It is the biggest signing the region has seen since Wayne Bennett brought Darius Boyd and the NRL premiership to Wollongong.

Down and almost out, the newly-rebadged Illawarra Hawks wasted little time in signing Rob Beveridge after iconic figure Gordie McLeod departed.

The timing of the announcement raises an eyebrow, but let's take it on face value.

After all, the Hawks don't exactly have a lot of time to sit on their hands. Beveridge offers the Hawks an opportunity to lure the calibre of players the team will need to be competitive in the NBL this season.

The rumours continue to swirl about NBL MVP Rotnei Clarke making a return to the club this year, a signing that would make a huge statement, despite being three months behind in the planning process.

As a title-winning former Perth coach, the NBL should stamp a Hawks-Wildcats opening night showdown in the schedule as the best promotional tool they have.

Interestingly, Beveridge bought into the long-standing Hawks value of a "fighting underdog type of mentality we're going to go with in every game".

The task for Beveridge cannot be underestimated.

He currently has one player on the books - long-serving guard Rhys Martin - and little more than three months to come up with a roster to challenge for a title.

The great survivors of Australian basketball must quickly move on from their most recent near-death experience.

Their fans need reason to believe in a thriving future and shed the mentality of it being a privilege they exist at all.

It was encouraging to read new NBL boss Larry Kestelman's comments about a television rights deal.

Fairfax Media revealed former NRL head of strategy Shane Mattiske is working as consultant towards a new broadcaster now Channel Ten has wiped its hands of basketball.

In this crazy, modern world of the interwebs and live streaming, thinking outside the square might be the NBL's best chance.

Still, a mainstream television presence is a must to avoid remaining out on the fringes of Australian sport.

It's obviously a cornerstone to ensure all current NBL clubs have a viable future, before even discussing the prospect of expansion in Brisbane or second teams in Melbourne and New Zealand.

Beveridge brings a reputation as a smart operator and great coach.

But after McLeod's exit, his arrival provides renewed hope there is a bright future on the horizon.

Matildas stand on edge

ON Sunday morning the Matildas, featuring Illawarra stars Caitlin Foord and Michelle Heyman, take their next step in being an international football force.

Their victory over Brazil gained the type of attention women's sport has rarely received in Australia.

The Socceroos were trailblazers in 2006 when they made the knockout stages and are current Asian champions.

But it's the Matildas in the kind of rarefied air the Socceroos can only dream of at a World Cup when they take on Japan for a place in the semi-finals.

Matildas players are receiving paltry financial reward for their achievements compared to their male counterparts.

But women's sport is edging towards a boom.

The Matildas' success will have lasting impact domestically, while the nail-biting trans-Tasman netball final last week showcased how talented our female athletes are.

The South Coast's own Sally Fitzgibbons is one of the most likeable, marketable and talented sportspeople on the planet.

The AFL is making noise about establishing a national women's competition, which can only mean greater resources for Sydney AFL and teams like the Wollongong Saints.

With Brisbane, the Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle on shaky financial footing in the A-League, the mood to expand into areas like the South Coast is ever diminishing.

Establishing a W-League team would be a viable short-term step and also help the region tap into the potential of women's sport.