Shattered Slammers weigh up future

Uncertainty surrounds the Collie Crane Hire South West Slammers women’s roster with several star players and coach Darren Austin weighing up their futures.

The team’s season ended at the weekend when they lost Game 2 of their semi-final series to Kalamunda in Perth.

In the wake of the defeat Austin — who was on a two-year deal with an option to extend — said he would consider his options and expected players to do the same.

Senior Basketball South West director Russell Donovan said Austin would make a decision on his future next week.

Donovan said he was confident the coach would re-sign.

The women’s line-up is the club’s most successful ever, having won last year’s championship before making the play-offs again this season.

Austin said some of the squad’s biggest names were in doubt to play on.

“I spoke to the girls after the game the other night and said it is the last time this group will be together,” he said.

“I just know some of the players won’t play on.

“Zoe Harper (knee) might not be able to play. Kara (Hargreaves) and Lauren (Jeffers) might not be here, it’s hard to say.

“There’s no percentage that I will or won’t (be staying). I just need to sit down for a week or two and have a think about it.”

Veteran captain Lisa Cartwright is weighing up whether to play on for a 15th season, but in a boost for the club star import Kim Sitzmann flagged her intentions to return.

After the glory of their droughtbreaking championship in 2012, the Slammers battled injuries to key players this season.

WNBL players Harper (knee) and Jeffers (ankle) both battled setbacks while Valerie Ogoke (ankle) — one of the title-winning lynchpins — never got on the court.

Hargreaves (finger) spent six weeks on the sidelines while Sitzmann played through a debilitating shoulder injury.

“This year has been a harder year than last year,” Austin said.

“We still lost a few games last year but I still felt we had the team and the confidence that we could get over the other sides.

“Every time we got momentum something would happen to us, we’d get an injury or someone would be unavailable.

“It’s been pretty taxing. Midway through we were at an all time low and you just sit down and think “Oh God”. I had a couple of sleepless nights.”