CORLETTO-GATE
Written by Daniel Eade Monday, 03 May 2010 22:13
Day 33: It has now been just over one month since the NBL released the list of free-agents, players not under-contract for the 2010-11 season, and the Melbourne Tigers have still failed to re-sign Daryl Corletto, leaving the high-quality guard in an embarrassing situation with his Tigers future clouded and now in doubt.
As Corletto-Gate drags on, unlikely to be resolved until June at the earliest, the Melbourne Tigers are very likely going to split with Corletto and allow the 28-year old to ply his trade in Europe or switch allegiance to the Sydney Kings or possibly the Cairns Taipans.
Tigers CEO, Seamus McPeake, is in the USA scouting potential recruits for the upcoming season and is not expected back until May 17th, and will be unable to speak with Corletto, who will be away on a holiday, until May 25th.
While Melbourne have put their Australian recruitment drive on hiatus until McPeake returns, the choices on who the Tigers select as their two imports will ultimately decide Corletto’s fate.
Hopeful of remaining in Melbourne, Corletto sent a reminder to Al Westover on Sunday afternoon as to just how valuable his skills are and how much he still has to offer. Playing with the Ringwood Hawks, in the Big V, Corletto dropped 33 points (although witnesses from the game claim he scored 37) against the Westover coached Melbourne Tigers, in a 105-98 victory for Ringwood. (I did plan on going to see this game, but two things stopped me. 1, Collingwood were playing and 2, I have boycotted the Big V and SEABL because they have cut their games down to 40 minutes.)
Corletto, who has played nine seasons with the Melbourne Tigers and racked up 250 games, is the 7th longest serving player in the clubs history behind legendary names Andrew Gaze, Lanard Copeland, Mark Bradtke, Warrick Giddey, Ray Gordon and Stephen Hoare, while Corletto surpassed Nigel Purchase and Dave Simmons for number of appearances in Tigers red during last season. Of those players only Gaze was an ‘A-Z’ Tiger, as is Corletto, at the moment.
But as Hoare discovered last season, it counts for nothing if the Tigers hierarchy believe there isn’t a spot for you on the roster. After Hoare was unbelievably let go before last season, the aura of shock that caused for the Tigers fan-base is now two-fold with Corletto constantly having contract talks delayed since the end of the season.
Melbourne have pushed Corletto to the side in an unflattering, embarrassing and hurtful act on one of their most loyal sons.
While Melbourne have encouraged un-signed players to search for options, not guaranteeing anyone from last season safety, Corletto is not prepared to so quickly turn his back on the franchise where he has played his whole career.
Over the weekend Purchase, who played with the Tigers from 1984-91, shared his thoughts on the situation and rumours surrounding Corletto on this website.
Last season the Tigers discarded Stephen Hoare which I thought was a bad move by the club given the importance of Stephen to the fabric of the team and his leadership amongst the group, and if rumours are right, then another player with a similar presence amongst the Tigers faithful will have also played his last game for the boys in red.
As a former Tigers junior, Daryl Corletto would be a sad loss for the Tigers if he was moved on or if he elected to go north. He sat on the bench and did his apprenticeship with the Tigers and played a massive role in the clubs past two championships and for me he is the Tigers tough guy who sets a physical tone for the group.
Or how about what Vivienne Smith, a Melbourne Tigers member, posted on Facebook about the story of Corletto from last Friday.
Why on earth would the Tigers even consider signing import guards if not to adequately cover the PG spot? If we need to look elsewhere for guards, it is surely only to look for a pure PG (something the Aus talent pool seems to be very short on).
I am becoming rather disillusioned with the tendency to take for granted the loyalty of the “bread and butter” players who have given so much to the team. They may not be league MVP candidates, but both Hoare and Corletto can always be relied upon to be loyal, always give 100% and play whatever the role asked of them with maturity and commitment and without resentment. They are the types of players who make a team better, in preference to making themselves top-earners. Unselfishness and loyalty seem to be becoming increasingly foreign concepts to the decision-makers in Melbourne.
And to think that the thing that made me choose the Tigers (all those years ago) over the other Melbourne teams was the ongoing team identity through continuity in the roster!
Sad.
Yes, Melbourne Tigers fans are still upset about the decision to allow Hoare to leave, now 12 months later Corletto appears to be on his way out, leaving fans to question the who, what, when, why, and how could this happen? Where is the loyalty to the players who laid down the foundation?
It’s not like Corletto is a slouch or a liability to have on your roster, he averaged 9.8ppg off the bench last season and scored in double-figures in 14 games. And unlike many other free-agents, his asking price isn’t astronomical by any means for a player worth a “7” on the Player Point Rankings. (There appears to be no problem with the money Corletto is asking for, the separation completely revolving around two-unsigned imports.) Corletto is so respected by team-mates and fans that it was expected that he would be captain of the Tigers next season. Married to Netballer Julie Corletto of the Melbourne Vixens, Corletto and Corletto also give the Tigers a Hollywood couple. Any publicity is good publicity, even if it is Julie and Daryl sharing their romantic side in the Herald Sun in a lead-up to Valentines Day, as they did a few months ago. Any Vixen fan with no attachment to basketball, who decides to check-it-out, becomes more than likely to also follow the Tigers, because of the Corletto connection. I really hope Melbourne come to their senses and re-sign Corletto. Because the team is slowly becoming a skeleton of the one that enjoyed four very successful seasons, highlighted by two-championships in 2006 and 2008. As a fan, I would rather watch a team grow together and win, build to a championship, than to have 7-8 new faces every season come together and attempt to gel and get it all right in one shot. Even when Melbourne opted to build a team around Chris Anstey, which ended the reigns of Copeland and Bradtke when Gaze retired, the team still had Darryl McDonald, Corletto, Dave Thomas, Rashad Tucker, Tommy Greer, Hoare and Neil Mottram from the previous season. The team was identifiable with fans. I fear that if a player of Corletto’s stature, on and off the court, and with an impeccable service to his team is to be treated so harshly when he has done nothing but remain true to the Tigers is treated this way, then I really don’t know this team like I thought I did.
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
written by Delicious, May 06, 2010
-
- +0
-
-
written by confused by the point of this article, May 05, 2010
They are 40minute games, to align with the competition we are trying to become much better at in participating, THE OLYMPICS. By providing a shorter game, it makes it more exciting, much like the 20-20 has done for cricket.
By following these tournaments, as well as others, Australian basketball can keep up and be put back on the map permanently!
In regards to Corletto, it is part of business to wait until all important parties are available and present, to negotiate contracts (see also AFL players during the offseason, or any other sport for that matter)
-
- +1
-
-
written by Christakis, May 04, 2010
In my Opinion
I Feel that DC has been given more than enough chances to stand up and be counted but failed every time, in 2004/05 when Drewey retired the door was open for him to take the starting 2 Guard spot along side DMac, Al Opted to go with Thomas why? Because DC was not up to it, why was Crosswell co-Captain Last year and not DC? Again DC was not up to it
If DC learnt anything from his apprenticeship under Drewey (which obviously he didn’t) he would today be Captain starting 2 guard for the tigers averaging 20+ pts a gm. We might have got at least 1 out the 2 championships we lost to bullets & dragons. DC might have even been considered for the boomers. Al would be building the Tigers team around him. Al has lost patience with DC and gone in a different direction. I think he is building the team around Tommy now, because he is the heart of the Melbourne tigers, he gives his all, and that’s where DC goes missing, plenty of potential but DC is just not up to it, why? Is it an attitude thing? DC is the only one who knows the answer.
Over the last couple of years we have seen our backcourts get smashed. And I agree with Al it’s time for a change, the tigers are looking at 2 imports covering both guard positions, with Lewis as 1st sub,
Supports/members have to realise that the Melbourne Tigers is not just a basketball team but it’s also a business, and a business needs to make decisions to make the club successful, bring supports/sponsors/members to the games, and if that means DC being not part of the tigers plans this year and so be it
-
- +0
-
-
written by development, May 04, 2010
ABA basketball, (even NBL), should not forget about developing young players with experience on the court. With 8 minutes off each game, the young players who sit deep on the bench miss out on opportunities....................... why is development of young players being sacrficed to suit the Olympic 40 minute game? **** that. FIBA and BA have got it wrong!!!!!!!!!!!! Wake up!
P.S. If Corletto leaves Tigers at this stage, while he's still highly productive, Melbourne are ****ing up. Keep him in the rotation. 95% of fans would agree. Put a poll on your website and find out..... As Daniel says, he can still play and very few guards score 10ppg off the bench in these short 40min NBL games. Think!!!!!
-
- +1
-
-
written by Ests, May 04, 2010
That was what over all the years use to make Tiger's stand out ( & win ) they stayed loyal to their core group of players & got loyalty back. Trust in what u got & have developed & work hard with that.
I don't understand also why did Daniel J go to Adel & we get Matt from Adel , Daniel did his training under Chris Anstey & would have learnt a lot from that experience from1 of the best bigs ever. Daniel stepped up when Chris was injured & was improving , young & healthy. Matt is not a strong player & has been off so many games with injuries. They should have kept Daniel built him up as he develops more & got another healthy true big with experience to co play together. Then when Adrian gets back from os slot him in as well.
Keep Dazza, & scoop up Homicide Williams , and get rid of the stupid shorten quarters . I would have been more happy to add 2 min to each quarter than to take it off . NBL stuffed up big time giving us less ball , the game has no flow players just start getting rolling & times up. Takes me longer to get to the game.
-
- +0
-
-
written by Anne Billinghurst, May 03, 2010
-
- +0
-
-
Myblog Latest Entry
-
We were robbed.
In Australias loss to Argentina last
night as Adam Gibson made his three
point attempt. With 3.5secs left
Argentina have ... by Foulshot
Readmore... -
Nike and ASICS! Time ...
As the sport of basketball shows some
signs of recovering from a decade of
trouble and negativity, it is now time
for co ... by nigel12
Readmore... -
Want passionate bask ...
The Youth League final for the BIG V
finals have been on over the past few
weeks and i went along to the Diamond
Valley/ ... by nigel12
Readmore... -
New three point rang ...
Andrew Gaze recently spent some time in
Singapore are the Youth Olympics and he
along with other stars of our game were ... by nigel12
Readmore... -
Worlds Predictions.
Ok. at the time of writing it is four
days away from the World Championship
starting and based on some
research wit ... by nigel12
Readmore...
Loyalty at that club is screwed the better you treat them and respect them and keep your mouth shut the worse it is for you and in corletto's case he is a good bloke who NEVER big notes himself as others do!!!!! He has the smarts to be in the starting 5 and have no doubt that any other club he would be there BUT due to being a TRUE TIGER he whole career he wont push the topic, I have supported the club for 20 years and can not believe how the morals have changed since Lindsay left its discusting... Its not all about fan fare and being the show off player its about the respect to the club and the smarts to play the game... letting Hoare go was wrong but he did come from anither club... We forget DC has been a tiger through and through and it would be WRONG to not allow him to finish his career in front of his fans that have supported him for so many years.. he is not only a great player but a top bloke and for me that counts for alot!!!!