NICKNAME/S: PC

BIO: Peter Crawford was born in Mount Isa (QLD). He has won three state league championships, played more than 15 years in the NBL and is a former Olympian – Peter Crawford has done it all.

The athletic shooting guard/small forward first helped the Townsville Heat to a semi-final in 1998 before making his NBL debut with the Crocodiles at 19-years-old in 1999. A year later, he would help the Heat capture a state league title, which would be the first of three for the man known as ‘PC’. Having played for his hometown team until 2004, Crawford really made a name for himself in the NBL during his time with the Perth Wildcats from 2004-2009, winning the NBL’s Most Improved Player in 2005 before returning home for five more seasons with the Crocodiles and one with Adelaide.

In between then, he represented Australia at the 2012 London Olympics but he still had more to give later in his career, playing a huge role in Townsville’s back-to-back QBL championships in 2017 and 2018.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Peter Crawford made his NBL debut with the Townsville Crocodiles at 19 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Townsville’s second season under Ian Stacker began with sweeping changes that left Brad Davidson and David Pennisi as the only links to the old “Suns” era. Veterans Simon Kerle (to Brisbane) and Jason Cameron (to Brisbane) moved on, as did big man Michael Pennisi (to Philippines) and import James Harper. The core of Robert Rose, Sam Mackinnon and Andrew Goodwin returned, while Stacker added Mike Kelly (via Victoria), Pat Reidy (via Newcastle) and Ben Knight (via Sydney) to deepen the rotation—and 19-year-old local guard Peter Crawford was added to the squad.

The campaign opened with a 95–106 road defeat to the Victoria Titans despite Rose’s power start (29 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists; 14-of-15 FT) and strong support from Andrew Goodwin (19 points, 6 rebounds)

A week later Townsville reset at home by beating Wollongong 99–88, thanks to Rose (17 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 steals) in near triple-double mode, with Pat Reidy (21 points) and Mike Kelly (19 points) providing additional scoring.

Momentum spilled into a five-game burst—Perth (123–81), Sydney (98–88), Cairns (103–75) and the 131–127 shootout over Adelaide—where Goodwin erupted for his season high (40 points, 15 rebounds) as Townsville outlasted Brett Maher (40 points) and Martin Cattalini (27 points).

By early December the Crocs had slipped to 4–6, then reset with a crisp 108–90 over Wollongong. Mackinnon (22 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists) authored a triple-double with Brad Davidson (19 points) firing off the bench. In a brief cameo, Peter Crawford (2 points in 1:07) also got on the court.

Through the holidays Townsville hardened into a contender—Cairns (116–82), Wollongong (108–90) and Canberra twice (117–88, 128–101)—and closed the calendar year by thumping Brisbane 103–78 as Rose (14 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) logged a triple-double. January and February brought tight wins and statement results, including Melbourne (102–97), West Sydney (102–95), Canberra (121–98), a 122–73 demolition of Brisbane, and late-month road victories over the Giants (81–74) and Hawks (114–98). March was about the closing kick—Adelaide (88–82), Cairns (99–87) and Brisbane (97–76)—as Townsville finished a club-record 22–6 (11–3 home, 11–3 away) to place second and earn a first-round bye.

The main engines were relentless. Andrew Goodwin (18.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals) became the team’s leading scorer, claiming NBL Most Improved Player and All-NBL Second Team honours. Sam Mackinnon (17.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.1 blocks) made the All-NBL First Team. Robert Rose (17.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.8 steals) shared the club MVP and toggled seamlessly between lead guard and closer. Mike Kelly (16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists) and Pat Reidy (14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists) rounded out a potent starting five, while Ben Knight (8.5 points, 4.4 rebounds) landed Sixth Man of the Year. As a rookie, Peter Crawford settled into a specialist role (2.6 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.4 blocks across 19 games), contributing in short bursts and flashing defensive activity that fit Stacker’s pace-and-length identity. Stacker was also recognised as NBL Coach of the Year.

Once into the playoffs, Townsville faced Perth, dropping Game 1 (101 to 104) despite Mike Kelly (29 points) going off and a Sam Mackinnon triple double (16 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists). Ricky Grace (24 points, 6 assists) and Marcus Timmons (20 points) led the Wildcats.

Game 2 at the Furnace finished 101 to 78 as Rose (21 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists), Mackinnon (23 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals) and Pat Reidy (22 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) levelled the series. Game 3 Perth won comfortably (104 to 84) even with Rose (33 points, 8 assists, 4 steals) posting a season best line, as Grace (21 points, 11 assists), Anthony Stewart (21 points), Paul Rogers (20 points, 12 rebounds) and Andrew Vlahov (15 points, 17 rebounds) closed it out. Peter Crawford did not play in any of the three games.

2000/01
Townsville entered 2000/01 with minimal departures, with coach Ian Stacker returning, along with a core group of Robert Rose, Sam Mackinnon, Pat Reidy, Mike Kelly, Andrew Goodwin, Brad Davidson, Peter Crawford and David Pennisi after the team’s first playoff appearance in 2000. The only major roster changes were the loss of Ben Knight (to Cairns), who was replaced with import Dujuan Wiley.

Townsville began the season with a statement win over rivals Cairns (120–85) behind big offensive games from Mackinnon (35 points, 10 rebounds) and Goodwin (24 points, 8 rebounds), with Rose (13 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists) teetering on delivering a triple-double.

A strong start 4–1 met a bump in the road when losses to Adelaide (105–121), Perth (108–121) and then back-to-back defeats to Victoria saw them 5–4.

Around this same time, severe bone bruising to the knee saw Sam Mackinnon miss the remainder of the season, the injury prompting Stacker to release Wiley (7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks) who had not met expectations during the first 16 games, and replace him with David Hinton (9.8 points, 6.0 rebounds).

Hinton’s addition sparked a run from the Crocodiles, ripping off eleven straight wins highlighted by a 126–63 demolition of Brisbane in Round 22 that ranks among the largest margins in NBL history.

Peter Crawford (14 points and 6 rebounds in 22 minutes) played a key role in that record-smashing win, with Andrew Goodwin (22 points), Pat Reidy (18 points) and Brad Davidson (18 points with 7 assists) leading the team in scoring, Rose (18 points, 14 rebounds, 10-assists) recording a triple-double and Mike Kelly (8 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds) narrowly missing out on recording an unheard of second triple double in the same game

Round 23 saw Rose (40 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists) deliver his best game of the season in a win against Wollongong (93–88) where Crawford (2 points and 3 rebounds in 19:45) also got to play a significant amount of minutes.

The run also included a 126–123 thriller over Sydney, a 138–107 home win against the Kings and a 122–88 rout of Canberra as Townsville’s high-octane offense clicked into top gear.

They closed the regular season 22–6, the best mark in club history at the time and equal-best in the league, finishing second on percentage behind the Victoria Titans and entering the playoffs riding that eleven-game streak.

Rose (22.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals) elevated his game this season, winning the NBL Most Valuable Player and making the All-NBL First Team while finishing fourth in the league in scoring and assists and fifth in free-throw percentage.

Mackinnon (17.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.1 blocks across 16 games) was a force across the first half before a knee injury curtailed his season, with other key contributors included Reidy (17.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists), Kelly (16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 steals), who finished top-five in league three-point percentage and Goodwin (16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals).
Crawford (4.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 steals) earned rotation minutes as an energy wing and spot shooter, with his best burst coming late in the year as Townsville’s bench became a weapon during the win streak.

Townsville faced off against Sydney in the Qualifying Finals, losing game one (127–109) with Rose (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Reidy (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) leading the team in scoring as the Kings’ Ben Melmeth (26 points, 8 rebounds) couldn’t be stopped inside.

Game Two saw the series move to Townsville and the Crocs square it (121–113) behind Reidy (25 points), Kelly (18 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) and Rose’s orchestration (17 points, 9 assists), while Randolph Childress (27 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists) kept Sydney in contention.

Game Three finished 122–114 in the Crocs’ favor with Rose (22 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) stepping up and Goodwin (20 points, 10 rebounds) again solid inside, with Brad Davidson (15 points) nailing a number of long-range bombs, while Matthew Nielsen (28 points, 9 rebounds) did his best for the Kings.

Townsville drew Victoria in the semifinals, with the Titans easily winning their regular season series with the Crocodiles during the regular season.

Game One (97–106) saw Townsville fall short despite Rose (26 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists) and Kelly (17 points and 19 rebounds), as Tony Ronaldson (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Darryl MacDonald (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) led the Titans.

Game Two the Crocs evened the series (98–82) with a balanced offensive attack that couldn’t be stopped. Rose (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists), Reidy (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Goodwin (19 points and 11 rebounds) all producing massive games.

Game Three saw Townsville close out the series (101–97) and reach their first NBL Grand Final behind the brilliance of Goodwin (23 points) and Rose (20 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals), who had become unstoppable since the team lost MacKinnon to injury. The Titans were led by Mark Dickel (33 points).

The Grand Final against Wollongong opened with the Hawks edging Game One (104–101) despite another great game from Goodwin (29 points, 8 rebounds) and Davidson (18 points), while Rose (26 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists) battled foul trouble.

Peter Crawford logged 12:46 in the decider’s opener and grabbed 2 rebounds in a limited, defense-first cameo as Stacker rotated wings to check Mat Campbell and Glen Saville.

Game Two in Townsville levelled the series (114–97) with Goodwin (22 points, 13 rebounds) and Kelly (21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) leading the way, as Damon Lowery (25 points, 4-of-6 3PT) and Charles Thomas (20 points) finished as Wollongong’s best. Crawford (8 points and 3 rebounds) delivered one of his best playoff performances in the Croc’s game two victory.

Less than 24 hours later, Game Three was played in Townsville, where Wollongong became the first team from NSW to win the NBL championship, prevailing 97–94.

A heroic Rose (30 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals in 47 minutes) did all he could, with Kelly (21 points, 7 rebounds) and Goodwin (22 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks) also delivering great games, but Charles Thomas (23 points) and Glen Saville (18 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals) made clutch plays late. Crawford (2 points and 1 steal) logged more than 20 minutes, making key defensive stops despite the team falling short.

2001/02
The off-season exit of star swingman Sam MacKinnon (to West Sydney) forced Ian Stacker to retool, but Townsville still brought back the Grand Final core of Robert Rose, Andrew Goodwin, Pat Reidy, Mike Kelly, Peter Crawford and Brad Davidson while adding local big Andrew Rice and former NBA-calibre forward Ray Owes to bolster size and depth.

Townsville opened by outlasting Cairns (100–92) with balanced scoring that included Peter Crawford (11 points) alongside Robert Rose (19 points, 5 rebounds), Andrew Goodwin (19 points, 13 rebounds), Brad Davidson (15 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists). A three-game skid followed before the Crocs steadied on the road at Perth (99–82 on 3 Nov) and stacked home wins over Victoria (122–112 on 20 Nov) and West Sydney (97–94 on 24 Nov).

Owes (6.4 points, 4.9 rebounds across 8 games) never reached his Geelong-era level as injuries limited his involvement. He managed to play more than 25 minutes just once, forcing Stacker to pivot mid-season, releasing him for Shawn Harvey (7.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.8 steals across 12 games).

A bright spot for the season was Peter Crawford (9.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 steals), who effectively doubled his output from the previous season (4.7 points, 2.1 rebounds) and graduating into a reliable two-way starter who spaced the floor and guarded up the lineup when needed.

Other notable nights included Robert Rose dropping 44 points in a win against Brisbane (108–88), a game where Crawford (9 points) had a solid game as well, and two weeks later Andrew Goodwin (33 points and 17 boards) delivering a season high in a win against Sydney (123–108), with Crawford (12 points) having a perfect shooting night, making 5-of-5 FG and 2-of-2 3PT.

On New Year’s Eve, Rose (23 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) produced a triple double in a narrow 95–98 loss to Wollongong, with Crawford (6 points) having a quieter night. And in the “revenge” home rout of Wollongong (136–87 on 10 Feb), Crawford (10 points) produced another perfect perimeter shooting (2-of-2 3PT) within a spread scoring avalanche led by Goodwin (23 points, 16 rebounds), Davidson (21) and Rose (18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists).

The run home saw the losses pile up for Townsville. Home defeats suffer from Perth (106–120), Adelaide (107–114) and Victoria (120–125) in March nudged Townsville out of the playoff frame—though they closed on a high in Perth (105–97 on 23 Mar) behind Mike Kelly (30 points, 11-of-11 FT), Robert Rose (19 points, 7 assists), Andrew Rice (19 points) and Andrew Goodwin (14 points, 7 rebounds), with Peter Crawford (3 points), struggling to make a mark on the scoreboard.

The Crocs finished 13–17, 13th on the ladder, a steep fall a year after reaching the Grand Final as the loss of MacKinnon proved decisive and Rose’s burden spiked compared to his MVP campaign.

Rose (22.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 steals) delivering another stellar season, alongside Goodwin (17.6 points, 8.3 rebounds), Pat Reidy (16.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3 assists 1.1 steals) and Mike Kelly (15.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists 1.3 steals) who rounded out the team’s other key contributors.

2002/03
During the 2002/03 season, Crawford averaged 10.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists and helped the Crocodiles finish with a record of 19-11 and end the regular season in third place.

2003/04
During the 2003/04 season, Crawford averaged 11.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists and was a part of the Crocodiles squad which finished in a ninth place with a record of 13-20.

2004/05
Mike Ellis was replaced as coach by another former player, Scott Fisher prior to the 2004/05 season. In addition, co-owner Luc Longley relinquished his majority share of the Wildcats in April 2004, leaving Andrew Vlahov as the sole owner of the franchise.

After Perth’s leading scorer James Harvey chose to play overseas (Israel) this season, Perth were then forced to rebuild. Tony Ronaldson, Matthew Burston, Liam Rush, Ricky Grace (captain) and Rashad Tucker, who had broken every triple-double record the season prior, all returned from the previous season but lost their leading scorer James Harvey to a lucrative contract overseas (Israel). Perth brought in Townsville product Peter Crawford to fill the scoring void left by Harvey and, looking for ways to bolster the frontcourt, signed import Jaron Brown, who wasn’t a great fit and was replaced by Rosell Ellis before the season started. Matthew Shanahan (via Wollongong), Braith Cox (via state league) and Adrian Majstrovich (via NZNBL) were all later added to round out the team’s second unit.

The Wildcats’ season started out hot, defeating Harvey and the Razorbacks in their opening game (120–97), adding a home win against Cairns in round two (110–93) and then two easy wins over both Hunter (85-72) and Townsville (108–101) to start the season 4-0.

Tucker (17.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.5 steals) was player of the week in round one, and was putting up impressive numbers once again but concerns around his attitude resulted in Perth sacking him by round nine.

‘After a promising start to the season, Rashad’s form and attitude has become a growing concern .. He has lost the confidence of his teammates and coaching staff and we believe he is a liability in our attempt to achieve our team goals’ said Scott Fisher at the time..

The Wildcats then replaced Tucker with Ontario Lett as a means to fill the gap left by a season ending injury to centre Matt Burston (14.8 points and 6 rebounds), who managed to play in only 8 games. Tucker would land on his feet, knocking back offers from Brisbane and Townsville to sign a deal to play with Melbourne shortly after.

Shortly after, media reports suggested that Tucker’s attitude and behaviour were overblown and a result of Fisher wanting to replace one of the team’s imports with Lett and after Rosell Ellis, who was originally destined for the chop, exploded with a 38 point and 15 rebound effort against Townsville, the axe was swung on Tucker.

In either situation, the move failed to improve the team’s win/loss record. With the team struggling to win on the road again, they finished in seventh place (17-15) record for the second consecutive season.

Rosell Ellis (17.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game) collected the Wildcat’s MVP award after he finished as the Wildcat’s leading scorer and rebounder, as well as being the league’s most effective scorer, shooting 61% from the floor. Crawford (15.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists) impressed during his first year in Perth and collected the NBL Most Improved Player award at the season’s end.

2005/06
After Ricky Grace retired in 2005, veteran Tony Ronaldson was elevated to team captain of the Wildcats. While the team looked to build on its disappointing seventh place finish last season, they kept the majority of their local intact, the only major change being the departures of Grace, Adrian Majstrovich (New Zealand), and seldom used Braith Cox (Melbourne), while replacing them with Paul Rogers (via Spain), Dillon Boucher (via New Zealand) and rookie swingman Cameron Tovey.

the Wildcat’s did clean house when it came to imports, however. The departing Rosell Ellis (to South) and Rashad Tucker (to Melbourne) would be replaced by point guard David Bailey and Shawn Redhage, who joined the team after being unceremoniously cut by New Zealand in 2004.

In his first season at Perth, Redhage (20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists), perhaps motivated by his Breakers’ experience, led the team in scoring alongside Bailey (17.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.0 steals), who proved to be a competent replacement for Grace.

With their two imports delivering, Tony Ronaldson (14.9 points, 5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists), Peter Crawford (14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals) would add additional scoring with veteran Matthew Shanahan (11.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) produced the best season of his career coming off the bench.

Despite the reshuffled roster, Perth would finish seventh for the second season in a row.

Despite not having a winning record (16-16), the team qualified for the playoffs, with the league allowing the top eight team’s to proceed to the postseason.

There, things all began to click for the Wildcats, and after upset victories over both the sixth-ranked Brisbane (96-91) and third-ranked Wollongong (101-121), the team found themselves in a unlikely semi final appearance, facing off against a powerhouse Melbourne squad.

Behind the NBL MVP Chris Anstey and former Wildcat Rashad Tucker, the Tigers would prove too strong. Anstey (28 points and 11 rebounds) and Tucker (10 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals) delivered a comfortable 94-78 Melbourne win at home in game one. Then backing it in Perth, winning 106-101, with Anstey (29 points and 6 rebounds) and Tucker (9 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists), ending Perth’s ‘Cinderella’ playoff run and going on to win the NBL championship.

In February 2006, West Australian businessman Jack Bendat became the chairman and majority shareholder of the franchise. Although no longer the majority shareholder, Andrew Vlahov remained in control of the team as managing director. Bendat then assumed full control in 2007.

2006/07
After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, the Wildcat’s moved on from veteran Tony Ronaldson (to New Zealand) and guard Damien Ryan (Europe), looking to get younger and bigger and replaced them with Alex Loughton (Spain) and Tom Garlepp (NCAA). after an impressive debut season, Perth could not retain import Darren Brooks who received several lucrative offers from overseas and replaced him with Rashad Phillips.

Despite leading the league in assists, Phillips (13.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 7.5 assists) was released six games into the season, with the team sitting on a 3-3 record and head coach Scott Fisher citing Phillps fitness being the main issue.

‘ Unfortunately, Rashad never really showed us the athleticism or intensity needed to make himself or those around him better. Plus, he never really contributed to the defensive side of things. He lacked the leadership and on-court management that this group needs. So we felt it was in the best interest of the club to delist him.’

The team immediately replaced him with Gerald Brown (13.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists), who had been a former teammate of Luc Longley at the Phoenix Suns.

Rookie Loughton (14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals)impressed during his rookie season, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting (losing to Nathan Jawai). Shawn Redhage (22.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists) delivered a career high scoring season, which incliuded a career-high 40 points against Adelaide (10 Oct 2007) and became the fastest Wildcat to reach 2,000 career points, doing so in 95 games and 3,400 minutes. Captain Paul Rogers (12.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks) proved he was still one of the competition’s elite big men, earning a spot on the All-NBL Third Team, joining Redhage who earned a spot on the All-NBL First Team. Despite the high-level play from Redhage and Rogers the team just couldn’t win on the road. Close to unbeatable at home (12-3) but woeful in away games (6-9), the Wildcats finished the season in fourth place (18-12).

Much like their results from the regular season, Perth was able to win at home but struggled on the road in the playoffs. They defeated fifth seed Townsville at home (96-78) in their quarterfinal matchup, but upon reaching the semi finals against Sydney, they were outmatched. Perth would push the Kings to the limit on their home court in game one (101-98) rebound behind a huge game from Redhage (35 points) to gain a win on home soil in game two (94-85) only to have Sydney hand Perth their worse loss of the season in game three (109-77), ending their playoff run. Shortly after, coach Fisher announced that he would not seek a new contract from the Wildcat’s and would return to the United States.

Redhage was selected to the All-NBL First Team, and captain Paul Rogers (12.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks) showed he was still one of the competition’s elite big men, being selected to the All-NBL Third Team.

Crawford would play in all 34 games, averaging 14.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.

2007/08
After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, the Wildcat’s moved on from veteran Tony Ronaldson (to New Zealand) and guard Damien Ryan (Europe), looking to get younger and bigger and replaced them with Alex Loughton (Spain) and Tom Garlepp (NCAA). after an impressive debut season, Perth could not retain import Darren Brooks who received several lucrative offers from overseas and replaced him with Rashad Phillips.

Despite leading the league in assists, Phillips (13.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 7.5 assists) was released six games into the season, with the team sitting on a 3-3 record and head coach Scott Fisher citing Phillps fitness being the main issue.

‘ Unfortunately, Rashad never really showed us the athleticism or intensity needed to make himself or those around him better. Plus, he never really contributed to the defensive side of things. He lacked the leadership and on-court management that this group needs. So we felt it was in the best interest of the club to delist him.’

The team immediately replaced him with Gerald Brown (13.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists), who had been a former teammate of Luc Longley at the Phoenix Suns.

Rookie Loughton (14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals)impressed during his rookie season, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting (losing to Nathan Jawai). Shawn Redhage (22.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists) delivered a career high scoring season, which incliuded a career-high 40 points against Adelaide (10 Oct 2007) and became the fastest Wildcat to reach 2,000 career points, doing so in 95 games and 3,400 minutes. Captain Paul Rogers (12.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks) proved he was still one of the competition’s elite big men, earning a spot on the All-NBL Third Team, joining Redhage who earned a spot on the All-NBL First Team. Despite the high-level play from Redhage and Rogers the team just couldn’t win on the road. Close to unbeatable at home (12-3) but woeful in away games (6-9), the Wildcats finished the season in fourth place (18-12).

Much like their results from the regular season, Perth was able to win at home but struggled on the road in the playoffs. They defeated fifth seed Townsville at home (96-78) in their quarterfinal matchup, but upon reaching the semi finals against Sydney, they were outmatched. Perth would push the Kings to the limit on their home court in game one (101-98) rebound behind a huge game from Redhage (35 points) to gain a win on home soil in game two (94-85) only to have Sydney hand Perth their worse loss of the season in game three (109-77), ending their playoff run. Shortly after, coach Fisher announced that he would not seek a new contract from the Wildcat’s and would return to the United States.

Redhage was selected to the All-NBL First Team, and captain Paul Rogers (12.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks) showed he was still one of the competition’s elite big men, being selected to the All-NBL Third Team.

Crawford would play in all 34 games, averaging 14.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.

2008/09
After four seasons of leading the Wildcats, coach Scott Fisher decided it was time to return to his family in the US. Upon Fisher’s announcement that he would not return after leading the Wildcats to within one game of the grand final, a worldwide search was conducted for the hiring of the team’s next coach. Ultimately, Fisher’s replacement would be Conner Henry, a former college teammate of Fisher’s who had been with the Wildcats since 2006 as a assistant coach.

The core of the Wildcat’s roster, Shawn Redhage (University of Utah), Alex Loughton, Peter Crawford and Paul Rogers, would all return, with the only major changes to the team’s local roster being the additions of Ben Knight (via Singapore), Chris Goulding (via Brisbane) and Rookie Stephen Weigh. As a result of Shawn Redhage becoming a naturalised Australian (Jan 08), the Wildcats had the luxury of being able to sign two new imports with athletic forward Isiah Victor (via Sydney) and Darnell Hinson (via West Sydney), who both delivered debut NBL seasons the year prior.

Perth entered the season fighting off multiple injuries, with guards Adam Caporn, Brad Robbins, and Peter Crawford all fighting through knee issues. The team even placed starting centre Rogers on the deactivated list due to a lingering knee complaint. The additional roster spot allowed Perth to pull off a major recruiting coup, beating Melbourne Tigers and South Dragons for the signature of former Boomers point guard Luke Kendall.

At the mid-way point of the season, Rogers returned to the lineup, forcing the Wildcat’s to release Kendall (8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals), who had become a key reserve with Robbins managing only three games over the season. Kendall signed a deal to play with Melbourne shortly after, who needed a replacement for Sam MacKinnon after medical staff advised him not to return to play. Team captain Rogers (9.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks) played in only two games before a ruptured disc in his back that required surgery kept him out of the remaining games.

Perth’s efforts during the regular season were a carbon copy of the one before. The Wildcats were a force at home (11-4) but couldn’t win on the road (6-9), finishing in fourth place (17-13) for the second year in a row. Shawn Redhage (19.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists) would lead the team in scoring and rebounding, earning selection to the Al-NBL Second Team along the way. Hinson (13.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.7 steals), Loughton (13 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists) and Victor (12.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) all playing key roles also.

Once into the postseason, Perth faced fifth seed Townsville, who defeated them in the Elimination Finals (96-103), delivering a abrupt end to their season and ending their playoff run and ensuring Henry’s tenure lasted only one season.

Crawford would play in 29 games, averaging 12.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists.

TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES
2009/10
Crawford would leave the Wildcat’s as a free agent and after almost signing with Melbourne, chose to return to his hometown Crocs for the 2009/10 season.

Crawford averaged 10.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, helping the Crocodiles finish in second place (16-12).

2010/11
During the 2010/11 season Crawford averaged 13 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists and helped the Crocodiles finish with a record of 17-11 and end the regular season in second place.

2011/12
After losing in the semifinals for three straight years under coach Trevor Gleeson, the Crocodiles chose to move in a different direction, replacing him with US coach Paul Woolpert. Townsville also chose to move on from imports Will Blalock and Rosell Ellis, replacing them with former NBA guard Eddie Gill and Elvin Mims. The team retained the majority of their local roster from the previous season, the only major change being Jacob Holmes (via Adelaide) and Townsville junior Mitchell Norton replacing Nathan Crosswell (to Adelaide) and the retiring Brad Williamson.

Just prior to the season kicking off, Russell Hinder would suffer a broken leg that would see his sidelined for the entire NBL season. Greg Vanderjagt, who was unable to make a NBL roster the season before, signed on as a late replacement.

At this point, Crawford had improved his scoring and three point shooting numbers in every season since entering the league in 2009. In a game against the Tigers in December, ‘PC’ caught fire and served up 30 points, which included making 8 of 15 three-pointers in 34 minutes. the Crocodiles were unable to get the win that day, but Peter Crawford proved that he is a major star in this league.

Townsville also got a breakout season from Todd Blanchfield (7.2 points and 3.3 rebounds) who shot 47% from the field and gave Townsville a completely different look through his ability to space the floor. Blanchfield saw his minutes double from 9.7 to 21.3 per game, delivering the best shooting season of his career while, frontcourt players Jacob Holmes (10.4 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists), Luke Schenscher (10.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists) and Mims (9.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals) saw their ability to score inside increase as Blanchfield earned more time on the court.

Eddie Gill (13.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists) led the team on the floor as Townsville floated between third and fifth spot all year before a end of season slump where they lost the final two games of the season, dropped them to equal fourth place, equal to record to the Cairns Taipans (15-13). With Townsville and Cairns also having a 2-2 record in their head to head matchups, Townsville’s higher points percentage gave them the final playoff spot and dropped Cairns into fifth place.

Under the guidance of head coach Shawn Dennis, Townsville faced off against first seed New Zealand in the semifinals, comfortably winning game one (99-82) on the Breakers home court. Despite the Crocodiles strong form in game one, the Breakers evened the series in game two (83–94) at Townsville, before closing out the series in 17-point win in game three (97–80). New Zealand would go on to defeat Perth in the Grand Final series.

2012/13
After falling short in the semifinals the year prior, the Townsville Crocodiles entered the 2012/13 NBL season with renewed ambitions under returning head coach Paul Woolpert. The club chose to part ways with key veterans Luke Schenscher and Greg Vanderjagt, while also moving on from imports Eddie Gill and Elvin Mims. In their place, Townsville initially brought in Jason Forte and Curtis Withers, but the duo failed to impress during the pre-season tournament in Melbourne and were cut before the regular season began. CEO Ian Smythe acted decisively, explaining, “Neither showed enough to indicate there was anything worth waiting for.”

The reshuffling continued just days before the season opener, with the Crocs adding 2011 league MVP Gary Ervin to run the point. Russell Hinder retained the captaincy, and Larry Abney returned for a second stint with the club to bolster the frontcourt. Despite the changes, Townsville endured a nightmare start, dropping their first ten games and finding themselves anchored to the bottom of the standings at 0–10.

To strengthen their interior presence, Townsville released Abney (4.4 points and 3.4 rebounds) and signed centre Luke Nevill, fresh off NBA preseason stints with Indiana and Cleveland. Nevill made his debut in Round 9 against Adelaide, helping the Crocs claim their first win of the campaign. His arrival ignited a dramatic turnaround, as the team rattled off five straight victories and surged back into the postseason race.

Coach Woolpert highlighted Nevill’s impact on both ends of the floor, crediting his ability to open up space for shooters and bring stability in the paint. Gary Ervin (16.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.1 steals) provided elite playmaking and scoring at the guard spot, while Nevill (13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks) quickly became the Crocs’ most reliable big man. Emerging forward Todd Blanchfield took another leap forward, increasing his averages to 9.4 points and 4.1 rebounds, while Peter Crawford (12 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) also provided solid contributions.

Townsville put together a 10–8 stretch following their 0–10 start but dropped their final two games of the season, ultimately missing out on the playoffs by two wins. The Crocs closed the year in seventh place with a 10–18 record. Gary Ervin’s strong campaign was rewarded with All-NBL Second Team honours.

This season, Crawford became Townsville’s all-time leader in games played (292 games), passing Robert Rose (258) in the 2012–13 season.

2013/14
Prior to the 2013/14 season, Barrier Reef Basketball relinquished its ownership of Townsville’s NBL license, putting the Crocodile’s’ 2013/14 season in doubt. the Crocodiles would, however, manage to stay afloat with the team moving from a owner-operated model to a community-owned club. This resulted in head coach Paul Woolpert not being retained, and Perth Wildcats assistant Shawn Dennis signed as his replacement.

Dennis made the decision to focus on giving opportunities to the team’s younger talent, namely Todd Blanchfield and Mitchell Norton, whom he hoped to build a roster around over the next two or three seasons.

Veterans Peter Crawford, Jacob Holmes and team captain Russell Hinder all returned, and in a major signing for the club, added Steven Markovic, a Australian Boomers squad member who had spent the previous few seasons playing in Europe. Lastly, imports Joshua Pace and Brian Conklin were brought in to round out the roster.

Townsville had found quite a talent in Conklin, who scored 33 points in his second game, a win over the New Zealand Breakers (91–78). It was the second-highest score by a Crocs player since 40-minute games were introduced into the NBL in 2010. Despite being unanimously selected to finish in last place, Townsville recorded upset wins over top team’s Melbourne (90-75) and Adelaide (98-94) to start the season, defeated New Zealand twice and by round 10 they sat just outside the playoffs in fifth spot.

With Pace (14.9 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) and Markovic (13.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists) both failing to deliver what Townsville had expected and with the team’s inexperienced beginning to show, the team lost their next eight games in a row.

Despite the losses, Conklin (16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) was a revelation for the club, using his strength and speed to overcome any height disadvantage and finishing in the top seven scorers in the league. His impact was clearly felt after the team lost him to a hamstring injury against the Melbourne Tigers, which kept him out of the team’s last four games of the season.

Townsville finished second last on the ladder with a record of 10-18, while Conklin’s efforts were rewarded with him being named part of the All-NBL Second Team.

Crawford would make 24 appearances and average 6.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game.

CAIRNS TAIPANS
2014/15
The 36ers’ need for more production at the point guard spot saw the exits of Gary Ervin (to Wollongong), Jason Cadee (to Sydney) and Rhys Carter (to Europe) and import guards Jamar Wilson (via Cairns) and Daequon Montreal (via Europe) signed to bolster the backcourt. Young Adelaide forward Brock Motum, a member of the national team, was signed to be the main focal point of the offence.

Wilson (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) would lead the team in scoring, earning NBL player of the week honours twice over the course of the season. The awards coming his way after a game-high 22 points against Melbourne (Jan 10) and another after racking up a game-high 25 points against Townsville (Feb 1).

Motum (17.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists) led the team in rebounds and Creek (11.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists) delivered a breakout season, becoming the team’s third-leading scorer, increasing his scoring from 7.7 points per game the season prior. while Crawford would add 3.9 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists.

The 36ers would finish in third place (17-11) before being eliminated in the semifinals by eventual champions New Zealand in two straight games. Wilson’s play would earn him the Mark Davis Trophy (club MVP) and All-NBL second team honours.

Peter Crawford played sixteen seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Townsville Crocodiles, Perth Wildcats and Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 10.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 488 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 16th in total games played.
– 43rd in total points
– 46th in total assists
– 17th in total steals
– 45th in total blocks