TASSIE RETURN ALWAYS ON AGENT 97’s RADAR

TASSIE RETURN ALWAYS ON AGENT 97’s RADAR

Tasmania has a special place in Jarrad Weeks’ heart. The point guard fell in love with the State during his time with the Hobart Chargers five years ago and was thrilled when Tasmania was granted the NBL 10^th license.

“I’ve been talking to my agent about the JackJumpers for a while. I loved my time in Hobart, it was phenomenal. To come back down here and represent Tasmania is something I was really keen on doing. My wife and I really love this city” Weeks said.

“Going back to 2016, they were so keen to get a team down here and it’s been like that ever since.”

The man known as ‘Agent 97’ completed two weeks hotel quarantine with his wife, Michelle and newborn son, Freddie. He’s settled back into Tasmanian life and can’t wait to be part of the State’s success in the NBL.

“One of the key reasons for signing is wanting to be here long term, the opportunity to build from scratch and build a culture, it’s not something a lot of guys get to go through. To be here, to see it through and to pass that on to the next guys coming up is a really important thing to me”.

“The leadership side of it – telling these guys what to do, it’s the joys of being a point guard. You get to yell at everyone with no repercussions so [I’ll be] trying to lead these guys from the front” Weeks laughed.

6’1 Weeks will again don the number 97 in the 2021/22 Hungry Jack’s NBL season after finding success in the ‘Blood Jersey’ at Illawarra Hawks and making it his own.

The nickname has already caught on at the JackJumpers.

“Ryan our physio actually measured my legs and they’re 97 centimetres so that’s his reason that I’m Agent 97” he said.

Head Coach Scott Roth says that Weeks’ relatively small stature, but big impact embodies the JackJumper spirit.

“Not everyone is a Tasmanian player, I think certain guys fit this State better than others. He has been here before, I think he’s a little bit of an underdog, he’s had a rough last year. I saw the hunger in him. His leadership and versatility – he’ll be a great mentor for our players.”

Weeks was among five players who hit the court on Tuesday as they acclimatise to the Tasmanian conditions and to Coach Roth’s program.    

“I’m a defensive coach, that what I’m passionate about. If you want to win a championship, you have to play defence so we’ve started that from day one and it’ll be a theme for the next 7 months” Roth said.