Queensland Rivalry Builds With Latest Move

Friday, May 5, 2023

When Travis Trice left the Cairns Taipans for the Brisbane Bullets after winning the club’s MVP award in 2017, then Taipans coach Aaron Fearne said it felt like he was “developing a lot of players for Brisbane”

When Travis Trice left the Cairns Taipans for the Brisbane Bullets after winning the club’s MVP award in 2017, then Taipans coach Aaron Fearne said it felt like he was “developing a lot of players for Brisbane” and that he was “recruiting for both clubs”.

That trend of players leaving the Taipans for the Bullets was not only prevalent before Trice’s move, but has continued since.

Import guard Shannon Scott’s move from North East Queensland has seen him become the latest in a line of stars to trade orange for blue in the past half-decade, along with the likes of Torrey Craig and Cam Gliddon.

NBL and Bullets legend Derek Rucker bookended his professional career with Brisbane. He won the NBL MVP and scoring titles in his first season out of college in 1990, and then ended his career with the club in 2006 after stints with Newcastle, Townsville and West Sydney in the NBL.

“Certainly over the past six or seven years Cairns has probably been a better place to actually play if you want a chance of making the playoffs,” Rucker told NBL Media.

“There’s probably a belief that [Brisbane] is a lifestyle upgrade, perhaps, from Cairns.

“It’s a nice location, it’s very pleasant weather, and I think it’s a great signing by Brisbane. Shannon is exactly what they need, and hopefully he can lift the team and help them lift their game.”

The signing of Scott has almost completed Brisbane’s new-look guard rotation for NBL24.

Gone are Jason Cadee and Tanner Krebs, while Tyler Johnson is yet to recommit to the club, while Scott has arrived alongside former Tasmania JackJumpers Isaac White and Sam McDaniel, and ex-Wildcat Mitch Norton.

“I chose to sign with the Bullets because I saw an opportunity to play with a group of guys that were hungry to make noise in the NBL and shock the league,” Scott said upon signing with his new side.

The Bullets open their NBL24 season against Adelaide on Friday, September 29.

Scott’s first opportunity to face his former side comes in Round 2, when the Bullets host the Taipans on October 7 at 7pm.