BIO: Aaron Grabau was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Dandenong basketball program.

Grabau is a icon of basketball in Cairns, having played more than 12 seasons in the NBL with the Taipans, including in their inaugural game in 1999 but he played over a decade in Queensland’s state league and retired as retired as one of the most dominant players in Queensland basketball history.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Aaron Grabau made his NBL debut with the Geelong Supercats at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

1996 marked a season of transition for the Geelong Supercats, with Ian Stacker replacing Jim Calvin as head coach and a roster shake-up that saw the addition of Rupert Sapwell (via South East Melbourne) and Matt Scalzi (via Adelaide), replacing outgoing players David Graham and Justin Cass. Ray Owes (replacing Jeff Arnold) headlined the new arrivals and was joined by returning import Joey Wright, who was injured after two games and replaced by prolific scorer Orlando Williams.

Development guard Aaron Grabau appeared in 11 games during his debut NBL season, averaging (0.5 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.2 assists). Used sparingly off the bench, his most active outing came on July 27 against Wollongong, where he played nearly 13 minutes and scored 3 points (1-of-3 FG, 1-of-2 FT) with a block. He also registered 2 points from the free throw line in a brief appearance against the Magic on June 7. Grabau provided hustle minutes across multiple fixtures, including 8:34 of floor time versus the Cannons on August 10 and 6:33 in Canberra on May 24, where he added a steal.

He featured in Geelong’s final NBL game on September 28—a 100–94 loss to the Sydney Kings—logging 4:30 in limited action. Despite limited statistical output, the season provided Grabau with valuable top-tier experience as part of a squad that included Ray Owes (22.2 points, 14.0 rebounds), Simon Kerle (17.0 points, 5.2 assists), Orlando Williams (23.5 points), and Rupert Sapwell (11.7 points, 6.3 rebounds).

Owes was named to the All-NBL First Team and delivered a historic 40-point, 22-rebound effort in a 119–116 loss to Townsville on August 24, supported by 32 points from Williams and 24 from Kerle. The following night, Geelong registered their final NBL win—defeating the Gold Coast Rollers 131–93—behind Owes (33 points, 26 rebounds) and Williams (32 points, 7 assists).

Geelong concluded the season 13th with a 6–20 record and relinquished their NBL licence after the season due to financial pressures and league restructuring.

Grabau would retire from the NBL at the end of the 2012/13 season, finishing his career first all-time for the Taipans in games played, rebounds, and steals as well as finishing second in points.

CARINS TAIPANS
1999/00
After making his NBL debut with the Geelong Supercats in 1996, Aaron Grabau spent the following seasons playing in Queensland’s state league, winning the QBL Youth Player of the Year award with Mackay in 1997 before joining the Cairns Marlins in 1998. There, he helped the Marlins win both the QBL championship and the ABA National Championship, defeating Frankston 88-74 in the national final. When Cairns entered the NBL in 1999/00, Grabau became one of the local players selected for the Taipans’ inaugural roster. Head coach Rod Popp and captain Terry Johnson led a squad featuring imports Ricky Robinson and Rashamel Jones, former NBL veteran Andre Moore, who had gained Australian citizenship in 1999, Grant Kruger (via Townsville) and several players with strong ties to Queensland basketball.

Cairns made its NBL debut against the Melbourne Tigers at Melbourne Park on October 2, with Grabau contributing five points, two rebounds and one steal in 21 minutes. Robinson led the Taipans with 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists, while Johnson added 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Melbourne was led by Andrew Gaze, who recorded 33 points, five rebounds and 10 assists, as the Tigers comfortably defeated Cairns 98-71.

Grabau (7.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals across 28 games) immediately became a regular part of the Taipans’ rotation, with his defensive effort and rebounding providing a foundation for a young club adjusting to the NBL. The team’s main offensive production came from Robinson (18.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals across 13 games), Johnson (16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals across 23 games) and Jones (17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals across 25 games). The jump from the Queensland state league proved difficult, with Cairns facing established NBL teams possessing greater experience and more developed playing systems.

The Taipans played their first home game at the Cairns Convention Centre on October 12, losing 104-78 to the Sydney Kings. Grabau finished with eight points, three rebounds, one assist and two steals, shooting 3-of-6 from the field. Robinson led Cairns with 25 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Johnson added 23 points. Sydney was led by Matthew Nielsen, who recorded 21 points, five rebounds and two assists, as the Kings spoiled the club’s first home appearance.

On October 30, Grabau took part in the first Reptile Rumble against North Queensland rivals Townsville at the Cairns Convention Centre. He contributed four points, four rebounds and two steals, with Robinson recording 18 points, four rebounds and three assists and Jones adding 17 points and seven rebounds. The Crocodiles dominated behind Andrew Goodwin, who scored 26 points, five rebounds and six assists, as Townsville won 103-75, handing Cairns its heaviest defeat of the season to that point.

Grabau delivered his best overall performance of the season against the Canberra Cannons at the AIS Arena on November 6, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks. He shot 3-of-5 from the field, made his only three-point attempt and connected on 4-of-5 free throws. Robinson led the Taipans with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Matthew Shanahan added 15 points and seven assists. Canberra was led by Randy Rutherford, who exploded for 36 points, four rebounds and four assists, shooting 13-of-20 from the field and connecting on four three-pointers. The Cannons defeated Cairns 98-79, extending the Taipans’ losing streak to seven games.

The Taipans finally recorded their first victory in franchise history on November 13, defeating the Sydney Kings 99-86 at the Cairns Convention Centre. Grabau contributed six points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals, providing defensive support as Johnson led Cairns with 30 points and Robinson delivered his highest-scoring performance of the season with 27 points, 14 rebounds and three assists. Sydney guard Drew Barry finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, but the result ended Cairns’ winless start and gave the club its first significant milestone in the national competition.

On December 3, Grabau produced one of his two highest-scoring games of the season in a narrow home defeat against the Brisbane Bullets. He recorded 14 points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block, shooting 5-of-8 from the field and making both of his three-point attempts. Johnson led Cairns with 22 points, while Robinson added 18 points, 16 rebounds and six assists. Brisbane was led by former Newcastle guard Rod Johnson, who scored 20 points and connected on all three of his three-point attempts, as the Bullets escaped with a 79-78 victory.

The Taipans underwent a change to their import rotation during December, with Robinson making his final NBL appearance against the Adelaide 36ers on December 18. Grabau contributed 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block, while Jones led Cairns with 26 points, four rebounds and three steals, connecting on five three-pointers. Robinson added 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists, but Adelaide’s Martin Cattalini scored 26 points and four rebounds as the 36ers claimed a 98-89 victory. Robinson was released after his final NBL game on December 18 and was replaced by Al Hamilton (17.2 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals across 12 games).

Cairns returned to Brisbane on December 27, where Grabau played an important role in securing the club’s first-ever road victory. He finished with nine points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks, including six offensive rebounds, in 40 minutes of action. Jones led the Taipans with 25 points and seven rebounds, while Moore contributed 16 points and 14 rebounds. Simon Kerle led Brisbane with 18 points and four rebounds, but Cairns held on for an 84-79 victory, its second win of the season and another milestone for the expansion club.

Hamilton made his first appearance for Cairns on January 7 against the West Sydney Razorbacks. Grabau recorded three points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block, while Grant Kruger led the Taipans with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists and Hamilton contributed 17 points and eight rebounds in his debut. West Sydney was led by Stephen Hoare, who scored 18 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting from the field, as the Razorbacks won 94-67 at the Cairns Convention Centre.

On January 21, Grabau equalled his season-high of 14 points against the Wollongong Hawks at the WIN Entertainment Centre. He added four rebounds, three assists and one steal, shooting 6-of-11 from the field and connecting on two three-pointers. Johnson led Cairns with 26 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Hamilton added 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Wollongong’s Melvin Thomas dominated inside with 26 points, 13 rebounds and three steals, as the Hawks defeated Cairns 94-86.

The Taipans continued to struggle through the second half of the season, although Moore (7.9 points and 5.4 rebounds across 27 games) provided experience and rebounding support alongside Hamilton. Kruger (6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds across 28 games) and Grabau were the only players to appear in all 28 regular-season games, with both becoming important members of the club’s inaugural rotation. Nik Mirich (4.4 points and 3.9 rebounds across 24 games), Aaron Fearne (5.0 points across 13 games) and Shanahan (4.3 points across 22 games) also provided support. Cairns’ inaugural season was proving a steep learning curve, and Grabau would later recall the early months as a crash course in resilience, with the successful approach used by the Marlins in the state league proving difficult to translate to NBL competition.

On February 18, Cairns travelled to Melbourne to face the Victoria Giants, where Jones produced his highest-scoring performance of the season. Grabau finished with four points, three rebounds, two assists and three blocks, while Jones exploded for 34 points and five rebounds and Hamilton contributed 18 points, eight rebounds and four steals. The Giants were led by Darryl McDonald, who scored 27 points, as Victoria defeated Cairns 103-87.

The Taipans finished their inaugural regular season in last place with a 2-26 record, missing the playoffs after losing their final 13 games. Their season ended against North Queensland rivals Townsville at the Cairns Convention Centre on March 10, where Grabau went scoreless in 11 minutes but recorded one rebound, one assist, one steal and one block. Jones led Cairns with 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Moore added 17 points and 14 rebounds and Hamilton contributed 16 points, 15 rebounds and four assists. Townsville was led by Andrew Goodwin, who finished with 21 points, three rebounds and six assists, as the Crocodiles defeated Cairns 99-87 to close the Taipans’ inaugural NBL campaign.

2000/01
After finishing their inaugural NBL season in last place with a 2-26 record, the Cairns Taipans entered 2000/01 looking to establish themselves under returning head coach Rod Popp. Terry Johnson, Rashamel Jones, Ricky Robinson, Al Hamilton and Grant Kruger departed, while Cairns strengthened its roster with Anthony Stewart (via Perth), Ben Knight (via Townsville), Aaron Trahair and several new imports. Aaron Grabau returned alongside Andre Moore, Jamie Pearlman, Nik Mirich and Aaron Fearne as the Taipans looked to improve on a difficult opening season.

Cairns opened the season against North Queensland rivals Townsville at the Townsville Entertainment Centre on October 21, where the Crocodiles recorded a convincing 120-85 victory. Robert Rose (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists) helped control the contest for Townsville as the Taipans began their second NBL campaign with another defeat.

Grabau (5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds across 28 games) remained a regular part of Cairns’ rotation, although his playing time declined from 34.4 minutes per game during the inaugural season to 24.4 minutes. His scoring and rebounding averages also fell, but he improved his outside shooting from 23 percent to 38 percent and continued to contribute through his defensive work. The reshaped lineup provided Cairns with significantly more offensive options, allowing Grabau to play a smaller role in the team’s scoring.

On December 8, Cairns travelled to the State Sports Centre to face the West Sydney Razorbacks, where Grabau (5 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) contributed as the Taipans recorded a 101-93 victory. Trahair (28 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Stewart (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Cairns, while Jason Singleton (21 points and 4 rebounds) and John Rillie (19 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists) were West Sydney’s leading performers.

Trahair (19.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists across 28 games) became Cairns’ leading scorer and playmaker, while Stewart (19.1 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists across 28 games) provided experienced backcourt leadership. Knight (18.9 points and 10.1 rebounds across 28 games) enjoyed a breakout season after joining from Townsville, more than doubling his scoring output from the previous year and earning All-NBL Third Team honours. Moore (5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds across 27 games), Pearlman (6.1 points across 28 games), Mirich (5.4 points and 3.8 rebounds across 25 games) and Fearne (2 points across 25 games) provided further support, while Kenny Payne, Dewey Michaels, Gerald Zimmerman and Tony Rampton featured during different stages of the campaign.

Stewart’s arrival also had an important influence on Grabau away from games. Having won championships with Perth, Stewart brought a greater understanding of the preparation and discipline required to succeed in the NBL. Grabau later recalled spending time shooting with Stewart after training, often working through hundreds of made shots while learning from his experience. His defensive contributions were recognised at the Taipans’ club awards, where he was named Cairns’ Best Defensive Player. Trahair and Knight shared the club’s Most Valuable Player award, while Stewart received the Coaches Award.

Although the Taipans continued to struggle against the league’s established teams, they improved from two victories during their inaugural season to finish ninth with a 6-22 record. Cairns closed its season against eventual champion Wollongong at the Cairns Convention Centre on March 31, where Melvin Thomas (32 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists) led the Hawks to a 104-101 victory, ending the Taipans’ season and leaving them outside the playoffs for a second consecutive year.

Aaron Grabau played fifteen seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Cairns Taipans and the Geelong Supercats. He averaged 6.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 418 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:

– 44th in total games played.