From: blip@tartarus.uwa.edu.au (Bryan Lip)
Newsgroups: aus.sport
Subject: BRADTKE/WILDCATS NEWS......
Date: 9 Nov 1992 04:16:12 GMT
Organization: The University of Western Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: tartarus.uwa.edu.au

SEE BELOW, TWO ARTICLES, THE FIRST FROM "THE SUNDAY TIMES" LAST SUNDAY
THE SECOND, THE WEST AUSTRALIAN...9 NOV...(MONDAY)

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WILDCATS PUT OUT FEELERS TO BRADTKE           BY ARTHUR PAGONIS


THE Perth Wildcats are believed to be keen to recruit olympian mark
bradtke for next season.

It is thought new coach Adrian Hurley, who has coached bradtke while in
charge of the Boomers, wants the Adelaide player in Perth in 1993.

Bradtke, currently playing with Murcia in the spanish national League is
averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds a game.

The wildcats face numerous hurdles to get bradtke to play in perth.

First, Bradtke has announced he is keen to contiunue in Europe, and he
won't make a decision until after the spanish season finished in March.

That can be negated if Murcia cut him at the draft deadline date in
December.

Second. Bradtke is still contracted to  the Adelaide 36ers, and though
he and former coach Don Shipway were not close, Adelaide now will have a
new leader.

Then, there is the NBL free agency deadline of Tuesday, november 17.

Unless Bradtke's name appears on that list, then the wildcats MAY not be
able to wait until December to get a "good" australian forward.


------------------------the west australian---------9/ nov/ 92--------

BRADTKE'S PRICE TAG WILL BE A PROBLEM


IN ALL rspects, securing Mark Bradtke will be a tall order for the Perth
Wildcats, who are seeking a quality Australian basketballer to take the
place of the jailed Tiny Pinder in 1993 and beyond (ed - far beyond!)

The wildcats are just one of a dozen NBL clubs monitoring the progress
of Bradtke in spain, where he is the leading rebounder for first
division Murcia.

Bradtke is one of three Australians who are regarded as franchise player
around whom a serious title challenge can be constructed. Andrew Gaze
and Andrew Vlahov are others.

But if the 208cm Bradtke makes the grade in Spain and avoids the annual
culling of imported player in December, his value would place him beyond
the reach of most australian clubs.

He is said to be gettting $240,000 for his spell with Murcia and most
nbl teams couldn't fit him under their salary cap, even if they had the
wherewithal.

But it should be pointed out that the salary cap hasn't been a deterrent
in the past and the NBL appears unable to police it sufficiently to
prevent multiple breaches.

If Bradtke is cut cut before the mid-season deadline in spain - and the
murcia coached announced last week he was happy with his efforts - the
wildcats should have the inside running through new coach Adrian Hurley,
who was responsible for launching Bradtke's international carreer.

The Adelaide 36ers, who released Bradtke halfway through the 1992 NBL
season to allow him to play in Europe, have first claim on him should he
return.

But he is believed to be unwilling to return to adelaide and probably
will price himself out of their reach.

The wildcats need to determine their Australian content for 1993 before
they finalised their two Americans.

If Bradtke is available and the Wildcats reach an agreement with him,
Pete Hansen probably will stay, but if not, the wildcats will seek a
more athletic (??) scorer from the US and pick up whatever Australian
they can when the free agent list is released on Tuesday week.

The wildcats also are chasing an experienced guard, possible North
Melbourne's DAVID GRAHAM  .


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so!, ill let you decide for yourself, it does make a bit of sense, if
the cats can get bradtke, then they will retain hansen at a reduced
contracted fee, ie $30k/yr, reduced from this years contract. hansen
would accept this fee because he is already established in perth, has a
mortgage and has a very good job with a big accountancy firm in perth.
unless, somebody wants to sign hansen as an import in the eastern states
and pay him about double the wildcats pay him, he most likely would not
move.

with spare change, and the loss of captain mike ellis (over $40 k) and
pinder (bulky contract) the wildcats should have spare change to get
reese if they are  unsuccesful with bradtke


comments please.........



Xref: sparky aus.sport:406 rec.sport.basketball.pro:19663