Norris to Lead Rollers’ Shot at History

Australia’s quest to retain its world championship wheelchair basketball title will see a 12-man Rollers squad led by four-time Paralympian Shaun Norris.

The Rollers have a shot at history when August’s IWBF World Championships commence in Hamburg as Australia seeks to become the first nation to win the tournament three times in a row.

Whilst the opportunity for fresh history will provide incentive for the group, there is a more-pressing issue of redemption after a Rio Paralympics campaign that went awry.

Australia missed out on a Paralympic medal in Rio for the first time since Sydney 2000. For seven members of this Rollers’ outfit, Hamburg represents their first opportunity to play in a major international tournament since the disappointment of Brazil.

Shaun Norris has taken on captaincy of the team following the retirement of Rollers talisman Brad Ness after the 2016 Games. He is widely considered one of the best mid-pointers in the game, if not in general.

His combination with fellow mid-pointers is a focus that new Rollers head coach Craig Friday believes can re-spark Australia’s credentials on the global stage.

“The strength of the Rollers is the mid-point group,” Friday said.

“With captain Shaun Norris, Tom O’Neill Thorne (3.0), Kim Robins (3.0), Luke Pople (2.5) and Steven Elliott (3.5), we have some different skill sets that combine well to play a style we think will hold up internationally.”

The Rollers will have their first chance to test that theory on August 17 when it opens its world championship campaign with a match against Argentina. The defending champions then meet Spain and the Netherlands to close out their group stage ahead of the cross-over phase of the tournament.

Norris is joined in the 2018 World Championship squad by fellow West Australian Kim Robins who will make his world championship debut. Robins was in the extended squad for the 2014 tournament but missed out on representing in the final 12.