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Hobart Chargers
Hobart Chargers logo
LeaguesNBL1 South
Founded1981
HistoryMen:
Hobart Hornets
1981–1982; 1990–1996
Hobart Chargers
1997–2018; 2020–
Women:
Hobart Chargers
1998–2002; 2010–2018; 2020–
ArenaHobart Netball and Sports Centre
South East Stadium
LocationHobart, Tasmania
Team colorsBlue, black and purple
Main sponsorMcKay Timber
PresidentBrett McKay
Head coachM: Anthony Stewart
W: Mark Nash
ChampionshipsMen:
ABA (2)
SEABL (2)
NBL1 South (1)
Conference titlesMen:
SEABL (5)
Women:
SEABL (1)
Websitehobartchargers.nbl1.com.au

Hobart Chargers is a NBL1 South club based in Hobart, Tasmania. The club fields a team in both the Men's and Women's NBL1 South. The Chargers play their home games at the Hobart Netball and Sports Centre and Pembroke Park's South East Stadium.

Club history

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Early years

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In 1981, the Hobart Hornets[1] entered the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) for the league's inaugural season. After two seasons in the SEABL,[2] the team withdrew from the league due to the introduction of the Hobart Devils in the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1983. The Hornets re-entered the SEABL in 1990.[3] Between 1990 and 1996, Hobart had seven straight seasons of missing the playoffs under coaches Denis Hyland (1990–91; 1993–95), Danny Adamson (1992), and Ross Park (1996).[4]

Success of the Chargers

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The Chargers name was born in 1997 after the demise of the Hobart Devils.[3] The Chargers immediately saw success as they won back-to-back SEABL South Conference championships in 1997 and 1998. In 2000 and 2002, they not only won their third and fourth South Conference titles,[5][6][7] but were successful in claiming the ABA National championship in both years.[8] During this period, a Hobart Chargers women's team had an unsuccessful five-year run between 1998 and 2002, as they failed to make a playoff berth in that time.[4]

The Chargers' inaugural coach, Mark Chivers, ended his 11-year tenure following the 2007 season.[4] In 2008, Dan Krebs took over as coach of the Chargers and guided them to their fifth South Conference title.[4] They went on to win the overall SEABL championship after defeating East Conference champions, the Knox Raiders, in a contest that earned the winning team a semi-finals place in the Australian Club Championships.[9] In the ACC semi-finals, the Chargers defeated the Melbourne Tigers 128–126 to move on to the grand final. There they were defeated 103–99 by the Rockhampton Rockets to finish as national runners-up.[10] Despite his successful season with the Chargers, Krebs was replaced as coach in 2009 with former NBL player Anthony Stewart.[4]

In 2010, the Lady Chargers re-entered the league. In 2014, they made their way through to their first ever conference final.[11] After winning the South Conference championship, they went on to lose in the SEABL grand final against the Brisbane Spartans.[12]

New era of Hobart basketball

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In 2016, former Tasmanian Labor premier, David Bartlett, was appointed president of the Chargers.[13] Bartlett's immediate aim was to have the club be "NBL ready" in three years and win at least one SEABL championship over those three years.[14] He later declared a Tasmanian NBL side could be competitive with a yearly budget of $5 million.[15] The club had numerous issues off the court at the time of Bartlett's appointment, including being $120,000 in debt.[16] Financial problems almost resulted in the men's team being booted from the 2016 SEABL playoffs, while questions remained about the financial security of the women's program.[13]

Bartlett wished to acquire a new home venue for the club – for more than a decade, the Chargers had played at the Hobart Netball and Sports Centre, but were forced to train at New Town High and Warrane Stadium because the centre was not available during the week.[17] He boldly declared his long-term vision of averaging 3,000 fans for matches after securing a deal to return home Chargers' SEABL contests to the Derwent Entertainment Centre in 2017.[18] The Chargers also introduced a new logo and playing strip for the 2017 season.[14]

In 2018, the Chargers men's team won the SEABL championship with a victory over the Nunawading Spectres in the grand final.[19]

Following the demise of the SEABL, the Chargers opted out of the new NBL1 competition which debuted in 2019.[20] After gaining entry into the NBL1 South for the 2020 NBL1 season,[21][22][23] they ultimately sat out 2020 as well due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[24][25]

In 2022, the men's team won their first NBL1 South championship after defeating the Mount Gambier Pioneers in the grand final.[26]

References

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  1. ^ "Club History". HobartChargers.com.au. Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  2. ^ "SEABL Ladders History" (PDF). seabl.com.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2008.
  3. ^ a b "About the Chargers". HobartChargers.com.au. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e "SEABL 2017 Media Guide" (PDF). SEABL.com.au. p. 48. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  5. ^ "PAST CHAMPIONS". seabl.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 June 2002.
  6. ^ "FORMER CHAMPIONS". seabl.com.au. Archived from the original on 25 June 2008.
  7. ^ "Copeland makes the numbers add up". The Age. 14 September 2002. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. In the South East Australian Basketball League, Hobart beat Mildura 124-109 to win the South Conference crown, Victoria Giants new signing David Biwer judged most valuable player in the grand final with 33 points and 19 rebounds.
  8. ^ Whalen, Patrick F. "Experience Conquers Youth". chargers.customer.netspace.net.au. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  9. ^ Oakford, Greg (12 August 2008). "Raiders crowned champions". MailCommunity.com.au. Ferntree Gully Belgrave Mail. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  10. ^ "Rockets are number 1". TheMorningBulletin.com.au. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  11. ^ Smith, Adam (5 September 2014). "Lady Chargers chase rags to riches victory in SEABL Southern Conference final". TheMercury.com.au. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  12. ^ Richardson, Grant (15 September 2014). "SEABL Grand Finals: Pioneers and Lady Spartans Earn 2014 Championship". PickAndRoll.com.au. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  13. ^ a b Thomas-Wilson, Simeon (20 September 2016). "Former premier David Bartlett takes over as Hobart Chargers president". TheMercury.com.au. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  14. ^ a b Smith, Adam (29 November 2016). "New look Hobart Chargers hit DEC with high hopes". TheMercury.com.au. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  15. ^ Smith, Adam (11 October 2017). "Chargers eye $5m NBL budget". TheMercury.com.au. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  16. ^ Rowbottom, Chris (1 August 2018). "Tasmania's bid to secure a team in the NBL riding an unprecedented popularity in the game". ABC.net.au. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  17. ^ Smith, Adam (23 September 2016). "Chargers seek new home court with possibility of a return to the DEC or Kingborough Sports Centre". TheMercury.com.au. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  18. ^ Smith, Adam (25 November 2016). "Hobart Chargers set to return to the Derwent Entertainment Centre". TheMercury.com.au. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  19. ^ "HOBART CHARGERS' DEFENCE SEES THEM WIN 2018 GRAND FINAL". SEABL.com.au. 21 August 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  20. ^ "Hobart Huskies to join Senior Elite League". BasketballVictoria.com.au. 17 December 2018. Archived from the original on 17 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  21. ^ Stubbs, Brett (1 October 2019). "Chargers' return to the NBL1 competition all but confirmed in new role ahead of state's NBL return". TheMercury.com.au. Retrieved 2 October 2019. The rebirth of the Hobart Chargers is almost complete with the club submitting its application for entry into the NBL1 next season. The Chargers, with support from Basketball Tasmania, put in their submission on Monday...
  22. ^ Arsenis, Damian (19 October 2019). "Hobart Chargers resurrected as they enter NBL1 for 2020". pickandroll.com.au. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  23. ^ "Hobart Chargers To Enter NBL1 In 2020". NBL1.com.au. 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  24. ^ Arsenis, Damian (20 March 2020). "2020 NBL1 season facing uncertainty as South teams withdraw". pickandroll.com.au. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  25. ^ Smith, Adam (24 March 2020). "NBL1 2020 season completely shutdown' leaving Tasmania's three clubs out in the cold". themercury.com.au. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  26. ^ "NBL1 South | 2022 Men's Grand Final". NBL1.com.au. 3 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
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