Basketball: Veterans Paora Winitana and Aidan Daly among several out of Hawks' equation

Paora Winitana is among those conspicuous in their absence for the Hawks' campaign this NBL season. PHOTO/FILE

Hawke's Bay-born former Tall Black Paora Winitana and point guard Aidan Daly are the most conspicuous in their absence from the Hawks' roster this season.

Also missing are on-again-and-off-again fellow veterans Arthur Trousdell and Kareem Johnson (US import) as well as Bay-born Alonzo Burton and fellow guards Luke Aston, Matt Te Huna, Guam's Willie Stinnett and Joe Blas, Wilfred Dickson, Ravi Mani and Jaxson Macfarlane.

On the flip side, the Hawke's Bay franchise team welcome back Tall Black point guard Jarrod Kenny and Bay-born shooting guard Everard Bartlett who will assume the mantle of leadership.

This season will run for 14 weeks and finish with the Final Four weekend on June 15-17, a place coach Kirstin Daly-Taylor will dearly love to find herself in when the dust settles in the NBL.

The Hawks, who finished last and without a win last season, open their account against bookies' favourites, Wellington Saints, tomorrow and then host their first game at the Pettigrew-Green Arena, Taradale, on Sunday against projected playoff contenders Canterbury Rams from 3pm.

In what appears to be major shakeup after two mediocre seasons, Daly-Taylor has signed up US import Lamar Roberson but British import centre Grant Fiorentinos is here until American counterpart Amir Williams arrives on April 3.

The Hawks also have the services of Fiji-born forward Joshua Fox, who is based in the United States.

■ SAINTS: Benny Anthony, forward; Nico Buckrell, guard; Joshua Duinker, forward; Damien Ekenasio, forward; Leon Henry, forward; Aaron Valdes, US import guard; Shea Ili, guard; Isaac Letoa, guard; Jordan Mills, forward; Jordan Ngatai, forward; Elliott Stubbins, guard; Jackson Stubbins, guard; Corey Webster, guard; Tai Wesley, forward.

■ HAWKS: Grant Fiorentinos, British import centre; Lamar Roberson, US import forward; Everard Bartlett, guard; Anamata Haku, forward; Darryl Jones, forward; Isaia Jones, guard; Mataeus Marsh, guard; Dominic McGovan, guard; Tony Tolovae, guard; Tamakari Kameta, forward; Joshua Fox, forward; Jarrod Kenny, guard.