Rantings on an Insane Platypus - Australian post coaching

Monday 18 October 2004

I'll admit I don't have a good grasp on this as many others do but I think this is an obvious conclusion I've drawn from looking at the results.

The Australians aren't particularly good post coaches.

Let's look at some good post prospects over the last couple of years.

Lauren Jackson: Brilliant player - but not a particularly good post player until Anne Donovan came along. Relied on her freaky combination of size, athleticism and impressive shooting range. Even now, her post game is only starting to blossom (which is scary - how good will she be in a couple of years).

Suzy Batkovic: Has some moves but shoots way too many jumpers. Can dish it out in the paint but doesn't do it nearly enough. Needs a place like the WNBA to refine her (come on, Suzy!).

Tammy Hoare: Has showed flashes of something greater but has never been able to bring it consistently. May be on the rise this year (btw nice breakaway layup on the weekend!).

Hollie Grima: Money from 10-15 feet but barely ventures into the paint. Can get psyched out easily by physicality. She's like Jenny Whittle - the millennial version (with mobility updates).

Jacinta Hamilton: Ok she's developing nicely but funnily enough, I think she's done most of it outside the AIS. Certainly playing with LJ and then in Europe and Dandenong has done her wonders. She has really blossomed under coach Fox - hmmm there's an idea... (did I mention Fox was born in the US?)

Gabrielle Richards: Perhaps the exception to the rule (not that she had much of a choice). And she's done the right thing post-AIS IMHO.

And let's not speak of the past which has produced wonders like Jenny Whittle and Rachael Sporn. Rachael was a good and hard-working player but if she was a junior nowadays - I think she'd be developed as a wing!

I think the problem is that historically, we've focused on perimeter players and play and it's only the last couple of years we're starting to get a good number of bigs with good potential. And the coaches have little idea of what to do with them; so they make them play like big perimeter players. The ones that can't work as big perimeter players tend to get the short shrift in coaching (Tammy Hoare can beat a lot of players with her moves... but doesn't necessarily finish that well).

I don't have any suggestions to improve the post coaching situation down here - it's just something that has to be done. However I do have a short-term suggestion for the young post players down here.

Go to the US ASAP.

They have some fine post players and coaching and their game is conducive to more traditional post play. Some may say that the European game is a good alternative where their post players are essentially big wings but I say, if you want to beat the best in the world - you have to play it their way. The US' post machine has been winning them major tournaments for almost the last decade.

It seems like more high profile youngsters are going over. Gab Richards as mentioned before is going to Oregon and another young big, Marita Payne, went to Auburn and is setting shot blocking records there. Many are viewing the US college system as an alternative to the WNBL system of development and for post players (at least until things get better), I think this is the way to go.

I welcome any feedback and if you disagree, please don't flame me too hard ;)