Mitch Young is the best post player?

Mitch Young game of the season. Great stuff. You and Gibson carried your team tonight.

That'll do Cairns, I'd say.

Maybe all those bookies who gave them the spoon knew what they were talking about.

Look, I'm not saying Fearne should be sacked

That's the season gone for Cairns. We need to go 8 and 3 from here on to stand a chance of playing finals basketball. I can't see it happening. Fearne's inability to entertain the idea of flexibility in his systems is not able to be conquered. I have been a supporter of his, albeit with huge reservations about his rigid structures. Now, it's absolutely apparent that he's never going to be able to loosen the screws enough to let the players play. Unfortunately, he still has another year on contract. I have it on very good authority he plans to move to the US to coach, after his final with the Taipans; hopefully, he can be talked into an early release.

I'm sick of hearing the blame go on the players. Yes, they are the ones on the court. If they are not getting the support from their coach to allow them to do their thing, they will never be able to play to their abilities. I don't know if Gordie is the answer. Perhaps Mick Downer can be enticed back to Cairns. I strongly suspect Wortho will make a very good NBL coach in the near future.

It will take a few years for Cairns to rebuild from the detritus of this and last season, after Fearne leaves. I hope they can keep Jawai, Gliddon, McCarron, Heuir and Tevin Jackson to build a team around, along with strong imports at 1 and 3, and a solid 4, whether import or Aussie.

Happy New Year, hoops fans!

Interesting take there @Freethrows, especially the rumor he may be off to the USA to coach. If that were true, his rigid and systematic style should be welcomed and sought after by many college programs...

What a shambles. Seems there's always a gutless away game just after Xmas where I finally admit to myself the taipans aren't playing finals basketball for that year. In many ways it's good this wasn't a home new year's eve game because it would have totally killed my NYE vibe*

*NYE vibe consists of taking kids to the early fireworks at Cairns lagoon, getting home and then sitting on my arse on the sofa drinking beer and watching Queen in concert with the missus.

CT - I did something similar.... except i drank in town till the 12am fireworks to dull the pain......

Bear - where did you hear that rumour?

Cairns put themselves in a position to win games and then find a way to lose them. That final quarter was telling. Nothing would drop for the big guy, just could not finish.
Trice was a headless chook trying to shake and bake get off his shot.
Edwin and Egwu were not required.They payed 8.22 and 11.21 minutes each. Egwu was coming off his season best against United. Why are they there?
Cairns is a grind it out team hoping to stay in contests then make a big play down the stretch to sneak an upset.
They have slid out of contention for mine.They might affect who does make the final 4 though.

Kingpodge, the rumour about Fearne leaving, in this post, came from me. I've heard it from two people - one inside the Taipans organisation, the other from someone who knows Aaron and Amy quite well.

I won't name names. As you well know, Cairns is too small a town for that!

I also heard a similar thing. The story apparently goes he was offered a US coaching gig after the last GF appearance but lobbied for another 3 year Taipans contract because he didn't want to disrupt his kids schooling etc. (and fair enough, too).

That said, I'm with FreeThrows. His time here is done. Time to move on (IMO).

Podge, What's your take? Time for Fearney to go?

Happy New Year btw!

Look i'm as biased as hell, and i do wear it on my sleeve like a badge of honour. I like Fearne personally and I think he's an excellent coach who's consistently overachieved with the resources that he's given. If United had snagged him 2 years ago they'd have 2 rings and be heading to their 3rd... We'll never find another coach that will do what he does for the money he gets paid. Plus, every time the pitchforks come out for him we seem to make the finals the next season....

He's not perfect, but no coach is. Joey Wright will win COY but 4 weeks ago people were calling him a failure and demanding his head of a platter - Joey started Teys over Sobey last year.
Hell 4 weeks ago we were 4th also.... We've been super competitive all season, in a league that's closer than any I can remember (and I remember back to when Dean Uthoff grabbed 34 rebounds), where teams are spending more since Eddie Grooves was dropping brown paper bags off and won more road games then we have in a long long time.

I don't see the point in dropping a coach with 10 games to go, especially when you've got 12 months left on a contract (which you'd have to pay out), to be replaced by another coach who is almost identical (the swap Fearne for Geodie is crazy). I had someone try to tell me we should get Shane Heal instead...................... when i regained consciousness I spat out my drink.

Aaron has done more than enough to be able to walk out the door to an NBA/College team with his head held high. But, if he wants to see out his contract, i think he's earned that as well. He earned that 3 year contract, that 21-7 team was remarkable. The starting 5 that year was paid close to the same amount that another major city team spent on 1 of their players......

Maybe it's because i'm also a long term Cavs and Aus union fan and I'm desensitised to losing, or it is just my bias.

I say he sees out his contract, and i spend the next 12 months arguing with people who want him sacked :)
but hey I wouldn't want to argue about basketball with anyone else but you guys!

That's my 2 cents.

I'll also add, i'll be happy to coach the team for free...... I can't promise results, but I can promise to be ejected ever. single. game. Especially if Chris Reid is reffing.

p.s. Happy'ish new year to ya'all as well.

Has Fearne been working on his American accent in anticipation of his move to the states , because wtf is that language he speaks ...

I think people need to look past the salary cap and look at the players themselves. Wads of cash don't put on a uniform and play, human beings do. We've actually had some damn talented rosters over the years.

People equate a lack of liquidity to lack of talent and think no further than that. Think of the players themselves and not the cash.

Fearne is a good recruiter, I'll give him that.

The only two years we've over-performed, we've made grand finals.

And yeah, Happy New Year mate.

I will say that I think you're hanging your hat a bit too much on those two grand finals. What about the other seasons? They weren't great imo.

*Maybe not 'damn' talented rosters

liquidity matters when you have injuries and/or issues with imports. Sydney for example can afford to get an injury replacement every time someone has a cold. And it matters when you need depth on the bench.

Now $$ doesn't mean everything, as the Kings have demonstrated consistently since they came in, but it helps. Instead of getting Fu, we get JJ if we matched Perth. Now i like Fu, but he was the 2nd choice.

Outside of the 1st season back, Fearne's got 3 seasons over .500 and 2 GF's. Take into account players we lost because of $$ - Chewy, Ron, DD, Wilbekin, Sobey, major injuries with a paper thin depth and under performing imports we couldn't afford to jettison - I think there's a lot to hang a hat on.

13/14 14/15 seasons weren't great, but at least we were something like 95% at home. So at the very least we were getting value for our season tickets. Even then, in 13/14 we missed the finals by a negative for and against from memory.

This is a big call, but outside of that SD did in T'ville last year, I don't think any coach has achieved as much with the resources in the past 10 years.

You make some points. A major gripe I have is Fearne's inability to get his players playing to their strengths.

I'd take Fu over Johnson for sure. Fearne just doesn't know what he has.

but let's face it if Macs shot goes in, JJ's shot in perth doesn't, etc if the cookie just crumbling a little bit our way..... well.... I probably have 4 less espresso martini's last night....

If Fearne does go, where does that leave the Cairns roster? Wortho has already hinted at retirement, you'd think Loughton would most probably do the same. Does Weigh stay?

Gliddon/Jawai/McCarron becomes the core to build around.

Taipans under Fearne year by year:

7th
3rd (Grand Final)
5th
6th
5th
1st (Grand Final)
6th
8th*

*currently

Personally I think the club and especially the players would be better off moving on from Fearne. He's too stubborn and inflexible as a pro-coach but like Marty Clarke would probably be better suited to being a college coach.

He's been on a good wicket at Cairns too a lot of other coaches wouldn't have lasted as long with the same record but that's probably more connections and a lack of finances for the club that has seen him keep his job.

If he's got a year left I'm pretty sure the club will keep him around for the remainder of his contract and try to have a managed transition to a new coach.

I also wonder where it would leave the club re: Jawai if he left a year early? He's playing a lot better and looking a lot leaner than he was in Perth and if he's the highest paid player on the team, brought in as the guy the offence runs through, do they want to mess that up by bringing in a new coach who doesn't have the same relationship with him?

Probably not so I suspect he stays..

"He's been on a good wicket" ? He could be making triple the $$ if he'd taken past offers from Melb or Sydney.

Getting paid less and having to make the most of less isn't a 'good wicket' - unless you are a masochist.
But part of me suspects to be a professional coach in any sporting field you have to be at least slightly masochistic....

CT i'd suspect if he did go anywhere Jawai would stay, but they'd be hard pressed to find another Jawai whisperer.

What salary is Fearne on/has he been on over recent years? Does anyone actually know or are we going to keep making assumptions?

One thing about Fearney, and over said it before, he recruits well. And by 'well' I mean he recruits talented players, not necessarily players with talents suited to his systems.

Getting paid less and having to make the most of less isn't a 'good wicket' - unless you are a masochist.

I think professional coaches are driven more than just a 'guaranteed job'. and just punching his ticket each day is not how Fearne is wired. You can criticise his tactics, his structure, his man management etc, but his work ethic and drive is beyond reproach.

FYI he got his current 3 year contract after winning Coach of the Year and being headhunted with blank cheques. So he hardly got a golden handshake for doing nothing...

'Every year it's the budget or the players not being there' - yeah? When you're consistently being outspent budget is a massive issue, the fact is without a private owner to pump cash into the org the Taipans have to live in their means. That also means you don't have the roster of treasury depth to say - sack Cedric Jackson (pay out some of his contract) and bring in Casper Ware... or bring in an ex-nba level play like Boone as an injury replacement.. It's just a fact of life, the board can't afford to be reckless or we'll end up where we were 7/8 seasons ago.

I'd rather people complaining about loses, than not having a team for anyone to complain about at all......

Job security is a blessing in Australian Basketball. I think Fearne's smart enough to know that.

* 'Golden handshake' is a term used when an employee is let go, just so you know.

haha jesus.... you're right.... I thought that was a golden parachute...

Well nothing like learning that you've been using a term wrong for 30 years.

you are right, job security is everything. And while I think there is context that needs to be taken into account - lack of success effects the equation. He knows that, the board knows that, everyone knows that.

If we hadn't have got to the GF he probably wouldn't have gotten a 3 year deal. But how do you not re-sign the coach of the year? He got the job, and has had the job thru merit, not because he plays bridge with the GM's mother.

I just can't see changing the coach being the panacea to the Taipans w/l record.

(Note: I don't have any evidence to suggest Fearne plays bridge at all... nor do I know what bridge is exactly..)

Haha 30yrs. Ouch.

Is it just me or has Fearne started to become grouchier in the last year or so? He's always had 'that' demeanour, but he seems to have no problems throwing barbs at players, referees, whatever these days. Maybe it's just that we've lost a lot these last couple seasons.

I think he's frustrated with not winning. But i haven't seen that change. I even saw him smiling with Fu last Thursday night.

I did once sit next to him at a restaurant after a game we lost (last season i think), he spent the entire time re watching the game and making notes.

My steak was great, I'm not sure he ate his! haha

What i have noticed - his scalp is a lot shinier.

I'm not sure if he's losing more hair or he's using a different shampoo.....

I'm picturing a Chinese restaurant with Akon's 'Lonely' playing in the background. Hope the ol' boy was with company, Podge.

hahaha close, his family were there.

Sometimes i'd rather watch basketball than talk to my family too :)

I think it's the combination of sweat -- because Cairns is actually posting higher temps than hell rn -- and hair loss

Father time is undefeated on the court, and in the hair follicles.

If there's one thing I learnt when I hit my 30s.. Shave it when you still have a choice. Unfortunately not everybody is blessed with Loughton's lustrous locks (even if most of that lustre is from a bottle).

"I even saw him smiling with Fu last Thursday night."
Picture or it didn't happen.

hahaha very solid advice CT.

I wasn't drinking (in hindsight that was my first mistake), so i swear it happened just before Fu entered the court in the 1st quarter.....

Anon, try looking at his PER, Off and Def ratings.

also, compare his stats in the last 5 games with his first, and i'll remind you he came into the season cold after sitting out with a finger injury to his main hand.

I got the impression of 36ers being lucky to have fearn there , last season , using craig off the bench there, and now craig first five nbl....