WNBL issues rulings on Fire games
12 November

The Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) today handed down its decision on the formal complaints lodged by the Sydney Flames and the Dandenong Rangers about the refereeing in their recent games in Townsville.

WNBL Referee’s Supervisor Eddie Crouch reviewed videotape of both games after official complaints were lodged by the head coaches of the Flames and the Rangers.

In both Sydney’s game against the Townsville Fire on 27 October and Dandenong’s game against the Fire on 1 November it was found that the refereeing did not unduly influence the outcome of the game. 

“Eddie Crouch viewed the video of the games and found that there was no evidence that the match results were unduly influenced by the referee’s decisions,” said WNBL board member Lorraine Landon.  “We firmly believe that our referee’s do an admirable job under what can often be very trying conditions.  We will however continue to work with our state-based referee’s supervisors to ensure that the standard of officiating throughout the league will continue to be of a uniformly high standard.”

The WNBL also announced today that Dandenong Rangers head coach Gary Fox has been issued with a severe reprimand for public criticism of the referees following the Rangers game in Townsville. 

“Gary’s conduct following the game breeched the WNBL code of conduct, which forbids public criticism of the referee’s,” said Landon.  “We will be reminding all of our clubs that any form of public comment about match officials is inappropriate.”

Taipans secure edge on Crocs...
11th November

Clayton Smales - Townsville Bulletin

TOWNSVILLE’S former whipping boys the Cairns Taipans wrenched the whip out of their rival’s hands and gave as good as they used to get with a brutal, bullying National Basketball League display in the Far North on Saturday night.

The seeds of change in this northern Queensland rivalry were sewn in Townsville three weeks ago when former Crocodile Brad Davidson and hot-hand Anthony Stewart played leading hands in the Taipans’ first-ever away win over the one-time league runners-up.

But in front of a parochial Cairns Convention Centre crowd, it was inside bruisers Ben Knight, Jayson Wells and Ron Kelley who nurtured the seeds into an emphatic bloom, the Taipans never headed in the 118-104 victory that was set up by a 33-22 opening quarter.

Knight in particular had boundless fun rubbing Cairns’ frontcourt superiority in Townsville’s face. The former Crocs bumped, bustled and trash-talked his way to a career-high haul of 38 points – on 14-of-19 shooting – plus eight rebounds.

After completing a three-point play down one end. Knight gave Crocs import Wayne Turner an earful as Turner fell and fumbled a ball out of bounds. And this display of aggression rubbed off on teammates Wells and Kelley, who took turns in backing in to Townsville’s poorly-defended keyway.