Phoenix Head to Tasmania for Two Pre-Season Games

South East Melbourne Phoenix head to Tasmania today for two pre-season games against the NBL22 runners-up Tasmania JackJumpers.

With the three imports, Alan Williams, Trey Kell and Gary Browne joining the team late last week, this will be the first time that the trio will play in the Phoenix jersey and the first look at them all playing together with the full squad. 

(Gary Browne is ready to get to work after arriving in Melbourne on Friday morning.)

Head coach Simon Mitchell sees this trip to Tasmania as a chance to get to know one another and build moral.

“Given the arrival of our new imports in the past week, the team focus for the Tasmania trip will probably be less about performance and more about the group getting know each other,” he said.

“We will conduct a few off-court sessions whilst in Tasmania, start to establish our team ethos and develop some role defining within the team.”

With the imports joining the team, the focus will be to develop their structures on the training court and build on it in the two games.

“On the floor we will look to get some foundation structures in place with the new guys and hopefully show some fluency and improvement from game 1 to game 2. 

“From the coaching side of things, we begin our new structures with new personnel, so we will look to iron out a few kinks in how we present, review, and provide feedback to the group,” Mitchell said.

Even with an interrupted lead up to Tasmania, Mitchell is still hopeful to achieve a lot while they are away.

“Despite a very abbreviated preparation, I think there is still plenty for this team to accomplish whilst down in Tassie,” he commented.

(Alan 'Big Sauce' Williams will be one to watch in NBL23.)

The JackJumpers will be without three key players when they face Phoenix with Clint Steindel, Will Magnay, and Jack McVeigh still sidelined with injury. Phoenix will be without Mitch Creek as he overcomes an ankle injury. 

Phoenix fans will get their first look at the imports but also see Grant Anticevich pull on the Phoenix jumper for the first time for a game in addition to development player, Anzac Rissetto.

While the JackJumpers will have their new imports Rashard Kelly and Milton Doyle for the first time on court. Injury replacement player Tristan Forsyth will face off against his old side as he plays in the JackJumpers jersey for the first time. Along with new JackJumper players in Isaac White, Josh Tomasi and Walter Brown

Phoenix fans will be able to watch both Hungry Jacks pre-season games via the NBL website. 

Key Details

Game 1

Date: Tuesday, September 6

Time: 6:30pm

Where: Ulverstone Sports & Leisure Centre

How to Watch: via NBL.com.au 

Game 2

Date: Thursday, September 8

Time: 6:30pm

Where: Elphin Sports Centre

How to Watch: via NBL.com.au

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS FOR ROUND 1 VS JACKJUMPERS

Phoenix Media (5/9/2022)