Taipans miss their target

THE coaching appointment of Mike Kelly for the Cairns Taipans top job is a fantastic one. It is just a pity thousands of diehard fans never heard or read about it.

The community-owned club specifically decided to announce the appointment late last Friday night to miss the deadlines of all local media organisations and deprive their fans, who annually cough up big money to be a season member, of the news.

The appointment of Kelly is an excellent one for the direction of the club and it should have been splashed across the front page of the Cairns Post and could have led the news on each of the local stations.

We have run the story online all weekend and by Monday’s paper, Kelly’s appointment is old news.

Instead of notifying the orange army faithful through an email or through local media, the club turned their back on them. The decision to shun the local fans, sponsors and supporters was not received well at NBL headquarters either.

The NBL is trying to grow its sport and acknowledges the importance of working with the media to grow their sport against the giant following of rugby league, AFL and football.

The Taipans appear to be at odds with that. The Cairns Post has always been a big supporter of the Taipans — emotionally and financially — and we are committed to keeping fans, whom we represent, informed. Jordan Gerrans jordan.gerrans@news.com.au