Patton on shortlist to replace big man
FORMER Melbourne United centre Chris Patton could become the Snakes’ stopgap while big man Nate Jawai recovers from foot surgery.
Patton is on the club’s shortlist to come in as an injury replacement, with the big man’s SEABL club aware of the interest from the Far North team.
It is understood Patton is in line to travel to the Far North and train with the Snakes in the coming days.
The brother of GWS footballer Jonathon Patton, the Taipans’ potential recruit made 17 appearances for Melbourne United during the 2015-16 season since returning to Melbourne after playing college basketball in the US.
A graduate of the University of California — Riverside, Patton, who stands 208cm tall, has turned out for SEABL clubs Dandenong and Kilsyth most recently since parting ways with the NBL franchise.
Snakes coach Aaron Fearne on Wednesday hinted that an injury replacement signing was just around the corner.
“We will look to try and put some things in place but that is always a challenge, we will see what we come up with,” Fearne said. “Maybe we will stick with what we have got and maybe we will try to get someone else with a bigger body.”
Jawai will have surgery next week, with an expected recovery time of 12 weeks, ruling him out of any NBL games until 2018. His is the second injury concern in recent weeks for the club, with import forward Michael Carrera out for another month after knee surgery. Jerry Evans Jr. was signed as an injury replacement for Carrera.