“Kathleen Macleod will look to continue the red-hot form that put her in the WNBL All-Star Five this past year.”
By Jarrod Potter
DRAFT new players to push for greater success … this is the ethos of the Dandenong Rangers this season in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) as they attempt to move up from last year’s fifth place finish.
The Rangers significantly altered their roster in the off-season, with six new additions to the team.
“Getting through last season, we made the finals but we didn’t achieve the goals we wanted to,” Rangers coach Mark Wright said.
“It was an opportunity to bring in the personnel to get us to the next step.”
Wright and his coaching staff have decided to play taller this season, recruiting Jenna O’Hea (from Bulleen Boomers), Tegan Cunningham (Adelaide Lightning) and Louella Tomlinson (St Mary’s College) and imports Brittany Wilkins and Krista Phillips to put more vertical pressure on the opposition, as well as adding Dandenong’s SEABL grand final best-on-court medallist Clare Papavs (Townsville).
“Jenna is a big get for us,” Wright said.
“Tegan is as well, for what she did in Adelaide.”
Tomlinson in particular will boost Dandenong’s defensive capabilities, having earned the record for most blocks in a season and career in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at St Mary’s, with 166 blocks in 09/10 college basketball season and 483 in total for her time in the college sytem.
“I thought Louella was going to Europe, then she changed her mind and we talked about her coming here,” Wright said.
“She had plenty of offers elsewhere, but she’s a Melbourne girl who wanted to stay at home.
“From a basketball achievement, she’s happy with what we can offer her and we’re happy with what she offers us.”
The height from their new recruits, especially the 198cm Phillips, will complement the speediness of guards Kathleen Macleod and Steph Cumming to give Dandenong a formidable starting five.
“They’re fantastic; the future of the club is Steph and Kat,” Wright said.
“Those types of players are a walking advertisement for what we do at Dandy.
“They’re both Opals and Jenna’s in the Opals squad as well, so we’ve gone from two years ago having no-one to having three with definitely more to come.
Wilkins’ debut for the Rangers has been set back four-to-six weeks, after sustaining a torn meniscus in her knee.
“No-one wants their import out before they start,” Wright said. “It’s obviously one step forward and two steps back.”
“It’s a long season, and we’ve got to take it on the chin.
“She’ll do the hard work and the rehab and hopefully will get back to make an impact. Wright believes the first match of the season against the Canberra Capitals will test out the Rangers, with minor injuries and roster composition issues hampering Dandenong’s lead-up.
“I think it’ll be a tough game.
“Krista doesn’t get in until two days before the game, so she won’t have much bearing.
“Brittany’s out so we’ll have to play small ball to the right players and go as hard as we can.
“We’ve got enough personnel to do the job.
“I think we’ll be fine and Canberra without Suzy (Batkovic) isn’t as dominant in the big player department.
“We’ve got little niggling injuries, but they’ll all be fine coming game time.”
Departing from the Rangers roster are Abby Bishop, Jessica Foley, Lauren King, Chantella Perera, Ellie Manou, Rosie Fadljevic and Tracy Gahan.
The Rangers face the CanberraCapitals at home on Sunday at12.30pm.
