Shiny patches of dullness; Sydney Kings vs Wollongong Hawks - Entertainment Centre - 10/09/05

Ethan Switch - Sunday, September 11, 2005 - Print Version

Cleaner lines and sharper edges. Everything changes when the furniture makes with the faces. Quiet and spooky is the Entertainment Centre forecourt. Even with the Castle Hill RSL brass band playing it big outside the box office. Gates hold the entrances with a new ticketing style and a sense of greater policing. The merchandise stand with the magazine at a stunning three dollar fails to fly away with the not-quite-sure pick-pocket. For the first game out for the Kings at home, copies of Kings News are understandably anorexic. At least these aren't begging for dollars.

Quick on up, the stands watch on as the Kings' championship banner for the 2004/05 season rises from the black to sit high and proud with the 2002/03 and 2004/05 banners. Against the others, 2002/03 looks like a year in tatters, out from the wash too soon and not doing all that great. Slightly worse for the weather and showing signs of old age. The new flags shining far too bright in the face of the first.

Wollongong break out with the points in a spillage of contents. Tipping away the steal, the Hawks hold momentum of the game shortly before the Kings bring it back. New blood Matt Worthington slams an introduction for the first Kings hit. Hawks look on as their opening rush goes wheezy as the Kings run their margin to an ever increasing number. Quarter one of the grand final rematch reads 33 to 15 in favour of the reigning champions.

Of eight no more, the cheerleaders are known no longer as the Harlequins, sponsor Suttons Rosebery slapping them up as their dancers. Sparkly be their costumes, all purple and gold, dazzling to the point of Vegas. And boots, or fabric on the shin as such, bringing out an excitement of wrestling in the fall out of the costumes. The Lion sports a new nose, a skin of leather on brown with a fresh new tongue. Bumping and grinding with a few of the cheerleaders over Sir Mix-A-Lot's Baby Got Back makes moves anew not seen before.

Back in for the second quarter and the whole night feels like blooding a neck that can't blood no more. Scoreboard reads and confirms that the half is still many minutes away. Nothing lights up the energy of the place. The announcer certainly isn't showering the stadium with all that much love. Though not to say he isn't giving it a go. Soundtrack suffers a relapse and flicks back a few years to repetition on familiarity. Game limps to the half with the Kings still easily over the charging Hawks, 49 riding 34.

Half-time entertainment sees the Sydney Kings cheerleaders breaking out new moves. Choreography is slightly different and a little more on the fresh side. The whole aggregate on arrangement showing up as new. They're only missing Stetson hats to go with the glitter. Short stock on a cowboy feel.

Kids from a school play hard and fast ball in the waning minutes of the show, a sight to watch as they go full force to the end of their match. Brass band from the RSL goes silent, too beat from taking on the stereo system during the game, their little ditties drowning in its own blast radius.

Wollongong keep their heads up in the third, making the most of their coaching staff. Rolan Roberts appears weaker and far less powerful, even on the free throw line. Import Damon Thornton looks like a boxer in contrast, his feet are fleet but scores low. Unbelievably there is still another quarter to go when the Kings clock on 72, Hawks at 52.

Despite the new patches over the shreds on the old, a severe lack of anything mars the performance of the Lion. Holding back and letting all others with the bulk of the work. No pep from the mascot in this game. Trepidation and a lacking in the out right explosion.

Final quarter watches on as the Kings take it easy and captain Jason Smith takes to the side with a full six personal fouls. CJ Bruton falls badly and ankles off the court with the aid of a few Kings. Cortez Groves of the Hawks pulls a brilliantly strong effort in clearing the buffet, 18 points all in the last quarter. Kings do as little as possible, holding back the flow with their too comfy spread. Seconds die quick and the champions walk off the court. Adam Ballinger slips through the sweat and pots an easy and final two points, snaring back the margin for the Hawks. Not enough, Kings hold on with 85 over the visitor's 83.

And they do nothing with the giant inflatable bottle of beer from Tsingtao.