1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Now we know there's hockey Northern Territory certainly making some 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: bold news, bold moves, I should say, and news probably 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: on the international stage. But they've had some high level 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: meetings in KL last week and plans are accelerating for 5 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: a joint franchise with Malaysia, a twenty twenty six campaign 6 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 1: in the Malaysian Hockey League and even a showcase will 7 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: a showcase of fixtures designed to attract attention hopefully of 8 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: Hockey one. That's all we're hoping. He joins me in 9 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,240 Speaker 1: the studio right now. It's the CEO of Hockey and 10 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: T Jason Butcher. Good morning to you. 11 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 2: Butch, I'm very good, good morning, and we'll get there. 12 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 2: KD two. Yeah, sure will power if we have to 13 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: do well. 14 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: That's exactly right. That's exactly what you're doing at the moment. 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: I mean, you're having those discussions. You are doing everything 16 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: you can really to push Northern Territory hockey forward. First off, 17 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: how did those meetings go in Malaysia? 18 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 3: Yes, this the second year next year with the second 19 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 3: year about our four year partnership with Malaysia, which has 20 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 3: always been about a platform back to Hockey one and 21 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 3: growth and all those things. So essentially the things that 22 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 3: came out of those meetings were home games early next year. 23 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 3: We're waiting on their World Cup qualified timelines to know 24 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,680 Speaker 3: whether that's February or maybe even early March, and then 25 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 3: we'll obviously go back to KL which will be late 26 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 3: March early April, so the timing might be a little 27 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 3: bit different early next year. But we also talked about 28 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 3: an in principal business plan for our Hockey one submission, 29 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 3: which would be essentially fifty to fifty home games in KO, 30 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,479 Speaker 3: home games in dah and fifty percent Malaysian players. Then 31 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 3: obviously mass membership, mass engagement from the whole Southeast Asia community. 32 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 3: So we think that's compelling, and we think Hockey one 33 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:44,960 Speaker 3: need a bit of a hand because the league's not 34 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 3: going that well, so we think that's going to be 35 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 3: good for us. And then the other piece is to 36 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 3: keep proving our concept. We're planning two games in KO 37 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 3: at some point in the year, so our franchise concept 38 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 3: half Malaysia half Stingers against the Hockey one franchise, so 39 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 3: that'll be a massive crowd, big TV coverage, and we 40 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 3: can basically say to them, what are we doing well 41 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:05,639 Speaker 3: and you're. 42 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: Thinking it's sort of be you know, in terms of 43 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 1: for Hockey one, expanding that audience as well into Malaysia. 44 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: Surely that'll be a good thing. 45 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 2: It's all the things they're saying they want. 46 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: So you're trying your best to really, you know, like 47 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:21,519 Speaker 1: they've given you these different hurdles that you need to 48 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: jump over. You jumping over those hurdles by the sounds 49 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: of things, or doing your best to. I mean, we're 50 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: your next meeting with them to sort of get an update. 51 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 3: Well, they've had no engagement with us and no real interest. 52 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 3: There's been no follow up, there's no you know, well 53 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 3: done this, there's no info around where the Cobbras are at. 54 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 3: And what it seems from the outside and a little 55 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 3: bit inside, is that the Cobra's concept has been is 56 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 3: what they wanted. So they dismissed our bid twelve months 57 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 3: ago because they wanted the eighth spot because that makes 58 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 3: a nice neat league, and now they're just finding a 59 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 3: way to make that work. We believe that they'll change 60 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 3: the rules around imports and other things to accommodate this team. 61 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 3: So we've been watching that and sort of learning about 62 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 3: how we can transform our franchise as well, but we'll 63 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 3: basically put on a plate for them exactly what they're 64 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 3: going to do with the Coppers and see what. 65 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 2: They do with it. 66 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: Well and nine teams, I mean, can't someone just have 67 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: a buy occasionally? Wouldn't you be able to work it out? 68 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 2: Well, there's a buy now. 69 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 3: So the bigger question is it's an Australian national competition. 70 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 3: And if we're ready and we have everything in place 71 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 3: to be viable, sustainable and actually grow and support the 72 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 3: league's growth and sustainability, why aren't we going to get 73 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 3: an opportunity to be in the league? 74 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: So what are the next steps from your perspective? I mean, 75 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: first off, I guess in terms of you know, the 76 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: fact that you're two years into your current arrangement, your 77 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: four year arrangement, you're going to be playing those games 78 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: obviously going across to KL having players come here as well. 79 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: So we're waiting on a couple of different things in 80 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,119 Speaker 1: that space. I have some scheduling pieces, but that's a goer. 81 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 2: For next year. That's all a going yeah, So that's 82 00:03:57,920 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 2: all happening. 83 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 3: We just need to figure out the schedule and it's 84 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 3: all mainly reliant on the World Cup qualifiers for Malaysia, 85 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 3: which is we have to work with Malaysia and Southeast 86 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 3: Asia and Asia and Hockey Australia to fit into all 87 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 3: these different schedules. 88 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 2: So that's one of our new challenges. 89 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: I guess they don't make it easy for us. Territoriums 90 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: do that much easier. 91 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 2: If we were just in the national company, we could 92 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 2: just sort out being in that every year. 93 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's exactly right. But so you know that sounds 94 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: like everything's going to be pretty well organized for next 95 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:26,359 Speaker 1: year despite those few scheduling things. But that's sort of 96 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:27,839 Speaker 1: you know that you'll be able to work through. 97 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 3: You do that, and we experienced it this year. We 98 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 3: know we we're at because we've also got to get 99 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 3: better as well. So everything we learned this year, it's 100 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 3: been an historic year across the bord Ocean, a Cup, 101 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 3: all these amazing things, but from a hockey perspective, we 102 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 3: also know we've got to get. 103 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:42,560 Speaker 2: Better and stronger. 104 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 3: So our sort of I guess line in the sand 105 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:47,280 Speaker 3: is around twenty twenty seven. 106 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: Yep. 107 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 3: That would give us two to three years in the 108 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 3: Malaysian Hockey League real clarity about where we're at. Our 109 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 3: relationship were really strong by them with Malaysia, there'll be 110 00:04:55,839 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 3: some activities where we get to learn how to work together. Obviously, 111 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 3: the boys already played against the Black Sticks, so we've 112 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 3: had a taste of how exciting it could be. So 113 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 3: we're not just like give it to us. We're also 114 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 3: we're building our strength and our model, so it's not 115 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 3: just a concept that's actually working and up and running. 116 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: Absolutely, So from your perspective, what are the next steps? 117 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 3: The first thing for us is get a schedule. We've 118 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 3: got a meeting with the Stingers centralized players and we'll 119 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,559 Speaker 3: get information to our decentralized players on Tuesday next week 120 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 3: and that'll talk about our preparation. We'll probably take the 121 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 3: opportunity to have a mini break. There's been so much 122 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 3: on in the last eighteen months, so we want our 123 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 3: players to have a break. Six of them are playing 124 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 3: in the Hockey One League right now. For other franchises 125 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 3: they won't get a break, but yeah, we'll try and 126 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 3: have a little break, plan it out and then essentially 127 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 3: say to them, look, we might have to start straight 128 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 3: away or we might start after Christmas, and then it's 129 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,679 Speaker 3: a matter of just planning all those events. 130 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: I guess, yeah, well then I mean looking at this 131 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 1: sort of then from a more kind of holistic approach 132 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: to in terms of our junior and what you're doing, 133 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: what opportunities it's going to provide from there for them. 134 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: You know, how do you feel that's kind of progressing. 135 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: I know you've had a lot of juniors sort of 136 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: part of the squads that have been playing in some 137 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:10,839 Speaker 1: of those big games as well, haven't you. 138 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, well we had two sixteen year old's day booth 139 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 3: for the Stingers. Both of them scored actually in Game 140 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 3: four against Indonesia. 141 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 2: Which is super cool. 142 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 3: So all those pathway opportunities are making our list stronger 143 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 3: and deeper. The aspirational piece means that our juniors have 144 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 3: grown each year for two years, these little kids all 145 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 3: walking around with Stingers single it's the heroes walk amongst us, 146 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 3: all that type of stuff. So that's re energized how 147 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:34,719 Speaker 3: hockey feels for everybody. 148 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: Yep. 149 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 3: And now it's real and you know, today it was 150 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 3: announced that Calvin Familia, our Stingers co captain, is making 151 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 3: hockey one day booth for the oudelaih Forig on Friday. 152 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 3: So even though we're not in Hockey one. There's a 153 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 3: tangible pathway for our people and we're part of it. 154 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 1: Again, you know, that's great to hear, but it also 155 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,119 Speaker 1: sort of again adds value, you would think to the case. 156 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 1: If you have got Northern Territory players playing in that 157 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: Hockey one league, well, if they're good enough to play 158 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: in other teams and they're still based here, let's come on, 159 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: let's make this happen. Let's have a truly an Australian league. 160 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 2: Truly national. 161 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, and we have at least a dozen guys that 162 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 3: are good enough to play at that level because it's 163 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 3: hard because they pick their locals first and so you've 164 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 3: got to really be undeniable, which is difficult. And then 165 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 3: you know, our girls are a younger list, but there's 166 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 3: a number of girls there that are at that level 167 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 3: as well. So we're always going to be underrepresented even 168 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 3: with what we have in place, which is amazing if 169 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 3: we don't have our own teams. Yeah. 170 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: Well, Jason Butcher, CEO of NT Hockey, always good to 171 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: catch up with you, good to get an update, and 172 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: no doubt we'll talk again, I'm sure over the who 173 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: knows next few weeks once we get those schedules sorted 174 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: out and that kind of thing. 175 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 2: Hey, yeah, we'll. 176 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 3: Drop the schedule and then we can get some exciting events, 177 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 3: playing home games in the Malaysian Hockey League. 178 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 2: We'll be massive for our people. It's going to be 179 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 2: super exciting. 180 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: It certainly will be. Butcher, good to catch up with you. 181 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for your time.