Is a golf administrator and former Chargers president the person to set up Tasmania’s NBL club?

The NBL is close to announcing the most important role in the set up of the Tasmanian team and it could go to a former Chargers president, but not the most well-known one. LATEST >>

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A FORMER Chargers president could be the person to set up Tasmania’s NBL club – but it is not former Premier David Bartlett.
The Mercury understands Golf Australia’s general manager golf operations Simon Brookhouse is the front runner to be NBL’s newest club’s inaugural chief executive.

While Brookhouse has recent history in golf administration at Golf Australia and previously as chief executive of Golf Victoria, he also has vast experience in basketball as well.

Brookhouse was chairman of the South East Australian Basketball League (now replaced by the NBL1 competition) from October 2001 until its demise in October 2018, and was Knox Basketball’s CEO for three years — the largest basketball association in Australia — from 2008 to 2011.

Simon Brookhouse, CEO Golf Victoria. Vic Open Golf Tournament at 13th Beach Golf Course Barwon, Heads.

But prior to that, he lived and worked in Hobart, where he spent a stint as president of the Hobart Chargers during their most successful era where they won the southern conference title three times (1997, ‘98 and 2000) and the 2000 national championships.

As SEABL chair, he would have continued his relationship with Tasmania’s basketball landscape, with the Chargers, the North-West Thunder and the Launceston Tornadoes key pillars of that competition.

NBL executive chair Larry Kestelman would not confirm or deny whether Brookhouse had landed the role, but said an announcement was close.

“We have run a very, very rigorous process,” Kestelman said.

“We had hundreds of applicants and we’ve narrowed it down to the top 30 and narrowed it down again to the last three or four that I interviewed along with the advisory board and we are looking to announce that shortly.”

NBL owner and executive chairman Larry Kestelman today along with the Tasmanian state government announced that the leagues 10th team would be based in Tasmania. Picture: Zak Simmonds

The new chief executive will be given a blank canvas and charged with building the club from start to the season opener in late 2021.

The CEO will be charged with appointing their own executive team as well as having a big say in the appointment of a coach and other as well as building strong links to the community.

The club is steadily taking shape, with the NBL registering five club names – Tasmania Tridents, Pride, Jack Jumpers, Mountaineers and Timbers — ahead of an announcement most likely next month.

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