1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Well, the Northern Territory Government, as we know earlier this week, 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: committed one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to support Hockey 3 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 1: NT endorsing their participation in the Malaysian Hockey League next year. 4 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: It'll see the Territory Stingers become the first Australian team 5 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: to compete in the prestigious league. And joining me on 6 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: the line to tell us a little bit more is 7 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: Hockey NT CEO Jason Butcher. Good morning to. 8 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 2: You, Hi, Katie. How are you yeah? 9 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: Really good? Now? Mate? This seems like a significant announcement. 10 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: What's it going to mean for the Stingers? 11 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 2: Look, I think mainly it just allows us to consolidate 12 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 2: not just our program into Malaysia this year, but also 13 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 2: the Festival Hockey at the end of the year, and 14 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 2: instead of sort of scrambling to make sure that that's viable, 15 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 2: it now gives us the capacity to use that platform 16 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 2: for community stuff, our regional programs. We're doing cultural stuff 17 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 2: in Malaysia as well, We're trying to engage with a 18 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 2: number of different communities acted to that whole Southeast Asia 19 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 2: Northern Territory piece. So it just gives us capacity to 20 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 2: leverage the platform for the good of all in our 21 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 2: community to a much higher degree instead of it just 22 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 2: being about us getting to Malaysia to play. 23 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: It seems like it seems like a really good move. 24 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: It seems like the right decision for the government to 25 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: make in terms of supporting hockey here in the Northern Territory. 26 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 1: Like you said, not just at that level, but also 27 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:25,839 Speaker 1: at the grassroots level. 28 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a massive boost for us and we feel 29 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 2: like it's a reward for the efforts and the progress 30 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 2: that we've made in the last eighteen months to two years, 31 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 2: and also a belief in the vision. We believe really 32 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 2: strongly that the South East East Asia piece is really 33 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 2: promising for the whole of the Northern Territory in terms 34 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 2: of opportunity, but also a bit of a Beata stress 35 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 2: test for hockey in terms of what other sports in 36 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 2: the territory might do. We know there's some sort of 37 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: some exclusionary stuff happening around and also just logistical issue 38 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 2: is around our teams playing in national leagues around Australia 39 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 2: because of the remoteness. So we think this is a 40 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 2: great opportunity for everyone and we're really keen to be 41 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 2: the pioneers for it. 42 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: What's been the reaction from some of your players and 43 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: you know, everybody within hockey here in the Northern Territory, 44 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: they must be pretty excited. 45 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, unbelievably supportive. Our community collectively has come together and 46 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 2: worked really hard. There's a lot of stuff that's gone 47 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 2: on beneath this over a significant period of time. But 48 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 2: in terms of excitement, it's almost we're trying to put 49 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 2: a lid on it. Our community and a certainly the 50 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 2: players that are training and trialing at the moment to 51 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 2: be a part of that original squad. Yeah, Yeah, they're 52 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 2: very excited. 53 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: It will be. It's going to be so cool now 54 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: in terms of you know, in terms of when the 55 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 1: Malaysian Hockey League gets underway and those games starts, So 56 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: next year, how far into next year? 57 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 2: Yes, I'm flying to kal tomorrow and basically the season 58 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 2: launch will be on Monday, two o'clock Malaysian time, So 59 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: we'll get a heap of information out here and then 60 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 2: around when we're playing, who we're playing, and what the 61 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 2: logistics of that schedule look like. Our livestream program and 62 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 2: also will put out our sort of tour packages for 63 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 2: members to actually travel and watch the players through sport Link, 64 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 2: one of our sponsors. So that'll all come out early 65 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 2: next week. But at this stage it's very clear to 66 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 2: us that we'll be traveling to Malaysia a week earlier now, 67 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 2: so the third of feb and our first game in 68 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 2: the Malaysian Hockey League will be on the fifth of February. 69 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: It is it's very exciting stuff. And I mean you've 70 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: already touched on this, the fact that the hockey community 71 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: here in the Northern Territory is pumped about it, but 72 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: still finalizing the team at this stage, and no doubt 73 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: plenty of training happening over that Christmas period as well. 74 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really it's exciting because you know, we've got 75 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 2: fifty plus players in Darwin, we've got players in Perth 76 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 2: and around Australia, all training, but at this time of 77 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 2: the year, to turn up to the stadium or to 78 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 2: be there at the end of world work and to 79 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 2: see the place packed with the best of our best 80 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 2: or getting ready for this opportunity, it's a good feeling. 81 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 2: It's good for the soul. 82 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, I bet it is. Well, all the best mate 83 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: traveling to KL and you'll have to give us an 84 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 1: update on how it's all looking next week or in 85 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: over the next couple of weeks. 86 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, let's chat next week, Katie. Thank you. I really 87 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 2: appreciate your support 88 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: No worries, thank you, Thanks for your time this morning.