Rockhampton Cyclones coach Chris Muggeridge reveals recruitment challenges

Chris Muggeridge has faced some challenges on his return as head coach of the Rockhampton Cyclones. He reveals them here.

Chris Muggeridge has been busy recruiting for the Rockhampton Cyclones for the 2025 NBL1 North season.

Coach Chris Muggeridge has revealed the hurdles he’s faced piecing together a quality Rockhampton Cyclones’ squad ready to defend the NBL1 North title this season.

His late appointment to the role, a new-look roster and a date change for the revised 2025 competition have made for a challenging reintroduction to the role.

But the experienced mentor has faced it head-on and declares he is “super-excited” about what lies ahead for the Cyclones.

Muggeridge accepted the job in December and officially signed on in January after Rockhampton Basketball failed to strike a deal with existing head coach Drew Fenton, who took the Cyclones to the championship last year.

Chris Muggeridge (back) pictured with then head coach Drew Fenton in 2024.

He spent the past two years as assistant coach with the Cyclones and had savoured success of his own in the top job when he coached the Cyclones to back-to-back championships in 2015 and 2016.

He said at the time it was a “pretty easy decision to come back” but he explained that player recruitment has been anything but easy.

Muggeridge has plenty of positions to fill after the core of the championship-winning team, including their six imports and homegrown talent Tai Wakelin-Gray, moved on.

“It was always going to be a complete rebuild,” Muggeridge said.

“Every single player who played minutes consistently for us last year is no longer in the team.”

The Rockhampton Cyclones celebrate after taking out the NBL1 North championship last year.

Muggeridge hit the ground running in his pursuit of players but time was proving an enemy.

With several teams withdrawing from the NBL1 North competition, the Cyclones will play just 14 regular fixtures this year in a revised competition that tips off in May.

However, the majority of the country’s other leagues start in March which meant those coaches had a headstart on recruitment and a large percentage of the available player pool was already locked away.

“A lot of the players I reached out to and would have loved to come our way had already signed,” he said.

“It’s been really challenging but I’ve worked tirelessly, day and night, reaching out to players all around the world to get the right type of athlete here.

Chris Muggeridge pictured during his previous tenure as the Cyclones’ head coach.

“It’s been exhausting but I’m extremely happy with where we’re at.

“I’ve had to think out of the box a little bit but I can tell you the players we’ve signed are elite and it’s really exciting for Rocky Basketball.

“I’m still probably looking for one more piece right now but once that’s done, we’ll be ready to go.”

Muggeridge said the drastic change in personnel presented a “massive opportunity” to local players to press their case.

His final squad would likely consist of five imported players and no less than 15 locals.

“We’ve got some talented young players who will get their chance and I’m sure will be up to the task,” he said.

“It will be a steep learning curve for them but I’ll be confident to put them on the floor and that we’re going to win games.

“We’re the defending champions and we want to try to be there again this year.”