Sal’s NBL – Mid Season Report Card

By Aiden McLaughlin

Last weekend saw round eight of the 2022 Sal’s NBL take place. Here’s the ladder as things stand.

With seven rounds to go, followed by a finals series for the top six teams in mid-August, it seemed like a suitable time to catch up with Sky Sport commentators Justin Nelson and Casey Frank for their reflections on the season so far, what the teams need to do going forward and their predictions for the Final 6 line-up.

Auckland Tuatara
JN: Excellent start to the season, but some recent close contests have gone against them and all of a sudden they find themselves on a bit of dip … and minus star import Chris Johnson. Will the early-season wins be enough to cement a Final 6 spot? It’s now over to Rob Loe and Taki Fahrensohn to carry the load with the hope Siler Schneider and Dontae Russo-Nance can keep evolving as a back-court combination.

CF: They are a completely new team, and I’d be surprised if their offensive style didn’t change somewhat, but if neither Chris Johnson nor Dan Fotu returns it will be tough to match the depth of other sides swimming in the finals pool.

Hawke’s Bay Hawks
JN: There’s a lot to like about the Hawks at the midway point. Loaded with players who can perform at both ends of the floor, provided they can work their way through upcoming Tall Blacks duties (where they miss some players for a few weeks), the Hawks are currently displaying all the credentials (and form) that will surely push them to a Final 6 berth.

CF: The pace of this team is undeniable and they play more physically than teams that are larger in size, but to reach their goal they’ll need to take better care of the ball and tick up the three-point shooting.

Otago Nuggets
JN: Despite the loss of Taj McCall, the recent addition (round eight) of Tray Boyd looks like a master move. This team has arguably the best starting unit in the league, but from here it will be all about their depth as we head to the business end. The Nuggets will make the Final 6 where all eyes will be on the health and form of their starters.

CF: Tray Boyd was impressive from the first bounce and the starting five are the match of any in the comp.  If they want to match the glory of the 2020 NBL Showdown the bench will have to develop some pop.

Nelson Giants
JN: Maybe the biggest success story of the season so far. The Giants have had a few lean years where middle of the road was viewed as being the norm, however with three solid imports and captain Sam Dempster in the best form of his career (at the spritely age of 31) – the Giants look finals bound … and they have the league’s best point guard in Jarrod West, which counts of plenty.

CF: They’ve been playing really well and their defense doesn’t give up anything easy, but the Giants may have the smallest margin for error of any team that will end up in the top six.

Franklin Bulls
JN: The Bulls are back on track and not surprisingly their current three game win streak (after four straight losses) coincides with Corey Webster suiting up and playing. Throw in new import Giddy Potts, who looked good on debut last week, plus a returning Jayden Bezzant, and the Bulls now have a guard combination to mix it with every team.

CF: Corey Webster has put an engine in the offense and will find a higher gear with the return/addition of Jayden Bezzant/Giddy Potts.  They are physical and control the pace which is a great combo.

Canterbury Rams
JN: Maybe the most inconsistent team in the league right now. Their good is very good, but their not so good is ordinary. If the Rams can’t start finding consistency they will soon have the likes of the Airs and Jets challenging them for a spot in the finals. Sunday Dech is in MVP form, but he can’t do it alone. From here a lot will come down to the form of two new imports who have just arrived.

CF: Pretty inconsistent up to this point of the season, but their best is yet to come and I think they have the potential to grind you down defensively.  They’ll be in the chase down the stretch but they will have to blend in new recruits in quick fashion.

Taranaki Airs
JN: The Airs might just be everyone’s favourite ‘second team’ … other than for Airs fans of course. There is a lot to like about this group, and the import trio of Hilliard, Douglas and Willett look like they will keep improving the more time they spend together. This is a team capable of winning every game they step into, the question is whether or not they can string those wins together?

CF: The Airs will be tough to handle moving forward and if they can find consistent shooting outside of Anthony Hilliard the offense will be a force, but even if that doesn’t come to be they will be able to overwhelm teams athletically at times.

Manawatu Jets
JN: From day one new coach Natu Taufale has been talking about building the process and sticking to it. A winless start has been sharply turned around in recent weeks with four great wins, and all of a sudden we are starting to see the process the trust and belief the team has in the process. While the Jets will be in the finals mix, some of the early season losses might prove to be an obstacle. All up though, how good is it to see the Jets taking flight!

CF: They have excelled since John Bohannon was moved to the high post facilitator role, allowing room in the post for Zane Najdawi and perimeter bombs from Robert Crawford and Shane Temera. The Jets are right in the hunt for a finals spot, but still have work to do and consistency to find to land this plane.

Wellington Saints
JN: It’s been a tough season so far for the 2021 champs. The first few weeks was spent waiting for star players to arrive, while recent form has hinged on their ability to either hold a lead or find a way to score against a zone. Disappointingly, the Saints have blown leads against the Rams, Giants and Bulls in three games that may ultimately decide their eventual fate. While they still have enough games to build a run of wins and sneak into the Final 6, the bigger question is whether or not they have the form to do it? On what we are currently seeing, the answer is probably no.

CF: At this point, the Saints were going to change something so we bid Bon Voyage Guy Molloy, and multi championship player Troy McLean gives the players the fresh start needed to kick-start the season, but with a minimum 7-2 finish required to have a chance, there is little room for error.

Southland Sharks
JN: Much like the Saints, the Sharks are another usual powerhouse that has failed to fire for a whole myriad of reasons. Form, injuries, Covid, an injured coach and some recruiting that hasn’t gone exactly to plan – all up it has been a tough slog for the consistent finalists. It looks as if the Sharks are already too far back. Nothing is impossible at this stage of the season, but current form suggests the mountain is too big to climb.

CF: They’ve undergone an extreme amount of unluckiness, and haven’t played well enough on both ends for a full 40, but despite that, they aren’t completely out of it. Daishon Knight will help them win some games and if they can somehow pull off a win without Dom Kelman-Poto there is enough talent to go on a run, however unlikely.

Justin’s Final 6 Prediction
Hawks
Nuggets
Giants
Bulls
Airs
Tuatara

Casey’s Final 6 Prediction
Nuggets
Hawks
Giants
Bulls
Airs
Tuatara

Thursday night sees the start of round nine as the Nuggets host the Rams. The full round nine fixtures can be found below.

Follow Aiden on Twitter