Will this be announced soon?

Source

I thought he would be a good signing for them, but didn't think he’d leave. He has a lot of potential, but probably played too many minutes too soon at SEM.

WMW / Le’afa
Import / Bach
Import / Abercrombie
Delaney / Vodanovic
Import / Loe / Timmins

The Breakers will be waiting on Besson and Dieng. I think there’s a good chance Besson gets stashed for another year and he could have a monster season with one year under his legs already.

But the Breakers need an import 4/5 and 3/4. Front court has been far too weak in recent years. They should also sign Waardenburg as a DP that can get minutes in the rotation and he then replaces Loe in the roster next year.

Essen

Signing Fotu was a mistake, unless he is a development player.

Hopefully we have seen the last if Bach. He's ok, but nothing special.

Every man and dog is after waardenburg. I think he would have been announced by now.

If we are going kiwi. Make a run a Mojave king

Wouldn't mind seeing something like this
WMW/Kenny
Import/Le’afa
Abercrombie/Next Star/Fotu
Import/Vodanovich
Import/Loe/Timmins

WMW /Le'afa
IMPORT / rayan rupert * ns
IMPORT / ABERCROMBIE / FOTU
Delany / Vodanovich
Import ( or issac fotu) / Loe / Timmins

NBL Website has said Le'afa has been released from his contract at SEM so I would expect an announcement soon on this.

Great pickup, scoring punch off the bench and some solid defense at the Point.

I would be stoked if NZ's imports were Hugo Besson, Scotty Hopson & Brandon Ashley.
Besson will be even better with last season under his belt.
Hopson can play SG or SF and gives NZ a veteran presence on court and in the locker room.
Brandon Ashley can play PF or C.

That would leave one spot left for a local.

WMW / Le'afa
Besson / Bach
Hopson / Abercrombie
Vodanovich / Fotu
Ashley / Timmins / Loe

or

WMW / Le'afa
Hopson /Besson
Abercrombie / Ngatai
Vodanovich / Fotu
Ashley / Timmins / Loe

Vadonavic isn't a starter at nbl level, good solid back up player. Ashleigh is foul prone and Hopson came off the bench for United in their premiership season for a reason, defence is a dirty word.

Hopson also came off the bench because United were pretty stacked across the board.
He's an experienced, versatile, proven player who can put points on the board which NZ need.

Vodanovich probably isn't a starter but I also haven't seen enough of Dan Fotu of late to suggest he's ready to start in front of Tommy V either.


Yes Brandon Ashley is foul prone but with Timmins & Loe as cover that becomes less of an issue and he's mobile enough to play PF for spells.

You make sensible comments Mystro, I'm just not convinced that side plays finals. Abercrombie could start in the four, hopefully he has an injury free run.

No one thought the Jackjumpers were playing finals last season either.

Mystro seems you'll have to amend your roster for Gliddon now

Yeah I just saw that, good news.
A fresh face at the club but someone who knows the league.

Very weird roster being put together, looks like 2 of WMW, leaf's, gliddon or Tom V will be starters, (yikes) gonna need Gun healthy imports to be competitive...

I'll admit I saw this yesterday and thought this was hogwash - Le'afa was signed by SEM, like there's no way its happened.

And yet, I believe he's the ideal complement to WMW at the PG spot. Someone who can play with WMW in spots, has a defensive nous and plays well above his years.

With Gliddon in the mix, as well as another NS (Rayan Rupert) who has less acclaim than Besson or Dieng this season, and is likely to be a rotation player, two of the three imports I'm looking for are similar to Mystro - Hugo Besson-type and a Scotty Hobson-type. I don't have Brandon Ashley in mind for the third spot, as I believe a dynamic 4/5 with an offensive game beyond PnR is most needed.

Its a better lineup than I anticipated, and I think there's good odds of the 5th/6th range to cause a scene in the play-in. I'm just glad we have six Kiwis - its been years since that happened.

Kiwis for NZ in past decade:

22 - 5
21 - 5
20 - 5
19 - 5
18 - 8
17 - 6
16 - 7
15 - 6
14 - 6
13 - 7

Rob Loe
Sam Timmons
Dan Fotu
Tom Vodanovich
Tom Abercrombie
Izayah Le'Afa

That's six of the eight local spots being Kiwis (Gliddon, McDowell-White being the others)

Yep, 2023 will be the first time in five years that's happened.

Le'Afa to NZ confirmed this morning on stuff.co.nz

NZ looking like

WMW / Le'Afa
Import / Gliddon
Import / Abercrombie / Rupert (NS)
Import / Vodanovich / Fotu
Timmins / Loe

Rupert I believe has mostly played SG but at 6'7" he's probably grown into a SF and I would think NZ will play him at the 2 and 3.

Providing NZ gets the Imports right it looks like a fairly balanced roster compared with the guard heavy roster Shamir ran with last season.

Good mix of experience (Abercrombie, Loe & Gliddon), youth (Fotu & Rupert) and potential (WMW, Le'Afa & Timmins).