The Boomers advantage Landale absence creates

The loss of star centre Jock Landale to injury right on the eve of the World Cup hurts. After all, he's an Olympic bronze medal winner and established himself as an NBA mainstay last season. In short, he's a seriously quality player.

That being said, former Australia representative Ryan Broekhoff believes Landale's absence could potentially help the rest of the side play to their strengths - and the frontcourt group selected is primed to make the best of a less than ideal situation.

Landale was all but a lock to be Australia’s starting centre at the upcoming competition, however a left ankle injury suffered against South Sudan in the ‘Boomers vs World’ pre-tournament series ruled him out of the World Cup.

Former NBL trio Nick Kay, Xavier Cooks and Jack White look set to take the brunt of the forced tactical change alongside the team’s only natural five Duop Reath.

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“It’s the changing complexion of basketball, the big fellas close to the hoop are not as prevalent as they once were,” Broekhoff said on NBL Today: The World Cup Edition.

“[Jock] is still a huge out. Duop’s been fantastic in the lead-in games, and I think he’s going to have a really good tournament. He brings a similar skillset being able to shoot from outside as well as in the pick and roll game being able to roll and finish inside.

“He helps cover some of it, but defensively now Jock’s not in it makes us a little bit more versatile.

“We have Jack White and Xavier Cooks, two extremely good athletes who are able to switch one through five with no problems. There’s shot blocking at the rim, and then this Australian team if they can get stops and get out in transition, phew, watch out.”

That changing complexion Broekoff mentions is apparent through most of the favourite teams for the upcoming World Cup.

The era of the seven-foot bruiser has come to an end, and although there will still be plenty of size and strength to contend with at the pointy end of the tournament, the lack of size at the Boomers’ centre position is not the be all, end all.

Reath stands at 211cm. The tallest player Australia will contend with in its group – out of Finland, Germany and Japan – is Finnish star Lauri Markkanen at 213cm, an NBA All-Star who shot almost 40 per cent from the three-point line with the Utah Jazz last season.

“You look at the other favourites around. Canada – Dwight Powell, Kelly Olynyk. USA – Bobby Portis, Walker Kessler. I think that’s where we see that versatility having a big impact in a positive way for the Boomers,” Peter Hooley said.

“We talk about the different line-ups, Josh Green and Matisse Thybulle are going to be massive for what this Boomers program can do in this World Cup.”

Broekhoff did, however, raise a player whose sheer size could be a red flag should they cross paths with the Boomers at the tournament.

New Orleans and Lithuania centre Jonas Valanciunas.

“Hopefully we don’t cross over and have to play Lithuania and face that problem,” he said.

Australia’s World Cup campaign opens against Markkanen and Finland on Friday night at 6pm AEST, live on ESPN.