Steindl: Why WNBL team would be ‘massive’ for Tassie

JackJumpers skipper Clint Steindl, whose wife played in the WNBL, believes Tassie getting its own team would be “massive”. And he’s backing the NBL and Jackies’ owner to revive the league.

JackJumpers captain Clint Steindl with wife and former WNBL player Kayla and children Addison and Noah before his 300th NBL game in November last year. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

He’s helped put the NBL back on the map, and JackJumpers captain Clint Steindl is adamant Larry Kestelman is the right man to revive the battling WNBL as he looks to plant a team in Tasmania’s north.

Kestelman, also the Jackies owner, is part of consortium in the process of taking over control of the women’s league.

He addressed media in Launceston on Friday on his desire for a Tasmanian WNBL franchise, with the vast majority of games to be played in the north and north-east.

Kestelman said they “feel no pressure” to establish the team within a certain time frame, but said it could get off the ground as soon as late next year.

Steindl’s wife Kayla plays for Hobart Chargers, and played a number of seasons in the WNBL.

He said a top flight women’s team to complement the wildly successful men’s program would be enormous for the sport’s already rapid growth in Tasmania.

“It’s massive, you’re going to have incredible role models come through in a women’s program that young girls can look up to, and aspire to be part of a WNBL Tassie team,” he said. “They’ll work hand-in-hand with us, and it will be massive.”

The WNBL has long been regarded as one of the sleeping giants of women’s sport.

National team the Opals enjoy consistent success and won bronze at this year’s Olympics, but the right mix hasn’t been found to translate that into eyeballs on the national league.

Steindl believes the new consortium can make it happen.

“There’s a chance for it to grow, and I think it absolutely will,” he said.

“Women’s sport right now is huge in Australia. For them to put a women’s team down here in Tassie, they’re going to be incredible role models for young girls.

“I’m sure they’ll spend some time in Hobart like we do in the north and north-west. It’ll be a Tassie team and they’ll represent the whole of the state.”

JackJumpers head coach Scott Roth and owner Larry Kestelman at the Elphin Sports Centre in Launceston Picture: Stephanie Dalton

For the plan to come to fruition, facilities need to be upgraded to suit an elite league.

Work will soon begin on a $60 million multi sport facility in Devonport, but upgrades are sorely needed to get Launceston’s outdated Silverdome up to scratch.

Kestelman is confident he can give the WNBL the direction it needs to fulfil its untapped potential.

“It definitely feels a little bit like deja vu. I think the on court product when I took on the NBL was a very good one and WNBL is as good, if not better,” he said.

“The women’s standard of play is extraordinary, the talent is world class. The number of players Australia develops and goes on to play in the WNBA and Opals is proof of that. “We’re not here to necessarily feel like we need to fix a lot on the court. It’s really looking at how we create a product for fans go get behind.

“It needed investment, it needed more business nous and that’s what we hope to bring.”

WNBL stalwart Keely Froling, who plays NBL1 with Launceston Tornadoes, told this masthead in May the league badly needed more financial support to thrive.

“The league is growing and you look at women’s sport around the world right now, we need to invest in and promote the league. It is one of the best in the world, and I think we’re falling down a little bit in some aspects of that,” Froling said.

“You look at other women’s sporting codes, but also the WNBA this year and how much it’s gone up. We’re right there with these top leagues in the world, it’s like ‘why can’t we be that.’”

Keely Froling. Picture: Peter Foster

Former Tornadoes coach Sarah Veale also told this masthead earlier this year the JackJumpers have proven they’re the right fit to control the team.

“It’s super exciting. It’s fair to say that women’s basketball has suffered due to the lack of support and investment,” she said.

“The JackJumpers being involved in this and the initiative behind it with (NBL owner) Larry Kestelman and the consortium, we’ve been waiting for it for some time.

“Tassie is really lucky to have two NBL1 (women’s) teams (Tornadoes and Hobart Chargers) and that can be a direct pathway to a WNBL team, but it makes sense for the JackJumpers to have a women’s team.

“They’ve already shown how professional they are and how they can make it work right from the get go.

“They have done exceptionally well in creating a new model and have really engaged the basketball community in the state.

“They’ve shown they’re super committed to women, being in leadership positions on their board and executive.”

JackJumpers coach Scott Roth couldn’t resist urging the government to start putting a shovel in the ground after Friday’s loss to South-East Melbourne in Launceston.

“That (women’s team) was the number one goal when I came in the beginning. In the first year they were talking about doing that, which is only a natural fit for the state,” he said.

“Basketball is on the rise here obviously, now they’d better catch up with some facilities.”