NICKNAME/S: The Bear

BIO: Ronaldson played for the Eastside Melbourne Spectres, South East Melbourne Magic, Victoria Titans, Perth Wildcats and New Zealand Breakers in the NBL where he was known as “The Bear” due to his large physique.

He played in seven NBL Grand Final series and won two championships, both with the Magic in 1992 and 1996. He also represented Australia at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and again in 2004 in Athens. Ronaldson received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 1989. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Tony Ronaldson made his NBL debut with the Eastside Melbourne Spectres at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Eastside had been slowly improving each season since Brian Goorjian was appointed head coach in 1988, and by 1990 many of the core group that had been a part of the roster when Goorjian took over had developed from junior talent to highly productive NBL players.

The only changes to the local roster were the exits of veterans Paul Hotchins and Warren Pink, who were then replaced with Darren Perry (Brisbane) and Nunawading junior Tony Ronaldson, who had just completed a year at the Australian Institute of Sport. The departure of import Arne Duncan then made room for the return of former Spectre Bruce Bolden.

To kick off the season, Eastside was tipped to be the big improvers of 1990 after finishing ‘best of the rest’ the year prior. The team started off by winning its first three games on the schedule, but over the course of the season, the team never seemed to be able to beat the league’s best. While they knocked off the majority of the league, losses they couldn’t see to deliver wins against elite team’s like Perth, Brisbane and North Melbourne. In Round 21, Eastside turned things around with a win over crosstown rivals North Melbourne (118-111), but then followed that up with a 3-2 run home.

Despite this, Eastside still managed to finish second on the ladder thanks to a impressive 10-3 home record. Lockhart (27.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.3 steals) returned a better player in his second year in the league, leading the team in scoring and being selected to the All-NBL Second Team. Bolden (26.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.2 blocks) filled the stat sheet most games and Uthoff (17.9 points and 13.6 rebounds) led the team in rebounding once again. Perry (10.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists) running the point guard spot was a big part of the Spectres improvement from 14-10 last season, to 16-8 in 1990. Ronaldson also contributed 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game.

Due to finishing in second place, Eastside received a first-round bye then met Brisbane, who eliminated Sydney in the elimination finals, in the semi final. This was the first time a Goorjian coached team had reached the semi finals but they were eliminated by the Bullets amidst little fanfare in two straight games.

1991
1991 saw Ronaldson average 9.8 points and 3.9 rebounds, and play a key role in helping the Spectres to a second place finish in the regular season with a 17-9 record. Unfortunately, he would miss the Eastside Melbourne Spectres’ Grand Final appearance in 1991 due to leaving for the United States to attend Arizona State University.

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE MAGIC
1992 – ONE MAGIC YEAR
At the end of 1991, the South Melbourne Saints were in financial crisis and unable to continue operations. In a landmark move, they merged with cross-town rivals the Eastside Melbourne Spectres to form a new NBL franchise: the South East Melbourne Magic. With the Spectres having come within one game of a championship the previous season, head coach Brian Goorjian was retained to lead the newly formed club. Only two Saints players were carried over—Andrew Parkinson and Andrej Lemanis—joining a proven Spectres core that included Bruce Bolden, Tony Ronaldson, Darren Lucas, Scott Ninnis, and Darren Perry.

To finalise the Magic’s inaugural roster, John Dorge (via Geelong) and import forward Milt Newton were signed. South East Melbourne started the season by winning six of their first seven games. Although Newton (15.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.6 steals) was productive early, the team made a decisive mid-season change by releasing him in favour of former LA Clippers guard Robert Rose. The move supercharged the team, who surged to a 20–4 regular season record and an unbeaten 12–0 home mark.

Ronaldson, who had spent the prior season playing college basketball in Arizona, was a key cog in the Magic’s rotation. The versatile forward averaged 11.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists playing in all 31 games, thriving in Goorjian’s system. Still only 20 years old, Ronaldson was already a dependable contributor, often tasked with guarding larger opponents or spacing the floor as a stretch big. His midrange touch and ability to finish through contact made him a reliable option in the frontcourt alongside Bolden and Dorge.

Goorjian was named NBL Coach of the Year, and after finshing the season on top of the ladder, South East Melbourne stormed through the playoffs, sweeping Canberra in the quarterfinals before then dispatching North Melbourne in two games. That set up a Grand Final showdown against the high-powered Melbourne Tigers, who were led by Andrew Gaze (33.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.3 assists) and explosive import Lanard Copeland (28.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists).

Game 1 of the Grand Final series was a major blow for the Magic. Starting point guard Darren Perry tore his ACL just 11 minutes into the game, sidelining him for the remainder of the series. The Tigers capitalised on the sudden disruption, with Copeland erupting for 34 points and Gaze adding 26 as Melbourne claimed a 116–98 victory. Ronaldson was one of the few bright spots for the Magic, delivering 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 1-of-3 from long range and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. He also contributed 3 rebounds and 1 block in just under 25 minutes, giving the Magic steady minutes while others struggled to adapt to the lineup change.

In Game 2, the Magic bounced back in style. Ronaldson was outstanding off the bench, scoring a season-high 22 points on a hyper-efficient 9-of-13 from the field. He also added 4 rebounds and went 4-of-7 from the free-throw line in 23 minutes of action. His inside presence helped complement the brilliance of Rob Rose (20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists) and Bruce Bolden (22 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 4 blocks), as the Magic cruised to a 115–93 win, evening the series at 1–1.

Game 3 was a tense, physical contest with the championship on the line. Ronaldson again delivered timely production, finishing with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting, including 1-of-2 from three and 3-of-4 from the line. He also chipped in 2 rebounds and a steal in 23 minutes. While Rose (26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks) and Bolden (21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks) led the way, Ronaldson’s ability to stretch the defence and provide tough interior minutes helped the Magic grind out a 95–88 win. The win secured South East Melbourne’s first NBL Championship in their debut season.

Often the glue guy in a frontcourt full of star power, Tony Ronaldson’s poise, shooting touch, and physicality were vital to the Magic’s 1992 success. His Grand Final contributions—48 points across three games on 18-of-34 shooting—reflected both his reliability and ability to rise in pressure moments.

1993
Tony Ronaldson emerged as one of the brightest young stars during South East Melbourne’s title defence. With the Magic returning most of their 1992 championship roster—despite early injury setbacks to starting big man John Dorge (missed 16 games) and point guard Darren Perry who returned mod-season after an ACL tear (missed 10 games)—Ronaldson took on a significantly larger offensive role and delivered a breakout campaign under coach Brian Goorjian.

Ronaldson averaged 20.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks across 30 games—providing consistent scoring and strong all-around play to complement imports Bruce Bolden (21.6 points, 12.6 rebounds) and Robert Rose (18.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 3.0 steals), who would finish the season on the All NBL First Team and win the NBL MVP award.

Ronaldson’s ability to stretch the floor and post-up mismatches became a cornerstone of the Magic’s high-powered offence, as South East Melbourne finished the regular season in second place with a 20–6 record, including a dominant 12–1 mark at Melbourne Park.

The Magic swept seventh-seed Adelaide in the quarterfinals, with Ronaldson maintaining his efficiency and versatility. In the semi-finals, the Magic faced a rematch with their 1992 Grand Final opponents—the Melbourne Tigers—now bolstered by Boomers centre Mark Bradtke.

In Game 1, Ronaldson was one of South East Melbourne’s best performers, scoring 18 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in 44 minutes, shooting 7-of-20 from the field. Despite his efforts, the Magic were outplayed by a red-hot Bradtke (28 points, 15 rebounds), falling 89–72 as the Tigers controlled the glass and tempo.

Game 2 saw Ronaldson contribute 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in 38 minutes, though he struggled from the field (3-of-13). He remained active on the boards and in playmaking, helping the Magic push the game into a high-scoring shootout. Rose led the way with 25 points, while Bolden (14 points, 12 rebounds) and Darren Lucas (19 points) kept the pressure on. However, a 32-point explosion from Lanard Copeland and another dominant showing from Bradtke (21 points, 9 rebounds) saw Melbourne edge out a 108–106 win, ending South East Melbourne’s season in straight sets.

1994
After losing to heated rivals, the Melbourne Tigers head coach Brian Goorjian decided the Magic needed to go younger and chose not to re-sign veteran guards, Darren Perry and Robert Rose, replacing them with younger talent. 18-year-old Sam MacKinnon and Rupert Sapwell, who had just returned from playing college basketball, were added to the roster, and Adonis Jordan, who had led the Kansas Jayhawks to the 1993 NCAA Final Four only six months prior, became the Magic’s sole import.

Jordan would lead the team in scoring (19.9 ppg) and assists (8.2 apg), with Ronaldson (19.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 2.7 apg) and Bruce Bolden (16.5 ppg and 8.9 rpg) doing the damage inside. As the season progressed Sam MacKinnon would deliver one of the greatest seasons ever witnessed in the NBL by a 18-year-old, averaging 5.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 19.2 minutes of game time, enough to earn the league’s Rookie Of The Year Award.

In a interesting nod to the future, due to injury the Magic replaced him with state league star Mike Kelly who would become a major part of the Magic roster in 1997.

South East Melbourne was unbeatable at home all season (11-2) butcould never replicate that on the road, losing half their away games and finishing third on the ladder (18-18).

In the postseason, South East swept Perth in two games to set up a semi-finals matchup against crosstown rival North Melbourne. The Giants delivered a major upset in game one, convincingly defeating the Magic (108-87). In game two, it was much closer. In fact, the game was only decided in the final minute (76-79), and if Adonis Jordan hadn’t missed a three-point heave at the buzzer (many thought he could have made a extra pass to a open David Graham for a better shot), the Magic might have been able to force a third game. Instead, the South East Melbourne’s season came to a end.

1995
Brian Goorjian’s youth movement continued in 1995. After moving on from star import Robert Rose the season prior, veteran big man Bruce Bolden would not be offered a chance to return (he would move on to sign with the Sydney Kings), with his replacement coming in the form of young 7-footer Chris Anstey from the Melbourne Tigers.

Anstey’s move to the Magic was one of huge controversy when Melbourne coach Lindsey Gaze appealed the signing via the NBL tribunal. The NBL decided that Anstey could not leave the Tigers and would have to play for Melbourne as long as the Tigers could match the contract, which they did.

After some extremely creative salary tweaking where Magic CEO Graham McNaney and Goorjian convinced all of the Magic players to sign for less so they could offer Anstey a larger contract (which also fit within the NBL salary cap) that the Tigers couldn’t match. Once Anstey had signed with the Magic, all of the team’s players were reinstated to their previous contracts.

After the Anstey deal was done, the Magic rounded out the roster by adding Nunawading junior Jason Smith, re-signing import Adonis Jordan and pairing him with Richard ‘Scooter’ Barry, son of NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry. Unfortunately, Barry (14.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals) didn’t quite make the impact in the NBL that his father had in the NBA and was shown the door after four games. Goorjian chose to elevate 23-year-old development player Shane Bright (0.3 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists) for the remaining games instead of bringing in another import, aiming to give his young local core of MacKinnon, Anstey and Smith as much playing time as possible.

The Magic went on to finish second on the ladder (18-8), with Tony Ronaldson (21.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.0 steals) leading the team in scoring and Jordan (20.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.8 steals) leading the Magic in assists.

Additionally, 33-year-old big man John Dorge (16.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 3.0 blocks) turned the clock back and delivered a breakout season, leading the league in blocked shots. Dorge’s improved play saw him selected to the All-NBL first team at the end of the season. Ronaldson also averaged 21.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists and backup guard Darren Lucas (9.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals) took home the league’s Best Defensive Player award.

In the postseason, the Magic lost game one of their quarterfinal matchup with the Illawarra (108-113), then returned to Melbourne to win both games two (92-89) and three (93-75). Moving onto the semi-finals, South East Melbourne would face North Melbourne and saw their season end early thanks to losses in both games one (77-98) and game three (92-107).

1996
By 1996, Magic coach Brian Goorjian had succeeded in rebuilding his roster with young Aussie talent like Sam MacKinnon, Chris Anstey and Jason Smith, all under 21 years of age, key contributors on the team. In a move to create more opportunities for his young team, he replaced high-scoring import Adonis Jordan with pass-first point guard Billy McCaffrey (via Vanderbilt) and signed tenacious defender Mike Kelly who was one of the premier players in the state league competition and had a brief cameo with the Magic 1994. Rupert Sapwell was replaced by 18-year-old Frank Drmic, and Goorjian’s veteran core of Ronaldson, John Dorge, Andrew Parkinson, and Darren Lucas returned, believing this was their year to go all the way.

South East Melbourne would deliver a balanced attack with six players averaging double figures in scoring for the season. Tony Ronaldson (18.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists) and new import Billy McCaffrey (17.6 points, 2.8 rebounds 4.7 assists) led the team in scoring, and assists while Anstey (11.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game) delivered a breakout season, doubling his playing time (from 9.6 minutes to 21.3 minutes) and sharing the centre position with Dorge (12.4 points. 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 27.1 minutes). Anstey’s play earning him the Most Improved Player award at season’s end.

This season, the Magic were unstoppable at home, winning 11 from 13 games. The team’s weaknesses, however, seemed to come from its youthful inexperience and learning to win on the road. Case in point, the Magic managed only two away wins during the regular season against playoff team’s.

Once into the Playoffs, the Magic were able to get revenge on the North Melbourne Giants, who had ended their season in 1995. South East Melbourne defeated North Melbourne in game one (96-82), after shutting down Giants star point guard Darryl McDonald (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 turnovers). Veteran Andrew Parkinson (19 points) came off the bench to lead the Magic in scoring, and import duo Billy McCaffrey (18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists) and Mike Kelly (15 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals) delivered all-round efforts and a dominant Chris Anstey (12 points and 7 rebounds) created havoc inside.

In Game two, John Dorge (14 points and 14 rebounds) shut down big man Paul Rees (10 points), who had led the Giants in scoring in the opening matchup (28 points). Tony Ronaldson (25 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks) led the team in scoring, and Kelly (17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) was able to limit the impact from McDonald (17 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists) once again to end the Giants season (87-77). South East Melbourne would face Adelaide in their semi-final matchup, Ronaldson (20 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists) continued to carry the scoring load in game one, but thanks to 36ers athletic forward Leon Trimmingham (23 points and 9 rebounds), the Magic were unable to get it done in the game’s closing moments (86-87). In game two, Ronaldson (11 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists) delivered a all-around performance, while the team’s young stars were the main driving force in the Magic’s game one win (112-81). MacKinnon (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Anstey (14 points and 6 rebounds) kept the scoreboard ticking over, but more importantly, they were able to limit Trimmingham (10 points) to a 3 from 12 shooting night. South East Melbourne and onto a Grand Final matchup with crosstown rival the Melbourne Tigers.

Melbourne was too good in game one (100-89), with Gaze (35 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists) delivering his best game of the series in front of a packed Melbourne crowd. Mark Bradtke (24 points and 15 rebounds) and Lanard Copeland (23 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists) were also brilliant, scoring whenever Gaze didn’t, and the Tigers ‘Big Three’ combining for 82 points.

The Magic would then bounce back and win game two (88-84) in front of a Grand Final record crowd of 15,064 at the National Tennis Centre at Flinders Park, which still stands as Melbourne’s highest-attended NBL game ever. Gaze (21 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists) led the Tigers in scoring in the loss, while the Magic were led by Tony Ronaldson (28 points) and Mike Kelly (19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals). The third and deciding game was held less than 48 hours later, a scenario that benefited the younger legs of the Magic and allowed them to deliver the final blow (107-70). Billy McCaffrey (24 points and 5 assists) and the incredibly efficient performances from Sam MacKinnon (18 points and 9 rebounds), who shot 9/10 from the field, and John Dorge (16 points and 8 rebounds) who made 8 of his 11 shots saw South East Melbourne’s field goal percentage be the game’s deciding factor. The Tigers made only 23 of 60 shots (38%) compared to the Magic, hitting 46 of their 85 shots (54%) in the 30-point blowout.

The 1996 NBL Grand Final series drew a aggregate attendance record of 43,605 (average 14,535), the largest crowd ever for a three-game NBL series. Magic guard Mike Kelly was awarded the Finals MVP award after averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.3 steals across the three-game series.

1997
After winning the championship in 1996, the Magic returned the majority of their roster for the 1997 season, the only major changes being import Brian Tolbert replacing the exiting Billy McCaffrey and 18-year-old Frank Drmic replacing a retiring Darren Lucas. The changes didn’t seem to impact the Magic’s winning ways, with the team finishing the year on top of the NBL ladder with the best record in franchise record (22-8).

The team delivered a balanced scoring attack again, with five players averaging double figures and only four points separating the team’s leading scorer from its fifth-leading scorer. Leading the way in points per game was Ronaldson (16.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists), closely followed by young stars Sam MacKinnon (15.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists) and Chris Anstey (13.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and a team-leading 1.6 steals and 1.8 blocks). At the end of the season, veteran Mike Kelly (12.6 points) was named the NBL’s Best Defensive Player, and Brian Goorjian took home the Coach of the Year trophy.

Finishing first on the ladder saw the Magic earn a first-round bye in the playoffs before facing the fourth-placed Perth Wildcats, who had eliminated Brisbane in the elimination finals. In game one, Chris Anstey (19 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 steals) and Tony Ronaldson (18 points) led the Magic to victory in Perth (92-82). With game two being in Melbourne, the Magic upped their defensive intensity, shutting down the Wildcat’s to win by 27 points (96-69), with Sam MacKinnon (21 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists) leading the way on the scoreboard.

The Magic returned to the NBL Grand Final with a rematch against the Tigers set to determine this year’s champions. This Melbourne squad, however, was no ordinary team. After a slow start (6 wins and 5 losses), once the team replaced import Jarvis Lang with Marcus Timmons mid-way through the season, the Tigers made history this season, recording a franchise record of 13 consecutive wins during the regular season, which they had extended to 15 by the time they met the Magic in the Grand Final. Behind big games from Lanard Copeland (29 points and 4 rebounds), Marcus Timmons (24 points and 9 rebounds), and Andrew Gaze (23 points, 9 assists), the Tigers blew the Magic off the court to the tune of 37 points in the opening game (111-74), while shutting down Anstey (6 points) on the offensive end.

Goorjian knew the game plan had to change, and in game two, the Magic surprised the Tigers behind a much more physical game, with veteran John Dorge selected to start instead of Anstey. Moving Anstey (21 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 33 minutes) to the bench, he delivered the best postseason of his career, getting the Magic the win (84-78) and ending the Tigers’ consecutive win streak at 17.

For the second straight year, Melbourne and South East Melbourne would face off in a third game to decide the championship. Midway through the opening term of game three, the scores were tied, but after the Tigers frontcourt were able to limit Anstey (8 points) and pull out a offensive Tigers run in the second quarter, the game was all but over at half-time. The Tigers never looked back, claiming the team’s second NBL championship (93-83).

Ronaldson (26 points) led the Magic in scoring, while Copeland (26 points) was the top scorer for the victors. Copeland was named Finals MVP after averaging 27.6 points and 3.3 rebounds (56% shooting) over the three game series, yet it was blue-collar Tigers forward Warrick Giddey who the Melbourne Tigers deemed the deciding factor in the game three victory. Giddey recorded zero points, four rebounds, three assists and one block, and if you hadn’t seen the game, you’d probably question why he even bothered showing up. But Giddey delivered three crucial plays in the series’ closing moments that turned the tide. Firstly a hard foul on Sam MacKinnon, which broke the Magic star’s nose. The second was a huge block on Frank Drmic, and finally, a mid-court screen on Mike Kelly that came close to knocking him out of his shoes.

A great Australian sporting rivalry!! pic.twitter.com/qVrlKwROkN— RANDOM HOOPS (@HoopsRandom) March 21, 2023

1998
After falling short in the grand final, South East Melbourne coach Brian Goorjian looked to rekindle some of the ‘Magic’and replace import guard Brian Tolbert with Billy McCaffrey, who led the Magic to the 1996 championship. Goorjian also blossoming big man Brett Wheeler (via Adelaide) to the squad as a replacement for the NBA departure of Chris Anstey.

The team would win their first six games in a row before a loss to Brisbane that also saw the team release McCaffrey (10.3 points and 2.9 assists) after realising he was not quite the same player as he was in 1996. Former NBA guard Clinton McDaniel (17.4 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.7 steals) would replace him and go on to lead the league in steals.

Tony Ronaldson (18.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists), led the team in scoring for the fourth season in row while 20-year-old Frank Drmic (14.4 points and 6.6 rebounds) had a breakout season, gaining the attention of NBA scouts. The Magic would finish in first place (26-4) during the regular season, recording the third best win/loss record of all-time behind Adelaide (24-2) in 1986 and Geelong (21-2) in 1984). As a result, Brian Goorjian took home his third Coach of the Year award and Mike Kelly was named the defensive player of the year for the second straight season.

The Magic received a first-round bye thanks to finishing in first place, then faced off against Brisbane in the semi-finals.

The Magic would swiftly eliminate the Steve Woodberry led Bullets in two straight games to reach the NBL Grand Final for the third season in a row, this time going head to head with the Adelaide 36ers.

In game one of the Grand Final series, second seed Adelaide (19-11) delivered the initial blow (100-93) on the back of first-year import Kevin Brooks (24 points and 8 rebounds). Amazingly, game one of the Grand Final was only the second time the 36ers had defeated the Magic since the Eastside Melbourne Spectres and Southern Melbourne Saints had merged to form the Magic in 1992.

The 36ers, who had started the season off slowly, had really found their form come the Grand Final and, in game two, obliterated the Magic, who at that point had lost only one home game for the season, at Melbourne Park 90-62. The 36ers held the Magic to less than 15 points in three of the game’s quarters. Brooks (21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks) and Martin Cattalini (20 points and 6 rebounds) were brilliant for the 36ers in a game decided by turnovers and free throws, with South East Melbourne finishing with 26 turnovers and 6 of 8 from the free throw line to Adelaide’s 14 turnovers and 25 of 33 from the stripe.

The win saw Adelaide capture their first NBL championship since 1986 with Kevin Brooks being named Grand Final MVP in what was to be the last NBL season played during the winter months. This season also saw the end of the South East Melbourne Magic, who merged with the North Melbourne Giants the following year to become the Victoria Titans.