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Jun 30, 2025
'The big thing': Thunder greatest plea to stop 'devastating effect' on game
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Story By Emily Clooney The Advocate
If the North West Thunder is to lose its NBL1 South licence, it could have a "devastating effect" on Coastal basketball. That is the view of former coach Phil Thomas, who believes the Thunder and sister club, Launceston, need to work together to ensure both programs' future beyond 2025.
"We've been told [change] has to happen, so in some ways they have to come to the table and work through what is the best outcome for both programs," Thomas said. "Because both programs are important to the development of our male and female players in northern Tasmania."
"[The NBL1 South] is a pathway to the NBL for our young and upcoming basketballers. You've got to have that medium step and also the vision to college. "For us to lose a program like that it would be a real setback for our competition. I think it would have a devastating effect on the standard of our program. Basketball is the big thing out of this; it's not the Thunder or the Tornadoes. It's basketball because we don't want to lose the programs completely. And if they don't come to some sort of agreement on how this will work best for basketball, then it might all be over."
Conversations about a possible merger between the two semi-professional clubs were first floated in April, when Basketball Victoria announced it would renew just two licences in Tasmania for 2026. The discussion heated up over the weekend, when the Tornadoes confirmed they would submit a bid to field their own men's and women's teams in the future.
On Monday, Thunder chairman James Leslie responded to the "onslaught and aggression" shown in recent days. "The damage being caused to the sport is our main concern and how it creates a divide in our basketball community," Leslie said in a statement. There is no malice from our side and the misinformation from the Tornadoes is disappointing however, shows their nervousness about the process and while we don't condone the behaviour, we understand it. Would we like to see a women's program here? Absolutely, we would love that for our supporters and members. And we would hope that the Launceston Tornadoes are as passionate about the potential for a men's program also."
Thomas, who hasn't been involved with the program for a number of years, felt that change was necessary to ensure the viability of both teams going forward. "I'm not sure it's working properly at the moment with our double headers," Thomas said. "I can understand the Thunder because when we go to play in Launceston, the support for the Thunder program is minimal. And it must be awkward and disappointing for the players. In reverse, it's not working in Launnie because there are very few [on the Torns] who have that connection. I don't think we want to lose either program, and Basketball Tasmania won't allow that, but we have to find a better way for it to be presented in the current format."
In a statement released on Monday, Basketball Tasmania confirmed it would support the submission that addressed "an equal spread of home games across northern Tasmania".
"The Basketball Tasmania board prefer the development of a joint venture or collaboration between the two clubs; however understand this may not be a model the clubs believe to be workable," the statement read. "Basketball Tasmania remain committed to ensuring NBL1 basketball continues to provide key pathway and development opportunities along with an entertaining basketball product for northern Tasmania."
The deadline for the licence application is July 18, with Basketball Victoria to make its announcement on August 6.
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