Naomi Stalenberg joins Tasmanian Tigers for WNCL season

Tasmania’s WNCL hard-hitter Naomi Stalenberg reveals why she loves Blundstone Arena and her feelings about coming up against the side that dropped her.

Naomi Stalenberg of the Thunder plays a shot during the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) cricket match between the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney. AAP Image/David Moir

REVENGE is a dish best served cold and Tasmanian Tigers recruit Naomi Stalenberg hopes to be red-hot with the bat if she gets the chance to play against the team that dropped her for the next WNCL season.

After seven years with NSW she will no longer play in a blue cap and her tenure with the WBBL team Sydney Thunder is also unconfirmed.

Tasmania coach Sallian Briggs opened the door for the top-order batter to continue her career as a Tiger.

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Stalenberg, 26, packed her guitars, drove to Melbourne and boarded the Spirit of Tasmania on Tuesday for the drive to Hobart and 14 days in isolation.

Naomi Stalenberg getting on the Spirit of Tasmania on Tuesday to come to Hobart to play for Tasmanian Tigers.

“I’ve got some former Sydney Thunder and NSW teammates in Tassie — Nicola Carey, Maisy Gibson Belinda Vakarewa — they are really good friends so I’m looking forward to playing alongside them again,” Stalenberg said.

“I felt I had a really good season last year with NSW so I will be embracing my new team and a change of environment and drawing on what I have learned over the past seven years.

“I want to continue to build on who I am as a player and person, earn my spot and make an impact in the Tasmanian team.”

When opportunity knocks, Stalenberg hopes to remind NSW of her talent.

“For sure. I will really enjoy coming up against my former teammates,” she said.

“There will be some banter for sure, but there’s no bad blood.”

Batting at Blundstone will also be a pleasure.

“I’ve played many games there for the Sydney Thunder. I really enjoy batting there,” she said.

“It’s one of my favourite grounds. It’s always a really good batting track and we’ve played some exciting matches there and I’ve had a lot of success there and I’m really looking forward to continuing that.”