Thunder confirm stance on NBL1 licence battle

North West Thunder has confirmed their stance on Tasmania’s second NBL1 licence as the standoff with the Launceston Tornadoes gets closer to a conclusion. Get the latest here.

North West Thunder will submit a standalone NBL1 license bid.Photo: NBL1.

North-West Thunder have officially confirmed they will compete with Launceston Tornadoes for the sole NBL1 licence in the state’s north, adamant a “consistent home base is vital” as a resolution to the standoff looms.

The league’s only stand-alone men and women’s teams have been at loggerheads since Basketball Victoria reaffirmed its long held-directive that one licence in northern Tasmania from the same organisation would be required to enter male and female sides from 2026.

The Tornadoes believe a joint submission taking into account the resources from both regions, and games played in both, is the best model.

The Thunder oppose that view, and informed stakeholders early Thursday night they will submit their own licence, with the deadline to do so this Friday.

The Tornadoes were contacted for comment by this masthead on Thursday. They reaffirmed their preference is for a joint bid, but confirmed they will now launch their own application.

“The Thunder have made it clear that they do not believe it is financially or operationally viable to run a dual program across both Launceston and the North West, despite not engaging in any material discussions with us to explore potential ways to make it work,” the Tornadoes said last month.

“Their board has said they will be making their own application for the licence to run both a men’s and women’s team out of the North West.

“Our club now has no choice but to submit a licence application to Basketball Victoria to operate our own men’s and women’s program.

“We intend to submit an application that pays tribute to the histories and legacies of each existing club, delivered across the North and North-West.”

Basketball Tasmania late last month wrote to both clubs’ chairs expressing their preference for a joint licence to be submitted, and released an official statement confirming that stance.

“The Basketball Tasmania board prefer the development of a joint venture or collaboration between the two clubs, however understand this may not be a model the clubs believe to be workable. We will respect their decisions regarding their submissions,” the statement said.

The Thunder submitted a letter to Basketball Tasmania CEO Ben Smith and its board on Tuesday, urging them to “stand with us” in backing their model.

Cairns Taipans NBL star Tre Armstrong in action for the North West Thunder. Photo: Robert Spencer.

The letter was co-signed by the presidents of all eight North West Basketball Union (NWBU) clubs, who state they are “prepared to provide material support to NW Thunder via a coordinated sponsorship and contra arrangement.”

The letter clearly outlines the Thunder’s firm belief home games should be played in Ulverstone. Currently, Thunder and Tornadoes games are shared across Ulverstone and Launceston.

“It is vital that the NBL1 club representing the North has a clear and consistent home base,” it said.

“The model being proposed elsewhere (Launceston) - one without a permanent venue, shared training arrangements, etc - does not offer the stability or identity required for success at this level.

“Thunder already operates from a central and established base in Ulverstone, with regular operations extending from Smithton through to Latrobe and even accommodating Launceston- based athletes.

“In contrast, the current training and playing facilities in Launceston face limitations in meeting the demands of a semi-professional, second-tier national competition like NBL1, and there is no clear timeline for significant upgrades.

“The upcoming Devonport Stadium development further enhances NW Thunder’s infrastructure advantage.

“The NWBU supports a training and competition model that minimises excessive travel, especially for young and regional athletes. A shared model that requires frequent movement between venues in Ulverstone and Launceston increases fatigue, cost, and risk.

“A fresh, inclusive identity - such as the proposed “Northern Tasmania Thunder” and “Northern Tasmania Tornadoes” - would serve the region and the league far better.”

The Thunder’s letter also took aim at the Tornadoes’ forthright and public criticism of their alleged refusal to “engage in any material discussions to explore potential ways to make it work.”

Keely Froling in action for the Launceston Tornadoes. Photo: NBL1.

Tornadoes skipper and Opals star Keely Froling accused the Thunder of ‘bully behaviour’ on social media. She didn’t back down from those comments when interviewed by this masthead, blasting their conduct as “bullshit and super unprofessional”, and questioned whether a female team would be allocated the same resources by the Thunder.

“Recent public commentary from the Launceston Tornadoes and its leadership has been disappointing and, in our view, detrimental to the sport’s reputation,” the Thunder’s letter said. “Professionalism, confidentiality, and unity are vital during sensitive periods of transition. “While we acknowledge that emotions can run high, we believe Basketball Tasmania must set the tone and reinforce expectations of respectful conduct.”

In a statement, Thunder chair James Leslie said: “We are grateful for the strength and support of the combined clubs and understand that their directive to be a part of this process is to ensure that Basketball in the North of Tasmania is sustainable and successful.

“We have been able to put together an extremely detailed plan that encompasses the guiding criteria and key core elements requested by the league and Basketball Tasmania, and with this support from the NWBU clubs find ourselves as a board very keen to present our submission.”