Not sure the Opals Program has been a significant priority for Sandy for a longtime. She's essentially been part time in the role for a longtime & our results have steadily gotten worse. Not sure if Seebohm is the answer as well when inevitably Sandy is replaced. A big clean out of players is long overdue with Madgen, Francis, Tolo, Jackson, Whitcomb & Kunek all shown the door.

Claiming that Brondello can't coach is patently ridiculous. She currently has her team on top of the standings in the world's best league.

Having a coach and the bulk of the team unable to prepare for the games due to pro commitments is clearly far from ideal of course.
I don't think it's reasonable to expect the players to do any different.
Selecting a coach who is able to commit to the program is more realistic though.

Brondello is a coach but it's debatable if she’s any good.
Went from superstar Mercury to superstar Liberty. Been very lucky imo.
Her record as opals coach, just her and not others at the helm is 33 wins, 18 losses.
Her wnba coaching record is 56% win rate which is below par. Reeves is 65%.

Without making comment on Brondello, it's different styles of game. Coaching FIBA requires a higher level of tactical nous because the tournament is so cutthroat and most teams are evenly matched.

A few bad possessions here or there can decide your tournament, and if the coach is slow to adjust that can be the difference (see Goorj v Germany at the WC). In club competitions you have a longer season, which means better scouting opportunities and more chances to make adjustments.

Brondello cant coach? Shes 21-4 with a WNBA team. The most competitive team in the world. Did you guys even watch the game? Australia came back multiple times, however. Threw 26 turnovers! 26! Nigeria were a lot more physical and the girls didnt box out, leading to offensive rebounds.

Time and time again I come to this sub and see the biggest babies crying about losing games. You immediately point fingers. Australia is an elite team. Its one bad game! Relax and pull your fingers out. You have no idea about basketball

When the going gets tough.
The tough get going.

Time for the Opals to get tough.

(PS: Successfully executed Free Throws WIN Games!)

Bit different coaching a WNBA Team full time in the WNBA against coaching a national team in the Olympics. We can only hope that this game was the one they had to lose but it was a game they had to win to progress.

Laughable to say she can't coach. She clearly can. Losing Allen is a big loss... and yes unfortunately the prep for both coach and players is undesirable.

To coach a National team then that should be your priority.

Brondello gets paid to coach Australia and she has Asst Coaches in the WNBA who can cover her being available at all times to coach and prepare the National team when a major tournament is coming around.

How many pre Olympic practise games did she attend-NIL.Left it to Chambers and Seebohm.

At last years Asian Cup in Sydney Seebohm COached and they finished in 3/4 position.Outplayed by Japan and China.

The World Cup they finished 3rd and Jackson was the difference there scoring 30 points, when the night before Brondello hardly played Jackson(only a few minutes) against China and they lost the game that would have had them in the Gold Medal game.

Turnovers,missed free throws and giving up Offensive rebounds were costly and the Australian team struggled against Nigerias physicallity which other teams will pick up on through scouting.

Basketball just isnt about playing your best players. All 10-12 of them can suit up and play.

Its about implementing strategy which Im sure you have no idea about and finding 5he right 5 team for those situations.

You watch the game from a fans perspective and just think oh we lost because she cant coach. Jackson was playing outside anyways. Nigeria smothered her and denied her passes so she wouldnt have another look at the 3!

Brondello wasnt there because thats what the exeuctives/board or whatever decided was appropriate, especially since shes coaching another elite basketball team.

Just realize that you dont know much about basketball as you think you do. These guys have been playing and coaching their entire lives. You sit on the couch and dont

"Brondello wasnt there because thats what the exeuctives/board or whatever decided was appropriate, especially since shes coaching another elite basketball team."

This is what the discussion should really be about, and has been the issue ever since the appointment. It has overall been an underwhelming period for the Opals, if there isn't a turnaround over the rest of this tournament I think a strong case can be made for change to a coach who can commit more to the program.

^^ Totally

How much does Brondello's BA gig pay her?
How much does her WNBA gig pay her?
Is it any surprise where her priorities might be?

Who employs the Opals coach? Who sets the job description & in-person engagement requirements for the position?

When fingers need to be pointed, point them at the correct people.

There is a trend in Australia that coaches hold too long and their friends and associates enable them even when it is clear they have lost the room and the tactics of the game has passed them by as well as the way to manage the modern generation.

Don't really want to jump in on the Brondello bashing but never seen 11 players hit the court in the first quarter of a 4x 10min qtr game.

They where never insync from then and showed in the 2nd qtr. Also fouls shooting hurt

Saw an interview with Steve Kerr talking about Jason Tatum getting a DNP and he said you can only play 10 players when its 10min quarters. Hopefully she shortens the bench for the next few games

To be fair to the coaching staff, they were not the ones who made the turnovers, poor passes and shot so badly from the free throw line and not much better from the field. However they are the ones who decide who is on the court and how the offence is to be run. Still boils down to the fact that until Basketball Australia get a Head Coach who is committed to the Opals first, the right players are selected and the players commit to the Team first, the same scenario will be played out at World Cups and Olympics.

Of interest, Brondello herself twice sat out of the WNBA due to Olympic commitments, in 2000 and 2004. Yes it is a financial sacrifice and Basketball Australia would need a sponsor to cover lost wages but until a similar sacrifice is made, the Opals will never again do well at major tournaments. Unless of course, there is a young version of Lauren Jackson out there somewhere and an Australian version of Caitlin Clark as well.

The person who employed Brondello as the Coach is no longer there as the General Manager and when she was there that had a lot to do with her getting and keeping the job.

In the WNBA she maybe 21-4 but if you have a stacked team you do not have to coach that much all you do is let the players do what they have to and guide them a little bit.

Did you watch Steve Kerr yesterday coaching the USA Mens team.

He sat for long periods and did not have a lot to say because he had the players to do the job same as what Brondello would in the WNBA.

When he did stand it was mainly to complain to the Refs about non calls or wrong calls as he interpretted them.

Great or good players can play but does not mean they can coach.There are a number of examples of that all around the world.

Look at the NBL in Australia and the NBA in America.

The person who employed Brondello as the Coach is no longer there as the General Manager and when she was there that had a lot to do with her getting and keeping the job.

In the WNBA she maybe 21-4 but if you have a stacked team you do not have to coach that much all you do is let the players do what they have to and guide them a little bit.

Did you watch Steve Kerr yesterday coaching the USA Mens team.

He sat for long periods and did not have a lot to say because he had the players to do the job same as what Brondello would in the WNBA.

When he did stand it was mainly to complain to the Refs about non calls or wrong calls as he interpretted them.

Great or good players can play but does not mean they can coach.There are a number of examples of that all around the world.

Look at the NBL in Australia and the NBA in America.

I'm not close enough to woman's basketball, but as a casual observer I was shocked at the basic, fundamental mistakes being made. Inability to bring the ball up the court and initiate play. Inability to make basic passes. When you have had 2-3 turnovers, the logical next play is to be conservative. The opposite seemed to happen time again with ridiculous back door passes being attempted. This has to sit with the coach surely?

It's the same at every level JMS. Our development system is broken.

Did you watch Steve Kerr yesterday coaching the USA Mens team.
He sat for long periods and did not have a lot to say because he had the players to do the job same as what Brondello would in the WNBA.

JMS the job of an Olympic coach isn't to teach their players basic fundamental skills lol. They should already have at least some of these skills at a high level, and still be working on them in their own time. The role of an Olympic coach is to coach them as a whole. They aren't doing individual passing drills at training like it's juniors.

I have never though our guards were that great, and the ones who missed out wouldn't have been any more effective against Nigeria in my opinion. I think the guard position, particularly the point guard position, will be weak for a few years.

spot on Frog39

I'm not saying it's on the coach to be teaching their players basic fundamental skills, however if it's clear the point guard can't confidently bring the ball up and initiate play then it's on the coach to have a backup plan, where are the screens etc. If the team are constantly turning the ball over with over-aggressive passes, the coach should have a plan to revert to a conservative game plan. For what I saw it was "let's just stick with the status quo".

Agree JMS.

Seconded, DM

Seconded, DM

They did have a backup plan, which didn't help as the screens just meant the back court was even more crowded for the already struggling guards. Nigeria was hard showing on the picks in the back court which created even less space for the ball handlers. The simple fact is there is no easy fix if you don't have strong ball handlers...which Nigeria clearly worked out. There are no Leilani's or Harrowers etc in this group to bail you out, or any time soon it would seem. It seems to be a weak area, which is the whole reason they have spent years trying to convert Sam Whitcomb into a point guard role.

Nerves / excitement got to Melbourne. Will be better for the experience.
Not at all clear to me at all why George is on the team. Slow, unfit and just looked lost in the few minutes she got. One of the issues with long-standing coaches is that they come with long-standing relationships with players, and an inability to be objective. On no objective measure should George be playing Olympic basketball.

The Opals play again tonight so lets see how they go.

Has the coaching staff soughted out things that let the team down the other night.

Lets wait and see.

Opals V Canada. The Canadians have been giving us a kicking in lots of team sports so far at these games. We need to get one back!

Quarter Finals - likely on form

USA v China
Belgium v France
Spain v Germany/Nigeria (Opals/Canada)
Serbia v Germany/Nigeria (Opals/Canada)

Yep Belgium cookin japan atm.

Looks like Aus will be headed home without a win.
Brondello like gustavsson could be gone the next day.

This Japan coach should not survive, Horvasse had them flying...

Belgium qualify, Aus now on the outside.
Have to beat France to advance. Good luck...

Love it when people barrack for poor results. Go Opals.

Opals in big trouble!!

Only way to 1/4 finals is a win against France, nothing else will do

Lose but Nigeria win = missing out by finishing 3rd, Belgium are +/- 0, China are -1, we already are -8 (so miss out)
Lose but Canada beats Nigeria = missing out in 3 way tie and we finish 4th

We win, but Nigeria also wins, we will finish 3rd, but the best best 3rd placed team and China misses out (we will have 2 wins and Belgium and China will only have 1 win)

Beat France and Canada wins
We finish 2nd, Canada 3rd (head to head) and Nigeria 4th

All adds up to Opals needing to win or they go home!!

We won! Madgen - wow!

We won! Madgen - wow!

Not that much trouble Clark

Even if we make the semifinals, I still want to see a change of coach. This 'Aussie battler scraping in by the skin of their teeth' thing just doesn’t work for me.

Putting BAs hat on.
I think if she makes semis, she stays on.
Out in the 1/4s is a similar finish to tokyo which was seen as a failure and she's out.