Newly appointed GM Matt Nason looking forward to successful 2024

Salties’ newly appointed general manager has heaped praise on the organisation and its supporters, and is eager to hit the ground running. Read what he has planned for the future.

Darwin Salties women's coach Rod Tremlett leads his team at a break against Cairns Dolphins. Picture: Pema Pakhrin.

Top four finishes and home finals are on the agenda for the Salties in 2024.

Following the NBL1 North club’s rapid rise and successful campaign last season, with both men’s and women’s making the playoffs, the organisation’s newly appointed full-time GM Matt Nason is chomping at the bit, intent on cementing the Salties as a premiership winning and destination club.

“The opportunity is enormous,” Nason said.

“The groundwork that has already been laid by the organisation in such a short period of time and the success they’ve already achieved is nothing but impressive.”

Nason is no stranger to running a successful franchise.

“I’ve been around the competition since it’s inception and I’ve most recently been with the Rip City,” he said.

“I know how to navigate the highs and lows of the sport and I’ve found success in taking clubs to the top.

“There is obviously pressure, that comes with this role, but it is a job that was on the bucket list for me and I’m going to bring the structures and success I’ve had with me into the role.”

While he’s only been in the role for a little under a month and is by his own admission a bit “wet behind the ears”, the GM has already set clear aspirations and goals for the club’s future.

“We want to have both the men’s and women’s sides make the final four,” he said.

“Our goal is to have home finals and more aspirationally, win some silverware.

“But in doing so we need to continue to bolster the brand, implement and continue structures that’ll deliver success and continue to grow.

“We are entering a period where the ‘honeymoon’ phase is almost over, and that means we must continue to develop local talent and give them the opportunity to play basketball at the biggest stage in the NT and become a destination club through our on court and off court achievements.”

Nason said he has also been positively overwhelmed by the buy-in of the community and the love for the Salties.

“The support for the Salties is immense,” he said.

“The support from the fans, community, volunteers, sponsors and government has been second to none.

“I actually even felt and experienced the love for the club when visiting for games in the season, and there’s nowhere else quite like it. It’s brilliant.”