CT
Years ago

Cairns Taipans 18/19

It isn't over til it's over but if we're all being honest this is not a team that's going to be winning the league this year. If the stars align they have a very outside shot at the finals but realistically they're all on holiday in less than a month.

So with all that in mind this is what I'd like to see happen next year at this stage (ignoring the year left on Jawai and Kuany's contracts):

In:
McCarron: keep at all costs, potential co-captain next year
Weeks: proven back-up PG, impact 6th man and expert dirty mongrel flopper
Loughton: one more year if his body can manage it (he must be feeling it by now though)
Gliddon: his inconsistency drives me nuts, just gets lost in games sometimes and goes ice cold. But when he's on he's onnnnnnn...

Out:
Weigh: in serious decline, no longer capable of a solid 8-10 pts off the bench as per a few years ago
Scoochie: stick a fork in this one, he's done. Put him in the cupboard with Markel Starks and Dimitri McCamey.
Jawai: I wish we could lose this guy but we're stuck with him for another year. No work ethic, no fitness, just lots of money to spend at Maccas.
Jerry: did a pretty good job as a short-notice ringer, good on the defensive end but a liability in offense in most of the games I've seen him play

??:
Egwu: Not sure where we go with Egwu. Has def. improved his game but not sure if he has much more to offer
Heuir: one of my favourite players, love his work ethic and what he managed in the QBL last season but he still seems to struggle on a bigger stage
Kuany: No idea, have yet to see him play anything more than garbage time

Coach:
This is the hard one, truly can't decide whether Fearney gets another run around. I'm sure the Taipans will see who else is out there but I do highly rate Fearne and everything he's done.

Anyone disagree?

Topic #42555 | Report this topic


Manu Fieldel  
Years ago

Nice wrap.

Keep Egwu without question

Reply #667767 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Plan is to keep egwu... Will eventually naturalise

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Anonymous  
Years ago

that is enough outs. no point discarding too many in case there aren't too many replacements available.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

one thing I'll add is that Egwu seems very smart. He seems to pick up complex plays very well and is in tune with what fearne's trying to do a lot of the time, like the anti-scoochie ;-). however, he just doesn't seem to always have the skills to finish as well as other players in his position can, and had a lot of foul problems earlier this year too. he earned his starting spot this year, and not just by default.

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ct  
Years ago

that last one was me..

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Manu Fieldel  
Years ago

Egwu is cash money from 15-18 feet when open. Absolutely he's smart, just about leads the team in assists. Defends well. I'm a huge fan of his.

Give Loughton a 12-monther. I don't think our front line is bad with a healthy Nate. Splash the cash on a 6'7" ish wing and hope to god McCarron stays. Keep Weeks at starting PG and get someone like Ben Woodside (meaning a smart player, but obviously cheaper. That's the reason we recruit our PGs straight out of college imo, because they're cheaper than proven multi-year pros) to battle him for the starting spot.

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sixtiesrockstar  
Years ago

Get rid of Weeks. An ninth/tenth man off the bench at most. Too much emotion for his skills. Having him as a player on minutes is one of their problems.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Weeks as starting PG hahahhahahaha

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Manu Fieldel  
Years ago

Weeks to start, but only if Fearne stays.

If a new coach comes in and the system subsequently changes, a better player needs to start at PG

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Twinkletoes  
Years ago

Keep: Gliddon, McCarron, Loughton, Egwu.

I would also keep Weekes but not as a starter. He is being used too much at the moment in my opinion. IF he can stay relatively injury free, I think Jawai can still make a strong contribution. If Kuany is not going to be used there doesn't seem much point him being retained however it seems he is contracted.

The 2 open import positions (assuming Egwu is retained) will depend somewhat on whether McCarron is retained or not. If he is retained that will require extra cash which could potentially leave not a great deal for the import spots. Presumably Carrerra was being paid reasonably well this season and Scoochie was a "cheapie" (as imports go) so I would imagine that at least one of the available spots will have to be someone straight out of college again.

As for the coaching position, Fearne does bring some very good aspects to the table. His recruiting, preparation and attention to detail are strong points however his handling of the imports is questionable at times in my opinion. He expects too much from them at times and they tend to become scapegoats for his own frustrations in my opinion. He seems to butt heads with at least one of them every season. Some of that may well be justified but you need to give players some leeway and room for error otherwise you sap their confidence.

Overall, I don't think there needs to be wholesale changes. At least one of the new imports needs to be very good and the other able to at least play his role well.

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Hogwash  
Years ago

Focus on McCarron before all else.
Need better imports

Reply #667798 | Report this post


skull  
Years ago

I thought the Carrera thing was a bit over reactive, he had some stuff that Taipans really need, Fearne couldn't control/manage him so, bye bye Carrera, and look out anyone else who dares...

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Anonymous  
Years ago

I think it all hinges on the coach, and that's a decision that should be sorted before any recruiting is done (new coach should have input into his squad to suit his favoured game style).

I agree on Gliddon's inconsistency, but sometimes I wonder if that comes down to guys getting too conditioned to go through the motions of Fearne's offence rather than playing on instinct.

But ignoring that, here's my thoughts on the current squad:

Scoochie - goodbye
Gliddon - re-sign (fringe Boomer)
McCarron - re-sign (no brainer)
Loughton - re-sign (played good enough this year to warrant another go)
Egwu - I'm really torn on this one. Could be worth keeping if naturalised.

Weeks - re-sign (could do a lot worse for a backup PG)
Heiur - re-sign (has the ability, just needs the minutes to build confidence)
Weigh - goodbye (stick a fork in him, he's done)
Evans - has shown he belongs, but only re-sign at the right price
Jawai - contracted. Great when he's healthy
Kuany - contracted (Unknown quantity... why sign him to 2 & not use him?)

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Anonymous  
Years ago

A lot of nice players in Cairns, for mine they mainly need to get their imports right.

The thing with Egwu is, can an Aussie give the same production? I think so, Id be looking to go down that path and keeping the 3rd import spot til halfway thru the year to push them over the top and or cover injuries.

Egwu and Jerry Haven't disappointed, they've delivered about what was expected, unfortunately, they aren't what Cairns needs to get over the top.

My focus here is to nail an import pg and import 3/4, sign an Aussie big who can give you 20+ mpg, and keeping the 3rd import spot until its needed

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Majok Majok in for Egwu?

Import/Weeks
Mccarron/Heuir
Gliddon/
Import/Loughton
Majok/Jawai

Nail the imports and sign a stud 3rd import to finish the season

Reply #667836 | Report this post


Hogwash  
Years ago

^ Kuany Kuany is signed also so that is 11th man spot.

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sixtiesrockstar  
Years ago

Manu,
You want Weeks to start as PG but then admit he is not good enough if there is a different coach. It shouldn't matter who is coaching, you get a better PG wether he is off the bench or starting. Weeks needs to get rid of the oranges from under his armpits.

Reply #667930 | Report this post


Manu Fieldel  
Years ago

Fearne's system is complicated, Sixties. If Fearne coaches next season you want a PG who's familiar (Weeks), but if it's a new coach then the system will be new. In which case you want a more talented guy there.

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Anon  
Years ago

With Cairns being quiet in Free Agency so far I, believe there'll be a few former Taipans returning to the club this season. Also a familiar face suiting up for the Taipans in NBL 19.

PG - Import/Weeks(?)/Hueir(?)
SG - Import/Bruce(?)
SF - Import/ Odigie*/Kuanny
PF - Loughton/Young(?)
CT - Jawai/Majok Majok

(?) - Possible/Realistic Signings
* - I put down Owen Odigie because if I remember reading somewhere prior to last season that Cairns were keen on him as well? Also was he with United during Mike Kelly's time with there? Meaning he could make the move up with Kelly and Majok.

Side Note - Not too sure if Cairns will retain Damon Heuir and Tevin Jackson next season. Any word as to where they could end up?

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