The Auckland Tuatara came agonisingly close to the ultimate NBL goal for the third straight year and have revamped their roster and brought in a rookie coach to try once again to capture the franchises elusive first title. Will the changes do the trick or will they be searching for answers once again in '25.
2024 Position: 16-4 (2nd place and championship runners up)
Head Coach: Cam Gliddon (1st season)
Departed: Coach Aaron Young (Saints), Reuben Te Rangi (Free Agent), Corey Webster (Jets), Tu Kaha Cooper (Sharks), Cam Gliddon (Retired), Will Leger (Sharks), Charlie Dalton, Braydon Iuli.
Incoming: Buay Tuach (import), Will Hickey (import), Charles Pride (import), Dan Fotu (Giants), Cooper Te Ratana,
Predicted Starters: Rob Loe, Tom Vodanovich, Buay Tuach, Will Hickey, Charles Pride
X-Factor: Buay Tuach
Watch For: Will Hickey
Wanted Headline: Finally!! 4th Times the Charm for Tuatara
Unwanted Headline: Not Again!! Tuatara Lose 4th Straight Final!
Straight Shot
Is it better to get to the title game and lose or is it better never to have been good enough to get to that stage? That is the type of crazy questions that the Auckland Tuatara have been asking themselves after making a third consecutive Grand Final while coming up short of their ultimate goal once again. A stellar regular season led to a 16-4 record, where they lost the first game (when they had practiced once) and the last game (where they had already clinched second on the ladder) of the season and dominated pretty much everyone else that came across them in the schedule. But with that third consecutive final's loss the organisation did some soul searching that would lead to some big changes.
The changes start at the top as Aaron Young, former NBL coach of the year, and the team decided to part ways but it didn't stop there. The playing group will look vastly different as well as starters Corey Webster, Reuben Te Rangi and Cam Gliddon are all gone from the playing group and suddenly the team that has won more games over the past three years than any other team will look very different. and
But success all starts with the foundation and Rob Loe is certainly that for the Tuatara and he returns to man the middle once again. The back-to-back member of the All-Star 5 and defensive player of the year is the key to everything that the Tuatara have done over this highly successful patch. With his ability to score in the paint and stretch the floor when combined with his defensive versatility makes any team he suits up for a threat to win the game. But it will be the pieces around him that will determine if the squad will get a fourth bite at the championship apple.
Tom Vodanovich is back, and his toughness in the low post combines with range to 3 to form a formidable front court partnership that few teams can counter while the key signing of Dan Fotu offers a similar skill set but with more focus on the post scoring then the trey ball. They will likely be joined in playing big minutes by the trio of imports Buay Tuach, Will Hickey and Charles Pride who offer length and athleticism that at times will be able to overwhelm defenses while offering defensive versatility that few teams can match that should also enable one of the slower paced teams from the '24 season to find greater speed in transition. Will Hickey might turn out to be the key signing as his brand of basketball will win the hearts of home fans (while driving the opposition crazy) and he has the skills and tools to be dominant on both ends.
The depth has taken a hit and fans will be wondering if mid-season availability for collegiate players Charlie Dalton and Braydon Iuli will be on the cards again. If no recruits come, then first year head Coach Cam Gliddon will need to do some roster juggling to give the starters the rest needed when calling upon players that are yet to prove themselves on the NBL level. Gliddon will of course have a great understanding of what works for a team that has starred on for multiple seasons, going from starter to coach will offer unique challenges and a few purple patches throughout the season.
The Tuatara have championship quality in the starting lineup but if they want to turn that quality into a trophy they will need to see if they answers on the bench and in the coaching staff to finally claim the title that has been just out of their grasp for so long.
What Our Experts Say
Casey Frank: Most importantly Rob Loe is back! He has been the engine for their activity on both ends of the court. His ability to erase mistakes on defense possibly more valuable then his prolific offensive ability that allows him to score with ease or create opportunities for others. Will 'Davo' Hickey is my early pick for favourite player to watch. He attacks the game on both ends and will feast in passing lanes and transitions. The depth is an issues, but the Tuatara have been unearthing diamonds from the local high school scene since they joined the competition so I would expect 1 or 2 of the youngsters to step up and contribute. Aaron Young is gone, and despite being a former coach of the year his contribution to the recent success may have been undervalued because of the great talent he was coaching, but Cam Gliddon has a great understanding from the game and his enthusiasm as a first year coach should make up for his deficits in experience. Taken as a collective this squad has championship quality and will contend in the postseason once again.
Justin Nelson: Rule number one - never underestimate a team with Rob Loe in it. Rule number two - if ever in doubt, refer to rule number one. While the Tuatara will be desperate to break the shackles and finally win a championship after three successive GF defeats, the first piece of the puzzle will be learning a new system under coach Cam Gliddon. And the second piece of the puzzle will be integrating three new imports. Bringing back Loe and Tommy V ensures stability and two elite starters. However, this is a team that will sorely miss Charlie Dalton and Braydon Iuli, and the huge impact they both made - maybe we'll see them later in the season? I really like the addition of Will Hickey, he will bring a lot of energy and fire, and Dan Fotu is a great get, though will miss a chunk of the season whilst still playing overseas. I expect some movement from this team during the Trade Window, so keep a close eye on them. All up, the Tuatara will be in the mix again, though I think we might see a bit of up and down along the way. Are they championship contenders? Please refer to rule number one!
