Big Bash League: Perth Scorchers re-sign power hitter Nick Hobson on the eve of international draft
Perth Scorchers power-hitter Nick Hobson has re-signed with the club on a one-year deal, leaving the club with just one domestic list spot remaining after Thursday's draft.
Hobson has transformed himself into one of the league's best finishers in recent seasons and played an important late-order role for the Scorchers in their desperate push towards last summer's finals.
The Scorchers will now carry over one pick to fill any gaps they still have after they sign two new internationals on Thursday.
The 30-year-old has now played 39 matches for the Scorchers and scored 153 from 10 games last season at a strike rate of 150.
It will be the left-handers seventh straight season on Perth's list.
'I'm very grateful for the opportunity to continue to represent the Perth Scorchers,' Hobson said.
'Being part of this organisation is something I'm incredibly proud of, and they've played an enormous part in my cricketing journey to date.'
The West Australian understands Hobson is also set to return to the Cayman Islands' Max60 tournament next month, where he won a championship alongside Scorchers teammate Andrew Tye last year for Caribbean Tigers.
In an exclusive interview with The West on Tuesday, coach Adam Voges revealed the Scorchers have an eye on Laurie Evans and would 'absolutely' look at bringing the championship-winner back to the club from Melbourne Renegades if he slips in Thursday's international player draft.
If the Renegades don't retain him, the Scorchers could use the Englishman to bolster a middle-order that also includes Hobson and captain Ashton Turner, who is on a four-year deal.
Perth are also expected to target a bowler with at least one of their final two picks. They have retention rights to English international quick Tymal Mills, but could also chase a spin option in a rare play.
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She went on to post: 'Feel for Paul Green's family, absolutely no need to bring his name into it. Slater running out of answers if that's how he wants to fire up Queensland. 'Was OK for Blues player to be labelled a grub three weeks ago… the hypocrites in rugba league are astonishing.' Veteran Australian sport journalist Bernie Cohen wrote: 'Billy Slater may be a legend to some people in rugby league but imo bringing up Paul Green at today's presser was a bloody disgrace'. One NRL fan posted: 'Billy Slater is not only a grub, he's a hypocritical grub of the highest order to also bring Paul Green into it'. Another fan suggested: 'Billy Slater exploiting Paul Green's passing to claim some lame moral high ground over a contrived #origin sledge is quite frankly pathetic and probably highlights the reason why he was called a grub during his playing days'. Slater earlier called Woods' position in the media into question. 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But the 41-year-old wasn't finished and gave some insights into his emotional response when he referenced former Maroons coach Green, who held the position for one year before Slater and tragically took his own life in 2022. 'I'm not done yet,' Slater continued. 'You don't know what people are going through and although I might be able to handle it, the next person mightn't be. 'Maybe our last coach (Green) didn't. 'I believe the character of a person is judged more on what they say about people and how they treat people than what an individual says to create attention about someone. 'There's your answer.' Rugby league journalists staggered by Slater reply Billy Slater and NSW counterpart Laurie Daley shake hands in Perth. (Photo by) Slater's comments were discussed on Fox League's NRL 360 on Tuesday night, with panellists Paul Crawley and Dean Ritchie both questioning whether Slater had crossed a line by mentioning Green's name. They also queried whether the 'grub' comment was strong enough to push Slater to make his remarks. The Courier-Mail had a front-page headline of 'Smash this Blues grub' in reference to NSW enforcer Spencer Leniu prior to this year's Game 1. Journalist Peter Badel, who put the Woods question to Slater at the press conference, was asked about it all on the Fox League show. 'It was quite amazing,' he said. 'To be honest I expected him to dead bat the question as he tends to do. 'The response … I don't think any of us expected it. It was pretty dramatic, it was pretty cutting, it was a withering attack on Aaron Woods. 'He inferred that he was two-faced, suggested it was degrading and as a commentator he should consider his position moving forward. 'Then the bombshell moment, he didn't mention Paul Green personally but did mention Queensland's last coach. 'If he had his time again, maybe he doesn't mention Paul Green's name.' Back in 2021 Green lost his opening two matches in charge of Queensland, 50-6 and 26-0, before winning Game 3 20-18 during a series impacted by Covid. The former Queensland and NRL halfback then took his own life aged 49 in August the following year. Originally published as Billy Slater apologises for 'disgraceful' comment after fierce backlash
