Unleashed hosts react as NBL1 Central season begins

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The latest episode of Unleashed focused on the opening round of the NBL1 Central season as Caldi and Burf reflect on strong crowd turnouts, early results and first impressions of teams across both the men’s and women’s competitions.

🎧 Listen Below

Key Takeaways

Strong Round 1 atmosphere

• Praise the return of basketball and healthy attendance numbers across venues such as Morphett Vale and Pasadena.
• Local club support remained strong despite the clash with the Adelaide 36ers’ NBL Grand Final broadcast.

Early form reactions — Men’s competition

• North Adelaide and West Adelaide are teams already under pressure, with performances reinforcing pre-season concerns.
• Some surprise efforts with certain sides exceeding expectations despite limited pre-season insight.

Women’s competition observations

• Mixed early predictions, with standout overperformances from teams like the Eastern Mavericks women.
• Close results in several fixtures highlighted how unpredictable Round 1 can be, particularly with incomplete rosters and early-season conditioning.

🎙 What To Expect from Unleashed This Season

NBL1 Central Unleashed will continue to deliver:

• Weekly ladder predictions
• Insider roster discussion
• Player interviews
• Honest assessments (even when uncomfortable)
• The best analysis in the league

If you follow NBL1 Central closely, this is your weekly must-listen.

🎧 Tune in above and stay across all NBL1 Central coverage at basketball.com.au

About NBL1 Central Unleashed Hosts

Chris “Caldi” Caldicott is a long-time basketball lifer and co-host of NBL1 Central Unleashed. Having been involved in South Australian club basketball since 1993 and previously serving as an assistant coach in NBL1 Central, Caldi brings decades of experience and strong relationships throughout the league. His insider perspective helps the podcast deliver fast-paced conversations, behind-the-scenes insight, and relatable stories about the players, coaches, and clubs that make NBL1 Central one of Australia’s most passionate basketball communities.

Jake “Burf” Burfitt is the co-host of NBL1 Central Unleashed and one of the lead play-by-play commentators for the NBL1 Central league in South Australia. Having represented the state as a commentator at the NBL1 National Finals, Burf brings a professional broadcasting perspective and deep understanding of the game. With strong connections across all 10 clubs in the league, he delivers accurate insight and informed analysis on the players, teams, and storylines shaping the competition. Known for his calm, factual approach, Burf provides the perfect balance to co-host Caldi’s explosive energy, helping drive thoughtful and engaging basketball conversations each episode.