NBL Players facing steep run home as postponements continue: Kordahi

Just one game will go ahead in round six this weekend, with the league postponing six games, including the Hawks scheduled return from a COVID-enforced hiatus against Adelaide in Wollongong on Sunday.

It will extend the club's run of postponements to four straight home fixtures, with earlier games against South East Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns all rescheduled due to an outbreak in Hawks camp.

The 36ers twice-postponed clash with Perth was also placed on the back burner, while positive tests inside the Tasmania and Cairns rosters saw a further four games rescheduled.

It's understood no fresh positive cases have been detected in the Hawks roster or staff.

With no immediate end in sight, Kordahi said the league will simply lose too much ground if postponements continue.

"We have to find ways to keep games rolling," Kordahi said.

"We're going to get COVID cases, it's out there, it's running rampant, we all know that. We've all talked about living with it and moving on and we have to find ways to play.

"We're going to get to a point where, to make up these games, we're going to have to consistently play three games a week.

"Playing no games for long periods and then suddenly playing three games a week, you're going to risk injuries. We saw that last year.

"We understand we have to follow health advice and everything else that's been discussed around states, but postponing games every time there's a close contact or a positive case isn't sustainable."

Under current provisions, it's unlikely that teams returning from club-wide outbreaks will see an end to postponements given the wildly differing state definitions and protocols regarding close contacts.

The league is hoping to make-up ground in February having scrapped plans to pause the season during the FIBA qualifying window.

National coach Brian Goorjian has already confirmed that he won't coach the Boomers through games against Chinese Tapei and Japan, instead focusing on getting the Hawks campaign back on track.

Eschewing could leave teams without certain players for different games, but Kordahi said it's something clubs will just have to roll with.

"If star players aren't playing, well, that's just the way it is," Kordahi said.

"The NBA's progressing with games. They've had whole teams go out with COVID and still had to put teams on the floor, they've got guys on 10-day contracts.

"Obviously the NBA has a much, much bigger talent pool than what we have here, but we just need to find a way for games to consistently be played.

"We're lucky enough that we're not pausing through the FIBA window. We're continuing through that and we're going to need those weeks up our sleeve."

It's disheartening for all concerned but Kordahi urged the Illawarra faithful to stick solid.

"As frustrating as it is for fans and members, trust me, it's just as frustrating for us as a club and for our players," he said.

"It's tiring for all parties but, we just need them to hang in there and continue to support the team."

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