Inside the Gold Coast Rollers’ NBL1 North roster rebuild
‘Jackpot’ signings, savvy moneyball-style list management and a huge investment in one key area. Discover how the defending NBL1 North champions rebuilt their roster to chase another title.
‘JACKPOT’ signings of Australia Boomers, savvy moneyball-style list management and a huge investment in homegrown Gold Coast talent has the Rollers on the cusp of winning back-to-back NBL1 North championships.
The quest to reach the pinnacle of the league for a second straight time has been one littered with setbacks for Gold Coast who have defied the odds to be back in a grand final series again.
The Rollers will play Ipswich Force in three games spanning across Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Carrara Stadium, with the first two starting at 7.30pm with the final game to be held at 3pm.
Gold Coast looked destined to fall off a cliff in 2023. The team lost four players, including three starters, from the title-winning team of 2022.
DJ Mitchell and Lamar Patterson were among the former starters and Devon Sullivan also excited.
The biggest loss came in the form of Tanner Krebs, a marquee signing for 2023 who played just four games before suffering a serious foot injury.
It could have crippled the Rollers due to his status as a 10-point player in the NBL1 North’s points cap.
Given there is no salary cap, a points system used by the league is an equalisation method that ensures no clubs can go out and buy titles.
The maximum number of combined points the Rollers top 15 players can reach is 38, with the two others in their squad unable to go beyond a point each.
Point guard Jason Cadee is worth 10 points, meaning only one player who helps make up half the cap is available to coach Anthony Petrie.
Twenty points left between 15 players. This is the true mastery behind Gold Coast’s success.
What Petrie and the Rollers staff have done is invest heavily into Gold Coast juniors and young players who live here because they are passionate about giving them a pathway to the elite level and because they are slugged with either 0.5 or 1 point.
“We are one of the lower spending clubs so it becomes about the moneyball theory around managing what players are worth in points and what they can give your team,” Petrie said.
“You have to prioritise as a club and we want to give the junior an opportunity to develop.
“Something that has gone missing and that has been really undersold is the fact we haven’t had Tanner and how big our local players and juniors have been.”
Ten players are Gold Coast juniors, including four The Southport School products like Preston Le Gassick, the son of former Gold Coast NBL player Brendan Le Gassick, who has played 13 games this season while still only aged 20.
“The amount of juniors on the team shows how good the sport is going on the Gold Coast and the pathways that are here,” Le Gassick said.
“Everyone is improve and everyone is contributing because we train with guys like Jason Cadee who is probably the best player in the competition.
“His basketball IQ is off the charts. All the little things he does make such a big difference in the game and Peach (Petrie) allows us to play in a system that is free flowing and doesn’t come down too hard on us.”
Alongside the young guns, Petrie produced some savvy signings of experienced players who had added immense quality to the roster.
Petrie rates Todd Blanchford as the jackpot. The Australian representative has around 15 years of NBL experience behind him but fell out of Perth’s rotation.
It meant his game time fell below an average of 20 minutes and his points value dropped to just five.
“I had no doubts about his skills so I was adamant to everyone to be patient and we were lucky to get him,” Petrie said.
“I knew he would be great but his impact through the team and the entire association has been even greater.”
Jaryd Eustace arrived with a single point to his name but with the skills that Petrie believes could take him to the NBL if he wasn’t so focused on his career outside of basketball.
“It takes time to develop a list like this,” Petrie said.
“We are very careful about the type of people we bring in. Sometimes you can attempt a bandaid fix by signing a player but they may not be the right fit.
“We are lucky to have guys like Jason who personify everything we want to be as a club and are passionate about developing our juniors.”
Gold Coast and Ipswich both recorded a win over each other in the regular season. Now the decider will come with a title on the line.
GOLD COAST ROLLERS PLAYERS AND THEIR POINTS VALUE
Ben Tweedy
Points: 1
Position: Guard
Originally from Rockhampton where his father Neil coaches an NBL1 side, Tweedy attends TSS where he has been the MVP for the first three games of their GPS season. He has a high basketball IQ, is a great competitor and is ahead of his teenage peers.
Billy Rigby
Points: 0.5
Position: Guard
A Byron Bay player who moved to the Gold Coast at the age of 13. Rigby’s defence is his greatest strength, with the competitor happy to be a physical presence on court and do whatever is necessary for the Rollers to win.
Cameron Thew
Points: 3
Position: Centre
A moneyball pick up. Thew spent time with the Adelaide 36ers NBL franchise and brings not only size, has a desire to improve and has had a huge impact on Gold Coast since arriving. Thew is someone who has played well above his points status.
Connor Watt
Points: 0.5
Position: Forward
Another TSS product who is originally from Tamworth in country NSW. Watt is a university student who still wants to play basketball at a high level after rupturing his ACL while still at school and battling his way back.
Elijah Kamu
Points: 0.5
Position: Forward
An 18-year-old Gold Coast junior who is starting in the Rollers team every game. Kamu was named the most improved player for the Rollers this season and boasts a tremendous work ethic and has had a huge impact on the side in 2023.
Jalen Patton-Croker
Points: 0.5
Position: Guard
A Queensland representative at junior level, Patton-Croker played for the likes of Townsville and Mackay before suffering injury setbacks. He has been a diamond in the rough for the Rollers who knew Patton-Croker just needed a chance to show off his quality.
Jaryd Eustace
Points: 1
Position: Guard
An extremely intelligent player who stands at 207cm but has the skills of a guard. Eustace is considered good enough to play in the NBL but his focus on a career outside of basketball means he is destroying teams for Gold Coast.
Jason Cadee
Points: 10
Position: Guard
A man who has just been named the NBL1 North MVP. Every side in the league would want Cadee in their squad. A big moments player who has been a pillar for the Rollers in recent seasons.
Jaze Morris
Points: 0.5
Position: Guard
Another Gold Coaster who is solid in defence and is known for his accuracy for three point shots. Morris has a team-first mentality and is one of the most passionate players on the Gold Coast roster.
Nevarda Higgins:
Points: 0.5
Position: Forward
A Gold Coast junior who stands at 204cm and has had an interrupted season due to a few injuries and a college tour in the US. Higgins is a late starter to basketball but is heading to an NCAA junior college in the coming month thanks to his unbelievable skills and athleticism.
Preston Le Gassick
Points: 0.5
Position: Guard
Someone who plays at the level of a high ranking guard already. Coach Anthony Petrie has been mentoring him for five years and expects a lot from the young player because of his quality. Someone who looks destined to make a career out of the sport at the professional level, with some NBL teams already expressing interest in him.
Tanner Krebs
Points: 10
Position: Guard
A marquee signing who was set to form a major piece of the puzzle for the Rollers in 2023 before injury struck him down after just four games. Time ran out to replace him but Gold Coast has still managed to succeed.
Tidjane Diop
Points: 1
Position: Forward
A man who is close to playing 100 games for the association and is co-captain at the Rollers. Diop holds the group together, is tough and is great at rebounding.
Todd Blanchfield
Points: 5
Position: Guard
A former Australian Boomers representative who has been one of the signings of the season for the Rollers. He may have fallen out of Perth’s NBL rotation but there is no doubting the skills he possesses on the court.
Tyler O’Neill
Points: 0.5
Position: Guard
A Gold Coaster who is strong in defence and his ability to slide his feet allows him to guard the most elite players in the league at the age of just 18. O’Neill is another player who will
Matt McKewin
Points: 0.5
Position: Guard
A captain of the Rollers QSL team that won the championship. McKewin is a combination guard and a feisty competitor who shoots the ball well.
Jaylen Pitman
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Points: 0.5
Position: Guard
Another combination guard and one of the best defenders for his age group. At just 17 Pitman has been in amazing form for the TSS basketball side at school level and has been improving despite having some injury setbacks.
Originally published as Inside the Gold Coast Rollers’ NBL1 North roster rebuild
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