10 Devils to Watch | Tasmania Devils Season Preview — DEVILS DEN

The Devils are coming… and it’s not just about the headline names.

This week on Devils Den, we break down 10 Tasmania Devils players you need to know before Round 1 — the interstate recruits, local guns, and emerging talent who could define the club’s inaugural VFL season.

If you think you know the list already… think again.

Interstate Imports to Watch

• Caleb Mitchell — former Swan wing with elite running capacity

• Jed Hagan — small in stature, big in impact

• Jaxon Artemis — speed and rebound from WA

• Nelson Beikhoff-Smart — composed half-back with VFL experience

• Lachy Hay — country league smokey with serious upside

Local Guns Ready to Explode

• Geordie Payne — inside mid with white-line fever

• Jack Callinan — crafty forward with pedigree

• Zach Adams — intercept defender with resilience

• Kai Cameron — NWFL goal-kicking machine

• Michael Stingel — contested ball bull

We talk upside, roles, development arcs, and who could surprise the competition.

This isn’t just a rebuild.
This is the foundation.

🎯 Goal: 100 subscribers by Round 1
📲 Tag a mate who still thinks Tasmania won’t work
📆 Next week: The lesser-known kids you haven’t heard of yet

For fans. By fans.
This is Devils Den.

And always remember Devils — the Map is back.

Season Ends in a Whimper, Awards Handed Out & Finals Locked | ANTS NEST

The regular season is finally over… and it didn’t end the way we hoped.

This week on Tasmanian Takeover, we break down a tough 103–70 loss to the Illawarra Hawks and ask the question — did the brutal fixture play a role in the injuries and late-season fade?

The Tasmania JackJumpers shot:

• 31.9% from the field

• 12.5% from three (3/24)

• Just 9 assists

You don’t win many NBL games with those numbers.

We break down:

• Why the ball movement completely stalled

• David Johnson struggling (3/13, 1/9 from three)

• Free throw efficiency keeping things somewhat respectable

• Valuable minutes for the young guys — but did they show enough?

Josh Bannan:

17 points, 7/14 shooting
One of the few who genuinely had a crack
Went head-to-head with JaVale McGee and more than held his own

Tyger Campbell:

17 points
45% shooting on a night the team shot 31%
Calm when chaos crept in

Awards:

• MVP — Josh Bannan

• DPOY — Will Magnay

• Players + Coaches Award — Nick Marshall

• Fan Favourite — Majok Deng

We also look ahead:

Play-In game vs Melbourne United at John Cain Arena (March 5).
Winner plays the loser of Perth vs SEM.

The season’s not over — but the margin for error is gone.

👉 Devils Den launches this Friday
👉 Hit Subscribe if you’re riding with the Jackies into Finals

For fans. By fans.
This is The Ants Nest.

March on Jackies 🐜

🏀 Player of the Match: Josh Bannan⭐ Fan Favourite: Tyger Campbell🏆 Award Winners

🔴😈 What Even Is This Team? | Devils Den Episode 1

Before we talk wins, losses, or AFL dreams… we needed to answer one basic question:

👉 What actually are the Tasmania Devils?In this episode, JD and Freddy break down:

- What the Devils are (and aren’t)

- Why the VFL side matters right now

- The 49-man squad and key names

- How the 2028 AFL pathway works

- What success really looks like in Year 1

- Membership tiers, merch and ticket info

This isn’t hype.It’s clarity.

If you’ve been confused by what you’re reading online — this one’s for you.

If you’re already planning the 2028 premiership parade — also for you (but we need to talk).

🎯 Goal: 100 subscribers before Round 1.Tag a mate who thinks we’re winning the AFL flag in 2028.

And always remember Devils…The Map is back. 😈

The Ants Nest is back 🐜 and the Jackies return to MyState Bank Arena for what could be the final home game of the regular season.The Tasmania JackJumpers host the Illawarra Hawks on Wednesday Feb 18 — with Finals locked in but momentum very much up for grabs.Illawarra had their chance to knock Tassie out of sixth… and squandered it.Now the question becomes:Is this a dead rubber — or the perfect tune-up before play-ins?In this episode:Preview of JackJumpers vs IllawarraFlashback to the 101–91 loss back in DecemberJosh Bannan with 26David Johnson with 21A tough night coming straight after losing Deng & HamiltonPlayer to Watch:JD backs Nick Stoddart — quietly playing meaningful minutes and pushing for moreFreddy’s eyeing Anthony DrmicWho Needs to Lift?JD calls on David Johnson to step back into star mode after a quiet outingBold PredictionsJD says Jackies winIs this about results… or rhythm?Finals are locked.Play-ins await.Momentum matters.👉 Go back and listen to our Review Episode vs SEM👉 Devils Den launches this week with JD & Freddy👉 Hit Subscribe — we’re chasing 50 before season’s endFor fans. By fans.This is The Ants Nest.March on Jackies 🐜

Majok Deng was unstoppable.
The Jackies scored 104.
And somehow… it still wasn’t enough.

This week on Tasmanian Takeover, we break down a high-scoring loss at John Cain Arena as the Tasmania JackJumpers fall 120–104 to the South East Melbourne Phoenix — and look ahead to what the Finals picture now means.

• Offensive explosion: 52% shooting, nearly 48% from three

• 30 assists on 43 made shots

• 4th time this season hitting 100+ points

• But… 16 turnovers and defensive lapses against the league’s best offence

🔥 Player of the Match: Majok Deng
36 points, 9 rebounds
10/10 from the free throw line
4/6 from deep
Efficient. Aggressive. Relentless.

We also discuss:

• Nathan Sobey and Angus Glover doing damage

• Why SEM looked too comfortable offensively

• The meaning of Deng’s career-best stretch heading into Finals

The Tasmania JackJumpers are locked into 6th.
Winner plays the loser of Perth vs SEM.
Melbourne at John Cain? Perth in Perth?
Nothing easy.

We ask the big question:

How far can the Jackies realistically go in the Finals?

👉 Preview show vs Illawarra coming next
👉 Devils Den launches this Friday with JD & Freddy
👉 If you’re enjoying the ride, hit Subscribe — we’re chasing 50 before season’s end

For fans. By fans.
This is The Ants Nest.

March on Jackies 🐜

In this episode:🏀 JackJumpers Into the Play-Ins

The Ants Nest is back 🐜 and this one’s a big test.

The Tasmania JackJumpers host South East Melbourne Phoenix at MyState Bank Arena — the league’s highest-scoring team sitting 3rd on the ladder (21–10).

They can fill it up.
They also give it up defensively.
Which version shows up?

• SEM preview and ladder implications

• Why this matchup always turns into a heart-stopper

• Player to Watch:

  • JD backs David Johnson for a bounce-back game

  • Freddy’s eyeing Tyger Campbell

• Flashback to Dec 29 — the 87–84 thriller

  • Majok Deng top-scoring

  • Bryce Hamilton clutch defensive moment

  • Nathan Sobey nearly ripping our hearts out late

• Who needs to lift? JD calls out Brodie Nunn (respectfully 👀)

• Bold predictions — including a slightly controversial JD call

All our games against SEM this year have gone down to the wire. Expect another one.

👉 Go back and listen to our Review Episode vs New Zealand
👉 Devils Den launching next month
👉 Hit Subscribe — we’re chasing 50 subscribers before season’s end

For fans. By fans.
This is The Ants Nest.

March on Jackies 🐜

Records Fall, Marshall Goes Nuclear & The Jackies March On | ANTS NEST

It felt weird celebrating… but history was made.

This week on Tasmanian Takeover, the Tasmania JackJumpers put on a record-breaking performance against the Brisbane Bullets, taking a huge step toward the play-in picture — and smashing just about every club record along the way.

• The JackJumpers’ biggest ever win (44 points)

• Highest ever team score (114 points)

• Most points in a quarter (33)

• Why this win still felt… strange

• A massive shout-out to Brisbane, who were absolutely decimated by injuries

Then we get to that performance.

🔥 Nick Marshall goes full beast mode:

• Career-high 31 points

• 12/13 from the field

• 7/8 from three

• +44 plus/minus

Not just a defensive stopper anymore — this was a confidence-boosting, belief-building, “I’ve got this” game.

We also break down:

• A near-perfect team performance (30 assists, just 7 turnovers)

• Early tone-setting from David Johnson and Tyger Campbell

• Jacob Richards making the most of limited minutes

• Fan Favourite Josh Bannan doing Josh Bannan things (yes, the poll doesn’t lie)

The Jackies move one step closer to the play-ins, and suddenly the picture looks very different.

👉 Join us for our SEM preview episode next
👉 Hit Subscribe if you’re enjoying the ride
👉 Like, comment, and tell us where this ranks in JackJumpers history

For fans. By fans.
This is The Ants Nest.

March on Jackies 🐜

The Injured Army: Tassie’s Last Stand for Finals | JackJumpers vs Brisbane Bullets Preview — ANTS NEST

The Ants Nest is back 🐜 and somehow… we’re still standing.

This week on Tasmanian Takeover, we preview a massive home clash as the Tasmania JackJumpers host the Brisbane Bullets at MyState Bank Arena — a game that could all but lock in finals for the Jackies.

Both teams are absolutely decimated, but at this point it feels less like a basketball game and more like JackJumpers vs the Brisbane coaching staff.

• A preview of JackJumpers vs Brisbane Bullets (Friday Feb 6 @ MyState Bank Arena)

• The Injured Army rolls on — and why no one actually needs to “lift”

• Brisbane’s horror injury list (seriously… bring your runners if you’re courtside)

• Player to Watch:

  • JD backs Archie Woodhill to take the next step

  • Freddy’s got his eye on Josh Bannan

• A look back at the last meeting — a painful loss during the 7-game slide

• Who’s stepped up during the injury crisis: DJ, Bannan, Tyger, DRM, Archie, Stoddart, Brodie Nunn

• Bold predictions (including a very confident JD call)

We also touch on the SHE Foundation game — raising money and awareness for gynaecological cancer. If you’re heading along, get there early, get loud, and support a great cause.

👉 Go back and listen to our Review Episode vs New Zealand
👉 Hit Subscribe — we’re chasing 50 subscribers before the end of the NBL season
👉 Devils Den coming next month 👀

For fans. By fans.
This is The Ants Nest.

March on Jackies 🐜

In this episode:

The Ants Nest is back 🐜 after an accidental Australia Day break (our bad)… and there’s a lot to unpack.This week on Tasmanian Takeover, JD and Fred break down a wild, emotional stretch for the Tasmania JackJumpers — injuries, grit, heartbreak, and one massive home win that might’ve saved the season.In this episode:A brutal injury update:Will Magnay — season-ending foot injuryBryce Hamilton — ACL, long road aheadMajok Deng — concussion protocolBen Ayre — mystery injury, months outJackJumpers vs Cairns TaipansDown 15 at halftime, heat, travel, injuries stacked against them — a classic Jackies grit-fight that just slipped away.Majok Deng’s best game of the season28 points, 8 boards, ice-cold late moments — not a hot night, a statement.JackJumpers vs New Zealand BreakersSeason-defining home win at MyState Bank Arena with finals positioning on the line.David Johnson goes absolutely nuclear33 points, seven threes, clutch buckets — and the last word when it mattered most.This felt like a star announcing himself.The JackJumpers stay sixth, keep finals destiny in their own hands, and remind everyone they’re not going quietly.🎙️ For fans, by fans.👉 Hit Subscribe — we’re chasing 50 subscribers before the end of the NBL season👉 Preview episode coming next as we dissect the upcoming Cairns clash0:00 – Welcome Back to The Ants Nest1:20 – Apology Tour (Australia Day Edition 🍻)2:00 – Hoops Round-Up: Hawks & Kings Losses3:20 – Injury Crisis Hits the JackJumpers8:00 – JackJumpers vs Cairns Taipans Recap14:00 – Player of the Match: Majok Deng vs Cairns17:15 – JackJumpers vs New Zealand Breakers Recap22:45 – David Johnson's Breakout Game23:00 – March On Jackies 🐜This is The Ants Nest. March on Jackies 🐜

The Ants Nest is back 🐜 and we’re previewing a huge road clash as the Tasmania JackJumpers head to Sydney looking to bounce back after HoopsFest.

This week on Tasmanian Takeover, we break down:

• Can the Jackies respond after a tough loss?

• Is Archie Woodhill the answer if Will Magnay is sidelined?

• Does Scott Roth need to lift as we hit the business end of the season?

• Bryce Hamilton primed for a breakout night?

• Who needs to lift — and who’s flying under the radar?

We also revisit the last time these two met, when the JackJumpers put the hammer down and blew the game open, plus a key matchup to watch against the Sydney Kings at Qudos Bank Arena.

📍 Sydney Kings vs Tasmania JackJumpers
🗓 Thursday 22nd
📍 Qudos Bank Arena

Bold predictions. Hard truths. No fence-sitting.

If you’re a JackJumpers fan — this one’s for you.

👉 Don’t forget to check out our Review Episode vs Melbourne
👉 Hit Subscribe — we’re chasing 50 subscribers before the end of the NBL season
👉 Like, comment, yell at us politely

This is The Ants Nest. March on Jackies 🐜