JackJumpers Marching to Full Strength

Despite notching up four straight wins it would be fair to state the Tasmania JackJumpers are yet to hit full strength in NBL23, and according to head coach Scott Roth some key troops could be returning in the near future.

Captain Clint Steindl and star centre Will Magnay have both been absent for the entirety of the season so far due to injury, and Roth says they’re both honing in on a return within the next month.

Steindl picked up a knee injury while representing the Boomers in July while Magnay has been sidelined with a knee injury of his own since the early stages of last season.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">THE JACKIES ARE ON THE MARCH!<br><br>BIG Will Magnay blocks ?<br>BIG Josh Magette threes ?<br><br>Watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBL22?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBL22</a> live on <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNAusNZ</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/kayosports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kayosports</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/UHVW16zg3w">pic.twitter.com/UHVW16zg3w</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1489528800954118144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Today we had Clint and Will practice quite a bit with us,” Roth said. “Hopefully they remain on track and in the next two or three weeks we see them back in a JackJumpers jersey on court.”

Magnay’s return to the court has been filled with false starts and setbacks, and Tasmania eventually signed former Phoenix development player Tristan Forsyth as an injury replacement player for him on the eve of the new season.

One of the JackJumpers biggest signings ahead of their inaugural season last year, Magnay averaged 7.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in NBL22.

“It’s been a slow process for him (Magnay),” Roth said.

“We have to pull the reigns back on him a little bit, but all the signs have been pointing in the right direction for him.”