BIO: Danny Morseu was born in Thursday Island, Queensland and began playing basketball as a junior with the Cairns basketball program.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Danny Morseu made his NBL debut with the St. Kilda Saints at 21 years of age. He scored 28 points in his first game.

During the league’s first season, St Kilda’s lineup began that first season with a 3-3 record but proved they were the best team by finishing the season on a 12-game winning streak.

To crown the first champions of the national league, only the first and second teams progressed into the postseason, which saw St Kilda (1st) defeating Canberra (2nd) in the Grand Final match.

Cal Stamp (23.8 ppg) was one of three imports on the Cannons roster, the other two being Herb McEachin (23.8 ppg) and Jerry Lee (8.9 ppg). St Kilda, however, had decided to play with an all Aussie lineup, relying on Sengstock (17.6 ppg), Tony Barnett (22.3 ppg) and Danny Morseau (15.8 ppg).

Larry Sengstock (33 points) delivered a career high scoring night while his counterpart Cal Stamp (32 points) top scored for the Cannons, illustrating just how much of the game came down to the centre position in those days. Trailing by one point against Canberra in the NBL’s first Grand Final, Robbie Cadee threaded a super pass to a cutting Peter Vitols for an easy basket and St Kilda became the league’s inaugural championships (94-93). To date, St Kilda is the only team to ever win an NBL championship without any import players.

1980
After winning the inaugural NBL title in 1979, St Kilda looked to back it up in 1980. Key talent Tony Barnett, Danny Morseu and Larry Sengstock would all return from the championship winning squad, and import Rocky Smith was added to inject some additional scoring power.

As the team battled it out with West Adelaide for the top position throughout the season, with five rounds to go, the Saints (10-3) added import Mike Slusher (12.3 ppg) would play the team’s last nine games of the season. Adding Slusher to the offensive brilliance of first year import Rocky Smith (33 ppg) and veteran Danny Morseau (18.5 ppg) ensured the Pumas would finish the regular season right alongside West Adelaide, with the teams facing each other in the final game of the season to decide who would finish in top spot.

West Adelaide rode the offensive talents of Ken Richardson (31 points) and Rick Hodges (21 points) to defeat St Kilda, 88-90, resulting in both teams ending the regular season on 17 wins and 5 losses. The Bearcats’ win equalled the team’s head to head record (1-1) but with St Kilda having won their first encounter by ten points, they retained first place on the ladder as they headed into the playoffs.

Rocky Smith, who finished the year as the league’s leading scorer, notched up 32 points in the team’s semi-final game to defeat Nunawading (101-77). In the opposite bracket, Rick Hodges (31 points) led the Bearcats to a win over Brisbane (101-94), setting up a grand final match-up with both St Kilda and West Adelaide on one win a piece.

The Grand Final resulted in a blowout, with the Saints fuelled by their end of the regular season loss and controlling the scoreboard (53-39) heading into half-time. Hodges (27 points) and Richardson (20 points) would then do everything they could for West Adelaide, but a well-balanced offensive attack saw Rocky Smith (26 points), Danny Morseu (19 points), Mike Slusher (18 points), Larry Sengstock (16 points) and Tony Barnett (14 points) all finish in double figures, making it impossible for the Bearcats to stop the Saints from scoring.

St Kilda would claim back-to-back NBL titles, winning the Grand Final 113-88.

Danny Morseu was named to the All-NBL First Team, but in a surprise move, Rocky Smith was not, even though he claimed the league’s Most Valuable Player award on the same night.

1981
Having won the back to back titles during the NBL’s first two years, the Fighting Saints would lose one of their primary offensive talents, Tony Barnett (to Geeling) and then faced rumours all off-season that Olympians Danny Morseu and Larry Sengstock were planning to leave the Pumas for another team as well. Head coach Brian Kerle was able to change their minds however and both would return to St Kilda and attempt to win the NBL championship for a third year in a row.

St Kilda then entered 1981 clear favorites, even coming out on top of a pre-season poll of the league’s coaches and administrators who were asked to predict the order team’s would finish. Kerle would roll out a starting line-up consisting of Morseu, Sengstock, Steve Breheny, the team’s leading scorer from last season Rocky Smith and import Mike Slusher, who joined the team mid-season the year prior.

After missing two seasons with injuries, Andy Blicavs would return to action for the Saints and Ken Burbridge, would be the key players from the bench.

With Smith (28.8 ppg), Morseu (20 ppg), Sengstock (14 ppg) and Slusher (11.9 ppg) leading the team offensively, St Kilda finished on top of the NBL ladder (17-5), three games ahead of the nearest opponent (Launceston Casino City).

As the league prepared to hold their 1981 NBL Finals, St Kilda informed them that they would chose to participate in the 1981 FIBA Club World Cup in Brazil instead. There, they finished sixth behind winners Real Madrid (Spain), Sirio (Brazil), Clemson (USA), Atletica Francana (Brazil) and Ferro Carril Oeste (Argentina). Having won the title back to back already, and feeling there were no strong contenders for the title this season, they forfeited their place in the playoffs and were replaced by Brisbane.

Second place team Launceston Casino City would eliminate Brisbane (71–69) in the semifinals and then convincingly defeat Nunawading (75–54) in the Grand Final game.

Rocky Smith and Danny Morseu were named to the All-NBL First Team at the end of the year.

ST KILDA PUMAS
1983
Thanks to a sponsorship deal with the footwear giant, St Kilda changed their name from the Fighting Saints, to the Pumas in 1983. This season saw the exit of national team guard Phil Smyth (to Canberra), which left a huge hole in the team’s roster. Coach Brian Kerle looking to fill that with the return of veteran Andy Blicavs who was coming back from a slow recovering knee injury and high jumping forward Danny Morseu, who had missed the entire 1982 season with a nasty knee injury which required surgery. The team also added Brendan Joyce (via Nunawading) and saw promising young players Wayne Larkins and member of Australia’s national team, Steve Breheny

Morseu (19.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, 1.0 steals) led the team in scoring, alongside Steve Breheny (13.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists)and new import Mike Ice (15.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks).

Returning imports Mike Slusher (9.9 points and 4.1 rebounds) and Bill Runchey (6.3 points and 3.8 rebounds) both delivered sub-par seasons, managing a combined 28 points in 1982, managed a meagre 16 points in 1983.

Reg Biddings (13.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals) played a key role for the same, leading the league in free throw shooting for a second consecutive year (86%).

The turnover of players ending up being too much for Kerle and co. The Puma’s finishing in eighth place (12-10).

GEELONG CATS
1984
In 1984, player/coach Cal Bruton would go on a major recruiting drive, adding Wayne Mcdaniel, Danny Morseu and Brad Dalton to the roster. Geelong would then reel off an amazing season, losing only one game at home and one game away all season.

James Crawford (28.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.6 blocks) would lead the team in scoring and rebounding while Bruton (22.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.7 steals) led the team in assists and for the second season in a row, both would be selected to the All-NBL First team.

New additions McDaniel (23.5 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists 1.2 steals, 1.2 blocks), Morseu (20.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks) and Dalton (10.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.7 blocks) saw the Cat’s starting line-up combine for an incredible 105 points per game.

Geelong (21-2) finished first in the league’s Western Diviision, setting the record for fewest regular season losses of all time. The NBL playoff format for this season, saw the top four teams in each division competed in a 1v2/3v4 elimination finals fixture between 22 June and 23 June, with the loser of 1v2 playing the winner of 3v4 for a spot in the semifinals.

Canberra (16-7), who finished 5 games behind Geelong in the Western Conference, defeated the Cats in the elimination finals (81-87), with Crawford (29 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks) leading the team in scoring, but high scoring teammates failing to deliver their usual performances. Dave Nelson (22 points and 8 rebounds), Herb McEachin (21 points, 12 rebounds and 3 steals) and Phil Smyth (21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) doing the damage for the Canons. The loss, sent Canberra onto the semifinals but forced Geelong to defeat Nunawading (14-9) to make it through.

The Cats resumed their high-scoring ways to defeat the Spectres (115-91) and reach the semifinals. Morseau (34 points, 9 rebonds 4 assists, and 3 blocks)bounced back after finishing were a mere 8 points against the Cannons in the previous game, giving Crawford (28 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks) the help needed to reach the next round.

There Geelong faced Brisbane (19-5), who had finished first in the league’s Eastern Division, behind stars Leroy Loggins (29.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks), Ron Radliff (20 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.0 steals), and Larry Sengstock (18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks). Although the Cats got big games from each of their stars, Morseau (19 points and 3 rebounds), McDaniel (21 points and 8 rebounds), Crawford (22 points and 12 rebounds), and Bruton (31 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) delivering his best game of the playoffs, the Bullets were able to equal their offensive abilities, and came away as victors (107-103). Loggins (32 points and 6 rebounds) and Radliff (28 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) leading Brisbane on the stats sheet, in what was really a well rounded team game for the Bullets.

Canberra would go on to defeat Brisbane in the Grand Final by two points (84-82).

1985
In 1985, Morseu averaged 15.6 points and 5.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, as the Cats finished in a seventh place (15-11).

1986
The team’s major change during the 1986 season was when they moved out of the Chandler Arena (2,700 seats) and into the brand new Brisbane Entertainment Centre, which could seat up to 13,500 fans. The move easily gave the Bullets the largest and newest home arena in the NBL at the time (the next largest venue in the league was The Glass House, which could only seat 7,200). At the time, the Entertainment Centre was not only the NBL’s but also Australia’s largest indoor arena.

Brisbane finished the regular season in third place (17–8) and progressed to their third Grand Final in a row after wins over the Sydney Supersonics and regular postseason rivals, the Canberra Cannons.

The team was led by Leroy Loggins (29.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.3 steals and 1.3 blocks), who would win the NBL MVP that season, alongside Cal Bruton (16.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists) and team captain Sengstock (12.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists). Morseu also contributed 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1 assists.

This season’s Grand Final would be decided in a best-of-three series for the first time ever. Brisbane would face Adelaide in a rematch of last year’s Grand Final, who, behind coach Ken Cole, had lost only two games all year and were unbeaten at home.

In the opening game, over 11,000 fans, a then indoor sports attendance record in Australia, saw the 36ers defeat the Bullets 122–119 in overtime at the Entertainment Centre. In game two, Brisbane became the only team to defeat the 36ers in Adelaide that year winning 104–83 at the Apollo Stadium. The Bullets would lose the deciding game three in Adelaide (113–91), Delivering Adelaide their first championship. Crucially, Loggins fouled out of both game one and 3 of the Grand Final series, which limited his on-court impact.

—!#!#! Morseu would see /// continue to see limited playing opportunities with the bullets, appearing in only 31 games, averaging 6.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1 assists.

1987
With Brisbane looking to go ‘younger, bigger and faster’ with their roster to compete with the likes of Adelaide’s Mark Davis and Perth’s James Crawford, the decision was made to release US born players Cal Bruton and Dave Nelson in favour of incoming import Emery Atkinson and giving more playing time to young local talent.

The Bullets were led by star Leroy Loggins (28.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.9 steals), who became the first player to win back-to-back NBL Most Valuable Player awards, sharing the award with Mark Davis of the Adelaide 36ers. Behind Loggins’s brilliance, Brisbane finished with 20 wins and 6 losses and finished in second place (behind Adelaide) during the regular season.

Beyond Loggins, the Bullets had built a roster so full of talent that the team’s second-leading scorer, import Emery Atkinson (15.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals), came off the bench. Veterans Ron Radliff (15.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.9 steals) and team captain Larry Sengstock (12.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) supported the two imports offensively, while 25-year-old John Dorge (11.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks), 21-year-old Robert Sibley (11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists), and 19-year-old Darren Perry (6.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals) all made huge contributions despite their inexperience. Morseu also contributed 5.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.6 assists for the season.

Ending the season with a 20-6 record, the Bullets finished in second place (Adelaide claimed top spot) and, as a result, received a first-round bye. There, they would face the Illawarra Hawks after they defeated the North Melbourne Giants in the elimination finals. With Illawarra advancing, the Bullets easily won game one of the semi-finals (109-87) before losing game two in a nail-biter (77-78). Brisbane rebounded in game three (100-82), earning a spot in the 1987 NBL Grand Final after winning game three 100-82.

Brisbane made it to the NBL grand final for a league-record fourth consecutive season and would face off against the Perth Wildcats, who had just upset the defending champions Adelaide on the other side of the semifinal bracket.

Perth was led by player/coach and former Bullets’ favourite Cal Bruton. Bruton’s exit had also come on the back of a very public falling out with coach Brian Kerle. In a surprise move, Brisbane elevated teenage point guard Darren Perry (10 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals) into the starting line-up for the playoffs and alongside Atkinson (22 points on 10/16 shooting and 9 rebounds) and Loggins (17 points and 5 rebounds) the Bullets defeated Perth in a low scoring, grind it out, 80-79 victory. Kendall Pinder (27 points and 15 rebounds) and James Crawford (23 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks) led the way for the visitors.

In game two, although Pinder (25 points, 15 rebounds) and Crawford (22 points, 11 rebounds) still proved hard to stop, Brisbane’s frontcourt of Sengstock (8 points and 6 rebounds), John Dorge (7 points and 10 rebounds) and Emery Atkinson (12 points and 4 rebounds), made it almost impossible for the Wildcats’ guards to score inside. The Wildcats guard rotation of Bruton (9), Mike Ellis (6) and Alan Black (2) combined for just 17 points and after the Bullets won a tightly fought first half (47-44), they owned the Wildcat’s in the second.

Brisbane outscored Perth by 16 points, with Loggins (36 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) doing most of the damage on the scoreboard.

With the final score reading 106-87 and Brisbane winning their second championship, Loggins, who averaged 26.5 points over the two games, was named Grand Final MVP. Morseau played 11 minutes and contributed 6 points and 5 rebounds in the deciding game.

1988
The Bullets finished third during the regular season with an 18–6 record, but they couldn’t manage to reach their fifth grand final in a row after losing to Perth in the quarterfinals. Notable highlights for the Bullet’s 1988 season were 17-year-old Shane Heal (15 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 27 minutes per game), backing up starting point guard Darren Perry and winning the Rookie of the Year award and Leroy Loggins (24.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.4 steals) being selected to his seventh straight All NBL First team.

Morseu would play in 22 games and average 3.4 points, 2 rebounds, and 0.4 assists for the season.

1989
Entering 1989, the Bullets had lost two of their three leading scorers from last season, rising star Shane Heal (to Geelong) and import Emery Atkinson (to Canberra). The Bullets looked to fill the offensive gap with new import Winston Crite (20.8 points and 7.5 rebounds), who also became the team’s leading rebounder. The development of backup centre Robert Sibley (15.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 31 minutes), who increased his numbers from 8.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in 21 minutes to provide some additional scoring punch.

After finishing the season in eighth place (11-13), Brisbane missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 1983. Even with Leroy Loggins (22.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists) leading the team in scoring and being second in assists, the Bullets poor record no doubt played a part in Loggins being absent from the All-NBL First Team for the first time since 1981. Morseu added 0 points, 1 rebounds, and 0 assists while appearing in 1 games.

Danny Morseu played ten seasons across three NBL teams. This included the St. Kilda Saints, Geelong Cats and Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 13.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 217 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (815 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.