As the South Dragons sift through the wreckage of an NBL season gone wrong, player-coach Shane Heal has become more determined than ever to quit playing for fulltime coaching next season.

Heal has signalled throughout this season it is likely to be his last as an NBL player - the 37-year-old hoping to move permanently to the sideline to call the shots for the Dragons in 2008-09.

On Monday, Heal was relishing a practice session in which he directed his young troops around the court rather than combining coaching and training - a sign of things to come if he has his way next season.

"In my mind, I want to be able to coach the team next year," Heal told AAP.

"It's harder trying to be a player-coach at training than in the game.

"By the time the game comes, you've done all the work.

"This (at training) is the time it really takes to get the guys to a level mentally - the attention to detail things you really need.

"My mindset is next year I'd really like to just coach but that's going to come down to the recruiting, and we'll make that decision at the end of the year.

"But I'm pretty sure that will happen."

The problem is Heal continues to be his side's most reliable on-court spark when things need doing.

The Dragons, who have won just four of 18 games this season, plumbed new depths with an insipid second half performance against Perth Wildcats last weekend.

They were outscored 55-27 in the second half to fall to their fifth consecutive loss.

Predictably, Heal led his side's scorers with 27 points but managed just five in the second half while others were unable to step up to cover him.

Having played under many of basketball's sharpest minds, Heal is already picking the brains of the best and brightest from other sports to improve his coaching education and equip him to guide his side through the rough periods.

Retired Collingwood AFL star Nathan Buckley has been a regular at South Dragons training in recent weeks, while Heal met with AFL coaching guru David Parkin last week.

"You're always trying to add different philosophies and learn different aspects," Heal said.

"Bucks spent about five or six sessions with us, I met with David Parkin last week which was really good.

"Over your career, you build up your own philosophies of how to play. It's always good learning and talking to new people and what sort of takes they've got when they've been in situations like this."

In a season which has proved a massive disappointment for the Dragons, Heal is hoping his side can build momentum and confidence for next year starting with their Boxing Day clash with resurgent Adelaide at Vodafone Arena.

The Sixers are 8-10 and could leap into the top eight with a win over the Dragons.

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