With eight of our 20 regular season games in the books, we put some burning questions to Auckland Tuatara GM Dale Budge.
How pleased are you with the start of the season?
Yea, very happy with how the opening month or so has gone both in terms of performances on the court and off it. Aaron and the team have got us off to a good start and we are well placed to kick on from here and make the finals again. There is still a lot of work to do, and no game is a given. It is a very open League this season and we expect anyone that gets to the finals having a realistic shot at winning it all, so we need to be peaking for the big games. Our new signings have been great – Corey Webster and Tom Vodanovich have been every bit the stars we expected and have fitted in really well. Likewise, the likes of Josh Leger, Tukaha Cooper and some of our younger players have really made an impression. Off the court, we are delighted with how the Auckland crowds have come out to support us. Having two sell-outs in our first three games is very exciting and it looks like another big crowd expected tomorrow.
With the trade window coming up, are we likely to see any movement at the Tuatara?
Hopefully – we have something in mind that we hope to be able to pull off. A trade with another team has been agreed in theory so we’ll have to wait and see for once the window opens. The concept has been in the works for some weeks, but nothing is guaranteed until the contracts are lodged with the League. The rules around the trade window certainly incentivise teams to make a deal and we were keen to pursue that once we understood how it all worked.
Is it a good thing for the League?
Absolutely. Anytime we do anything that gets fans talking about the League and about our teams it has to be good. Last season there were a few players swapping teams mid-season naturally and so it will be even better with some clear incentives. As we fine tune the rules over the coming seasons, I think we will see more and more teams taking advantage of it. It could also lead to other possible initiatives – think player drafts or something similar – that would add real value to a trade window.
Do the Tuatara plan to bring in any more players?
Yes – Charlie Dalton will make his season debut tomorrow night against the Hawks and will be a popular addition to the side. We have one other player that is set to join us with an announcement about that due in the coming week or two. It is possible that we could bring in another additional player – we do have two import spots up our sleeve but limited salary cap space – it will depend on how things are going at the time. The Tall Blacks selection could have an impact on what we do and what other teams do.
What are the thoughts on Sky Broadband Rapid League now we have seen a few games?
It has been a real success hasn’t it? We’ve noticed fans arriving earlier and earlier each week and there have been some terrific performances across the League. Players are putting their hands up for more Sal’s NBL minutes – think Reuben Fitzgerald and Nick Barrow – while it has helped the likes of Jackson Kiss and Will Leger really start to make a name for themselves. Like anything, we are constantly learning and working around the challenges or how to put ourselves in the best position to succeed but it looks like it is here to stay.
What happened with the bells in the opening home game?
We tried something and it didn’t work. The idea was to get fans actively involved in the game, ringing the bells when we hit a three or when the opposing team was at the free throw line. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to test the bells in the flesh and found out they had a much higher pitch than we had expected once they arrived. As a result, the sound wasn’t great for viewing at home or live at the game and we opted not to bring them out again. We have a lot of spare bells now, so if someone would like some for anything, feel free to get in touch! It was worth trying but sometimes you have to admit something wasn’t a good idea, and this was one of those occasions.