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LosLynxAngeles
Joined: 26 Jul 2014
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 Posted: 08/24/15 3:58 pm ::: Some Opal players sitting out 2016 WNBA season for olympics |
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http://www.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/opals-give-up-big-money-for-olympic-dream-20150824-41iz4.html
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| a lot of the girls have told me that they're probably going to sit out the WNBA to give themselves the best shot at playing for Australia |
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| Joyce insisted there was no pressure from him to make such a commitment, saying he was happy for them to play in the US |
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| It's something I haven't stressed because I think it created some real pressure on players staying out of the WNBA for the 2012 London Olympics |
I'm sure LJ, Liz, Jarry, and probably Penny will all be sitting out but Erin, and Jenna have stayed pretty loyal to the wnba over their careers and Rebecca Allen has been getting paid this entire season without playing a game so I wonder if that was in her agreement with the liberty that she plays in 2016. Tolo, Francis, and Mitchell are all unknown to me.
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Michelle89
Joined: 17 Nov 2010
Posts: 16464
Location: Holland
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| Posted: 08/24/15 4:10 pm ::: Re: Some Opal players sitting out 2016 WNBA season for olymp |
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| LosLynxAngeles wrote: |
http://www.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/opals-give-up-big-money-for-olympic-dream-20150824-41iz4.html
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| a lot of the girls have told me that they're probably going to sit out the WNBA to give themselves the best shot at playing for Australia |
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| Joyce insisted there was no pressure from him to make such a commitment, saying he was happy for them to play in the US |
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| It's something I haven't stressed because I think it created some real pressure on players staying out of the WNBA for the 2012 London Olympics |
I'm sure LJ, Liz, Jarry, and probably Penny will all be sitting out but Erin, and Jenna have stayed pretty loyal to the wnba over their careers and Rebecca Allen has been getting paid this entire season without playing a game so I wonder if that was in her agreement with the liberty that she plays in 2016. Tolo, Francis, and Mitchell are all unknown to me. |
If Liz and LJ are healthy they will be on the team without a doubt. They dont have to sit out to make that happen. Same for Penny. So im expecting the likes of Jarry, O'Hea, Bishop, Francis to sit out next season because they are fighting for a spot
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Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
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| Posted: 08/24/15 5:07 pm ::: |
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| "It doesn't mean that if they go to the WNBA they don't value it, but I think it's more about most of the girls that haven't been to an Olympic Games realise they've probably got to do that to make the team." |
No pressure at all!
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Randy
Joined: 08 Oct 2011
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| Posted: 08/24/15 5:16 pm ::: |
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Another issue is whether the players would want to risk injury by playing the WNBA since it might mean they miss the Olympics. I'm afraid a lot of teams will be having a extra roster spots to fill next summer, as not just the Australians, but also the players from Brazil, as well as those other teams that qualify will be less likely to show up, at least for part of the season. I'm figuring Dantas and Dumerc won't be showing up in Atlanta for at least part of next season, for example.) Will be a good year for rookies to get jobs and maybe for players from countries that don't make it to Rio.
BTW - My recollection is Erin Phillips didn't make the Opals last time, so not staying home may have cost her.
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miller40
Joined: 29 Jun 2006
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| Posted: 08/24/15 6:26 pm ::: |
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True, but that was under a different coach. Looking at the Opals PG situation right now, well, to be nice, I can't see him leaving Erin Phillips off the roster.
| Randy wrote: |
Another issue is whether the players would want to risk injury by playing the WNBA since it might mean they miss the Olympics. I'm afraid a lot of teams will be having a extra roster spots to fill next summer, as not just the Australians, but also the players from Brazil, as well as those other teams that qualify will be less likely to show up, at least for part of the season. I'm figuring Dantas and Dumerc won't be showing up in Atlanta for at least part of next season, for example.) Will be a good year for rookies to get jobs and maybe for players from countries that don't make it to Rio.
BTW - My recollection is Erin Phillips didn't make the Opals last time, so not staying home may have cost her. |
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Luuuc
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Joined: 10 Feb 2005
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| Posted: 08/24/15 7:07 pm ::: |
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| miller40 wrote: |
True, but that was under a different coach. Looking at the Opals PG situation right now, well, to be nice, I can't see him leaving Erin Phillips off the roster.
| Randy wrote: |
Another issue is whether the players would want to risk injury by playing the WNBA since it might mean they miss the Olympics. I'm afraid a lot of teams will be having a extra roster spots to fill next summer, as not just the Australians, but also the players from Brazil, as well as those other teams that qualify will be less likely to show up, at least for part of the season. I'm figuring Dantas and Dumerc won't be showing up in Atlanta for at least part of next season, for example.) Will be a good year for rookies to get jobs and maybe for players from countries that don't make it to Rio.
BTW - My recollection is Erin Phillips didn't make the Opals last time, so not staying home may have cost her. |
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Yeah, Graf was not a Phillips fan.
For Rio I'd say that there are few bigger locks to make the team than Erin, so she can do as she pleases.
I see Allen as an automatic selection too, which should give Liberty fans some heart. In fact I dare say Joyce might even encourage her to return to NY to fast track her development.
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Genero36
Joined: 24 Apr 2005
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| Posted: 08/24/15 7:11 pm ::: |
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| The more difficult question is...will LJ grace us with her presence ever again?
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Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
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| Posted: 08/24/15 7:25 pm ::: |
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| Genero36 wrote: |
| The more difficult question is...will LJ grace us with her presence ever again? |
That's a question I had just about given up on getting a positive answer to, but a week ago during the FIBA series she gave a brief interview that made it sound like there was some renewed hope after a change of rehab team.
I don't think she's going to be much of an on-court factor either way, but after the way she has been working for years to get back I would really like to see her make it, just so that she can go out on her own terms. It would mean a lot to her and to aussie basketball.
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J-Spoon
Joined: 31 Jan 2009
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| Posted: 08/24/15 7:39 pm ::: |
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IDK enough about the Aussie players, who are the 12 likely players to make the team?
the names I know
LJ
Penny
Cambage
Allen
O'hea
Jarry
Mitchell
Phillips
Tolo
Francis
Magden?
Talbot?
Mckcloud?
Veal?
Harrower?
that is 15 (though the last two might be retired) are the 12 most likely to make the squad on that list? Who else could go? Any naturalized Americans or others in the mix?
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Genero36
Joined: 24 Apr 2005
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| Posted: 08/24/15 7:47 pm ::: |
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| Luuuc wrote: |
| I don't think she's going to be much of an on-court factor either way, but after the way she has been working for years to get back I would really like to see her make it, just so that she can go out on her own terms. It would mean a lot to her and to aussie basketball. |
Yeah. It would suck for her not to have a swan song and tribute for her last season. She defined the Seattle franchise, and should have her number retired after her final season.
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Luuuc
#NATC
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| Posted: 08/24/15 8:08 pm ::: |
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That's a pretty good list, J-Spoon.
Harrower is retired now so you can cross her off.
I'm going to preface my opinions with the fact that there is still a full WNBL season to come between now and when the Rio squad starts getting really trimmed down, and I think this season will definitely help shape those fringe spots on the team.
Joyce is pretty youth-focussed, and even in recent series with his WNBA players unavailable he has mostly opted for youth over experience, so I'm guessing that Veal and MacLeod are unlikely. Tessa Lavey has been his choice of starting point guard this year. She's young and still raw, but has been pretty solid, so I predict she will make it. There's another point guard named Rebecca Cole, who I rate highly, but she suffered an ACL tear in May so is unlikely.
In the front court, Natalie Burton has been his pet player. I'm still trying to get my head around that one but I think she is a serious chance to make it. Veterans Belinda Snell, Laura Hodges (Summerton) & Suzy Batkovic are still all in the mix as well, and are all realistic chances IMO.
The other x-factor is Kelsey Griffin, who might be eligible to play for Australia.
My early guess, assuming LJ doesn't make it, and based on my perception of Joyce's opinions:
Lavey, Mitchell, Phillips
Talbot, Taylor, Allen, O'Hea, Jarry
Hodges, Francis, Tolo, Cambage
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
Joined: 28 May 2007
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| Posted: 08/24/15 8:41 pm ::: |
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| I definitely think it would be of benefit to Allen to play for NY next season. Unselfishly of course.
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tfan
Joined: 31 May 2010
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| Posted: 08/24/15 9:01 pm ::: |
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| Randy wrote: |
| Another issue is whether the players would want to risk injury by playing the WNBA since it might mean they miss the Olympics. |
So that brings up the issue of when players get injured. Is it much more likely to happen in games than in practices? Certainly a lot of practice time is much less rigorous than a game, but at some point I think they will scrimmage at full speed (and with men), although I guess it never hits game intensity. Which I think could make an argument for playing in the WNBA pre-Olympics. Instead of 3 months of lower intensity scrimmaging you get some intense competition to keep you sharp.
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