In what looms as the biggest NBL1 off-season signing to date, Mackay Basketball announced the return of local hero and Australian Boomer Todd Blanchfield to the McDonald’s Mackay Meteors for 2024.
The 15-season, 385-game NBL veteran will journey home to Mackay following his current campaign with the Illawarra Hawks, adding outstanding productivity and versatility to the Meteors NBL1 North line-up.
The 32-year-old is coming off arguably his best NBL1 season to date, where he averaged 25 points (5th overall- NBL1 North) and 12 rebounds (1st overall-NBL1 North) for the Gold Coast Rollers, enroute to earning All-League First Team honours. He posted three 40+ point scoring outbursts in 2023 and had four games where he collected 15+ rebounds.
Blanchfield last suited up for Mackay in 2018, where he was named Most Valuable Player of the Queensland Basketball League. The 198cm swingman shared his excitement about a return to where it all started.
“Mackay will always be home and my family and I are so excited to be coming back,” Blanchfield said.
“I’m looking forward to representing the city and giving back to the place that gave me so much as a junior, all while competing with the boys for an NBL1 North championship.”
McDonald’s Mackay Meteors NBL1 Head Coach Joel Khalu was also elated about the signature of Blanchfield.
“This is certainly a huge day for our club,” Khalu said.
“Having a player of Todd’s calibre returning home to play NBL1 is massive news.”
“Not only is it enormous from a roster standpoint, considering that Todd is undoubtedly top player in our league, but more importantly for the community, that our young players will have someone of his pedigree in the stadium every day for them to aspire to.”
“I think playing-wise he takes our team to another level. What he brings to our group at both ends to the floor is probably something we really missed last season.”
“Offensively, he can space the floor with his perimeter game but can also get feet in the paint and create for himself, or for others.”
“Defensively he can guard multiple guys, but for me it's also his vocal leadership and communication that separates him as an elite player too.”
“I know our fans here in Mackay will be pumped to have Todd back next year and we’re going to have a full house in the Crater for every home game,” Khalu added.
More Mackay Basketball NBL1 player announcements are expected in the coming weeks.
