Batkovic keen to take in all the action

WNBL legend Suzy Batkovic said she cannot wait for the tournament to be held in her backyard but admitted out of state clubs should not be expecting a warm welcome to North Queensland.

Batkovic spent more than two decades in the top echelons of women’s basketball, and played seven seasons for the Townsville Fire across two stints.

While she has now traded the basketball for the ballot papers, the Division 6 councillor said she would not be far from the action when the WNBL arrives on our doorstep next month.

Batkovic said it was a great opportunity for the region to host the entire season, w with 60 games be p played bet w e e n Townsville, Cairns and Mackay.

“I am pretty stoked about it, I think it is really exciting and a great opportunity for the community on a couple of fronts,” she said.

“It is a great injection into the economy, it is also a good showcase for our facilities. But most importantly our community can come out and watch the best players in Australia hoop.

“Young kids wanting to play the sport get a great opportunity to watch the players they admire in action. When it is front and centre it is something tangible you can really aspire to. It is a lot of positives out of something that has been so horrendous (the COVID-19 pandemic).”

Batkovic said the hub situation, in which every club from across the country will base themselves in North Queensland for two months, could prove difficult for players.

But it could also be a benefit especially for Victorian sides Melbourne Boomers, Southside Flyers and Bendigo Spirit who have all been under strict quarantine laws for months.

Batkovic said the biggest benefit of the hub-style season would be for the players on the fringes of each club.

With 60 games crammed into a six-week block, it will put plenty of strain on the bodies of the top line players. While she was not sure how her physical playing style would have held up over the season, Batkovic said coaches would need to be smart with how they used their rosters.

“No doubt it will be tough, especially on the players playing big minutes, but it gives an opportunity for other players to step up,” she said. to