NBL1 West signings wrap for 2024 season

A former WNBL MVP and the current Perth Lynx captain along with an ex-Adelaide 36ers NBL import are just two of the new faces to the NBL1 West for 2024 with every team loading up setting the stage for what's to come.

On the back of such an exciting 2023 NBL1 West season that saw the Cockburn Cougars women make history with a first ever championship, the Geraldton Buccaneers claim the men's crown and then the National Finals come to town, it's been quite the eventful off-season.

All you have to do is look at some of the new faces coming into the NBL1 West competition for the 2024 season. When it includes Anneli Maley, Georgia Pineau, Imani Guy, Emma Gandini, Michael Harris, Todd Withers, Deng Gak, Josh Braun and Rhys Vague, and you start to get a picture of the quality.

There will be plenty of fascination with Alex Ciabattoni, Teige Morrell, Natalie Chou, Emma Clarke, Nes'eya Parker-Williams, Alex Sharp, Sam Roscoe, Isabelle Miotti, Sarah Toeaina, Zac Gattorna, Michael Dupree, Julian Pesava, Taj Benning, Joe Cook-Green, Ioannis Dimakopoulos, Dequan Abrom, Bryan Michaels, Ethan Elliott, Caleb Davis, Hunter Clarke and Kyle Armour among those to have switched clubs for the 2024 season as well.

WOMEN'S SIGNINGS

The defending women's NBL1 West champion Cockburn Cougars are leaving no stone unturned in attempting to defend their title in 2024.

The Cougars have added Perth Lynx WNBL guard Alex Ciabattoni to their squad in 2024 after she coached the South West Slammers in 2023 and began her playing return after giving birth to her first son last January.

Cockburn has also signed Regan Turnour-McCarty after she played with the Goldfields Giants last season with Israeli import big Daniel Raber also on board along with the experienced Taryn Priestly returning to the club she's previously played 195 games with.

It was the Willetton Tigers who Cockburn defeated in last year's Grand Final and they have had a fascinating off-season with Jess Jakens and Alex Sharp among those to move on.

However, highly regarded multiple championship winning coach Simon Parker has retained Desiree Kelley, Amy Jacobs, Grace Foster and Melisa Brcaninovic while adding Imani Guy and there's every reason to expect them around the mark again.

The Joondalup Wolves would have been stung to not at least make a Grand Final last season and there's been significant change at the Wolfpack coming into 2024 as well.

That begins with the coach with the departure of Marcus Wong with Jesse Pence arriving to take over.

Then on the playing front, Teige Morrell, Nes'eya Parker-Williams, Tia Ucich, Robbi Ryan, Isabelle Miotti and Shani Amos have all moved on.

However, there's plenty of reason for optimism at Joondalup still with the arrival of Emma Clarke, Darien Huff, Sarah Toeaina, Jorjah Smith and Ella Thornton-Elliott.

The Rockingham Flames are another team undergoing mass change in the off-season beginning with the arrival of Marcus Wong as coach.

The Flames have then had the most significant turnover to the player roster and will virtually have an entirely new squad in 2024.

Rockingham has signed Alex Sharp, Opal Mader, Georgia Pineau, Sophie Doran, Shani Amos, Emma Gandini, Nes'eya Parker-Williams and Jess Jakens.

The Warwick Senators were both NBL1 West and National Champions back in 2022 and will be looking to get back in the hunt in 2024 under new coach Brad Robbins.

To help that cause the Senators have added in the supremely talented Isabelle Miotti while maintaining the majority of their core including Karly Murphy, Nat Burton, Stacey Barr and Chloe Forster.

The Mandurah Magic were once again around the mark in 2023 and will be looking to try to breakthrough for that elusive championship in 2024 with Vlad Alava locked in as coach.

A lot of the core group from the Magic will be back again for the 2024 season while so far having confirmed the additions of Nicole Fransson, McKenna Dale and Sam Roscoe.

The Perry Lakes Hawks were ravaged by injury late in the 2023 season, but at their best were an impressive unit and they will look to get back in the title hunt in 2024 under the coaching of Craig Mansfield.

To help in that cause the Hawks have added Eryn Fisher along with the return to WA of Jayda Clark fresh off her rookie WNBL season at the UC Capitals.

The Kalamunda Eastern Suns did well to reach the playoffs last season before being shorthanded when they got there, and will be looking to keep the momentum going under first-year coach Marcus Bardill.

The Eastern Suns have so far signed Emerson Taylor as they look to put together another strong outfit in 2024.

The Lakeside Lightning have left no stone unturned either in attempting to get back in the hunt in the women's competition in 2024 having signed Marty Zeller as new coach.

He is the father of Teige Morrell and she will be on board too fresh off her WNBL season at the Perth Lynx along with the return of Tia Ucich and retention of the likes of Caitie Jones and Jade Gowland.

The East Perth Eagles had a building year under Craig Allen as coach in 2023 and now will looking to begin their charge back up the table in 2024.

Helping that cause will be Sarah Allen who has re-signed for a second season at the Eagles on the back of the best year of her career in 2023 which has since led to opportunities in the WNBL at the Perth Lynx.

There's exciting news with East Perth as well with the return of New Zealand star Mary Goulding who will make her inspirational return to the court after a horrific car accident last year.

The Goldfields Giants are another team who have had a hectic off-season after injury robbed them of any chance of success in 2023.

The Giants have welcomed in Jaymi Worthington to take over as coach in 2024 along with so far having announced the signing of Lauren Fech and Anne Zisper on the playing front.

The Perth Redbacks are another team with a new coach in 2024 with Tim Rendulic returning to the club after leading the Eastern Suns to the playoffs a season ago.

He will have no shortage of talent at his disposal this season at the Redbacks too led by Perth Lynx captain and former WNBL MVP Anneli Maley. Natalie Chou, Kelsey Curtin and Georgia Denehey have also joined the Redbacks in 2024.

The South West Slammers will be looking to move up from the bottom of the NBL1 West table in 2024 under the coaching of Jason Chalk. To help that cause they've also welcomed back Zaya Black from the Cockburn Cougars.

MEN'S SIGNINGS

The Geraldton Buccaneers are the reigning men's champions in the NBL1 West and they have made some impressive off-season signings for their championship defence.

That has included welcoming back former SBL MVP Josh Braun to the league along with the addition of fellow import Josh Keyes and Nik DeSantis who is fresh off winning an NBL1 Central championship at the West Adelaide Bearcats.

Things have been decidedly more quiet on the Rockingham Flames front who finished in top spot at the end of last year's regular season and also lost in the decider of the NBL1 National Finals to the Knox Raiders.

However, that's good news with the core of Devondrick Walker, Marshall Nelson, Ryan Godfrey, Justin Beard, Travis Durnin and Callum Beard all committed to return in 2024.

The Joondalup Wolves made an exciting run to the Grand Final last year and were ever so close to a championship under David Morrell as coach.

There has been significant turnover but retaining CJ Turnage and adding Warwick Senators duo Caleb Davis and Ethan Elliott, and welcoming back Jonathan Wade from injury make them an immediate threat.

The Willetton Tigers were a powerful force in 2023 and will be looking to back it up to be a title contender again in 2024 with the signings of Deng Gak and Michael Dupree sure to help that cause.

It's the beginning of a new era at the Perry Lakes Hawks following the departure of championship winning coach Matt Parsons who won two titles with the Hawks on the back of also winning in 2016 at the Cockburn Cougars prior to that.

There's also the retirement of dual championship winning co-captains Ben Purser and Rob Cassir with gun point guard Mitch Clarke on the move.

But there's good news too at Perry Lakes with Damian Barr taking over as coach fresh off being assistant to Andrew Cooper at the Cougars. That's helped him bring across Luke and Keegan Phillips along with the addition of Joel Vaiangina.

Dequan Abrom could well be one of the biggest off-season signings for any club after he showed what he could do at the Mandurah Magic as a gun scorer in the league while he will be joined by import forward Jaylen Key.

Speaking of new eras and it's a similar story at the Warwick Senators following the retirement of championship winning captain Cody Ellis along with the departures of key pair Caleb Davis and Ethan Elliott.

Andrew Cooper has come on board as coach and there are some exciting signings for the Senators including Zac Gattorna fresh off another NBL season at the Sydney Kings and winning a championship last year at the Buccs.

Michael Harris also joins Warwick on the back of his NBL season at the Perth Wildcats with former NBL import from the Adelaide 36ers, Todd Withers, rounding out the exciting additions for Cooper to have at his disposal at The Senate along with Kieran Berry and Brody England.

The Perth Redbacks are a team clearly looking to make some noise under coach Charles Nix in 2024 as they look to get back into the championship hunt having won their last title now in 2017.

The arrivals at the Redbacks mean there's plenty to be excited about at Belmont Oasis including luring Kiwi star Joe Cook-Green across from the Eastern Suns along with impressive big man Ioannis Dimakopoulos from the Joondalup Wolves.

Connor Mincherton also joins after playing at the Senators last season with Carl Aylett coming across from Kalamunda with Cousteau Kyle joining from Mandurah and Miles Gibson on deck as a new import guard.

The Lakeside Lightning managed to sneak into the finals last year and were a dangerous line-up once they got up and going, and there's every reason to expect similar in 2024 in coach Mike Malat's second season in charge.

A lot of the core is back with the Lightning for this season along with the additions of new imports Marshawn Blackmon and Mike Adewunmi.

The Cockburn Cougars are another team with a new coach with Mark Clayden stepping into the role and they have made a statement with their off-season signings.

The Cougars welcome back four-time NBL champion Rhys Vague fresh off his season at the South East Melbourne Phoenix along with bringing over Hunter Clarke from Willetton and Kyle Armour from the Lakeside Lightning along with the addition of import centre Demetris Morant.

The Eastern Suns are preparing for a second season with Aaron Trahair as coach and they have signed Bryan Michaels after he had a terrific season in 2024 with the Wolfpack along with the additions of Marek Nelson and Jack Exeter.

The East Perth Eagles might have had a rough start to the 2023 season losing 11 of the first 12 games, but they came storm homing winning five of the last seven.

They will now be looking to keep that momentum going into 2024 and to help that cause is the return of star trio Sebit Reath, Taylor Young and Jerami Grace.

The Giants had their season ruined with injury last season but they welcome Matthew Van Pelt as coach in 2024 and so far they have announced the addition of import guard Randy Bell.

The South West Slammers will look to build on a four-win season in 2024 and welcome back Buay Tuach with more signings to come as the season approaches.

The Mandurah Magic had a tough season in 2024 but will be looking to instantly rebound in 2024 under the coaching again of Mark Utley.

To help Mandurah's rise back up the standings are the signings Julian Pesava, Taj Benning and Michael Durr.