2023-02-02 23:30:00
The WNBL will review the rule that allowed Australian Opal Shyla Heal to move from a team that is out of finals contention to a championship contender with only seven matches remaining, but denied the switch has opened the door for other big names to walk out on struggling clubs.
Heal was released by Sydney on Monday after failing to play any games since the club began an investigation began into her father – Flames coach and former Australian star Shane Heal in January. Townsville signed Heal on Tuesday in what was the first time since 2015/16 that a player competed for two WNBL clubs in the same season.
The move prompted Lynx coach Ryan Petrik to question the spirit of the law, saying “I don’t think the average fan thinks it passes the pub test.”
Head of the WNBL Christy Collier-Hill promised the rule would be reviewed at the end of the season.
“It doesn’t mean it will change, but certainly because of the circumstances that have arisen this year, it will definitely be one that is put on the table for review and consideration,” Collier-Hill told The West Australian.
“It’s a genuine and legal rule. As soon as an athlete is released from a contract, they are free to contract with whoever they need to contract with.
“But they do need to play for one third of the season. Clubs don’t have the ability to contract an athlete two weeks before the finals to bolster up. From that perspective the rule is satisfactory.
“The only variance we might look at is when teams reach that final third of the season because they’ve all played different amounts of games.”
Heal’s move has raised concerns it will create a precedent for talented players to pursue change when their teams are out of finals contention. The point-guard is among seven of the 26 players named in the extended Opals squad last month who already know they won’t be competing in the play-offs.
But Collier-Hill believes there are enough deterrents in place to prevent walk outs.
“This is an extreme example,” she said.
“If a player requests a release, the club would have to approve it. The player can’t just say ‘I am out.’ It has to be that they’ve mutually agreed to part ways.”
Townsville beat the Lynx by 10 points on Wednesday to end Perth’s seven-game winning streak. The clubs will clash again at the Bendat Basketball Centre on Saturday night.
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Source by [earlynews24.com]
