NBL Tribunal Needs Overhaul After a Decade of Inconsistencies
September 16, 2024
Mason Peatling
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 31/03/97
- Place of Birth: Melbourne (VIC)
- Position: FRD
- Height (CM): 203
- Weight (KG): 105
- Junior Assoc: VIC - Dandenong
- College: Eastern Washington (2016–2020)
- NBL DEBUT: 15/01/21
- AGE AT DEBUT: 23
- LAST NBL GAME: 7/02/25
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 27
- NBL History: Melbourne 2021-23 | Illawarra 2024-26
- Championships: 2
- Melbourne (2021), Illawarra (2025)
BIO: Mason Peatling was born in Melbourne (VIC) where he attended Beaconhills College. He first began playing basketball as a junior with the Dandenong Rangers, and represented his state multiple times at the Australian Junior Basketball Championships, before being recruited to Eastern Washington Eagles in 2015.
Be it as a starter or off the bench, Peatling carved himself a reputation as a enforcer within the NBL. A player who could impact the game at both ends of the floor.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Mason Peatling made his NBL debut with the Melbourne United at 23 years of age. He scored one point in his first NBL game.
Mason Peatling signed a three-year deal as a development player with Melbourne United, eventually earning a full roster spot for his second and third seasons. During his first season, Peatling worked his way into the starting lineup by season’s end due to team injuries, making history as the first development player to start in an NBL Grand Final series game.
2022/23
Peatling would join the Illawarra Hawks for the 2022/23 season after 87 games and three seasons with Melbourne United, including the 2020-21 championship season where he was a valuable contributor.
ILLAWARRA HAWKS
2023/24
Following an injury-plagued season that saw Illawarra finish with a 3-25 record, the Hawks looked for a fresh start under head coach Jacob Jackomas in his second year. With Perth moving on from Todd Blanchfield and covering part of his contract, Illawarra acquired him in a buyout. Young talents Biwali Bayles (via Sydney) and former Adelaide 36ers development player Lachlan Olbrich (via NCAA) were signed, along with Korean shooter Hyunjung Lee, brought in under the NBL’s ‘Asian player’ rule, and NBA prospect AJ Johnson under the NBL’s Next Stars Program.
Peatling joined Illawarra on a two-year deal, signing as one of the hottest free agents in the league. Hawks GM Mat Campbell was thrilled to add Peatling to the roster, emphasising the importance of his position and skillset.
“The power forward position is crucial in this league, and Mason was one of the first names we identified when free agency began,” said Campbell. “Mason’s a competitor and a winner, and his best basketball is ahead of him. His skill set meets our roster’s needs, and we are excited to add him to our young and developing front line.”
Returning import Justin Robinson, who suffered a season-ending injury after just one game in 2022, was fully healthy, and NBA veteran Gary Clark joined as the third import. Core players Tyler Harvey, captain Sam Froling, and guards Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, William “Davo” Hickey, and Daniel Grida returned to bolster the Hawks’ lineup.
Although Illawarra showed promise in the pre-season, their regular-season performance continued to be plagued by disappointing losses.
Despite strong contributions from Clark (17 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists), Froling (15.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists), and Harvey (15.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals), Illawarra struggled to gain momentum. Hyunjung Lee and Peatling began the season with injuries.
By October, the Hawks were 2-4, with wins over South East Melbourne and Cairns. Illawarra then suffered two additional tough losses to Sydney and Cairns, leading to Jackomas and the team parting ways. Justin Tatum, the assistant coach, stepped up as interim head coach.
Under Tatum, Illawarra experienced a resurgence, winning four of their next six games. Grida (5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.4 assists) was sidelined after 10 games due to a knee injury, but the emergence of Will Hickey (5.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists) and the signing of former South East Melbourne guard Kyle Adnam as an injury replacement kept the Hawks competitive.
Despite these challenges, Tatum’s leadership spurred a late-season charge, allowing Illawarra to finish the regular season in fourth place (14-14). The Hawks saw a significant scoring improvement, moving from last place in the previous season (80.8 points per game) to fourth place with an average of 91.6 points per game.
In the play-in tournament, Illawarra lost to Tasmania (92-76) in the opening game but bounced back to defeat New Zealand in a close match (88-85), securing a semi-final spot against Melbourne.
In Game 1 of the semi-finals, the Hawks led in the first half, but United forced overtime and eventually won the game 115-106. Illawarra tied the series with a thrilling win in Game 2, pushing the contest to a decider. Despite their efforts, the Hawks narrowly missed a Grand Final berth, falling by six points in Game 3.
Gary Clark was a standout throughout the season, delivering multiple strong offensive performances, including a season-high 38 points against Cairns. His efforts earned him the Hawks’ Club MVP title and an All-NBL First Team selection.
Peatling played in 27 games, averaging 3.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists.
Mason Peatling currently plays for the Illawarra Hawks and has played 175 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 4.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1 assists since entering the league in 2021.
CURRENT CONTRACT:
Illawarra Hawks – 2 Year Deal (2025-27)
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 28 | Illawarra | 13-20 (8) | 33 | 543.6 | 200 | 157 | 56 | 110 | 47 | 13 | 13 | 39 | 56 | 83 | 179 | 46% | 18 | 63 | 29% | 16 | 29 | 55% | 52% | 51% | 15 |
| 2024-25 | 27 | Illawarra | 20-9 (1) | 28 | 316.1 | 139 | 111 | 24 | 65 | 46 | 5 | 16 | 8 | 43 | 57 | 103 | 55% | 8 | 18 | 44% | 17 | 23 | 74% | 61% | 59% | 15 |
| 2023-24 | 27 | Illawarra | 14-14 (4) | 27 | 341.6 | 87 | 73 | 20 | 28 | 45 | 17 | 7 | 17 | 41 | 35 | 73 | 48% | 2 | 18 | 11% | 15 | 30 | 50% | 50% | 49% | 11 |
| 2022-23 | 26 | Melbourne | 15-13 (7) | 18 | 314.9 | 95 | 77 | 19 | 20 | 57 | 6 | 8 | 30 | 32 | 39 | 93 | 42% | 7 | 26 | 27% | 10 | 18 | 56% | 47% | 46% | 19 |
| 2021-22 | 25 | Melbourne | 20-8 (1) | 30 | 410.3 | 120 | 111 | 21 | 40 | 71 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 42 | 43 | 112 | 38% | 13 | 39 | 33% | 21 | 31 | 68% | 47% | 44% | 11 |
| 2020-21 | 24 | Melbourne | 28-8 (1) | 39 | 633.5 | 231 | 157 | 40 | 72 | 85 | 28 | 21 | 41 | 63 | 95 | 186 | 51% | 9 | 32 | 28% | 32 | 41 | 78% | 56% | 53% | 12 | Totals | 175 | 2560 | 872 | 686 | 180 | 335 | 351 | 80 | 73 | 154 | 277 | 352 | 746 | 47.2% | 57 | 196 | 29.1% | 111 | 172 | 64.5% | 53% | 51% | 19 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 28 | Illawarra | 13-20 (8) | 33 | 16.5 | 6.1 | 4.8 | 1.7 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 5.4 | 46% | 0.5 | 1.9 | 29% | 0.5 | 0.9 | 55% | 52% | 51% | 15 |
| 2024-25 | 27 | Illawarra | 20-9 (1) | 28 | 11.3 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 55% | 0.3 | 0.6 | 44% | 0.6 | 0.8 | 74% | 61% | 59% | 15 |
| 2023-24 | 27 | Illawarra | 14-14 (4) | 27 | 12.7 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 48% | 0.1 | 0.7 | 11% | 0.6 | 1.1 | 50% | 50% | 49% | 11 |
| 2022-23 | 26 | Melbourne | 15-13 (7) | 18 | 17.5 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 5.2 | 42% | 0.4 | 1.4 | 27% | 0.6 | 1.0 | 56% | 47% | 46% | 19 |
| 2021-22 | 25 | Melbourne | 20-8 (1) | 30 | 13.7 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 3.7 | 38% | 0.4 | 1.3 | 33% | 0.7 | 1.0 | 68% | 47% | 44% | 11 |
| 2020-21 | 24 | Melbourne | 28-8 (1) | 39 | 16.2 | 5.9 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 4.8 | 51% | 0.2 | 0.8 | 28% | 0.8 | 1.1 | 78% | 56% | 53% | 12 | Total | 175 | 14.6 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 4.3 | 47.2% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 29.1% | 0.3 | 1.1 | 64.5% | 53% | 51% | 19 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 19 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
|---|
STATE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE
- Dandenong Rangers (2015–2016), Knox Raiders (2021–2023), Dandenong Rangers (2024–2025)
Peatling joined the Dandenong Rangers for the 2015 SEABL season, with the Melbourne-born forward, born on 31 March 1997, breaking into senior state league basketball as a teenager and producing a 19-point outing against Frankston in one of his early major appearances for the club.
Peatling returned to the Dandenong Rangers for the 2016 SEABL season and had one of his clearest recorded performances in May when he scored 19 points off the bench against the Hobart Chargers, while his second straight year on the Rangers roster completed his first state league stint before he left for college.
Peatling joined the Knox Raiders for the 2021 NBL1 South season, beginning the three-year run with Knox that the provided record identifies across the 2021 to 2023 off-seasons, and he was part of the Raiders roster in his first season with the club.
Peatling remained with the Knox Raiders for the 2022 NBL1 South season and delivered notable all-round games that included 12 points, six rebounds and five assists in a 98-72 win over Kilsyth, along with 16 points and 10 rebounds against Sandringham.
Peatling re-joined the Knox Raiders for the 2023 NBL1 South season and averaged 9.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game as the starting centre on a championship team. Knox finished the regular season in first place, Peatling had four points and seven rebounds in the preliminary final win over Mount Gambier, and he added eight points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in the grand final as the Raiders secured the NBL1 South title.
Peatling joined the Dandenong Rangers for the 2024 NBL1 South season in a return to his junior club, opening the year with 15 points and 14 rebounds in his first game back. He averaged 14.38 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists across the season, earned the club’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, and was one of the front-court anchors in Dandenong’s rise to a 13-9 record and a semi-final appearance.
Peatling produced several strong performances for Dandenong in 2024, including 19 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in a win over Frankston, and he then played a key finals role with 19 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in the 98-91 elimination final win over reigning champion Knox before the Rangers’ season ended in the semi-finals against Ballarat.
Peatling re-joined the Dandenong Rangers for the 2025 NBL1 South season, preserving the provided 2025 stop, and opened the campaign with seven points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals against Eltham. During the season he posted 22 points against Waverley, recorded 17 points and 13 rebounds against Sandringham, and added 12 points and six rebounds against Hobart as Dandenong finished with an 8-14 record.
FIBA EXPERIENCE
Represented Australia for the first time during Q6 World Qualifiers in February 2023 where Australia faced Bahrain and Kazakhstan.
COLLEGE
Mason Peatling played college basketball at Eastern Washington University from 2016–17 through 2019–20, spending four seasons with the Eagles in the Big Sky Conference and completing his collegiate eligibility at the Division I level.
During his time at Eastern Washington, Peatling was part of a program that enjoyed sustained success, including multiple Big Sky regular-season and tournament championship campaigns, and NCAA Tournament appearances during the latter stages of his college career.
He trained and competed alongside several high-level teammates, including former NBL standout Jacob Wiley, as well as future Melbourne United players Venky Jois and Felix Von Hofe, gaining daily exposure to professional-level standards in practice and game preparation.
Peatling contributed as a depth guard within a veteran-heavy roster, providing defensive effort, ball movement, and scouting-team value while developing his game against elite mid-major competition across the Big Sky schedule.
His collegiate career concluded with the 2019–20 season, after which he graduated from Eastern Washington.
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