Karena, Simpson join Thunder

The North West Thunder have announced further squad news for the 2021 NBL1 South season.

Well-credentialled New Zealand national team player Mike Karena will be joining the side after he finishes his commitments with NBL team, the South East Melbourne Phoenix. Karena has been signed with Thunder for some time but took up the offer to join Phoenix as an injury replacement player, with the Thunder’s blessing. His arrival time in Tasmania is still centred around a ‘one game at a time’ strategy.

The Thunder have also welcomed former captain Brad Simpson back in the fold. Acknowledged as one of the premier ‘big men’ on the coast, Simpson first played with Thunder way back in 2014 and notched 85 games with the club across four seasons, 2014-17, before some nagging back problems led to his taking a break from national competition in 2018. Simpson has also been a mainstay of the Burnie Tigers in the NWBU domestic competition, notching 134 games to the start of the 2021 season.

Simpson is an on and off-court leader of the Thunder squad with a great knowledge of the game and he will be an invaluable asset and sounding board to coach Nick Haywood over the course of the season.

North West’s campaign begins on April 17 against the rival Hobart Chargers.

The Thunder’s roster includes Karena, Simpson, Mason Bragg, Kyle Clark, Taran Armstrong, Joe Chilcott, Paul Campbell and Ben Richmond.