COOK UP A STORM: Tom Cook will return to captain the Tigers in 2013. Photo: ROBERT CRAWFORD
LONG REACH: American import Chris Wesley Moore will bring his impressive 219cm wing-span to the Tigers this year.
FOLLOWING a 12 month hiatus from the Waratah State League, the Shoalhaven Tigers is ready to sink its claws into the competition with a super strong team ready to give the soon to be demolished Tigers Den the winning send-off it deserves.
Following an almost fairy tale ending to the 2011 season, Tigers’ head coach Scott Balsar has assembled one of the most impressive player line-ups to put on the black and gold since it last won the championship in 1990.
Announcing details of the team, Balsar said his boys are ready to unleash on the league when the competition gets underway in late March.
“To start with, the Tigers Club has secured the services of Chris Wesley Moore, an American import who stands 205 centimetres tall (6’9”) and has an impressive 218 centimetre (7’2”) wing-span,” Balsa said excitedly.
“I have seen him jump and I reckon he could jump out of the Tigers’ Den in a single bound.”
Balsar said Wesley Moore will arrive in Australia from his native Atlanta, Georgia in early March.
“Chris is certainly excited about coming to Australia and has been in constant contact with me since we signed him,” he said.
“We have also signed former Shoalhaven junior and eight year NBL veteran Jeff Dowdell.
“Jeff has agreed to play a series of games with us working around his commitments with the Canberra Gunners.”
Balsar said Dowdell trained with the team over the Christmas break and decided he wanted to pull on the black and gold one more time before the den is demolished.
“He wants to pay something back to the club that kick started his long and great career,” Balsar said.
Standing at 203cm tall (6’8”) with a wealth of experience, Dowdell brings depth to the line-up.
Rounding out the new additions is former Shoalhaven junior Jeremy Goode.
Jezza, as he is known to teammates and fans, has enjoyed playing in the Waratah ABA as a member of the Illawarra Hawks and in the state league where he won a championship with Illawarra in 2010 and was named defensive player of the match.
“Jezza will bring great energy and spark to our team,” Balsa said.
“He is a tremendous competitor and has the tendency to rub his enthusiasm and energy off onto others.”
In addition to the new signings, the dynamic duo of skipper Tom Cook and the electrifying Alex Brown will return to the club along with veteran big man Brad Mulvihill, who has decided to have one last shot at winning a title.
Together with Brent “Big Rig” Nemeth, the pair will add toughness in the middle.
Add to the list the ever reliable Ben Morris, Paul Roddam, Keiryn Corbyn and youngsters Tom Ozolins and Tim Hanlon, and you have the makings of an amazing State League team.
“We have a few pre-season games planned that are still being finalised, as soon as we know dates we will let the fans know,” added Balsar.