Kelly confident Taipans will start season in FNQ
Taipans coach Mike Kelly says he’s confident the team will be playing its NBL 2020-21 season home games at the Cairns Convention Centre, despite delays to the venue’s redevelopment.
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Taipans coach Mike Kelly says he’s confident the team will be playing its NBL 2020-21 season home games at the Cairns Convention Centre, despite further delays to the venue’s redevelopment.
The Taipans’ next NBL season was thrown into disarray earlier this week after the $176 million Cairns Convention Centre expansion project was delayed for a third time due to the COVID-19 crisis.
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With the venue’s reopening, which was originally scheduled for October, pushed back to next February, the Taipans could be forced to play their home games elsewhere until the project is completed.
Kelly said the best outcome would have the team playing in their home arena at the Cairns Convention Centre when the NBL season started later this year.
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And he was confident that the Far North franchise could achieve it.
“I’ve got full trust in our brains trust,” he said.
“I know that (Taipans president Troy Stone and CEO Mark Beecroft) have kind of taken the bull by the horns, like they always do, in a positive way for Cairns and the Taipans. When we’re able to play basketball, I know they’ll be ready for us.”
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Taipans president Troy Stone on Tuesday said the only viable option was to change the schedule of works to allow them to play, even if part of the centre was still under construction.
“If we can’t play at the convention centre, it’s going to be a dire situation for the club,” Stone said.
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He said the club would consider taking games to other regions, however Townsville was not an option.
Kelly, while confident the team would be playing at their traditional home when the NBL 2021-21 season started, said players would be ready to compete, regardless of the venue.
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“I haven’t really looked at it (taking games on the road) in-depth, just because I know we’re going to deal with whatever we have to,” he said.
“There’s been times where we’ve had two weeks on the road and the guys have dealt with that well.
“If we have to make adjustments within the schedule, the Taipans and the league will look after us the best they can.”
Originally published as Kelly confident Taipans will start season in FNQ