have a pov sallary (cellery) cap and this is what will happen - we will not and should not really expect to match the big boys.

That's what basketball aust / nbl wants - that's what they will get....

Mind you, Puerto Rico over USA ! - that just abouts kills my argument...

From what I've read (didn't stay up to watch the game), Heal and Bruton were played concurrently which won't help. Greece were all tall. Other teams are similar, and if Heal isn't getting shots off or making them, his value is probably a bit diminished.

Rillie didn't even get on the court when I think he should've been given a run.

Cat played 4 minutes, Saville 12, Ronaldson 4. They should've taken Schenscher and anyone else instead of Bruton (Black maybe). Bruton: 19 minutes, 3 points, 3 fouls. No other stats!

What the, it isn't really about the cap. If our guys wanted there is plenty of cash availiable in the euro leagues to get them by.

Goorjian is just a tool with no clue. What is the deal with brett not getting the props he deserves!

There is a conspiricy within Basketball Australia, and If you play in Adeliade you are over looked for everything!!!!

It's complete and utter B*ll S#*T!!!!! Get Andrew Gaze and Phil to coach! That is a combo that would work!!!!

Put Goojian in a garbage bag cos he stinks and needs to be put in the bin!!!!

Just quickly - Points in the paint and Fastbreaks, we didnt look to push the ball up the court once?!

And we went inside to late. When you are down 10-0 go inside, keep going inside, get it to the bigs early not with 8 secs left on the shot clock.

Bogut should have a hand in at least every third posession! even if we go inside then out, get it in there.

On a side note Anderson played alot better than in the warmup tournaments, Rogers should have got more of a run, sure we love to bag him but a big body like that is worth alot at international level, especially with nielsen and bogut in foul trouble.

Cheers, DJ

rogers, andersen, bogut, maher, heal, should be the starting 5. if heal cant get his shots up, put rillie on. not cj or smith.

Bogut vs Greece.

'go-away-boy-goorj' couldn't agree with you more about the starting 5.

Why is Smith in the squad to start with? And agree with 'anonymous' that is too much a Sydney show. Like how McKinnon during the NBL season labelled that the Kings are more like 'Team Athens'.

The guys were getting pounded inside yet Goorj STILL goes with a small lineup.
For god's-sake throw Rogers and his bulk in there.
Not only could have muscled Papadopalous but offensively collapsed key for Maher/Heal.

What's going on in Goorjian's head?

And is it just me being too cynical but I swear there were at least three occasions in third quarter where Maher wide open (after superb baseline cut) was not passed ball from Heal.

For those of us that think Brett didnt get a fair go (and neither did Cat for that matter) did anyone hear Andrew Gaze say "when we are so far behind the ball should be in Shane Heals hands, because he is our best scoring option". I think he had shot at around 30% all night where Brett had shot at a typical reliable 100%.
The Boomers actually caught up when the Tool was off court and Brett was running the show. I like Drewwy, but he is and always will be a Shane Heal supporter, just as the boy Goorj. Sad but true. And as for Catt, wasn't he just about the most complete player last year with aggression, accuracy, efficiency etc. Why is he warming the bench?

tommy, and all other one eyed adelaide supporters....
firstly, cattalini, it is widely known that cattalini has only ever prospered under smyth's coaching regime where it is free flowing, take the first shot basketball....he is simply not the same player in international basketball where it is more slow it down grind it out basketball.
as for the maher argument, this has a little more strength, but i would not have him starting over heal....heal is a proven big time international performer, and was the 2nd top scorer at the 2000 games. maher is defintely worthy of starting in my opinion, but insted of smith or saville...why the hell is saville starting??...dear me.
my starters would be
heal, maher, bogut, nielsen, anderson....
thoughts??

I agree. Leave Heal starting, but start Maher too; he's been shooting very well and deserves the minutes over Smith and Bruton.

Photo of Smith against Angola:

Charmaine,

What was Cattalinis stats like when he played in Spain? And what style of play did his team play?

I would of thought his experience in European ball would of given him an advantage for international play.

Charmaine,

A one-eyed Adelaide supporter? I didn't know Adelaide were contesting the Olympics (though some might say Sydney are).

To compete at Olympic level against the best teams in the world don't you think that ALL players should be given time on court, rather than sitting on the bench twiddling their thumbs.

ALL players are arguably 'the best' Australia has, not some bench fillers or development players to padd out the squad.
To have a legit shot at a medal then you're going to need depth.

More importantly, your going to need a TEAM effort, not one player trying to do it all.
In my opinion, that is why Aust has never succeeded at international level because of your 'Heals/Gazes' topscoring for the tournament.

TEAM effort.

dear wak,
that is possibly the most insane, ridiculous argument i have ever heard.
no at olympic level you dont want to be playing all 12 players, if i was australian coach in a tight game, i would not put on cattalini, or CJ bruton for that matter, still need to be convinced on rillie. i would like to see your top level coaching record if you are going to be putting 12 players through a 40 minute game.
never having succeeded at olympics because of gaze/ heal....oh my god mate, get in touch with reality....2000 olympics, gaze is the sole reason we had a shot at a medal....he almost single handedly got us to the top 4.
i am guessing you have limited experience at top level sport after your recent post.

and where were the rest of the team? Hence never closer than 4th, even with our 'best team ever' in 2000.

come on mate, this is the olympics, they dont give out medals for having a nice team whose coach gets all 12 players on court....remember that australia have never ever finished higher than 4th, not jus tsince andrew gaze has been the star. 4th is bloody good, and was a huge achievement. if we had some go to big guys like bogut will be in a few years, then maybe we could have been more rounded, but longley and bradtke are more bit players than go to players.

Why waste Cattalinis time then? He is a veteran who deserves respect, not token minutes. For the minutes hes getting they should of taken a kid like Jacob Holmes who can gain experience at that level.

its a good point, but who knows bogut could be oour go to player for the rest of the omlympics. if you saw the USA vs Greece game today you would have seen how easy Papodopolis found it to score on tim duncan. you never know

Boy Goorj would not allow it, he has never played for the Kings!

i agree with you nall, but in my opinion we have not had that type of player to go to, so we have made very good use of what we did have.
as for MW, what do you mean waste cattalini's time, he is participating in the olympics for gods sake, hardly a waste of time, even if limited minutes.

Sorry, wrong choice of words. I know its not a waste of time for him.

thankyou jirachi....finally someone talking some sense....respect also to isaac.

truth......its just coz he is black





that was a joke

CJ is average, give Cat the minutes he deserves!

im lookin forward 2 this match, should be good. Ne1 know the telecast time?

channel 7 is shit. their telecasts skip half the game

charmaine,

bit bitey aren't you?

Firstly, where did I say all 12 players on court in a 40min game? I said give the bench oppurtunities as you're going to need them down the line (if we get there).
And you can't say there hasn't been minutes for them - G1: whole last quarter, G2 whole last half.

Secondly, I wouldn't class Heal in Gaze's league. Yes, Gaze is a legend and was a star at the Olympics, but how about using those 'bit players' as you call them instaed of one guy doing it all.
If it was Gaze instead of Heal at Athens then I'd have nothing to say right now.

Thirdly, I wasn't aware that you needed to be 'experienced at top level sport' to write on this site.

I agree with you that you must have a core group to get the ball rolling, but the bench is no ordinary bench. Any one of them could blow a game wide open, so why does it seem that Heal tries to do it all 'single-handedly'? You double team him and a 20 point deficit emerges.

Also agree that in few years we'll be much stronger with Bogut, Schensher, Anderson and the rest of the Adelaide team ;.)

Charmaine,

"firstly, cattalini, it is widely known that cattalini has only ever prospered under smyth's coaching regime where it is free flowing, take the first shot basketball....he is simply not the same player in international basketball where it is more slow it down grind it out basketball."

Explain to me with Cattalini's European basketball experience why he would not be good at international level? Why would european clubs want him if this is the case? Convince me of that and then you can say that we all do not talk sense.