Justin Tatum

A- and look, he pops up in big moments and knocks some daggers to, to win games, but there are long stretches down in Tassie where you needed him to put the team on his shoulders and carry the scoring load, and he just didn't.

I, I'm seeing a different player in Illawarra, and I'm wondering, is this the Justin Tatum effect? Like, he's taken other guys in the past and said, "Hey, man, I think you're a great player," and he's given them the confidence to, to be who they are.

Is, is this what you're seeing?

Yeah, I also think, like, the roster construction allows for him to not have to bring the ball up the floor, to not have to do as much with it, which, you know, could solve a few of these turnover issues.

They put him next to Tyler Harvey.

You have two elite closers, and I think he can fit more into Justin Tatum's system.

Kilan Martin is also a big player.

He played in the NBA as well.

... uh, and really didn't want him to go, as, as we've heard.

So that was, that was a coup and, um, to, you know, and these, and to join a, a group of coaches who already boast the GOAT in, in Brian Goorjian going for his eighth title, uh, coaches of the year in, in, um, Justin Tatum and, um, you know, it, it, Scott Roth and, and you know, going down the line.

And then, yeah, I mean, I'm just looking at this holistically and I, I, I, I brought it up last week and I was really curious, you know, obviously, you know, with your tremendous background, what are your thoughts on it? I mean, it, I kind of likened it to the, the days of Lindsay Gays and Bruce Palmer and Brian Kerr and Bob Turner and Goorj himself obviously in that kind of late '80s, early '90s.

But yeah, what, what do you think about, you know, from the coaching and what it says about the league that we've got this amazing sort of cohort this season?

I'm not disputing that this group of coaches is among the best we've, we've ever had.

I'm not disputing that, but I'm saying let's not forget that we have had some great coaches.

At this point in time, um, I'm a big fan of Justin Tatum and, and Scott Roth as well, but Adam Ford hasn't done anything of note in his time in Cairns.

Uh, John Reilly at this stage hasn't got any runs on the board either.

...

Woods, 'cause if Brisbane start well, their crowd get involved, they start singing that stupid Country Road song after Charlie Cameron kicks a goal For me, playing and coaching, it was the hardest place to win.

So the Crows have to start well.

I don't think we heard Country Road last week.

Oh, yeah.

That was gonna be a talk point.

So we, um, we sort of announced this a couple of weeks ago that Heath Unie has been appointed head of development as well as coaching the Sanfl.

So we're hearing they're not replacing any other of their assistant coaches, which I find a shock.

But I tell you what, Jase, Melbourne United have a pretty big following up here in Bendigo and, you know, they were out in force for the, for the game against Illawarra, which I might add got a little bit s- got a little bit spicy.

There was some shit talk in between both benches, Justin Tatum, some of the assistant coaches of Melbourne United, and I think even Joe and Cole Anthony got involved.

But, uh, it was a pretty good week.

Of course, Melbourne United take away the, um, Logans Bruton Cup and, uh, Luke Travers won the Ray Warren Medal for the MVP of the Blitz.

Now, okay, they didn't win the Blitz, so what? They went one and one.

But that roster they put, that Justin Tatum put together, it is reminiscent, Organ, of what they did two years ago.

The formula, three big guards, 6'4", 6'5" and up.

They had Trey Kell the third.

But he comes off the bench.

You know what I mean? For, Milton Doyle, does he say anything? Nope.

Now Justin Tatum gets him.

Justin Tatum has transformed Dave O. Hickey.