Kane Butler reflects as Thunderbolts prepare for Blacktown clash

The 21-year-old had never coached a senior team before, and was concerned that he might not be taken seriously by the team, a number of whom are older than he is.

But he needn't have worried.

After a few sessions, it became clear that the players' only goal was winning matches, and that they respected both Butler's basketball acumen and coaching ability.

"The first couple of weeks, I was more worried than the boys," Butler said.

"I was worried about coaching guys that I'd played with and who are my age or a bit older.

"But they've been really good. They've constantly backed me, and vice versa. It's been a really good couple of months."

Even their opening-round loss to the Canberra Gunners Academy on Saturday couldn't stifle the team's enthusiasm.

The next day, they gathered to watch the match again. And by the first training session after the game, had already begun addressing the areas in which they fell short.

"They know what let us down," Butler said.

"It's the little things that we need to fix that become the big things. That'll be an easy fix, we just can't wait to play them again."

Much of the drive and direction exhibited by the team so early in the season can be attributed to captain Scott McGann, and his relationship with Butler.

"I'm very lucky that Scott and I have got a pretty good relationship," Butler said.

"It transitions into basketball, we've got the same beliefs when it comes to basketball, and if we ever have a disagreement, it's nothing personal."

And though the Thunderbolts cannot wait to get a win in their rematch against Canberra, their current focus is on their upcoming clash against the Blacktown Storm this weekend in Tamworth.

The Storm started the season with a nailbiting 76-77 loss to the Hornsby Ku Ring Gai Spiders in round one, and Butler believes he has seen openings that Tamworth can take advantage of.

"They're a very fast-paced team, they get by their first defender really well," he said.

"But I think we can really ruffle their feathers a bit, but we don't have the luxury of relying on three or four blokes. There has to be 12 guys that do it by committee."

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