At least he won't get abused in supermarkets anymore by Wildcats fans.

Umm, he's had a string of successive calf injuries.
Which is not to say he couldn't still play ball, he's still kicking along in the SBL last I heard, but it has limited some of his ability.

I don't know if he was nudged. I do know that he offered last season to quit mid-season and allow them to bring in that fabled 3rd import.
Maybe he just felt that with Vague coming on he'd get even less court time?

Seems strange that Sydney would be interested.
Maybe this was Lachie's big surprise? It certainly would be.

That supprise was Jervis retiring bud

Hire has long been the 3rd wheel, and in some ways almost a throwback. He's a PF, a stretch 4 when his shooting was hot.
That was fine when the Cats still played a 3 man wall, but in latter seasons he's been forced to try and make it as a SF, and to survive as role-playing rebounder.

Vague played Centre as a Junior. Now he plays as a stretch 4, sometimes filling the 3 spot. Only time he saw the 5 was with injuries and massive foul troubles.

Hire's calves have definitely had an impact. Last I saw him play he was still wearing support, and he can nolonger elevate much.
Yes, as I said, he's still shining in the SBL. It's a smaller, slower, less-skilled league, and he can still perform there. (Even Redhage played for a couple of seasons after retiring from NBL.)

As I said in another thread at the time, I would not have been surprised to see him recalled, after Brandt and Tommy left, and it became clear we would use the import slot on a Centre.
I also would not be surprised to see him at training, or to suit up when we get an injury.

Redhage is still playing SBL...

Hire a PF ?
Maybe when he played for the Wolves, but never in the NBL.
He was always a 3, tried to be a shooting guard, but never had the quickness.

Negotiating to be another special adviser maybe, but even the Kings wouldn't bring him on, surely?

Great guy, don't get me wrong, but if they do that over bringing in that last proper starting quality PF, then there's yet more problems in the GOAT City...

"Redhage is still playing SBL... "

Which just emphasises my point. As along as your body is basically in one piece, ex-NBL guys can carry on playing SBL with some success. Hire could keep playing for years. Doesn't mean they're ready to re-join an NBL roster.

Although, as I said, he'd be ok as an injury replacement.

"Hire a PF ?
Maybe when he played for the Wolves, but never in the NBL.
He was always a 3, tried to be a shooting guard, but never had the quickness."

You're confusing what he is, vs the roles he's been forced to play, and forgetting that the game has changed.

Hire is a PF, a stretch-4 when his shooting was on. In the days when teams ran with 3 forwards, he was a good fit for the 3 spot, and that's the slot he's continued to occupy as the backup 3.
But every season the game has moved that bit further away with the preference now being to play another wing.

Yes, when our only backup guard was Kenny, Hire had to backup the 2, and won a ring doing it, but that was never his natural game.

"And I guarantee you Vague won't play minutes at the 3 this year - will split minutes at the 4/5"

Sigh...

As I said, Vague is a Stretch 4.

There were times last season, when a combination of injuries and foul trouble, saw him being the biggest Cat on court. I'd hope that doesn't happen again, but its still possible.

At other times, with the combination then on the floor, he was by default the 3. We've yet to really see it in full swing, but he is favoured as having a good outside shot.

I'm hoping for big things this year from vague. He had a good season in the NZBL, made the top 10, so I'd expect to see him holding down the backup 4 role.
But these things are always slightly fluidic. Depending on injuries, fouls, matchups, and who's hot.

Wani is an exciting prospect, but remains to be seen how many minutes he actually gets.