I think Rhys Martin is a good player, a very good player in fact to have as your back-up point guard. But I do not believe the Wollongong Hawks will be successful in the long run with Martin as the team's starting point guard.

The Hawks exceeded expectations last year when they advanced to the NBL Grand Final series against the Perth Wildcats. They were humbled by 24 points in the deciding game, but overall their season was a massive achievement after they had lost import and MVP candidate Tywain McKee with 11 games remaining in the regular season.

When McKee went down, Martin inherited the keys to the car and was outstanding in leading the Hawks all the way to the main dance.

But now during the 2011/12 season, after the Hawks were unable to keep Gary Ervin (2011 MVP), the car Martin is driving is coming dead last (3-7) and is quickly falling off the pace.

That got me wondering: is Martin better than any of the other starting point guards in the league?

I doubt it. I don't think it's a stretch to say Chris Warren (Adelaide 36ers), Jamar Wilson (Cairns Taipans), Adris Deleon (Gold Coast Blaze), Ayinde Ubaka (Melbourne Tigers), Cedric Jackson (New Zealand Breakers), Damian Martin (Perth Wildcats), Aaron Bruce (Sydney Kings) and Eddie Gill (Townsville Crocodiles) are all superior players to Martin.

The unusual part of this equation, though, is that the Hawks have an import point guard, Showron Glover, as the back-up to Martin.

It seems like a considerable waste to use an import slot on a back-up point guard, when the health and success of any team is so reliant on a point guard who should be one of that team's top players.

If Glover, in the Hawks' opinion, is not worthy or good enough to be a starting point guard in the NBL, why keep him?

If the Hawks are not going to let Glover take charge, and are intent on having Martin as the team's starter, why not utilize your import spot on a different position?

In the Hawks' loss last weekend to the Crocodiles, Glover played less than eight minutes. Hardly a promising sign or a ringing endorsement of the import from coach Geordie McLeod.

I think the Hawks have a few options: a) Promote Glover to the starting line-up and see what he can do, allowing him some freedom to showcase his talents; b) Cut Glover and bring in a new import/point guard who will be the Hawks' starter; or c) Cut Glover, continue to roll the dice with Martin as your starting point guard, and bring in an import swingman who can score.

The door is about to be slammed shut on the Hawks' playoff aspirations for 2012.

If they are going to make a change it needs to come quickly before they fall deeper into the well.