1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: England's here, Australia's here, the Barbie Army is here. It 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: is the Ashes and John Stevenson, who's the CEO of 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: the Whackers, also here. 4 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 2: Good morning John, John, give money? Now? Are you good? 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 1: It's finally here. How have preparations been for the Ashes 6 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 1: this weekend? It's going to be the first Ashes Test 7 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 1: in Person's twenty seventeen and the first time it's not 8 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: at the Whacker. 9 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, incredible. I mean preparations have been awesome. Perth 10 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 2: is buzzing and a lot of English fans have descended 11 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 2: on Perth, so yeah, it's become real. 12 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 3: We've noticed. Yeah, they're a noisy mob. They're a noisy mob. 13 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, Barmie Army fun I like. 14 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 3: Them, Yeah, exactly, bring a bit of character in the game. 15 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 3: It was announced yesterday. If we can just move on 16 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 3: to something else apart from the Ashes, WA head coach 17 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 3: Adam Vogis is going to be departing at the end 18 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 3: of the cricket season. What's the reasoning behind that, John? 19 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 3: What do we know? 20 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: Why? 21 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 3: Why is he leaving us? 22 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: Well, Adam has had an incredible career with WA cricket. 23 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 2: After eight years in the role and he's been offered 24 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 2: some opportunities in franchise cricket around the world in T 25 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 2: twenty cricket and he decided he wanted to take up 26 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 2: those opportunities. And we're hoping he won't be lost to 27 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 2: WA Cricket because he's obviously done such an incredible job 28 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 2: and it's got a brilliant record. So yeah, it's a 29 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 2: sad date, but he'll see out the rest of the 30 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 2: season with us and hopefully continuing his involvement potentially with 31 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 2: the Scorches next year. We're just working through that. 32 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,479 Speaker 1: One of the big debates heading into the Perth Test 33 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: is which all round our Australia should play Bo Webster 34 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:47,320 Speaker 1: or Way's Cam Green. What are your thoughts on that, 35 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: John Well? 36 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 2: I think now Cam is bowling well. I mean he 37 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 2: bowled sixteen overs in the Shield match. He's fitting, raring 38 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 2: to go. I would have thought he were bat six 39 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 2: and and bowl you bowl his full quota. So I 40 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 2: think that's best for the balance of the team and 41 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 2: then give Jake Weather or Older a US open. I 42 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 2: think that's probably the best option for the way I 43 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: see it, But he knows they might know they might 44 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:15,959 Speaker 2: go the other way. 45 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 3: What what's your what are your thoughts on the on 46 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 3: the pitch that they've put down inside Perth Stadium as 47 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 3: we're calling it for the for the Ashes this year? 48 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 3: Any inside gos? Who's it going to favor us? Hopefully? 49 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 2: I think it'll be a brilliant pitch. In fact, after 50 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 2: listening to you, I'm just about to go down to 51 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 2: Optus for a pitch inspection. Stick stick a key in it. 52 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 2: Hopefully I won't be able to stick a key in it. 53 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 3: Stop doing it. 54 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 2: Now. I'm sure it'll be a good pitch, you know. 55 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 2: I mean it should have characteristics of of you know, 56 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 2: the Whacker and the pers Stadium. It should have good 57 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:54,959 Speaker 2: pace and bounce. 58 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: So one year into the into the job as CEO 59 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: at the Whacker, have you settled in John, And how 60 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: the Whacker redevelopment is that all going? 61 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 3: Because we see a lot of that. We're just up 62 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 3: the road. We see a lot of change. 63 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really exciting. Yeah, we're nearly complete. I'd say 64 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 2: we're ninety percent there and we're looking to open the 65 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 2: new facility sometime next year, probably around February March. Oh, 66 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 2: so yeah, we're nearly there. March, I would say you 67 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 2: know a lot of cave out, so you know what 68 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 2: it's like instruction. 69 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 3: It'll still be warm enough to use the water slide. 70 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:29,839 Speaker 3: That's the most important thing. 71 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I can't wait to have a go at that. 72 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 2: So I reckon, I reckon, might be going down the 73 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 2: water slide in March at some set. That's good. 74 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 3: Get to have first go Yeah of the job. 75 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 2: Really I think I might be second. Oh yeah, yeah, Well. 76 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 3: John, we know you're a busy man because the ashes 77 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 3: are almost almost upon us. Now we have one big 78 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 3: question for you though, before you go. Now, being from England, 79 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 3: as people might have picked up on the phone, but 80 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 3: the room, the CEO of the Whacker, who will you 81 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 3: be cheering for? Are you a clandestine member of the 82 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 3: Barmie army? Will you be singing in the stands? Who 83 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 3: you going for? 84 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 2: Do you know what? I just want a four or 85 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 2: five day contest, great cricket. 86 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 3: I just want cricket to be the winner. Have a 87 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 3: good time. Talk about sitting on the fence. You've got splinters, John, Sorry. 88 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: A huge few days. John, thanks for joining us and 89 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: enjoy the first test. 90 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 3: Thank you very much, pleasure, Thank you very much for 91 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 3: your time.