JackJumpers COO Darren Smith joined Brent and Painey to discuss the NBL25 fixture and preview the upcoming season.
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SEN Tassie
JackJumpers COO Darren Smith (21/06/24)
[MUSIC] >> This episode is brought to you by Microsoft Azure. Turn your ideas into reality with an Azure-free account. Get everything you need to develop apps across Cloud and hybrid environments, scale workloads, create Cloud-connected mobile experiences and so much more. Discover what you can create with popular services free for 12 months. Learn more at azure.com. That's azure.com and sign up for a free account to start building in the Cloud today. >> Ryan Reynolds here for, I guess, my 100th mint commercial. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Honestly, when I started this, I thought I only had to do like four of these. I mean, it's unlimited premium wireless for $15 a month. How are there still people paying two or three times that much? I'm sorry, I shouldn't be victim blaming here. Give it a try at midmobile.com/save, whenever you're ready. >> $45 up from payment equivalent to $15 per month. New customers on first three month plan only, taxes and fees extra, fees slower above 40 gigabytes of city tales. >> Welcome back to the show. Plenty of text coming in on the Harkorts open line this morning. Harkorts results for you, one here from Linda H. Lovely to hear that accent on SCN, Tazzy this morning. Welcome to Tazzy, Tracy, and that's from Linda as I said. Thank you, Linda, for getting in touch on the Harkorts open line. >> Brenna, I'm just firing through green mount, cricket clubs, overseas professionals. >> 1998, 1988, Mark Taylor. >> Oh, Tubby. >> 1989, Jamie Sitons. >> 1990, Wayne Phillips, '91, Dean War. >> Is there a Tasmanian? >> '92, Matthew Hayden. '94, Richard Chiqui. Richard Chiqui went back again in '97. Since then, they've had a bit of a battle. >> Is there a Tasmanian? >> You're not the normal world. >> Okay, let's get to our next guest. And you can keep looking at that because the MBL fixture for MBL 25 has just dropped. And joining us on the line to have a chat about it is the Chief Operating Officer of the Jackies, Darren Smith. Welcome back, Smithy to the show. >> Thank you very much, gentlemen. Good morning to you. >> What do you take away, mate? You've had this for a few days, I assume. Not getting it when the public gets it. So you've had time to look over it. What's the key messaging out of it from your point of view? >> Yeah, we've managed to get a bit of a sneak peek a couple of days ago. And the longer I look at it, that doesn't seem to get any easier. Well, I got a sneak peek last night and there's a few things I picked up on. Firstly, I think we've got seven games in 14 days or six games in 14 days. It might even be four in a week. There's a little tricky period there in general. You're going to have to navigate pretty comfortably. >> Yeah, that looks like it's going to be a tough patch for us. There's a lot of games in a short period time. So no recovery guys really push the limits there. But that's the way it goes and we'll roll with it. >> Absolutely, mate. What are the thoughts on the game on AFL grand final day? >> Yeah, it's an interesting one. I mean, I don't think the NBA has done that before. So we'll see how that goes. I think the good thing for down here is that people obviously be enjoying grand final day, put his big in Tassie. But then hopefully we can continue the party into that night where we come across the finals opponent in Melbourne United again. >> We've got a text in about that from Kika Collins. He says, "First Jack Japper's home game to unveil the banner is on AFL grand final day at 8 p.m." Really? Reality night that one, the whole join will be legless by T-boy. Surely a Friday night or Sunday afternoon would have been better. That's from Kika Collins on the Harcourt's open line. >> What about Smithi Obrano and both you employees of the Jack Jum as I know. What about, can we watch the AFL grand final in the Emerald Lounge there? >> Smithi, I'll let you answer that. >> I like it, I like it, I like it, let me see what we can do. >> It's not bad, it's not a bad shot. Hey, Christmas Day again, too, Smithi. That's locked in against the breakers this year. We had South East Melbourne Phoenix. That's tough for the breakers, isn't it? Being in another country on Christmas Day. But are you happy to have this game again? >> Yeah, I think it worked really well for us last year. And we weren't that disappointed with that. I think it is difficult for the opposing teams that we try to make it difficult on court, but then not so difficult off court for them as well. >> And made a couple of games up in Launceston, late October, early November. Larry Kesselman in the past has raised some concerns about the facilities up there. Is that something that's been addressed for the coming season? >> Look, I know they're looking at seeing what they can do with a silver dome to upgrade. It's likely to improve some things. But we've got a commitment to play up north. I know the guys are looking forward to playing there and seeing fans from north and north west. So we're going to honor our commitment for sure. >> Then we've got things like Till Game, of course, Pride Round, I think, against Smithery. So there's a lot for fans to look forward to. And of course, kicking off with Hoopsfest over in Perth. Are you a fan of that concept as well? >> I think it's a pretty exciting concept. It gives an opportunity for fans that can be there. Just see an absolute smallest board of top level Hoops. Whether it's us or WMBL or even the top tier of the under 18 in the country. So hopefully those that want to get a basketball fix can get over and check it out. >> Is it honor the MBL's indicated that it could be something that's rotated? Is it something that you think would work in Tazia? I remember before the Jack Jumpers came in, we had the Blitz, which was a real success down here. >> Yeah, well, I think that would be the idea eventually is to see which cities can actually host the thing well. I think it'd be fantastic if we could get it. Obviously, we've got fans that love Hoops. So we'd have a pretty strong case, I guess. >> What about talking about taking on challenging time? Smithery and Darren Smith is the chief operating officer of the Jack Jumpers and joins us on SCN Tazia breakfast. How's this period in September going to be? Because you've got the MBL Blitz. I think you need to leave early there to get to the Intercontinental Cup. And then is it straight to Hoopsfest? It's going to be a really busy time for the club. >> Yeah, it's really worked out well for us. The guys are going to be on the road for about two weeks. But look, I actually like the idea of the ICC in Singapore or the opportunity for us to be there pre-season play against some very quality opposition from around the world. It's a pretty exclusive opportunity. So we're looking forward to that. I think our Blitz will be, it won't be a full regular kind of style Blitz for us. It'll be cut short a little bit because of the ICC in Singapore. But then yeah, straight into Hoopsfest for around one. So it's going to test the group, but I know Rocky will have the crew ready. >> The players, what's the general feeling there? They're happy to be heading overseas and to get that experience? >> I've only spoken to a couple of them. And I suppose the feedback from them is it's going to be busy. But again, it's something different. It kind of gives them a new challenge, different focus. So it just spices it up, which they're not adverse to. >> We lost Aaron, have we? >> That weather in Melbourne again has got us, Tim. That's what Link's blaming. The weather in Melbourne for our guests, counting out on the phone. Well, Sean, are you still there, Smithy? >> You got me. >> Yeah, we've got you there. That's good, luckily. Hey, I'm really interested about the squad makeup. Obviously, it's all pretty much done now except the DP's. And DP's such an important spot, isn't it now on the roster? Because we've seen what Sean McDonald's been able to do the last few years. So it's not really a token position anymore, is it? There needs to be someone that can actually play minutes if required. >> Yeah, 100%. We're looking at investing into younger guys that can really make an impact in the team. And like you've said, Sean McDonald's just a prototype of the perfect outcome there. So we're trying to find that again. And we've definitely been narrowing our focus on a couple of guys. And hopefully we'll have some news soon. >> Smithy Will Magnae, he's been getting a bit of MBA interest. Where do we sit in terms of that? Are we confident that he will be here round one against Melbourne United? And if not, what's sort of in play to replace him or what are our options if he does leave late? Which we'd love him to do, obviously. >> Yeah, 100%. Like we want Will to fulfill his potential, hopefully it's here. But if it's in the NBA, then that's an unbelievable story too. And for us to be able to play a part in that is a great success for our club and our coaching staff, not only Will. But obviously we'd love it to have him, but if it doesn't happen, we're working on some contingencies there. He's a very difficult hole to feel if that does happen. But we're looking at some options. >> Last time before that you guys, Smithy, with the Intercontinental Cup, is that a full-blown Jack Jumpers team? Is that how seriously you take this event, all your big guns we playing in that? >> 100%, that's the plan that all the team will be available and ready to go. >> Excellent, can't wait for it to come in. >> What about the Chicken Sword, mate, when he's here, right in town? >> Chicken Sword will be, I don't know if I can get used to that, but Chicken will be here early August. You get around the city for a few days and then officially start the pre-season. So I know Coach Roth caught up with him in Florida last week, face-to-face, which was great for them. And he's rarer to go. >> Are you rarer to the coach to get back into town? He looked very fresh and recharged on the zone we had the other day with him, Smithy. Are you ready for the force of nature to roll back into town? >> The cyclone drop, he obviously has an incredible impact with our business and team, and community. So yeah, I think he's been away long enough where we're ready for him to come home. >> And there's another friggin' nature coming too, Breno, younger version. >> Oh, Roman. >> Oh, yes. >> Sua Lipa, he's up in Brizzy working out with Meeker at the moment, but he'll be down soon. >> Yes, he's, Paul Roman, he's still 17 years old, he's finishing high school. He's playing NBA one, he's working out with Meeker, he's talking to our coaches, he's doing it all. He's under a lot of pressure, the young man, but obviously we're really excited to be able to have him in the group. And to see what he can do, I think he's going to be a very promising piece to the puzzle here. So yeah, fingers crossed that it can all work out extremely well for him. The next star's program can really propel him into the next stratosphere. >> So this is going to roll around super quickly and can't wait for it. And you'll be right amongst it, of course, Darren Smith as the Jack Jumper's chief operating officer. Thanks so much for your time on SCN. Tassie breakfast this morning, we'll talk to you soon, mate. >> Thanks guys, have a great day. >> Darren Smith joining us here to talk the fixture, and you can catch that in all the Jack Jumper social media channels from now. It's out there, you can whack all the dates in your door and be 7-3-9. >> 1/8 of September, is it? >> Game one over and Perth, big game. >> Yep. >> And then back here on the 28th to take on United back-to-back as well, which is interesting. >> After we sleep into the Emerald Land, have a couple of co-opies, watch the Grand Final, watch the bombers lift the cup, and then find a more state arena for the first time game of the year. >> Here come the news, headlines for you. It's SCN, Tassie breakfast, powered by Kubota. Take on any job with Kubota's range of tractors, moles, and utility vehicles. >> It's still time to get us on the Harcourt's Open Line Harcourt's More Than Just Real Estate Professionals, 0437, 552535.