Moller to reunite with the Chargers as Hobart looks to reset for NBL1’s second half

The Hobart Chargers have been swept by the North West Thunder in the men’s NBL1 this season, but there is help on the way.

• Hobart Chargers relying on home-grown talent in 2021
• Dufelmeier tipped for stardom in NBL1 2020 season

THE Hobart Chargers are on the cusp of welcoming back an old friend in Craig Moller.

The Chargers hope the forward, who was part of the Chargers’ SEABL championship team back in 2018, will head south once his NBL team, the Sydney Kings, are eliminated from finals contention.

The Kings need a miracle to make the top four, with their only chance being the South East Melbourne Phoenix losing to the Brisbane Bullets on Tuesday night by 80 points.

Craig Moller in action for the Sydney Kings. Picture: Brendan Radke

Chargers coach Anthony Stewart was extremely optimistic of landing Moller.

“I am very hopeful,” Stewart said.

“I reached out to his agent the other day and we are hopeful of securing his services unless Phoenix lose by 80 points and I’ve never seen that happen.

“So I’m hopeful Craig will commit to us and then we are pretty much done.”

He will be a welcome addition after the Chargers were mown down in the second half by the North West Thunder in Ulverstone on Saturday night.

The Chargers led the local derby – brought forward due to the Covid lockdown in Melbourne – by nine points at half time, but were outscored 48-26 in the second half to go down 94-81.

Taran Armstrong (23 points), Joe Chilcott (18), Paul Campbell (18) and JackJumper Sejr Deans (16) did the damage for the home side, while new recruit Tad Dufelmeier (22 points) led the Chargers.

Craig Moller in action for the Hobart Chargers in the SEABL preliminary final in 2018. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Stewart said his team was physically worn down by the Thunder after half time, especially Dufelmeier who had just joined the side from NBL club Cairns the day before.

“I wasn’t expecting him to play as much,” he said.

“But his first half was pretty special so we left him out there and we probably just didn’t get through our offence because he doesn’t know them and the ball got stuck in a few hands.

“At the end of the day, the Thunder started knocking down shots.

“I’m positive about the future, it is just going to take us a while to jell again.”

Tad Dufelmeier top-scored for the Chargers in his first game with the club since joining from Cairns. Picture: Getty

The news was much worse for the Chargers women, who were belted by 48 points by the Launceston Tornadoes 100-52.

The Chargers have just one win from their opening 10 games, and sit in 16th spot on the ladder.

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