns has largely been pretty tough to watch for a few years too. About the only two teams I've enjoyed watching for a few years now are NZ and the Hawks!
Anyway, maybe it wasn't a solid decade of grind, but as a Sixers fan it sure feels like it!

Perth were anything but a grind, playing one of the fastest tempos in the league for some time. Last year they slowed a little as the whole league did, but they were not a grind it out team under Beveridge, they were a play fast team at both ends.

Of course, they did play overly physical, and that's what needs to change and Im glad the NBL is making some changes.

Always has been always will be a bitta body under the basket thats fine.But, lesser players shouldn't man handle better players.
Many times I've often wondered why the home team always gets the better deal. Like watching a movie when you know whats gonna happen , I just get bored
and more entertaining when ya don't know what's gonna happen next.

Well, I have been concerned about the way our game has been heading for a few years now so for me if this phylosophy of officiating to the rules (but in a common sense way) can be adopted throughout the whole country and at all levels I would be pleased.

Conversely, if it is not, and it is only the NBL, then what the hell are we doing here??

I we dont', then may as well just give up IMO, no way the AFL doesn't make sure rules are followed down stream into juniors.

So I expect some crucial decisions from the leaders of basketball in Australia to do the right thing here and make sure it is not just an NBL fad...

...if we don't...