'Tasmania needs change': Rucker

Sitting ninth on the table with just three wins from 10 games, Derek Rucker believes the Tasmania JackJumpers need to move quickly before the season gets away from them.

“There are huge trouble signs down in Tasmania, they have got to make a change,” Rucker said on Moments That Mattered.

“We have seen this team get their butts blasted twice in the course of three weeks ... we haven’t seen that over three seasons.”

The reigning champions slumped to a 28-point loss to Sydney on Sunday, in a game where they recorded their lowest ever offensive output - just 60 points.

“Right now their imports are struggling,” Rucker said.

Jordon Crawford and Milton Doyle are averaging 14 points per game, but are both shooting less than 38 per cent from the field and 28 per cent from deep.

“I believe that Doyle and Crawford have a grace period,” Rucker continued.

“They put a banner in that place and they created history ... they get at least a year.

“The man that is going to unfortunately get the sword, pardon the pun… is Craig Sword.”

Sword is averaging 5.6 points in just under 15 minutes of action per game and Rucker believes that a move may be necessary, based on what’s transpired to this point.

“He’s just not getting it done ... he’s had plenty of opportunities ... but he’s just not productive enough,” Rucker added.

“In that loss to South East Melbourne, he played 15 minutes and went none of three from the field. That’s inexcusable.

“If you’re a high quality player like Sword is, you can’t leave a game with no points when your team desperately needs you.”

The JackJumpers travel to Perth on Thursday night to take on the Wildcats.