Courtside Collection: The Snake Who Never Has To Sit Down

On an electric night at the Cairns Convention Centre, you feel a bad call before you see it.

The whistle goes. The crowd groans. And on the sideline, a six-foot snake in a Taipans singlet stomps up towards the corporate boxes, boots the wall in theatrical disgust and throws his arms to the sky like he’s just watched the worst decision in basketball history.

Four thousand people laugh, clap, boo with him. Kids on the baseline copy the tantrum like it’s choreography.

That’s the thing about Joe Blake. He doesn’t talk, but he’s never quiet.

The Unofficial Sixth Man

For most of the past 20 years, Joe Blake has technically been a mascot. In reality, he’s been the pulse of the Orange Army, a courtside constant with a giant head and even bigger reactions.

Players come and go. Imports fly in, fly out. Jerseys change. But Joe Blake has been one of the few permanent selections on the team sheet.

Need a kid to fall in love with the night before they understand the rules? Joe’s handing out high-fives.

He’s a hype man, lightning rod and the most reliable energy sub in Cairns. 

A Character With A History

Joe Blake has been built by plenty of hands across two decades. One of the most iconic was the original, Matt Bolton, one of the longest-serving in Taipans history, who famously proposed to his wife on centre court in a moment that still gets talked about like a classic NBL highlight.

Not long after came another chapter. Entertainer David Evans, a Port Douglas local and the current Joe Blake’s dad, spent three years helping shape the snake into more of a showman on hardwood.

The Man Inside The Suit

Under the oversized head this past decade is Sam Evans, born in the Douglas Shire and by his own admission, “first and foremost a day-one fan”.

“Whether I’m in the suit or 30 rows back, being in that arena is unreal,” he says. “I just get to be the idiot who doesn’t have to sit down.”

Evans took over Joe Blake as a 26-year-old and brought a youthful punch to the role. There were fewer old-school skits and far more sprinting, dancing, fan interactions and reacting to the game like an exaggerated mirror of the crowd.

But the golden rule stayed the same. When in doubt, make it larger than life.

Silent, But Never Quiet

Evans also wrestles as Marshall Samson “The Sledgehammer” on the local circuit in Cairns and Townsville. The crossover makes sense, mascots and wrestlers work the same muscle, big emotions, big gestures, crowd connection.

“It’s similar to wrestling,” Evans says. “You’ve got to make everything bigger than what it is. Especially when you’re trying to speak to people way at the back, you’ve got to give that extra 10 per cent so they feel part of the game as well.”

After ten seasons in the suit, he knows the long-time members who want a nod. He knows which bays lift if you give them a little nudge. 

He’s got favourite pockets around the arena too, including the disability section and makes a point of swinging by so those fans feel part of the show, not just spectators to it.

The juniors are a whole other strategy. A lot of younger kids are there as much for the spectacle as the scoreboard, a few extra seconds turn a game into a memory.

And he’s not doing it alone.

“The game-day entertainment package, it’s not just me,” Evans says. “The whole crew are locals, we’re from Cairns, we’re all Taipans fans. We all love the game and bleed orange.”

Joe Blake’s Greatest Hits

Ask around and you’ll get different favourites, but there are a few from the highlight reel.

The flood game

When heavy rain hammered the Far North in 2017 and the region felt like it was holding its breath, Joe still nearly arrived from Port Douglas by helicopter. Nearly.

The briefcase

When former Taipans guard Melo Trimble returned in 2019, Joe greeted him with a briefcase covered in dollar signs, a cheeky joke that ended up on ESPN.

The mini-bike laps with a broken arm

A reminder there are two kinds of people, those who fear falling off on hardwood, and Joe Blake.

There are dozens more that don’t make the highlight packages.

The Blackout Special & His Biggest Assist

Joe Blake’s impact isn’t just noise and laughs.

The Taipans’ Blackout Game has become a significant night. Signature jerseys, louder energy and a post-game jersey auction that doubles as a fundraiser.

Those blackout jerseys are backed by IFYS, the same sponsor aligned with Joe Blake. The jerseys are sold post-game, and across those auctions Joe Blake alone has helped raise more than $7,500, averaging about $1,100 a season over the past five years.

It’s easy to treat a mascot as a sideshow. But in a league where rosters turn over and new imports arrive every season, the “sideshow” becomes part of the glue.

Joe Blake is continuity for kids at their first game and members at their 200th. He can soften a losing night and amplify a winning run. He gives the casual fans something to latch onto and the diehards someone to rally with when the whistle goes the wrong way.

Evans measures a good night less in points and more in people.

“It might be a joke landing perfectly, a kid’s reaction, or just feeling like the whole arena was with you,” he says. “If someone walks away thinking, ‘That was fun, I want to come back,’ then Joe’s done his job.”

The Final Buzzer

Joe Blake will never lead the team in points. He’ll never call a set. He’ll never miss a free throw either.

But he will keep stomping, drumming, sprinting and turning random nights into memories.

When the game needs a pulse, the Snake supplies it.

Catch all the moments next season, with a 2026-27 Taipans membership! Available now. Don't miss out on securing your seat at the special early bird price! Sale ends Tuesday 31 March , 2026.