Flowers, “exactly” what Manly need

Image credit: Aaron Camua

The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles women’s side worked a treat in the offseason to recruit “exactly” what the team needs in 2024 – Brooke Flowers.

 Flowers joins the 2023 minor premiers this season, and has been hailed as the perfect missing piece to finish where they left off.

“This is exactly the piece that Manly needed,” NBL1 East expert Jacinta Govind said on the latest episode of the East Got Game Podcast.

“They had everything else in 2023. Even the things that you can’t account for on the stat sheet. They had the playing history together, they had the good team culture, there’s such a tight bond of women off the court which you can’t put on a stat sheet.”

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Flowers is coming off the back of a successful college stint with Saint Louis University in the United States, having recorded 133 blocks in 35 games in her grad season.

“That’s probably the one thing Manly needed,” Sutherland Sharks commentator, Lachy France said.

France said the addition of Flowers will help Kimberley Dickinson (Née Hodge) is the missing position the Sea Eagles needed last year, a “true center”.

“It means they can shift Kim Dickinson to the four spot, she did an admirable job at the five but she can play as a proper four, Flowers can play as a five,” France said.

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Dickinson was an NBL1 East All-Star Five Team member – but with Flowers by her side, the two will become unstoppable.

 Govind added: “On the court they had everything…Kim had to play a little bit out of position to play that spot, regardless she’s arguably the best four in the NBL1 East.

“The one weak spot that this team didn’t have was a true centre. 

“Brooke Flowers is exactly what they need…This is a redemption season, they’re going to be championship or nothing,” she said.

The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles will take on the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Spiders in Round 2 on Saturday April 13. The game will be streamed live on NBL1.com.au and the NBL1 App.