Great sense of pride with launch of Tasmania Jewels

‍Christine Finnegan, Jennie Sager, Kayla Steindl and Alanna Smith all revealed their great pride in the official launch of the Tasmania Jewels.

The newest WNBL team now has a name and identity with the announcement of the Tasmania Jewels and there's an overwhelming sense of pride for anyone with any sort of involvement for what it will mean for the entire state moving forward.

The name ,logo and overall brand identity for the Jewels was announced on Tuesday ahead of their entrance into the WNBL for the 2026/27 season along with the new Ambassador, WNBA and Australian Opals star Alanna Smith.

CHRISTINE FINNEGAN

Having played such a significant role in the growth, development and success of the JackJumpers in the NBL and capturing the imagination of Tasmania, CEO Christine Finnegan is excited to now be launching the Jewels.

"It was really important that we kept the essence of the JackJumpers into our program, but also created a new identity and I think when you see the Jackies and the Jewels sitting alongside each other, you can see the synergy between the brands," Finnegan said.

"Whilst they also have their own individual look and personality, and I think that's been the best outcome.

"Where we landed on the Jewels, I'm just so happy because I really do believe Tasmania is the jewel in Australia's crown and the queen ant is the jewel of the ant colony, and she rules the roost so go the girls."

Ahead of the official launch on Tuesday, the Jewels name and logo was revealed to the public on Monday night, with Finnegan relieved and excited by the overall reception it's received.

"Once the brand was revealed and we got some positive feedback on it, it really hit me that this is something that really struck a chord with Tasmanians," she said.

"I'm super proud today and I'm proud of the club, I'm proud of the people in it, I'm proud of the people that did all the work behind the scenes to come to life. These projects are not overnight projects, it's been in the works for a couple of years so today is such a special day for the club."

What the realisation of the Jewels entering into the WNBL for Finnegan does is put into perspective just how important it is for every young Tasmanian girl to now have the ability to dream of representing their state with the Jewels.

"I have felt a bit of emotion this week and as a woman that's really had to fight hard for a spot in everything I do in my career in sport, I don't want that to ever be anyone's path on or off the court," Finnegan said.

"So the announcement of this team certainly creates a professional pathway for young Tasmanian girls to aspire to. We talk about how you can't be what you can't see, but I believe more in the halo effect of having that right up the top that you can aim for.

"And this will give every young girl something to dream of and we've already had more than 1000 people sign up as members of the Jewels so it's really exciting, and it shows that people really want to be part of this."

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JENNIE SAGER

Jennie Sager is the current CEO of the WNBL and is overseeing the growth of the league with this the first season of a new era. Having a team in Tasmania with the Jewels is a significant part of that on a number of fronts.

"The momentum behind women's basketball is just undeniable right now worldwide and we've got one in five girls in Australia playing the game and it's the second most popular team sport in Australia right now," Sager said.

"So it made sense to expand at this time and Tasmania was just the perfect fit with how much we've seen the community get behind it with the JackJumpers so it really was a no-brainer."

Speaking on behalf of the WNBL, Sager loves what has been come up with in terms of the launch of the name, brand and logo of the Jewels, and is looking forward to continue to work with the club ahead of their inaugural season.

"We're so excited about the Jewels and it's a great nod to the state but also to the community that has got behind basketball like no other, and you can feel the synergy with the JackJumpers as well and being able to maintain that identity with their own unique touch," Sager said.

"We absolutely worked in partnership with the team here and there's been some fun conversations around it and taking in the views of the community as well, which is really important, and that's how we landed on the Jewels."

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ALANNA SMITH

Alanna Smith is now one of Australia's finest basketball players globally but is also proud to have been born in Tasmania and having now been named the Ambassador of the Jewels.

Smith was born in Hobart and has gone on to have quite the storied career having initially made history as the first women's international player recruited by Standford University.

From there she was drafted into the WNBA where she has played with the Phoenix Mercury, Indiana Fever, Chicago Sky and more recently, the Minnesota Lynx where she is the reigning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.

She has also spent time playing in Europe and Asia along with in the WNBL at the Adelaide Lightning, and being Grand Final MVP in the NBL1 North in a championship triumph with the Townsville Flames.

On top of that, she's a silver medal World Cup winner and bronze medal Olympic Games winner with the Opals, so it's hard to imagine a better role model as the club's inaugural Ambassador.

"It means just me giving my voice to the team and promoting the team not only within Australia, but also outside of Australia to help it grow and getting the name of Tasmania Jewels out there. Overall it's jut about me supporting as much as I can off the court," Smith said.

"The idea of a team coming to Tassie was just amazing in the first place, but now seeing it come to actuality and become an actual team, and having an identityis really special. I'm just in awe of what has been come up and how the brandhas been put together. It's beautiful and I'm so excited to see it out on thecourt.

"WhatI'm more here to do is just spread the name of the team and what the TasmaniaJewels are about, and really just promote the team in general.

"Tassie deserves a team, it's been a long time coming and it's just an amazing opportunity for junior players to have a professional team here for them to aspire to, look up to and to create those pathways so I think it will generate a lot more opportunity for all the players in Tasmania."

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KAYLA STEINDL

Kayla Steindl has achieved great success as a player especially since coming out to Australia where she's won championships both in Queensland and Western Australia, and played in the WNBL with the Townsville Fire, Adelaide Lightning and Perth Lynx.

She continues to play in the NBL1 South competition with the Hobart Chargers too, but she's also the wife of Tasmania JackJumpers championship winning captain Clint.

That gives her the unique perspective from her own basketball career and also having seen how the JackJumpers grew from just an idea to being NBL championship winners, and the pride of Tasmania.

She has now been appointed the Assistant General Manager for the Jewels, and couldn’t be more excited to be part of it now that the name, logo and identity have been revealed for the team.

"Now that we've got a name for the team, we can start making more of a move forward I suppose with what people can see in terms of players and coaches. There's lots to do," Steindl said.

"I think it's beautiful and the reception of it so far has been really well liked, and I feel like it's something that we can definitely be proud of.

"I think as a club it's just really exciting that we actually get to expand and show everyone what's been happening behind closed doors."

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