No team was harder hit with the season moving forward to accommodate for the 2012 Paralympic Games than the RSL Qld Spinning Bullets. The shift in dates meant that the National Wheelchair Basketball League (NWBL) clashed with many European Leagues and for Brisbane it meant a season without Rollers big man Bill Latham and Spanish import/adopted Queenslander Augustin Alonso.

 

Still no Latham on the Spinning Bullets list in 2013 and I’m unsure as to the reasons for Latham’s omission. With any luck we’ll see him on court during the latter parts of the season,

 

Alonso is confirmed as returning in season 2013 and slots back into one of the most impressive young lists the NWBL has seen for a long time. He joins former Perth Wheelcat Nick Radovich in the Spinning Bullets line-up and both provide the height and scoring ability that Brisbane lacked in 2012.

 

Tom O’Neill-Thorne continues to develop and will become one of the NWBL’s toughest matchups in a few years’ time. O’Neill-Thorne joins Jordan Bartley and Bailey Rowland in the league’s most talented young list and all three will see plenty of court time in 2013.

 

It will be interesting to see how the Spinning Bullets start this season. With Latham in the team I would have thought their line-up would have been top heavy running 4.5-4.0-3.5-2.0(J)-1.0 (Alonso, Latham, Radovich, Rowland and Simmons). Without Latham, I think it opens the door for Tom O’Neill-Thorne to start and play bigger minutes. For mine, the Spinning Bullets will start the season 4.5-3.5-4.0(J)-3.0(J)-1.0 (Alonso, Radovich, Bartley, O’Neill-Thorne, and Simmons).

 

Fifth placed in 2012 but destined to be a contender in 2013. For a long time it has been the Perth-Wollongong show in the NWBL but Brisbane is well and truly knocking on the door. With a unique blend of experience and youth and under the eye of new Australian Gliders new head coach Tom Kyle, the Brisbane Spinning Bullets are a real championship threat in 2013.

 

 

2013 RSL Queensland Spinning Bullets:

 

Jordan Bartley (4.0) Junior

Shannon Buxton (2.0) Rookie

Shelley Cronau (3.0)

Alex Davis (4.5)

Jason Holohan (3.0)

Damon Jaenke (3.0)

Bridie Kean (4.0)

Adrian King (2.0)

Rod McPherson (2.5) Rookie

Matthew McShane (2.0)

Tom O’Neill-Thorne (3.0) Junior

Nick Radovich (3.5)

Bailey Rowland (2.0) Junior

Tige Simmons (1.0)

Thomas Holland-Roach (3.0) Junior

Agustin Alejos Alonso (4.5)

 

Head Coach: Tom Kyle

Assistant Coach: Peter Sumpter

Team Manager: Jane Kyle

Development Coach: David Hegerty

Development Coach: David Pollard

Development Coach: Gareth Munro