Todd Blanchfield speaks to Illawarra Mercury about his time and future at the Illawarra Hawks
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00:00I mean, I think it would be the cherry on top.
00:21We obviously made history with finishing on top of the regular season, which, you know,
00:25it's the first time Hawks have ever done that, which is it's a big deal and it's pretty special
00:29for this group, but, you know, the job's not even close to being done, you know, we got
00:32to take care of business in the semi-final, we took care of business at home, which is
00:35what did our jobs.
00:36So now we've got a, you know, an outfit coming in that are playing very good basketball.
00:40Obviously, they got guys stepping up every which way and it's obviously that was a big
00:44series win for them.
00:45So, yeah, we have home court advantage, hopefully that's the difference, but yeah, I think for
00:49this group to be able to win the championship would really, I think, as I said, be the cherry
00:52on top.
00:53And there is a couple of guys in this group who've been at the Hawks for a while, Tyler
00:56Harvey, Craig Foley.
00:58They've been here when times have been tough and now it'd be a nice reward for them also
01:02to win the championship, wouldn't it?
01:03Yeah, for sure.
01:04As you said, they've kind of been here through, I guess, the low of the lows and now they're
01:08at the other end of the spectrum now.
01:10So, yeah, it's, as I said, just special as a group as a whole.
01:13It's a really tight-knit group, it's a really close group and it's a lot of fun to be around,
01:17you know, win, lose or draw guys turning up competing day in, day out.
01:20So, you know, it's been good and it's, as I said, to have a group like that that turns
01:26up after a loss and competes the way we do, I guess, to show how much this group really
01:28does want to win, you know, it's that competitive edge.
01:30So, you know, last year we fell a little short.
01:32Hopefully, as I said, hopefully home court's different this year and we can take care of
01:36business.
01:44I mean, I feel like it's, you've just got to stay ready, you know, we've got one through
01:4811 guys that can play, you know, we've had, I guess, myself and Greta have sort of been
01:52in and out this year and, you know, Greta's obviously throughout the playoffs has been
01:56phenomenal for us, she's contributed really good minutes.
01:58But yeah, I think it's just staying ready, you know, you've got to, you know, we've got,
02:02as I said, we've got 11 guys that can play, we've got anyone can sort of have any night,
02:06have their night.
02:07So, you've just got to stay ready, you're not sure when JD's going to call on your number,
02:10everyone's going to get called at some point throughout the game, throughout the series,
02:13you know, it might not be a particular night, it might be at some point throughout this
02:15five-game series your number will get called.
02:17So, you know, preparation stays the same, you've got to continue to do your extra work
02:20and just when your number's called, be able to take it and run with two hands.
02:23You touched on United, they're a star side of side, they've enjoyed success over a long period.
02:30What is it going to take for Hawks to beat a club that knows how to win?
02:35Yeah, I feel like they've obviously been in the finals, you know, semi-finals, grand finals,
02:40I don't know how many years in a row now and it's, you know, it's a testament to that club,
02:43you know, they've obviously, they're a successful club since they've been, since they've changed
02:47to Melbourne United and it's, you know, it's good for, I think it's good for the league.
02:51So, yeah, obviously they've been there, they've got experienced bodies, but I think,
02:55I feel as long as the series goes, I think it goes in our favour.
02:58You know, we're able to play one through eleven, we've got some younger bodies in a way
03:01and I think if it drags out the five games, as I said, I think the longer the series goes,
03:06it sort of, it goes in our favour.
03:07But at the same time, they've obviously got, you know, stars in Chris and Ian Clarke
03:11who are obviously shooting the ball and scoring the ball extremely well right now
03:14and everyone else sort of feeds off those two, so I think those two are sort of the head of the snake
03:17and you can sort of take care of that and hopefully the rest will follow.
03:21I know you've signed on with the Illawarra NBL on one side,
03:24so it looks like you're sort of making roots here, is that right?
03:28Yeah, I mean, we've got a second baby due any day now, any hour, I'm not sure when it is,
03:33it's sort of on standby, so it's just, yeah, I mean, I love Illawarra,
03:37I've spent a solid chunk of my career here now and I guess I thought it was time to hang around
03:42and see what the winter's like.
03:45Anything you want to add, anything you want to say?
03:46Nah, all good, appreciate it.
03:47Good luck.
03:48Thanks, mate.