Phoenix rise down to defining roles?

Friday, October 20, 2023

Peter Hooley says the ability for the Phoenix to define player roles will be key in their rise up the ladder.

South East Melbourne is currently sitting seventh on the NBL ladder through three rounds of NBL24, and early-season star Tyler Cook has now departed the club following the return to fitness of Alan Williams – but that’s not stopped NBL expert Derek Rucker labelling the side as his team to watch over the next couple of weeks.

The return of Williams – along with last week’s return of Gorjok Gak – means the side is just one player away from a fully-fit roster. Only Ben Ayre is set to miss Thursday’s clash with Adelaide due to a minor ankle injury.

Even without Williams, South East Melbourne eked out a hard-fought win over a high-flying Tasmania last week – largely thanks to the heroics of Gary Browne.

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While Peter Hooley’s eyes look set to be firmly fixed on another team heading into Round 4, the former NBL champion is keen to see how the Phoenix can rise again with a mostly fit roster.

“The thing that hurt South East Melbourne last year was role clarity with constant interruptions with injury,” Hooley said on NBL Now.

“You bring back Alan Williams, you bring back Gorjok Gak, Gary Browne, they just need to be healthy for a sustained period of time because that way everything can be figured out.

“When you have big pieces coming in and out the role players have to step up and do more, we’ve seen Ben Ayre have to start games and try and put points on the board. Now it’s kind of figuring out ‘ok, everybody’s here so who are our top tier, go to guys in these moments’ and everyone else trickles down.

“If they keep dealing with guys going in and out everyone’s role changes and they never get continuity.

“They’re not my team to watch, personally, but it is going to be an intriguing watch.”

Hooley will be keeping his eye on the New Zealand Breakers, who are returning to NBL action on Sunday following their NBLxNBA tour against Portland and Utah.

The Breakers remained competitive in both fixtures but gassed out in the fourth quarter of both games, which led to the margin being extended by the larger rosters put onto the floor by the NBA sides.

Since New Zealand departed for the United States it has added former Golden State forward Anthony Lamb to its ranks in place of injured import Justinian Jessup, and Hooley is excited at the prospect of watching the Breakers take to the NBL floor once more.

“My team to watch is the Breakers, they’re coming back from overseas, they went and played two games and they just added an NBA level player,” he said.

“I’m all-in on watching the Breakers who have two trips to Melbourne but it’s going to be very intriguing, the next couple of weeks in the NBL.”

South East Melbourne opens Round 4 proceedings against the Adelaide 36ers tonight, and will follow up with a home clash against Brisbane on Saturday.

The Breakers will play just once in the upcoming round of fixtures when they take on Melbourne United on Sunday afternoon.