Tassie’s title train: How our ‘little island’ keeps proving people wrong

COMMENT: From the Hurricanes imports to the Jackies coach, it doesn’t take long for ‘outsiders’ to fall in love with Tassie. And it’s a big reason why the state keeps winning trophies.

Hurricanes players and their fans celebrate Mitch Owen’s century in Monday’s BBL Final in Hobart. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

It didn’t take long for me to realise many Tasmanians despise the term ‘punching above our weight’.

It’s meant as a term of endearment. But the state wants to be viewed as a legitimate contender, not ‘little brother’ tagging along for the ride.

After the Hurricanes’ breakthrough win on Monday night, which follows hot on the heels of Tasmania’s three straight WNCL titles and the JackJumpers’ NBL championship, and it is suddenly shaping as a destination high profile athletes will potentially want to be.

The fact Mitch Owen, a born and bred Tasmanian who was an absolute Canes ‘nuffie’ as a kid, was the hero is incredibly fitting.

Naturally the country’s smallest state relies on imports to help get the job done, but there’s also a smattering of local talent with the ingrained desire to carry the flag.

Tassie will apparently soon boast the world’s largest chocolate fountain, but perhaps we should invest in a bigger trophy cabinet.

Ever since the AFL gave the Devils the green light, the query from the mainland has been whether it would be attractive enough to convince stars to relocate.

As someone who was born here, but had been on the ‘big island’ until returning a couple of years ago, it’s easy to forget its charms.

Tasmanians are passionate about their patch. It’s a parochialism that consumes, and it is no different with the support of its sports teams.

The JackJumpers won the NBL title in their third season. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

The JackJumpers’ NBL title in just the club’s third year, after grand final and semi final appearances the first two seasons, was a remarkable achievement.

It showed the state is capable of launching a start-up franchise from the ground up and enjoy immediate success.

They’ll never admit it, but how the state has embraced the JackJumpers likely played a role in finally convincing the AFL a team could work here.

Whether it was an over-reaction or not is another debate, but the extent to which the Jackies’ American coach Scott Roth took umbrage to Melbourne United rival Dean Vickerman’s comments about Tasmania before the grand final series shows that Tassie pride is contagious.

Vickerman quipped “Scotty’s going to talk about defending his little island as much as he wants to”, which drew a passionate response from Roth.

“Tasmania seems to be the butt of every joke and people want to punch down at that place and, for me, when I went down there they said ‘you’re not going to succeed down there, you’re not going to be welcome down there, it’s a different place’,” Roth fired back.

“My three years have been nothing but love from that whole community.

“I was lucky enough to come up with ‘defend the island’ and that’s the rallying cry not just for basketball, but really for the entire state to be proud of what they’re doing. They’re hard-working people there, they’re proud of what they’re doing and I’m a little disappointed by that comment.”

There’s a reason star player Milton Doyle keeps coming back. The American views it as the ideal place to raise his young family.

Hurricanes skipper Nathan Ellis credited Tasmania for turning him into the cricketer and leader he is after the final.

Hurricanes celebrate winning the BBL Final. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

“Cricket in Tasmania has changed my life, personally to be a part of the first BBL champions in Tassie is really special,” Ellis told this masthead.

“I came down seven or eight years ago as a budding club cricketer, not really knowing which way was up and living out of home for the first time.

“Since then I’ve played for my country and won a BBL title and played around the world, it goes without saying I wouldn’t have done that without Cricket Tasmania.

“This group has really tried to embrace being cricketers in Tasmania this year, and I think we’ve embodied that. It’s a really special time to be a cricketer in Tassie.”

The WNCL dynasty looks to be ending this season, but their ‘three-peat’ was been built on leaders like Nicola Carey and Elyse Villani embracing Tasmania and committing long term.

“I don’t think there’s any secrets (to Tasmania’s success), I just feel like the timing for me was pretty perfect,” captain Villani said before last summer’s WNCL final.

Elyse Villani and Heather Graham of the Tasmanian Tigers after winning a third straight WNCL title. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

“Playing for Victoria the couple of years before coming to Tasmania, you could tell they were on the right path and you could see the improvement.

“Where the players and the organisation was going, you could feel that genuine investment and care. I’ve been extremely lucky to come down here when I did and be on the back of so much hard work that came before me. It’s not lost on me.”

The Jackies defended the island, and the Cane Train finally arrived at the station. You’d be a brave person to doubt the Devils will also make a good fist of things when the AFL circus rolls into the Apple Isle in 2028.