Wonder if she can be naturalised in time for Olympics!! HA HA

Just imagine you were coaching a team and your daughter happened to be playing on the team. And every time there was a time out she would interrupt and shriek instructions to her team-mates while you were trying to speak to your players.

A report in the Bendigo Advertiser said that Griffin applied for permanent residency last Thursday. Imagine an Opals front court of LJ, Liz and Griffin!

Kristy knows far more about the game than Bernie.

If shes good enough n fits the team chmistry ...u take her

Are you sure the permanent residency isn't to do with Chelsea Aubry; there was an article on her late last week in the Bendigo Advertiser and in it she mentions she is in the process of obtaining permanent residency:

*Aubry's parents, Rick and Shelley, recently returned home to Canada after visiting their daughter in the Goldfields city she has embraced on and off the court.

She has bought a house in Spring Gully, started her first full-time job outside of basketball working for PEAK Sport, and is in the process of obtaining permanent residency here.

"Yes, I have set down some roots," she laughs.*

http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/2134818/competitive-spirit/

There was the Aubry article but last night there was this as well.

Griffin has the winning Spirit By ADAM BOURKE March 9, 2014, 7:56 p.m.
Grand final MVP Kelsey Griffin revealed after the game that last Thursday she applied for permanent residency in Australia.

"I sent off my distinguished talent visa on Thursday, so I'm really trying hard to get permanent residency,'' Griffin said.

"So if there's anyone out there that wants to help and give a shout out to immigration that I do help out the country, I'd really appreciate it,'' Griffin added with a chuckle.

Griffin has repeatedly said that playing for Bendigo the past two years has reignited her passion for basketball.

Despite being in a position to command big money to play in Europe, the Connecticut Sun WNBA forward would dearly love to continue with the Spirit.

"I love it in Bendigo, I love playing with my team-mates,'' she said.

"This team really motivates me.

"I feel very lucky that I have the chance to play in Bendigo with the Spirit."

It would appear that Griffin has "fallen in love" with Bendigo and all reports are that she fits into a team environment very well. She mentioned that her partner and her (the partner's) parents were in the stands so maybe a relationship has something to do with it as well. If she becomes eligible to represent Oz and Joyce thinks she is good enough and will fit in then so be it. By the way Kelsey hails from Alaska so is American not Canadian.

thanks for that article - hadn't seen it before.

There aren't enough positions for the younger talent coming through the ranks as it is, it's unfair for those aspiring to reach wnbl level and then onto Opals to have compete with imports as well.

If she is classified as an ausssie and is good enough to make the team then great.

She has had 2 awesome finals series since she has been in the country which shows she can rise to the big occasion.

Negatives may include;
No all star 5 selection yet

Career 45% fg shooter and 29.5% from 3

Is she a 4 or 3 at the next level and does she shoot well enough so space the floor for the likes of Liz

4th forward in mvp voting this season which doesn't include players playing abroad

By the time she can play for the Opals Will she be on the downside of her career and should we look at bringing younger players through the program.


It is hard not to love how hard she plays though.

I am no lawyer but just read the FIBA regs and I believe that Mitchell will not count as a naturalised player as she has dual nationality and was not "called up" by the US. That means she is free to choose Australia as her country for international play. Remember the angst when Dandenong signed her as what many thought was a "third" import? It was explained to us that due to her dual nationality she was not an import so that should mean there is still a spot for a naturalised player.
As for not being high in MVP voting/All Star that is difficult when you play on a team that shares the load so well. You would want the Opals to be the same as it does not matter what the sport is, if the team spreads the load then opposition teams are always going to find it difficult to "scout" and shut you down. The best relay teams I swam on always had at least 5 if not 6 guys striving for selection and that depth drives performance (providing the coach can manage any egos). You only have to look at the depth in the US to see the effect.
Similarly when wondering whether she is a 3 or 4, you are always better off when players can perform more than one role and her athleticism, work ethic and desire are things you don't find in the one package all that often.
She has played in 4 big matches here (yes all on home court) and delivered in spades in all 4. She plays with calm air of superiority without lapsing into arrogant cockiness so she might not even fit into the US team!! The Addy ran a story a few weeks ago about Sara Blicavs and she raved about how hard Kelsey was working with her even though they are effectively fighting for the same game time. I could not care less if the Yanks don't want/need her she would be great for the Opals.

One of the great grand finals, Townesville killed themselves at the start of the last qtr with a brief dry spell which ended their chances.

Gabe Richards was disappointing had no impact for most of the game and I can't see her working well in the Opals.

Griffin and Suzy were remarkable.

Anyone think Mia Newly deserves a spot at the Opals camp. I think there's a spot there for a pitch hitter off the bench to run off screens and knock down shots. She has the quickest release in the WNBL.

It's "unfair" for junior talent to have to COMPETE to earn a spot in our highest side?
Anon you are a fool!

Read the post dickhead, of course they have to compete but against Australians who have worked hard to get to thst level. I don't care if they have imports for wnbl but not for national teams. I don't agree with becoming naturalized or citizens so they can represent australia.

The country is going to shit over 1 million temp work visa now a Distinguished Talent visa come in if your good and we will put you in the National Team.

"I sent off my distinguished talent visa on Thursday, so I'm really trying hard to get permanent residency,'' Griffin said.

Below taken from australian goverment site (http://www.immi.gov.au/Visas/Pages/124.aspx)

The Distinguished Talent visa (subclass 124) lets you live permanently in Australia if you have an internationally recognised record of exceptional and outstanding achievement in:

a profession
a sport
the arts
academia and research.
You must be outside Australia when this visa is granted.

If they're that good why aren't they playing in the states, just asking.

Aaaaah, so they can become Australian, just not "real Australian"...

462178 - Kelsey started all 34 games for the Suns for 25.4 mpg, 8.7 ppg and 5 rpg. Just for comparison O'Hea didn’t start a single game and averaged 13.7 mpg, 3 ppg and 1.7 rpg. As for taking "real" Aussie’s spots I have a couple of points.
Firstly I don’t think Kelsey wants to move here to get an easy ride to an Olympic medal. In the lead-up to the GF last year the Addy ran an article featuring her parents.
“This is the happiest I’ve seen Kelsey since she’s been playing in the professional ranks,’’ Jan said.
“Kelsey had only been in Bendigo two days, we Skyped and her eyes were bright blue and she was so happy.
“We won’t have to talk Kelsey into coming back,’’ Jan said. “She’s loved it.”
Moving to live in another country and leaving behind friends and family is not something you are going to do lightly. Is the suggestion she can live here, work here and most importantly pay taxes here but can’t fully participate in life here? FIBA have the one naturalised player rule to stop wholesale nation swapping so let’s not go overboard. Secondly, as well as thinking about the player who may miss out you need to consider the ones that will go and what they deserve. I am reminded of a guy who used to think he deserved a relay spot irrespective of his training efforts or performance simply because he had been around the club for longer than others. The top 3 had put in a lot of work and deserved the next best swimmer on the team. Provided Mitchell and Griffin meet all the same selection criteria such as performance, camp attendance, adherence to team rules/culture etc then they go. Remember the play where Griffin dived full length to knock the ball out of bounds? She must have known she was no chance of taking possession and in a practical sense would do no more than take a couple of seconds off the Fire’s clock but the mental impact would have been much more significant. She sent a very clear message to her opponents that she was prepared to do everything in her power to get her team over the line. If your leading scorer is prepared to do such “blue collar” work then other teams are going to find it damn hard to beat you. If she does go to Rio then I am quite sure that her “real Aussie” teammates will be glad to know she is prepared to bleed for them and they won’t care one whit that she is doing it for her “adopted country” because they will know her first loyalty will be to them.

http://www.bendigoweekly.com.au/news/griffin-to-call-bendigo-home

Check this out for a laugh!
http://www.bendigoweekly.com.au/news/fire-claims-first-title-as-spirit-falters
You would think that a Bendigo paper would have firstly more faith and secondly the nouse not to put the story up on line!

I agree. When will the free agents list be online?

They know each other extremely well being father/daughter and they've said plenty of times that they feed and learn off of each other, everyone knows to listen to what Kristi has to say and at the same time she sits back and lets Bernie do his job.

As for better players than Kelsey Griffin in the 3/4 positions for Australia? Ha... Yeah, bet you can rattle off 10, right?

I'd bring her on board the moment I could, the way she plays and her work ethic are second to none.