The Perth Wildcats only had seven opponents during the just-finished NBL season, and they had two players who contributed over half their total offence in every category.
These two also contributed about one third of their defence.
This is not to decry the efforts of Damian Martin, Shawn Redhage, Matt Knight, Drake U’u or anyone else who suited up for the Cats – they were magnificent. It is just the lengths that Nick Marvin and Jack Bendat, that amazing benefactor of sport in Western Australia, had to go to to win a title.
Perth hasn’t exactly been the first port of call for imports or top-calibre Australian talent in recent years. They’ve played with large local content, drawn some fiercely loyal red-shirted support and held it.
Getting Jermaine Beal and James Ennis was a coup of monumental proportions. And winning was the solitary goal. That they averaged over 10,000 paying customers in home games didn’t hurt them either, but then the Perth Arena is some place to party! And like the Australian Baseball League, if you look after your imports, the organisation they are affiliated with in the USA will pay you back in kind.
The NBL is not what it was when Kerry Stokes and Bob Williams started the amazing takeover of night time sports in Western Australia with a Wildcats team led by Cal Bruton, and luminaries like the incredibly consistent James Crawford, Too Tall Tiny Pinder, Ricky Grace, Steve Davis et al. 12-team leagues were common. They actually had national league basketball going from 1983 – four years before the AFL.
Where have teams such as the Canberra Cannons, the Geelong SuperCats, the Hobart Tassie Devils, the North Melbourne Giants, the South East Melbourne Magic, the Brisbane Bullets, the St Kilda Saints and many others gone?
What are Mike Ellis, Brian Goorjian, Bobby Turner, Herb McEachin, Brian Kerle, Phil Smyth, Leroy Loggins, Andrew Gaze and his dad Lindsay doing? They’re smiling at the job Trevor Gleeson, Joey Wright, Chris Anstey, Alan Black and others are doing to rejuvenate this league. They’re watching and listening and having input and working behind the scenes.
When Andrew Bogut has a night out, Aaron Baynes lays one in, Patty Mills leads the San Antonio backcourt to another win, Matt Delavedova connects from downtown, we think back to Luc Longley and the Chicago Bulls and three titles. We think back to people who rarely get a mention these days like Shane Heal, Darnell Mee, Dave Anderson and others who forged a path to the NBA that will always remain.
Will the NBL ever be as great as the 80s and 90s? Maybe not in the same way, but the NBL has plans for expansion which hopefully will draw NBA teams in the same way baseball has down under. It’s a clean, sharp, well-run league with over 2 million Australian players and supporters in male and female competition.
Basketball is played in every school, in every city, day and night and it will always be the same. Anyone can toss a basketball through a hoop, and that’s the attraction. Everyone can get a workout. Everyone can join a team. Everyone can support their state league team.
The Perth Wildcats got lucky for the umpteenth time. One of the great franchises in Australian sporting history was established as a powerhouse in the early 1980s and in 1990 won their first title. They now have six and are targeting 20 consecutive years of making the playoffs. Incredible!
I was lucky enough to be a part of that 1985/86 resurgence sparked by Bob Williams and Kerry Stokes, and later chaperoned by Jack Bendat. Those were the days when sporting editors across the country put basketball next to the death notices. I wrote for three papers in Perth under different names to get the Wildcats some press. Every paper, TV station and radio station got reports from me.
For two years I slogged away before Cal, Kerry, JC and the boys took over and went on a magical mystery tour of the continent. And I for one believe basketball in Australia can reach the heights it did in the halcyon days again… and very soon.
34,000 paying customers watched the grand final series in Adelaide (who did a fabulous job in the grand final series and throughout this year) and Perth, and millions caught some of the action on Fox Sports, the ABC and Fairfax Radio.
If that isn’t a basis for a greater number of franchises in the NBL, I’m not sure what is.
jimmy
Guest
the NBL should concerntrate on playing games at bigger arenas, and getting a canberra team and a brisbane team before a tassie team and another melb team
proud
Guest
How about some research before you start sending the public misinformation, this article has so many basic errors that's it makes me cringe to hear that you give info to radio stations and tv networks about the NBL and wildcats! Why would you mention Alan Black? He hasn't had a major role in the NBL for years. You asked what happened to Shane Heal... Um he coached the Sydney kings until he quit at the end of this season. ABC and Fox don't show the NBL but Ten/ONE do and NBL.tv does also Perth Wildcats aren't striving for 20 playoffs appearances in a row, they already have 28. The Wildcats weren't the major success from day one as they struggled as the Westate Wildcats Please mate give your readers a decent update about the potential of adding 4 new teams in 2015/16 instead of asking where teams like South East Melbourne (merged with St. Kilda) and Brisbane and Hobart and Canberra are when they have put in an expression of interest to the NBL to be added in a seasons time fighting it out with Wellington of whom Shane Heal is coaching. This article sounds so positive but then dedicates all over the league, the readers and your reputation. Lift your game mate
Jorji Costava (Carltonian)
Guest
In the 80's I recall the announcers had a minimal impact. They would just announce something like this after a field goal. "James Crawford for Geelong 2 points." It makes me cringe when you hear, "D-E-F-E-N-S-E". It is just so contrived, I cannot face attending. It is for the 'Idiocracy' generation. The music was only played in breaks in play. And the game should be from April through to October finals. It is lousy weather then and nice to go to an warm indoor stadium to watch a quality game. Best game I attended was Boomers vs. Commies 'super-series' at the Glasshouse. Out of that game the USSR team won Olympic gold and had a bunch play NBA and dominate. Oz had two go to the NBA. Do not think Australia managed to get a win against them in a couple of series. The USSR would hammer a NBA team back then. They had the best centre in the world playing for them which helped.
Johnno
Guest
Ever heard of Rodney O at the kingdome in the 90's. In the halcyon day's of the NBL in the 80's and 90's, they had the American announcers. Perth Wildcat fans at least are getting back into the NBL, a sell out game 3 awsome atmosphere.
James
Guest
Well seeing as you are so morbid about the NBL moving forward, can I have your collection of memorabilia?
Geoff
Guest
I've been going now for 25yrs in Adelaide, mainly with the bad boys. Same seats....but now I see families all come with headphones or earplugs! Terrible music, announcers that ruin the crowds own chants, lineups for everything, and we play in the summer now. I can't give away my tickets most nights because there is so much to do in Adelaide in Jan, Feb and March. The diehards are the only ones who will go on beautiful hot nights when they can be somewhere else. Back to winter when going to NBL is a great option on a cold night. Better than sitting outside in the rain at the Footy... Cut the announcers out, back to Aussie crowds screaming and yelling and barracking! Basketball is flourishing despite these problems! Imagine if people could enjoy going again...massive crowds!
Clint Dogg
Guest
With the current people in charge & the way things have been dealt with so far expect the NBL to fold in a year or two, Frasier Neil is a complete Imbecile. Nobody in the NBL office replied or responded to any of my letters or emails way before the seasons start & during. I put forward a NEW song and Catch Phrase plus offered my "Help" to make the league better, NO REPLY!. This season is the worst season Ive ever Witnessed by far, and Ive been following the NBL since 1985 and am willing to bet I have the biggest collection of NBL gear in Australia.
Matthew
Guest
Kerry and co sold it on to some ex Wildcats players after that. Who in turn sold it to Bendat. The Wildcats have managed to turn their financial issues around the past couple of years. Perth Arena has been a huge boost for them.
Johnno
Guest
Kerry Stokes used to love basketball, he used to own the Perth Wildcats.
art pagonis
Guest
Great to see the response. Basketball in Australia is for the 2nd or 3rd time the next big thing in night time sports. the recipe for success is not impossible to fill. Get some quality imports, train up some quality Australian talent, go to the cities that are lacking a franchise and push for Managers, Coaches and Owners....and use the Wildcats as the blueprint. the failure rate of NBL franchises is directly proportional to the quality of the Owners. if the NBL sought a list of millionaire and billionaire individuals and made approaches they would be stunned. James Packer, the Myer Family, Andrew Forrest, Kerr Neilson, The Buckridge Family, Lindsay Fox, Nigel Satterley, Harry Triguboff and others would be a good place to start.
Johnno
Guest
Timms'y shooting 3's for the eagles.
Bob from wakikiki
Guest
Something to consider.... Years ago we would come down from kalgorlie to watch the wildcats at the entertainment theatre. It was a great time....Something special about it was the women played the game before the wildcats. It was great! We could also occasionally pick up an eagles game on the same weekend....That was a great weekend!!!
Glen
Guest
Thanks Matthew - was mostly just pointing out that Fox don't have the NBL anymore. I'd love a bigger FTA presence too. I've had NBL tv for the last two seasons and it works well most of the time. Really looking forward to some growth in the NBL. Hopefully with Adelaide and NZ growing. Melbourne has potential also as they are meant to be moving into a new arena.
Ryan Ranger
Roar Rookie
"Perth poached all our stars" is incorrect. Cal Bruton came to the Wildcats from the Brisbane Bullets, not directly from Geelong. James Crawford played a season in Canberra before heading west. Vince Hinchen, well, he was useless as breasts on a bull in his time at Perth, and went back to the Supercats after one season. Greg Smith landed at the Wildcats after the Supercats exited the the NBL. Shane Heal certainly never played for Perth. To suggest Perth has bought it's success is an ignorant statement. The culture of the organisation, the great support from the fans and the Perth community - and the WA lifestyle - is the reason why the Wildcats are successful (and why a number of former imports and interstate recruits continued to live in Perth after their playing days.) In the last 2 Championship wins, the Wildcats have not had players on it's roster who had claimed an NBL title elsewhere (unlike the Breakers, Dragons, Bullets, Tigers and Kings championship teams before them). The Wildcats have had their challenges over the years, but where other organisations from bigger cities have folded meekly, the 'Cats have survived - and thrived.
Stevo
Guest
The NBL must work within the Aussie sporting landscape and be realistic about where it now sits. It is now way below union and soccer and cannot go head to head with the NRL or AFL or it will be crushed. It is right to have the season when it currently is. The key is to build slowly yet respectfully. A team in Brisbane is surely a must but not more than 10 teams for the next five years. Then maybe introduce a couple more to 12.
Matthew
Guest
Glen: Cept the only service dosn't do the 'job' it is supposed to. It has been literally plagued by buffering problems , slowness, late starts and no starts. It feels like a system perhaps imported from a country where the internet infrastructure is a lot better. Sure they apologise for the issues, but people dont pay money for a service to get an apology. Hutchoman: I see what you are saying however Heal hasnt been the messiah the Kings were looking for. Not even close. I dont entirely agree though that the sport has to be strong in Sydney to survive. It needs to be strong really in either Sydney OR Melbourne to survive and grow. Perhaps 10 years ago your comment might of been more correct , but now I think Melbourne is nearly challenging Sydney for the amound of revenue it can generate. Sure Sydney still has the edge but Melbourne has shown it can also get up there.
Jorji Costava
Guest
You could then substitute the word "Sydney" for "Geelong", or "Hobart" or "Newcastle". Not sure if I buy the Sydney argument. They were getting bigger attendances before they ever won a title I seem to recall.
Jorji Costava
Guest
There should be four clubs in Melbourne, plus a Geelong team. There are that many people involved in the game, it has plenty of room for it. You would have Geelong playing out of the expanded Geelong Arena, a Knox club, Dandenong, plus the old Tigers out of Margaret Court Arena plus a western-northern Melbourne suburbs club. Kilsyth has a good area and stadium.
Jorji Costava
Guest
Spot on. Interestingly, I have been to games through the years where the crowd was up and about and the announcer plus the overly loud music bludgeoned the crowd into silence. NBL's organisers need to remember Australia has different tastes to Americans. Concentrate on improving the on court standards and the people will follow. Also, I hated the players jumping clubs almost on a yearly basis. We had a lot of those "Perth greats" at Geelong originally and were very successful until Perth poached all our stars. Talk about buying success, Perth personifies that!
Glen
Guest
All the games I watched were on FTA. Ten or OneHD. Fox Sports haven't had the NBL for years. There is also an online service which does the job for the non televised games.