BASKETBALL in the Redlands is being encouraged to reclaim its place in NBL1 North as former RedCity Roar general manager Peter Pollock has once again warned that the loss of a local senior pathway is driving talent into neighbouring associations.
RedCity was dropped from NBL1 North following the 2023 season before its bid to return for 2025 was rejected, leaving its juniors without a direct route into the competition at their home association.
Pollock said the departures he warned of two years ago were now occurring, with promising players moving into rival programs at the stage when years of local coaching and development should be feeding the Roar’s own senior teams.
But RedCity Roar Basketball Manager of Operations and Competitions Byron Williams, said the association’s immediate priorities were child safety, member experience and meeting growing demand, with membership exceeding 1200 and more than 100 players waiting for places across its eight clubs.
“RedCity Roar’s number one focus is child safety and member experience,” Williams said.
“Everything we do is built around making basketball in the Redlands safe, welcoming and enjoyable for players, families, coaches and volunteers.”
For Pollock, restoring NBL1 would fulfil a central purpose of the Roar’s creation in 2019 and give Redlands juniors somewhere to pursue senior basketball without leaving the association that developed them.
“We need to have that NBL1 pathway otherwise Redlands will be the eternal recruiting ground for Logan, South West, and Southern Districts,” Pollock said.
“The bleed of talent from Redlands to other associations effectively stopped when the pathway was created.”
Pollock said RedCity’s under-12 boys and girls both reached Premier League in 2024, but a leading player from the girls’ team moved to Southern Districts Spartans the following season.
Meanwhile, a leading boys’ player explored a move to North Gold Coast Seahawks before ultimately remaining with RedCity.
The movement has extended into older age groups, with Pollock pointing to two talented former RedCity under-18 boys from Cleveland District State High School who had moved to Logan, including a State representative.
Fellow Cleveland alumnus Emmanuel Quin also appeared for North Gold Coast Seahawks, although his playing time was limited, while Pollock said RedCity-developed girls had moved into programs at Logan and South West Metro.
“It’s an easy conversation for parents to buy into when told by neighbouring associations that they need to be playing in Division 1 to make State teams,” Pollock said.
The growth is also placing pressure on available court space, with more than 100 players currently unable to secure a place across the association’s clubs.
RedCity is working with Alexandra Hills State High School and the Department of Education on a proposal to convert the school’s existing outdoor courts into three indoor courts with changerooms, meeting rooms and storage, creating a four-court venue that Williams said would be the largest indoor basketball facility in the Redlands.
A $15,000 Basketball Queensland facilities grant is supporting draft concept plans being developed with specialist facility planners, which will form the basis of advocacy packages to all levels of government.
“More courts means more Redlands kids getting the chance to play including the 100-plus currently waiting for a spot,” he said.
Williams described Red-City as financially strong and well governed, saying improved health check scores reflected policy and governance work by its management committee and staff.
“That stability is what allows us to keep investing in child safety, facilities and programs for players of all ages,” he said.
The financial demands of elite basketball were a central point of contention during RedCity’s previous attempt to return.
Pollock acknowledges RedCity’s NBL1 operation recorded losses but argues the association’s overall financial position demonstrated it could support the program, recording a $113,000 surplus in 2023.
“The ability to build again makes it hard, with local players capable of playing at that level four years removed from that level, and others entrenched in other programs,” Pollock said.
“Without an NBL1 program players have no choice but to trial elsewhere.”
Basketball Queensland was contacted for comment but failed to respond by deadline.
