The Giants are finally living up to their name and have some tall timber this season ... and it looks like a shrewd recruiting move by coach Mike Fitchett that could lead to the team's first championship since 2007. Bigger is better in the Land of the Giants in 2025.
2024 Position: 8-12 (6th place on points percentage)
Head Coach: Mike Fitchett (7th season)
Departed: Tom Ingham (retired), Dan Grida (Hawks), Dan Fotu (Tuatara), Kobe Langley, Ernie Kerr, Nick Davidson, Adam Barton, Theo Akwuba.
Arrived: Callum McRae (Sharks), Lachy Crate (Jets), Liam Judd (Jets), Brice Johnson (import), Callum Dalton (import), Jaylen Forbes(import), Will Blight (Rams), Coen Williams, Cooper Adams.
Predicted Starters: Alex McNaught, Jaylen Demontae, Hayden Jones, Brice Johnson, Callum Dalton
X-Factor: Hayden Jones
Watch For: Brice Johnson
Wanted Headline: Championship Returns To Land Of The Giants
Unwanted Headline: Giants Fall Down The Beanstalk Again
The Straight Shot
Though the NBS Nelson Giants made the playoffs last season (6th), they weren’t at the same level of the five teams above them and promptly exited the post-season quickly. However, under the surface the continued groundwork was being done for the immediate future (2025) and we should expect some positive dividends in the coming months. Under the astute leadership of coach Mike Fitchett, who is currently the longest serving employed Sal’s NBL coach, the mix of youth and experience at the Giants is arguably the best in the country. Winners of the inaugural Sky Broadband Rapid League, the Giants are packed with local talent, led by Hayden Jones and James Matthews. The addition of another young gun, Lachy Crate (Jets), is a masterstroke, and though a bit older at 24 there is no denying Liam Judd (Jets) will also flourish under the direction of Fitchett. The Giants’ gaping issue of height (or lack of it) has been solved this season with no less than four players standing 206-centimetres and above – we can hear captain Sam Dempster cheering from here! That height will make a massive difference and balance out the dash and enthusiasm of so many talented young playmaking guards. Imports Jaylen Forbes (25), Callum Dalton (25) and Brice Johnson (31) will lead with maturity, the latter (Johnson) a 2016 NBA first round draft pick out of the University of North Carolina. Alex McNaught is back for season number six after another six months spent in the Aussie NBL system, Sammy D will again be the heart and soul of the team, while the return of Callum McRae (Sharks) is a valuable addition. If the imports stand up, which they should, then this is a Giants team capable of big things, and maybe dreaming of their first title since 2007 can be afforded to Giants fans. A tough first month will see the Giants play all of the five teams ahead of them on the ladder in 2024 – if they accomplish a few wins there then they will be nicely set-up. Be mindful the Giants will lose some of their young stars to international duty at some stage, but if they have those same youngsters down the stretch of the season then there is no reason not to believe this could be, and should be, a top 4 team.
What Our Experts Say
Casey Frank: Whatever the talent level the Giants always come to play but it looks like the talent level has crept up in the offseason. Their player development is second to none in the NBL (well maybe second to the Rams) and this may be the season that they can squeeze every last drop out of a local core before they head off to the American collegiate system. Liam Judd has shown glimpses of being a high level player and his level of consistency should thrive with the Giants and help out on the interior. Speaking of the interior, they have some size! That size should offer some positional stability while keeping the minutes load of Sam Dempster as a back up center to a more manageable level. I always have the Giants as a threat to make the postseason but their ceiling this year comes down to two players, Brice Johnson and Hayden Jones. If Johnson can get his body where it needs to be after a bit of a layoff he could be the coup signing of the league while Hayden Jones should be more comfortable on this level after getting a taste as a rookie and the now 18 year old should be able to capitlise on that comfort with a more aggressive mindset.
Justin Nelson: I’m really high on the Giants this year and think they could be one of the teams to beat. Packed with young stars (Jones, Matthews, Crate) who are maturing so quickly thanks to Rapid League, the addition of some height (finally – more than one player over 200cm) is the piece of the puzzle that has been missing – and boy are they big! I know Brice Johnson is coming back from injury, but if he nears his best then he will arguably be the recruit of the season and well in contention for MVP honours. The key thing to look for will be this team’s form at home, because last season they were awful at the Trafalgar Centre. However, this time around I’m expected a lot more home wins and, again, the sold-out sign swinging above the front door most night (probably all of them).
