BASKETBALL
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Last-minute recruit Luke Nevill will be given every chance to cement the starting centre position with Wollongong.
Signed by the Hawks a week before the season started, Nevill has been hot and cold over the first four games.
The 2.18m ex-Boomer has made 44 per cent of his shots, averaging 7.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.
Hawks coach Gordie McLeod believes Nevill will become an important asset.
"We've just got to get guys to learn how to make the right reads and to get the ball to Luke to get him catches," he said.
"At the moment we're not reading that well but that's probably to be expected. We need to accelerate that development pretty quickly.
"The whole reason Luke was brought in was to be an extra weapon and he certainly helps us on the board and in changing shots, but it's a completely different style than the way we've played before so we have to fit him in and get him some touches.
"As a team we have played undersized for many years and now we have to change that. It can be a little bit frustrating, but that's just where we are at."
Nevill tallied six points and five rebounds in playing 14 minutes in Sunday's home loss to Cairns.
"It's tough bringing someone in so late like Luke, who's a certain size that we're not really used to," Hawks captain Oscar Forman said.
"As a playing group we need to realise that we can get that inside game with Luke and our spacing needs to be better."