Canberra V Adelaide 25.10.

[Leftfield]

A couple of impressions that came from Canberra's thumping win over Adelaide 100-73.

Adelaide may have been missing Foley, but from what I saw today even with her I don't see them as a major threat for the championship, because their real weakness in their coach, Vicki Valk. She is bereft of ideas. In the second quarter Adelaide were a rabble, the most pathetic team I've ever seen (there were a couple of 7/8 year old girls playing during half time who would have performed better) and Valk was unable to reverse the tidal wave. It wasn't until 7/8 minutes into the quarter before she called a time-out, she spent most of the quarter raising her hands in disbelief.

I think Francis is regressing under Valk and should seriously look at walking away from Adelaide at the end of season, Tolo totally outplayed her today and now is probably the better player of the two. Over the last couple of weeks Tolo has taken the next step and has become one of premier bigs in the league, while Francis looks like a passenger and all her confidence appears to have drained away. She is not the player she was in her final seaon at the AIS.

Signs are there that Canberra are beginning to look like a team capable of defending it's championship, they are still falling a little short in the rebounding department, but they definately look better than the first round. Wilson is starting to look more comfortable with the Caps style of play, Tolo and Perera have improved since last season and Hurst and Bibby are starting to find their form from last year. If Bishop, once she returns, can find her form they should look good for the last few weeks of the regular season.

[theFraudulentone]

having attended the game today i must say adelaide were extremely disappointing...they were the same on friday night against the AIS...i think there is a slight problem with the coach not havin enough of an impression over her players, but the biggest problem has come from recruiting...to only have one "point guard" in ya best 9/10 of the roster is goin to kill any team in the league! and another part of that issue is the fact that the "point guard" they have has a severe tendancy to dribble a lil too much and i think today got caught up in a 1 on 1 battle with hurst which hurst won convincingly!!!

if adelaide are to challenge i think another quality PG is required and not rely on foley, newely and woosnam(yes she is a forward, but quite regularly brings the ball up) to fill in the PG role...

must say disappointing from adelaide, amazing from the caps though...full credit to them they shot the sh!t outta it today! Bibby was brilliant, Tolo continued her great form and hurst just ran the show...Perara was very impressive today as well! caps looked very solid as a unit today!

will be a tough week for Adelaide this week...some definitely sole searchin before a tough double header weekend against dandy comin off first win and then bulleen sunday...

[Andy K]

Adelaide were missing more than just Foley, they are still without Camino who is a great scorer and solid defender and Shelly Hammonds/Burston who can defend any big in the league and is also a solid scorer. That makes 3 Australian players out of the team, It will be a new look Adelaide when they all hit the court, but i do agree that the coach seems to run out of ideas whan they need an answer to something, maybe they should have tried to get Chambers when Bulleen dumped her.

[armchair_coach]

Maybe Adelaide should look at Dean Kinsman for next season. I think he will be a better coach of women that emerging women. He has history with a few of the players as well and Francis did well under him. But whom ever they pick they must remember to play Marino :dance:

[Leftfield]

Adelaide were missing more than just Foley, they are still without Camino who is a great scorer and solid defender and Shelly Hammonds/Burston who can defend any big in the league and is also a solid scorer. That makes 3 Australian players out of the team, It will be a new look Adelaide when they all hit the court, but i do agree that the coach seems to run out of ideas whan they need an answer to something, maybe they should have tried to get Chambers when Bulleen dumped her.

I didn't include Camino or Hammonds because they haven't played at all this season, and I'm not sure when they will. It was perhaps an oversight on part, and hopefully they do have a impact when they start playing, but that impact will be tempered some what because of their coach. I'm still not sure if they will be enough to compete with Bulleen, Canberra and Sydney, if they can get their act together. Perhaps Sydney are another team who should be looking for a new coach.

[Angel_Baby]

Plus Canberra are still waiting on Bishop to come back in, and she is an absolutely vital player. Better than Hammond and Camino combined...

Adelaide being without Hammond and Camino is the same as Canberra missing Bishop, in my opinion the missing players meant nothing. Canberra are still the better team.

(Plus they have the best coach in the league as opposed to someone that just does whatever Marino wants)...

[Andy K]

Plus Canberra are still waiting on Bishop to come back in, and she is an absolutely vital player. Better than Hammond and Camino combined...

Adelaide being without Hammond and Camino is the same as Canberra missing Bishop, in my opinion the missing players meant nothing. Canberra are still the better team.

(Plus they have the best coach in the league as opposed to someone that just does whatever Marino wants)...

I guess time will tell when they meet again, hopefully both with full strength teams.
Also you say Bishop is better than both Hammonds & Camino combined, do you expect us to actually believe this just because you say so. You may want to look up some stats.

[rondo]

Perhaps Sydney are another team who should be looking for a new coach.

Never going to happen. Hasn't she signed for a further 3 seasons or something?

[foxylady]

Maybe Adelaide should look at Dean Kinsman for next season. I think he will be a better coach of women that emerging women. He has history with a few of the players as well and Francis did well under him. But whom ever they pick they must remember to play Marino :dance:

LMAO - you have got to be joking. yes kinsman will be great for cayla. he ran the AIS side through her and look how that ended up!.
seriously i think cayla is too soft to be a consistent force at this level.
and IMO kinsman can't coach worth a lick and i think we saw that while he was at the AIS.
if that is the best option for Adelaide then they are in deep, deep, doo doo

[opalswatcher]

Cayla needs to realize she aint a guard! thats the main problem. Look at her stats from WNBL so far and even the SEABL from last season.

Anyone else think similar?

[armchair_coach]

Cayla certainly had a relaxing season in the SEABL and worked on her outside game ;) But if that is what was agreed on by the coach prior to recruiting her in SEABL then thats between her and the club that recruited her.

I would like to play her inside more and I thought that after missing Opals squad that might have been something to motivate her to become a dominant post player in the WNBL.

Foxylady if you only look at Dean's coaching at AIS and that makes him a bad coach then I guess you think the same of the men's coach there in Marty Clarke and Phil Brown I guess as he has only won once in what 15 years. Some say anyone could have coached that team to a championship. I wont ask you what you think of Dalton then. So apart from Graf and Maher who else can coach ? Who is your likely choice for Adelaide ?? I think Kinsman or even Fox

[holland]

Fox would be good he is wasted as a assistant, so is Michelle. Kinsman is not for the girls keep him in Victoria - check with his past the players. Karen is like Dean can't bond a Team to work together

[armchair_coach]

You can always bring back Jan :dance:

[foxylady]

Cayla needs to realize she aint a guard! thats the main problem. Look at her stats from WNBL so far and even the SEABL from last season.

Anyone else think similar?

yep - that about sums it up

[Dene15]

If Canberra keep improving every game, they're going to be a very exciting prospect come end of season. Most people have been touting Sydney and Bulleen as the teams to beat, and for good reason. They both have some quality talent. But I have felt right before the season started that the caps have every bit as good a team as Bulleen after signing Carly Wilson and once Bishop comes back, hopefully she can hit form quickly and they should be battling for the championship yet again. The person I am most impressed with so far would have to be Perera. She's improved a lot from last season, and it's not just in the scoring department.

This was a crappy game from Adelaide, no other way of putting it. But once they get Burston and Camino in the lineup, they'll be completely different. Sydney are struggling a bit, but I still see them being a title contender once they get their act together, after all, they have an extraordinary lineup.

[Leftfield]

Cayla needs to realize she aint a guard! thats the main problem. Look at her stats from WNBL so far and even the SEABL from last season.

Anyone else think similar?

Is it really her fault or is it to do with a poor game plan devised by her coach or the ball-hog's inability to pass the ball any further than her finger tips?
There were long periods in the game on Sunday where she didn't touch the ball, she needs to be a more commanding when at the low post. She has the skills to be a real presence.

[Andy K]

Maybe Shelly can show her how to play on the inside, she will play her first game this season on Friday night.

[theFraudulentone]

maybe she can teach cayla that at 6ft4 ya dont need to fade away on every shot!!!