The same Gerard Leonard that was a pretty average chucker in Div 1 Big V??

Woah

Some clubs cutting there budgets so not as actively recruiting.Things should start to fire up a little in the coming weeks.

Rhea
Yes the same G. Leanard?

A few of the Melb clubs are looking at the Junior/college returnee option as a few clubs have reveiwed the $$$ side of things in the current economic climate.

I'd take Bruce any day.He wont have any problem finding another club. I think you'll find alot of teams will be similar to last year. Will Frankston sign Long and two imports?

Masunda - Hobart
McMillan - Having season off
O'Hea - Nuna
Bridgewater - Waverley

Any word on other movements?

Sandy have been keeping a low profile thus far

Nuna interesting move with O'hea...are they keeping Sheppard? They are the same type of player.

Kilsyth going for youth might have a tough year & leonard is an interesting signing that raises some questions about direction when they let O'hea go for a guy whom has been plugging away in D1 of Big V.

Knox look like a good young core together with expereinced imports so pending other expereince signing they will be improved from last year.

Geelong - They will be tough as always.

Albury - Will depend on how the imports go....but the Big V signing will be an interesting one!

Hobart - Pending the imports i like some of the other moves they have completed.

Leonard will merely play his role off the bench surely?
What happened with Shaun Bruce at ballarat ? I can't imagine it would have anything to do with coach flint.
Wilcher coming bak to sandy after his stint in England?

Wilcher signed with Bendigo 6 weeks ago.Fischer will play the 1 for the Miners.

Polk has signed with Frankston. Woohoo as a chargers fan I am estatic, thought he was very one dimensional and was a liability on defence against athletic 4's.

With masunda signed lets grab a decent size centre, and another Jordan Gregg type and we will be competitive.

Kilsyth are going to struggle. Their full starting five aren't returning bar Lang. I'm surprised they didn't keep Masunda. Also don't understand the Leonard .

@whitey how do u know Polks gone to Frang? Thats a big gap im the Hobart lineup. One dimensional? I'll take a 20 and 10 one dimensional import any day.

If Frang can grab another import and keep Long they'll be tough as shit!

80 percent of the offense went through him, and he was permanently camped in the post. Which makes boards easier to come by.

He needs to be more athletic in his play, in my opinion.

I will have to find a source for him going to Frankston, but the word in Hobart is he is gone.

Frankston made an offer to him months ago as girlfriend lives locally.Great fit for FRankston as havent had a 5 man since Gruber.

36ers development players already playing for Forestville in Under 23 program!

Another recruiting coup for the club developing in the junior to senior transition

Go Eagles

Frankston have signed a new import. No not Frankston Blues but Frankston VFL have signed Alex Starling who had a stint with the Sydney Swans. Paid his own way out and the club has fixed him up with a job.Be interesting to see how he goes.

He'll be looked after well down in Dolphin land! Given we also have Leigh Kitchin who played U18 for Australia we could put together a nice little basketball team as well.

There is a also Paul Kennedy who played at Chelsea Big V down at the Dolphins.Henry left Frankston on good terms and i wouldn't be surprised if he resigned. Ticks all the boxes off the court.

Yeah, but he's a bit old and slow that Kennedy fella.

Must be the pony tail. Is he playing football this year?

Not sure. Maybe, but maybe Gulls again, trying not to think about it at the moment!

CJ could have 40 every second night in big v....Bulleen would have to pay top $$ to get CJ.......

So if CJ averaged 40 every second night he would actually only average 20 on the season? Not bad but not the best ever either

Lester looking around wont be at Knox.Frankston only 2 imports including Chuck.No money.
Thought Paul you would of started pre season by now.Isn't running up and down Olivers Hill inviting???

Right now, running up and down a court is much more inviting than that bloody hill!!

Whats the odds of you playing Big V?

Reasonable, Im a long way behind the eight-ball if I go back to the Dolphs, a lot of work to be done to catch up and my legs aint what they used to be.

How did you get the gig with FIBA?

Back in 2006 when I was studying freelance journalism I just emailed them and offered to write for free. I did that for a few years then they started sending me to tournaments, and now I write a weekly opinion piece.

It's a pittance money wise, but it helped me get my current gig with Pagemasters which is a really good one, plus I get to travel to different parts of the world watching international basketball courtside!

Just goes to show if you bang on enough doors eventually one will open.

What's the average SEABL salary?

And the top-end?

There is a big range in salaries in SEABL with some clubs paying most local players nothing except bonuses for making playoffs, etc & others paying several starters $5K-10K a season plus providing accommodation & other perks. Most NBL players would be more again I expect.

Few Big V teams are chasing the end of bench Tigers guys as they are cashed up., but depends if those NBL guys need the higher comp or are after a few extra $$$

Things have been a little quiet this pre season but that is all about to change BIG TIME!!!! Watch this space for a bombshell!!

Actually, a bombshell doesn't make people blow up (unless they swallow it).

Just sayin'.

Depends what's in it I suppose...

It will shock people more than Packer-Kerr....

Didn't see the McAughtry thing happening...came a little from left field but good luck to him in the future he is a nice guy and wish him well.

Will be interesting to see how they all go....does this annoucement at frankston effect them signing players?

You would think the coach picks the team rather than the administration....

They might just hand the reins to the assistant?

I'm sure Runchey is thanking his lucky stars hes out of there.Dont think the mens program has signed any players going into the Xmas break.

They have signed players but not any main guys as far as I know.

You might get a game Paul?

CJ Massingale has signed with Sth District Spartans and Zach Henifen returns for 2nd season.

Now that is big news Happy Days

has anyone told massingale he has signed?

Thanks SeablWatcher got it off twitter this morning.Blues new coach has been appointed.

Internal appointment.

If they can get another NBL develop player and a couple of depth guys they could be tough

I think it's a solid 5 with Brebner and another possible NBL development player added. Cj missed a few games last year because of injury and managed it the remainder of the season. To my knowledge from reading he came back weeks earlier than expected to attempt to help a struggling team. He still was in top 5 scoring! Let's not forget he is one year removed from being the league MVP. Spartans technically finished in the top four last year but unfortunately missed out due the point spread system. Adding Cj is an obvious upgrade. Even if CJ happens to have fitness problems and his injury status doesn't hold up he proved that he can be somewhat productive hence last year! Spartans aren't losing anybody for an 3x MVP and one of SEABLs 10 best players in their league history(wow just read that in bio).. They still have to gel and yes a couple of the players are getting older ie CJ George.. Low risk high reward on our part!!

Wonder why people down at Frankston know the real reason why the coach left. Perhaps a certain front office official with too much input. Wonder who will coach now.

Bongo, it would be fair to say you've hit the nail on the head!!!

Spartans would have finished in the top 4 had the coaching staff had half a clue....how dumb can you be to try and send it to OT knowing the points spread...opps i mean not knowing the points spread...!

SEABL have them AGM yet?

from what i hear numbers at training went from almost 40 at the beginning of pre-season, to just 5 2 weeks later, not sure that you can blame that on the front office? just another example of a coach used to coaching juniors coming in to coach a senior program without adjusting the way they operate, can't earn the players respect, quits, then looks for a scapegoat on the way out, what a top bloke!!

Players aren't going to train without being signed.
Front Office to blame.

a few players might've been waiting til they were signed anon, what about the rest???

Front office was blocking Coach from signing players.Unsigned players won't train as they are not covered by insurance.Now the front office is coaching the team.Go figure!!!

Al may have the highest basketball IQ known to man, coaching seniors requires more than knowledge, it requires an ability to lead, with the numbers dwindling i think it is fair to question his ability in this area.
is Nathan Jolly the new head coach anon? i heard he was great when he coached the Chelsea men.

Al may have the highest basketball IQ known to man, coaching seniors requires more than knowledge, it requires an ability to lead, with the numbers dwindling i think it is fair to question his ability in this area.
is Nathan Jolly the new head coach anon? i heard he was great when he coached the Chelsea men.

Red 36, the numbers were still high at training (all senior levels were training together), the session youre referring to with a low turnout was an off-site fitness session. I think youre confusing that with some other issues.

that's interesting Paul, can't say i've ever heard of a program where sessions, in particular fitness sessions were optional during pre-season.

Optional before Christmas but compulsary after.

btw Paul, the session i was referring to where only 5 players showed, was an on court session at frankston

Anybody heard whether Mitch Chapman has signed at Frankston as i believe there was some strong interest being shown from further up the bay.

I believe Sandringham have Rayshawn Goins as there 2nd import 6-6 4/5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg0eZJ8Es1E

Chapman is definitely training at Frankston, dont know whether he has actually signed or not.

Hearing around the traps couple of NBL players will be playing this season.

Nothin offical yet but 6er's, Kings & Tigers players have been all been mentioned.