Heaven help them if Martin & Lisch get in foul trouble.

Why would someone pick up Kevin White and keep Tyson Demos? Neither of those guys should be in the league

Well put, Thunder Jam.

Yeah really weird signing. Demos is ok, but neither he or White is good enough to be the first guard off the bench. White might be a good defender but his shooting is awful and doesn't provide anything else offensively. Surely you need someone who can add something at that end.

My Kyle Armour tip was wrong then, or maybe he's headed to Cairns or Sydney.

Those last 2 spots are the key for the Hawks. Who knows what they have in mind.
They would almost certainly be paying the minimum for White.
He might (I hope)just be the 3rd string 3/2 in their line up.

If they pick up another good (ish)local como or SG of the calibre of Carter (Or Madgen but I am dreaming probably) and the other import can play the 3/4 that will still be a strong, 8 deep lineup with another 2 cheap tough guy stoppers/good team guys.

Martin/Carter/Lisch
Lisch/Carter/Demos/White
Coenraad/Import/White
Forman/import/Davo
AJ/Davo

Of course the "completed their back court" statement is a big concern.

If that is the case Demos and White almost make each other redundant as they are so similar in what they bring.

"If that is the case Demos and White almost make each other redundant as they are so similar in what they bring."

Exactly. They should ideally be competing for that second guard off the bench spot. Neither is great offensively or can competently run the PG. I just dont understand this signing.

Kevin White has been given the opportunity to play in Sydney over three seasons and has been woeful.
2 ppg 2 rpg is the best he has done. A myth that Hammer created 'great defender'. 10 years since you coached him as a junior Bevo. Solid SEABL player. Bust at NBL level. Demos better but not much. Should have some good tussles at training.
When you have to say a player is great in community you are grasping at straws.

I doubt both White and Demos will be on the court together, they will likely interchange with Martin and Lisch just to give them a bit of a rest so one of Martin or Lisch will always be running the point.

The role of White and Demos will be to come in and play a quick hard defensive game and while they are on they are still going to have plenty of scoring ability on the court with;

Lisch or Martin, Coenraad, Forman, Ogilvy, Davidson and 2 imports.

White is probably 10th man, and therefore likely on minimum. Martin and Lisch can both play point.. Have they made a bad roster decision since Bevo arrived?

My concern with ftsos post is suggesting Hawks won't get a better player than coenraad at the 3. He could be a great impact player off the bench but they need more from a starter.

If you got say Lisch, Forman, a good Import3, and AJ on court with Demos or White do you think either of them are in for offence?

He's a great defender if you think great defence involves being super passive and nervously glancing back over your shoulder all the time instead of watching the chest of who you're guarding.

This bozo has repeatedly showed he shouldn't be in the NBL but I'm just glad he is someone else's problem now.

I am not suggesting that they wont get a better player than Coenraad. More that if they want to strengthen the back court rotation with another Aussie guard then that import needs to cover the 3/4 spots. In fact I will be very disappointed if the guy is not better than TC.

If they don't go with an Aussie combo and a 3/4 import they could always go with a 3/2 import and get an Aussie to back up Oscar at the 4. (Cody Ellis?).

If this is their planned back court I'll just cross my fingers that Lisch/Martin stay injury free for the season.

Didn't brad hill sign a 2 year deal last year?

Existing Hawks contracts ditched by Spenceley. Nevill had a two year deal as well.

Apart from the redundancy with Demos, I don't mind the White signing. Always seemed OK for Sydney to me. Surprised they didn't go for Carter.

Should get a 3/2 now but he's said 4/3.

Bevo has been out of the country too long.

I don't think the Kestelman deal changes anything on that front. Hawks players went without pay during VA (despite contracts), had remaining years in contracts dumped and then were offered new contracts at lesser values.

Bevo loves those hard-working, battling types like Robbins he had in Perth.

Might be a good thing to establish the right culture in the Gong, but they might be found short of talent if as others point out, the starters aren't able to play big minutes.

Some Hawks players had to pick up part-time jobs in the off-season to cover for lost income.

There would be mid-range guys with mortgages and wages amortised over a full year who lost that income for a stretch of a number of months.

Not sure who wouldn't have got a job elsewhere? Besides maybe Demos, that core would all easily get interest from elsewhere, especially if they were clearly free agents before other clubs started to lock in their teams. Someone like R Martin could be useful anywhere - smart local point guards are hardly common in the league. D Martin, Gibson, 1-2 in FNQ and then the rest have baggage or larger holes in their game. Coenraad might not get a start wherever he wanted, but worst case he's a solid rotation player.

I'm actually surprised that as many re-signed as they did, really... I know there are limited teams, and as dads you take a hit when it's the best location for your family, but I certainly hope that at least some of the missing funds were caught up with the new contracts...

I also found this strange. They apparently got short changed by use of VA,have now received new reduced contracts but none of the guys appeared to shop themselves elsewhere.

Just doesn't add up.

In all honesty based on last years form SOJ would have been a better option than White.

It seems they need a Drake U'u in this team to offset the lack of natural ball handlers; it's not like they currently have a point forward in their team and yet I'd trust Brad Hill more running the point than White or Demos