O’Loughlin’s deja vu as Snakes mirror Marlins

THEY may only be minor similarities, but Snakes’ second in charge Jamie O’Loughlin can see parallels between the current NBL group and his Cairns Marlins squad.

New coaching staff, an almost entirely new playing group and early season struggles.

O’Loughlin’s Marlins had the same circumstances in the QBL before finding their feet in the latter parts of the 2018 campaign and going all the way through to the grand final.

The Snakes assistant is hoping his NBL club follows the same path, with Cairns on the bottom of the ladder with a 1-3 record.

“I guess you can draw those similarities and then you have those challenges that come with learning to play together and learning a new system,” the former Perth Wildcats assistant said. “The guys have been unbelievable.

“It is such a new team and they are pros, and they also have to go out and perform.

“The new group cannot be used as an excuse — it is a reality, we know it — but we do not give ourselves a pass because of it.

“The players have been great at bonding, at coming together quickly.

“We were in a position to beat two very good teams in this league and you do not do that without doing things right in the first place.”

O’Loughlin said the Cairns playing group had a positive mindset despite dropping the last three games.

Former Snake Mitch McCarron will have his first meeting against his old club on Saturday night when defending champions Melbourne United come to town.