Bigger ambitions on horizon as Netball Tasmania eyes SSN partnership with Melbourne Mavericks

Tasmanian officials are still optimistic that the Melbourne Mavericks’ addition will lead to a temporary new Super Netball partnership for the island state, though grander plans lay ahead, writes LINDA PEARCE.

Netball Tasmania CEO Mitch Coulson has big ambitions to grow netball in the state. Picture: Richard J. Ho - Minch Media.

With Netball Australia well down the fixturing road for the 2024 Super Netball season, Tasmanian officials are still optimistic that the Melbourne Mavericks’ addition will lead to a temporary new national league partnership for the island state.

When Collingwood opted not to renew its licence in May, it also abandoned a $1.23 million deal signed in December with the Rockliff Government for Tasmania to continue hosting one pre-season and one SSN Magpies game annually until 2026.

While Netball Tasmania is still positioning itself for a potential tilt at a stand-alone entry when expansion from the current eight teams is considered in alignment with a new broadcast deal from 2027, CEO Mitch Coulson says a Mavericks tie-up represents the best chance of involvement in the meantime.

“That would be a likely scenario, I would say, but there’s some details being worked through now, and I think our priority with Netball Australia is just, ‘We’ve had the Diamonds, let’s continue the momentum, let’s not just let it be a flash in the pan’,’’ Coulson said.

“So yeah, that’s exciting … some good news to come, hopefully, soon on that front.’’

A Mavs membership tent has been erected outside the Derwent Entertainment Centre for both Australia-New Zealand Tests this week and general manager Shae Bolton-Brown arrived for Tuesday’s second leg of the international double-header, which represents Hobart’s Test debut.

Melbourne Mavericks general manager Shae Bolton-Brown has been in Tasmania during the Diamonds’ matches. Picture: Jason Edwards

Precedent suggests there is no requirement for any new Tasmanian deal to be finalised before the fixture is released, with Collingwood’s Hobart/Launceston game nominated at a later date in at least one previous season.

While Coulson says no direct discussions have been held with the Mavericks, who are to be based in Melbourne’s southeast and are technically operated by NA until Craig Hutchison’s SEN officially takes ownership on January 1, the state is being transparent in its desire to retain some SSN action.

“Through this experience with the Diamonds, our conversations have more been with Netball Australia, just to flag our interest that we certainly want to have SSN games here and the Tasmanian government are aware of that, as well,’’ he said.

“So I think any deal for SSN in Tasmania is probably going to be largely between those parties, but we’ve certainly flagged our intent and our interest that for the best outcome for Tasmanians, there certainly needs to be that piece that is the top level netball being played in our market.’’

There were criticisms of Collingwood’s lack of engagement at community and pathway level during their seven-year deal, which Coulson admitted Netball Tasmania would not want to repeat.

Instead, he flagged a wish for flow-on benefits to the broader netball community from any new SSN partnership; particularly in a high-performance sense, including coaching and strength and conditioning support, as well as providing pathway players with access to elite environments in order to drive local standards.

Marg Caldow and Natasha Chokljat are believed to be the only two Tassie-born-and-raised players to represent Australia, with both having moved to Victoria as teenagers.

“We want to look towards pushing a Tasmanian up towards Diamonds selection, so that’s the ultimate dream,’’ Coulson said.

Natasha Chokljat is one of only two known Tasmanian born-and-raised players to represent Australia. Picture: Herald Sun

Yet a full Tasmanian team remains the broader endgame. A licence application for 2024 was considered but eventually abandoned when Collingwood’s exit caused a sudden vacancy in the eight-member league.

“Earlier this year when Collingwood chose not to continue their participation, we really did a fair bit of homework around that and how that could look, how it could work. Is it viable, is it not viable?’’ said Coulson, adding that sharing games between Hobart and Launceston is still the preference.

“The timing was just probably always going to be a bit too much of a rush. So when that next opportunity presents itself, I certainly believe strongly that there is a really good case to be considered for Tasmania and we’ll continue to work away on that in the background.

“And probably through that process earlier this year we did do a lot of groundwork, so that’s positive for the future.’’

A big tick for the present has been the success of the Diamonds’ visit here to play the Proteas, seven years after the state first hosted Australia in Launceston.

Coulson describes it as “a generational opportunity” to expose young Tasmanian netballers to the best in the world. “The games are important, but with all the community stuff they’ve done, they’ve just been such great ambassadors, which is fantastic.’’

Speaking at a mural unveiling at the South Hobart Netball Association on Monday, Diamonds captain Liz Watson hailed the programming that allowed for an extended stay of almost a full week at the end of a demanding year, and the success of the Tasmanian venture in front of near-capacity crowds.

As for a local SSN team, eventually? “It would be cool,’’ Watson said, diplomatically. “As an athlete, I want more teams in the comp, as much as we can, so I know that the Collingwood girls loved their time down here when they did get to play matches.

“I was a Vixen, we never actually came down here, but I know that they really did love that; so it would be awesome and obviously there’s an appetite for talent here, so fingers crossed maybe one day.’’

Originally published as Bigger ambitions on horizon as Netball Tasmania eyes SSN partnership with Melbourne Mavericks