NBL EXPERIENCE

Paul Hamer made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks on 3/3/1979. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Launching into the NBL’s debut year, Illawarra built around a Wollongong core under coach Joe Farrugia and captain Bob Kubbinga, with imports Jim Slacke and Ted Holcomb driving the scoring while Gordie McLeod and Paul Hamer rounding out the bench.

Illawarra opened with a landmark 91–88 upset of St Kilda on March 3 as Jim Slacke (22 points) led a balanced line with Ted Holcomb (18 points), Steve Tonkin (16 points), and Jim Williams (15 points), while the Saints rode Larry Sengstock (25 points) in a game where both teams shot 50% and the Hawks went 17-of-21 at the line to 16-of-29, with Paul Hamer featuring off the bench.

A 74–78 home loss to Canberra followed the next day before Illawarra edged Bankstown 74–71 to start 2–1, after which a nine-game losing streak defined the middle of the schedule.

The low point came at Nunawading on April 7 in a 47–77 defeat where Bruce Andrews (17 points) and Jim Slacke (16 points) were the only Hawks in double figures as Illawarra attempted just 36 field goals and went 11-of-15 at the stripe while the Spectres finished 37-of-74, with Hamer held scoreless.

Form returned on May 12 with the biggest win of the year, a 110–83 home result over Glenelg powered by Ted Holcomb (32 points) and Jim Slacke (26 points) with Steve Tonkin (18 points) and Jim Williams (11 points) in support, and Hamer (2 points) getting minutes during junk time.

Illawarra then completed the sweep of Glenelg 74–68 in Adelaide and closed on June 2 by edging Newcastle 81–80 behind Jim Slacke (34 points), Ted Holcomb (14 points), and Jim Williams (10 points) against Dave Ankeney (26 points) and Dan Riley (24 points).

Across the rotation, Jim Slacke (23.8 points across 18 games) finished fifth in league scoring and led the NBL in free-throw percentage (80.8%), backed by Ted Holcomb (16.1 points across 10 games), Steve Tonkin (13.4 points across 15 games), Gordie McLeod (10.1 points across 17 games), Bob Kubbinga (8.1 points across 18 games), Jim Williams (7.3 points across 18 games), and Paul Hamer (0.3 points) appearing in only 7 games.

Illawarra missed the four-team postseason, and the inaugural title was decided by a single-game Grand Final as St Kilda edged Canberra 94–93 on June 10, underscoring the significance of the Hawks’ opening-night upset of the eventual champions.

1980
Illawarra’s second NBL season ushered in national-team assistant Adrian Hurley as head coach with hometown guard Gordie McLeod taking the captaincy, while reserve guard Paul Hamer added depth around primary scorer Jim Slacke at Beaton Park’s “Snakepit.”

Key new players were Kevin Becker and Ray Hannett, with key departing players Steve Tonkin and Bruce Andrews exiting as the Hawks kept a largely Wollongong-built core intact.

Illawarra opened with a 76–73 road loss at Coburg on February 2, the Giants paced by Wayne Carroll (20 points) and Les Riddle (18 points) as the Hawks rode Jim Slacke (25 points) and Ted Holcomb (18 points) with McLeod (9 points) steadying the backcourt.

Less than 24 hours later they toppled reigning champions St Kilda 74–68 at Albert Park, overcoming NBL MVP Rocky Smith (36 points) behind Jim Slacke (29 points), Gordie McLeod (15 points), and Kevin Becker (13 points) as both teams shot 50% and Illawarra went 12-of-20 at the stripe.

That result ignited six straight to 6–1, highlighted by West Torrens at home (101–77), Canberra away (78–56), a 73–71 steal in Newcastle, a 72–65 follow-up versus Canberra, an 83–82 escape at Bankstown, and a 101–98 thriller over Newcastle back at the Snakepit.

The run home turned cruel as Illawarra dropped the last three—West Adelaide 95–85, Brisbane 87–80, and a one-point stinger against Launceston 80–79 that sealed their fate one win short of the semi-finals.

In the finale the Tigers rode Curtis Coleman (31 points) and Cliff Martin (20 points), while Illawarra—without captain McLeod—drew production from Jim Slacke (24 points), Kevin Becker (16 points), Jim Williams (13 points), Ray Hannett (9 points), Ted Holcomb (8 points), and Ian Bartholomew (3 points).

Across the season Jim Slacke (22.6 points and 87.2% FT across 22 games) led the Hawks and the league at the stripe, Kevin Becker (16.3 points across 22 games) provided secondary scoring, Gordie McLeod (13 points across 19 games) blended captaincy with pace control under Hurley’s first-year imprint, and Paul Hamer (0.8 points across 8 games) filled a bench guard role across the mid-rotation as Illawarra closed 13–9 and sixth on a 12-team table.

Paul Hamer played two seasons the Illawarra Hawks..