Tragardh the secret to Blanchfield’s success
CAMERON Tragardh has gone from beloved Cairns Taipans forward to insightful, larrikin commentator in the space of a couple of seasons.
But, behind the scenes, could he be the struggling NBL player whisperer?
As playing-coach for Mackay in the QBL over the last two seasons, Tragardh has played a substantial, but largely unrecognised, role in the turnaround of Lucas Walker and now Todd Blanchfield’s careers in the NBL.
Walker, now a Taipan, went on to have arguably his best season in the league with Perth following a winter in Mackay, which culminated in a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
Just a season after Walker turned his career around following a north Queensland stint in the QBL, Blanchfield looks well on the way to doing the same.
After bursting on to the scene in Townsville, Blanchfield’s career seemed to be stuttering at Melbourne and Sydney the past two seasons, but after securing the 2018 Most Valuable Player of the QBL, under Tragardh, he looks a new man in season 2018-19.
A career-high 32 points, including seven triples, on Sunday evening in the Far North has the eyes of the basketball world on Blanchfield and his career resurgence through three games at Illawarra.
A Mackay junior, the 27year-old says a winter at home under Tragardh provided him with an burst of confidence that he has continued on in the summer pro league.
“I took a lot from the offseason in confidence and really tried to take it to the next level,” Blanchfield said.
“Tragardh is in the same boat as (Hawks coach Rob) Beveridge, he has a lot of faith in me and that gives me a lot of confidence as a player.
“The step between the QBL and NBL is quite a big step and sometimes guys can’t make it.”
Beveridge revealed Blanchfield played through the injury barrier on Sunday.
“He was hurt, people do not know that he was one of the guys who missed practice and was hurt, he then comes out and does that,” Beveridge said.
“We had the physio to make sure he was good to go.
“Todd is an incredible player, we want him to be our main scorer.”
Cairns will play Adelaide at home next Friday.
The Hawks have a 1-2 record, while the Taipans are 1-1. THE career resurgence of Melbourne United veteran David Barlow has lifted the spirits of his NBL teammates, according to key import Josh Boone.
On the eve of his 35th birthday, the United forward capped an impressive start to the season with the matchwinning three-pointer in the final minutes of Sunday’s bruising 75-72 win over the Adelaide 36ers at Melbourne Arena.
After injury ruined his first two years at United, Barlow became a valuable role player on last season’s championship team and continues to thrive as he steps up to cover the loss of Tai Wesley and Casey Prather.
The four-time NBL champion is averaging over 13 points, six rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes per contest, while helping to integrate new import DJ Kennedy into United’s system.
“He’s kind of done the reverse-ageing process,” Boone said after Barlow’s clutch performance against the Sixers.
“That shot he made at the end of the game was one of the bigger shots that I’ve seen in a long while.”
United coach Dean Vickerman felt his side benefited from a solid week of training after a hectic preseason schedule leading into their quadruple-overtime season opener against the Illawarra Hawks.
The results were on full display against the Sixers as they out-rebounded them 51-39 and played with a physicality that was noticeably absent during their opening round defeat to the New Zealand Breakers.
“There was a good response tonight to say let’s just really try to get back to being great defensively,” Vickerman said.
“To come out and win a game and hold a high-scoring team to 72 points was the most pleasing part of the game.”