okay news flash his a step closer my bad

Probably not enough time to be naturalised for this NBL season, but it's good news for the Boomers if the Olympics do go ahead.

I wonder who Trev has up his sleeve? Another import coming.

Yeah as great as he is in the NBL I don't see much of a point to having him on the Boomers roster. He's a poor man's Patty Mills and we've already got the real thing there who does basically everything better than Cotton anyway.

It's highly doubtful Cotton would be able to impact an international game in any way unlike say a Creek through sheer hustle and hunger or even a Gliddon who might pull a rare game out of his arse and get hot. I just don't see the point of Cotton being on the roster.

More interested in if he will be naturalized in time for Perth to add another import.
Assuming the 25% rule still applies that would need to be done before game 27 of a 36 game season.

I see Zodiacs point. Cotton should still be in the loop though with injuries and availability an issue for some.

Still going to be only 31/32 for 2023WC and 2024 Olympics so a good chance at those.

Gliddon should only be considered for qualifiers and based on nbl form I would pick Vasilijevic over him.

Cotton wouldn't be in a Boomers full strength final 12 anyway - and if NBA players opted out like Ben Simmons we’d likely see Matisse opt out as well

Thybulle over Cotton?

c'mon.

FIBA ball is about hitting shots.

I wonder what position we would fill with the import spot should Cotton naturalize in time? Have always assumed we would fill the C position and move Mooney back to PF but we need some more scoring options and Blanchfield simply isnt cutting the mustard at the moment so wouldnt rule out small ball and grabbing a SF, move Blanchfield to the PF spot and Mooney remains at C.

Blanchfield himself is only a couple cm shorter than Travers (who whilst he hardly plays still starts at the 4 spot).

How does someone who has a rare good game provide more value than someone who has dominated the NBL for four seasons?

He's half a foot shorter than Gliddon.

Cotton is too short and thin for international basketball (which is why he can't get back in the NBA) where he would face taller, stronger and more athletic opponents than he's used to in the NBL so wouldn't be anywhere near as effective.


yes, the Powerhouse man mountains of the Senegalese and Lithuanian leagues are going to wreck Cotton. smh. They're all 7 ft and faster than Usain.

Structurally wise Cotton backing up Mills would seem logical as they are both attach guards that move very well off the ball. Thybulle is a D & No 3 player so would have to hide him in the corner. Cotton can cover point, especially with a spread the court lineup, so provides a more critical safety net if injuries to both guard positions occur.

Team selections come down to having a balanced roster and which roles are required.

We saw CG playing a valuable role off the bench in World Cup. Cotton could potentially play a similar role in Tokyo or future tournaments.

Cotton is indeed a poor man's Mills. But that also means Cotton fits nicely in as a Mills backup. Goorj obviously will bring a new system to a degree, but when Lemanis was in charge Mills had a very specific role as a scoring guard which CG emulated having the same plays run for him off the bench.

Too small for international hoops pls?

Campazzo?
Pangos?
Mills?

Whilst the list isn't endless, there’s plenty of blokes who can play international ball regardless of height/weight. Cotton wouldn’t struggle, sure as shit didn’t against Bogut and crew last season...

Cotton being such a good shooter and mover off the ball would have value on any basketball team, if Patty is still playing then Cotton could back him up for the same function.

Cotton 1.82m, Mills 1.83m

Mills must be better if Cotton not tall enough for NBA!

(PS I love them both)

Please no more wasting a space on the likes of Gliddon and Barlow. I can understand the argument to have specialists in those 10, 11, 12 spots (a la Damian Martin), but did Gliddon or Barlow don't really bring much beside standing in the corner waiting for a teammate to create for them, and they are both hardly savants on the defensive end, and that's at NBL level. They play hard, but I think there is better talent available. May as well blood some younger guys if nothing else.

As for the Cotton/Thybulle debate, you could make an argument either way and convince me. A lot will depend upon what Goorj wants to run. I tend to favour Cotton, as offence can be a lot harder to come by at international level, and he could prove to be a real X-factor and potentially win you a game off his back. I like the idea that he slips right into a similar role to Patty, and if we have him paired with a bigger, defensive-minded playmaker in the backcourt, I think it works. I can understand having Thybulle as a defensive specialist to throw at some other teams stars offensive players, but not fully convinced.

Jonah who?

Maker not the worst frontcourt option with his length, but has Humphries done enough to maybe get that spot?

So the question is this..? Miles coming back?

Do they need Miles with Mooney? I'd be tempted to find a scoring wing. I have a hard time trusting Blanchfield as a secondary scorer. He's the Aaron Trahair of this generation. At least there is always Norton to drive and throw the ball up hoping for a foul.

Umm
WTAF?
Can anyone read the paywalled article?
https://thewest.com.au/sport/perth-wildcats/perth-wildcats-star-bryce-cotton-gets-visa-stamp-of-approval-in-huge-development-in-citizenship-quest-ng-b881803888z

This seems to imply that he only just got his (partner) visa. This confers the Permanent Residency you must have before even applying for citizenship.

If this is the case, then it would seem that when it was reported that he had applied for citizenship, he had actually applied for his visa.
Meaning citizenship is still a long way off.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/basketball/boomers-coach-brian-goorjian-must-choose-between-bryce-cotton-and-matisse-thybulle-for-tokyo-games/news-story/5ebae0aa98be94675e4903f5ce6765a6

This doesn't make a lot of sense.
Thybulle's only connection to Australia is that he lived here from roughly age 2 through to around 9. His sister was born here, but neither parent.
So only way he has Australian Citizenship, is if he (and family) was naturalised whilst he was here. That would mean he became an Australian citizen (long) before the age of 16 and so counts as a local, not a naturalised player.

If we can have both of them then take them both, however pls refrain from claiming cotton is better than mills, that's just idiotic, people need to stop trying to make the nbl seem better than it really is or are just brainwashed by the likes of santamaria and Williams babbling on. Not to mention how creek is supposedly the same role as Thybulle as one is an elite nba defender in a rotation spot on one of the better teams in the league and the other is in the nbl who is at his best going hard to the basket and getting rebounds along with making some hustle plays, Thybulle is better and they don’t play the same way so just with the nonsense.

Delly
Mills
Cotton
Thybulle
Goulding
Broekhoff
Ingles
Simmons
Maker
Landale
Humphries
Baynes

If there’s no cotton, go exum or green
If there’s no Thybulle, go green or creek (probably creek)

In saying all that this could all change with a potential Simmons pull out especially if philly go deep in the playoffs which could also take out Thybulle. Will be interesting to see how goorj picks the side with nba guys (particularly Simmons, Thybulle and ingles too if the jazz keep up their form) all over the place so I guess we’ll just wait and see

Which Wildcat gets the arse?
White?
Lo Buluk?
Jervis?
Bairstow?

Pretty sure Jervis is only in the team on a "make-up-the-numbers-until-Cotton-gets-naturalised" basis, given he signed just before the season having been retired for a year, and he plays the same position as the import they wanted to bring in.

This seems to imply that he only just got his (partner) visa.

I personally hope Perth go for either a 3/4 to start alongside Blanchfield.

So I think we csn all agree that whilst their is air in his lungs Patty will be starting in Japan but what Is going to get Patty more ready to be leading scorer at the Olympics (during training Camp) is it elite defenders like Thybulle or someone like Cotton that can score down the other end and trying to one up each other.

Wow that would be fun and luckily I don't have to make that decision but best of luck to Goorj and Nielsen in trying to select the Olympic roster.

Yes Bogut is a massive out as we definitely will miss his passing and IQ and defence.

I'd take Magnay and even Humphries with their rim protection over Thon Maker but sadly their passing isn't Bogut standard

Wildcats are now looking for a second import so I assume Cotton is being processed via the 48 hour fast tracking service for his citizenship application.

If all his documents are in order then the remaining steps are: 1.) attend citizenship interview and pass the test and 2.) ceremony (which makes it official). I'm not sure if you can get priority for a interview/test slot (probably since it's still on the Department of Immigration side of things) but I know that depending on your local council an expedited ceremony is possible.

It's on.

I'm surprised Thybulle would be classified as a naturalised player. I seem to recall the rule being that the naturalised definition is for players who obtained citizenship over 16 years. Do we have confirmation that Thybulle would've obtained his citizenship then? It seems odd timing that he obtained it while living in the US after age 16.

I wouldn't want Plumlee now that Mooney is going so well. Would prefer a combo forward or wing.

Every game is important, and without that extra punch and rest for Patty) early, then we won't even get to the important games!

Mills has had the burden of having to score too much, Cotton is the only player that could take away that pressure. Mills has been pretty gassed by the time we get to the important games.

Cotton could be handy as a Mills backup depending on who else is available.

He'll need further intervention to get citizenship done though as without some favours being called in there's no chance the process would happen in time for Tokyo

He'll need further intervention to get citizenship done though as without some favours being called in there's no chance the process would happen in time for Tokyo

Thybulle would average 30ppg in the NBL easy, you need to realise how good the farkn NBA is.

"The favour has already been done - politicians intervened to get Cotton his PR. Once you have PR anyone can pay the relevant fees to be fast tracked re: citizenship application."

"Fast tracked" still requires favours.

The posts above suggest that the reason that Mills got gassed was only because he was the team's main scorer. They also point to having other scorers this time round, so there should be less pressure on Mills. Maybe.

I would have thought that he was gassed because he had to be the main scorer AND the best defender of short fast players, including getting knocked around a lot because of today’s screen-heavy offenses.

Which is why I think we need Cotton more than Thybulle - someone who can get the ball up-court quickly, score lots, and defend other fast guards.

Sure Ingles and Broekhoff and Simmons can guard SFs but I think they’d struggle guarding the PGs for a long time. In the NBA games I’ve watched this season involving Simmons, he doesn’t have the foot speed to stay with quick guards; he relies on his length and reach to stop them once they get past him.

"Fast tracked" still requires favours.

"No, you pay a fee of $1,000 and they will fast track you in 48 hours"

Where have you seen this?

At what stage is this? Because steps are apply > get appointment/test >wait >approval > wait > ceremony/Citizen. Its not just Apply > Citizen.

Current wait times for Application through to ceremony are 18 months. Why would ANYONE wait that long for the benefits of Citizenship if it only cost $1000?

" AND the best defender of short fast players,"

Delly...

Cram read my other post above (#834051) where I did comment on the interview/test and ceremony steps. Yes the fee only covers the processing of application. Whether fast tracking includes getting an interview slot ASAP I'm not entirely sure on. Gleeson has already made a comment about how the new import search has begun so they are confident.

I'm sure they're confident, but again, I don't believe the fast track fee is what you think it is.

Can you point to where you have seen this as I can see no evidence of a fast track processing fee for citizenship. I can see it in reference to a VISA, but citizenship is inherently different as I explained above. Again, current wait times once APPROVED for a ceremony average 5 months.

Many families, like mine, have paid many thousands for a visa and would absolutely have no issue laying down another grand to cut months off the processing time to become a citizen. I genuinely would like to believe what you say is true, however I cannot find any evidence of it and I think you might be mistaken.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think Cotton has a good chance to be fast tracked, but I don't believe for a second this is a process that anyone can do as you have claimed.

You're right, the fast tracking fee is for visa applications. Cotton's situation has had political intervention (albeit too slowly for the beginning of the delayed NBL season) so that would explain the Wildcats confidence now.

KET, I reckon Delly is more dogged and tougher but Mills is quicker and more agile

Definite inclusions:
Ingles
Mills
Simmons
Landale

Second group:
Baynes
Creek
Humphries
Kay
Delly
Cotton


Kay and Cotton rate better than Maker and Thybulle. They just have that much more experience when the game is at critical point. So what you are in the NBA. There are that many NBA players and imports who have come to NBL and ended up crap. The standard of the NBL these days is a lot higher that what it was in the early days. Nowadays imports can be expected to be role players. In the past they would be the volume scorers.

Cotton's outside shooting would be a priority for Goorjian as he said he's gonna focus the team around Simmons.

That's correct, I mentioned it a while back on another thread but no one was interested. They wanted Cotton to leave the country so he could reset his visa - get this for a joke- during COVID! Derp, typical inflexible government red tape. No change to the policy was made so BA tried (but they are useless) and then the Wildcats got a local MP to contact the new federal immigration minister to resolve the impasse. Our tax dollars at work.

Thanks for posting that, anon. I did wonder what the holdup could be, given he supposedly applied way back when.

Yeah, Bizarre government bureaucracy. He lives in Perth with his spouse and child, but no, in the midst of a global pandemic we want you to leave the country and come back.
He should have just travelled to Canberra, they seem to be on different planet, so that should qualify.

It's intriguing to see who they will go for as a new import, and who makes way.

You could make a case for just about anything, especially for a potentially one-off short-term contract.
A starting PG, and move Norton to the bench to back up the 1 & 2.
Another combo guard to cover the 1 & 2.
A 2/3 to start instead of Blanch, and provide more outside shooting.
A 4 or stretch-4 to start, and take the strain off Wagstaff.
A genuine 5 or even another 4/5 to allow Mooney to move back to starting at PF.

That last one was apparently the plan with Plumlee, but has that been superseded by developments?
Trev has often preferred more of a 4/5 at Centre, and when he's had a genuine 5 they have tended to play less minutes.

It's hard to say, because if you look at the starting 5, our biggest need would be another big for the front court, currently I'd say a Stretch-4, and keep Mooney at Centre.
BUT if you look at depth, we have plenty at the 4. Sure, that depth isn't yet of the highest quality, but it is there.

I suppose it's "good" news, in a way. Getting hold of a quality import, at the right moment, getting them into the country, through quarantine, and qualified for finals, is going to be far more difficult than usual. So it may well be a case of WHO is available, rather than WHAT.

As for who goes, that's going to depend on who we get.
I'd say that White, Bairstow, and Jervis all fit the "placeholder" category.

Any solid imports already in the country? Could go a try out, give that player exposure for next season/job, before option 1 gets outta quarantine.

Cotton's situation has been tough, but he's far from the most affected by visa issues during covid.

With the partner visa (which we used) once the visa has been approved, you have 3 months to get to Australia, otherwise it lapses. Covid has led to people not being able to activate their visa and having to go back to square one (after paying $8k) while wait times which were already at least 8 months for a decision are now up to years. Sometimes this means couples or seperated for all of that time.

Forgive me if I don't feel tooooo bad for a professional athlete not getting special treatment while other families are left in limbo

^err no.
For starters, nobody is saying feel bad for Cotton, nor do we really expect anyone to feel bad for Perth being knocked down a peg or two.
It's just frustrating that we lost Kay, Terrico, Martin, Plumlee, and Jook, and have only managed one Good replacement.
And that Perth banked on Cotton naturalising and becoming their Marquee.

The difference between this and an ordinary situation, is that for most people once they have their permanent visa, Citizenship is really only symbolic. And it certainly doesn't effect their workplace or their workmates.

Citizenship is far more than just symbolic.
It affects your ability to access certain services, such as HECS. Having an Australian passport makes travel much easier for people from a lot of developing countries as well as not having to renew your resident return visa every 5 years.

It can also affect ability to be employed within the APS or stand as a candidate in an election.

Again, Cotton has had a slight delay getting his visa. This is nothing compared to those people who are in limbo, either overseas or away from partners.

Sure, if you're not interested in the other things I mentioned. Good for you.

Probably not enough time to be naturalised for this NBL season, but it's good news for the Boomers if the Olympics do go ahead.

Can't happen he's still got another 2 years to go on his contract with Perth after this season.

An import already being in the country would certainly help with the tight turnaround between citizenship and the nine game minimum rule.