NICKNAME/S: Peach

BIO: Anthony Petrie was born in Tenterfield (NSW) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Tenterfield basketball program. He attended Sir Henry Parkes Memorial Primary School and Tenterfield High School, graduating in 2000. He is married and has 3 daughters and 1 son. One of his daughters Emma has stepped in her fathers footpath and plays basketball as well.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Anthony Petrie made his NBL debut with the West Sydney Razorbacks at 24 years of age. He scored 12 points in his first game.

By the 2007/08 season, the West Sydney Razorbacks were facing severe financial difficulties. Under new ownership, the team opted not to re-sign coach Cal Bruton, who had taken the reins mid-season previously, and instead appointed Rob Beveridge, a young, untested coach with experience leading the junior men’s national team. Due to financial instability, the Razorbacks lost key players, with top scorer James Harvey and long-time team member Scott McGregor both signing with the Gold Coast. In response, Beveridge recruited former junior players Damian Martin and Matthew Knight, both University of Loyola Marymount alumni. Liam Rush was named team captain, and imports Darnell Hinson and Troy De Vries were added to bolster the roster.

A pre-season injury to Damian Martin forced him to miss the first half of the season, shifting much of the offensive load onto Hinson (20.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.1 steals) and De Vries (16.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists), who both had to step up in ball-handling and scoring responsibilities.

Despite a largely inexperienced roster, the Razorbacks had some standout performances that led to memorable wins, like their victory over the South Dragons (116-106), where De Vries scored 31 points, Hinson 26, and Knight added 23 points and 14 rebounds. In back-to-back wins, Hinson shone with 32 points and 8 rebounds against Gold Coast and then scored 31 points against the Cairns Taipans. However, consistency remained a challenge for the young team.

The promising frontcourt duo of Knight (12.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists) and Julian Khazzouh (11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) helped the team double their win total from the previous season, moving from 5 to 10 victories. Anthony Petrie also impressed in his rookie season, appearing in 28 games and averaging 9.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists.

WOLLONGONG HAWKS
2008/09
The following season, the Wollongong Hawks saw the return of star forward Glen Saville after a brief stint with the Sydney Kings, who had financially collapsed and left the league. Alongside Saville, the Hawks added new players Anthony Petrie, Rhys Martin, and Dusty Rychart, as other key players like Cam Rigby, Aaron Trahair, and Ben Castle exited the team.

Saville delivered an outstanding season, averaging 15.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks, ranking him fourth in defensive rebounds, tenth in total rebounds, and fifth in steals league-wide. New addition Rychart (15.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists) led the team in scoring, while the reshuffled lineup impacted others, including Mat Campbell (9.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists), Lindsay Tait (8.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists), and Larry Davidson (6.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks), who each saw declines in scoring by 3-4 points per game, impacting the team’s ability to compete offensively against stronger teams.

Petrie’s contributions (12.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) provided valuable support, but the Hawks ultimately struggled and finished in seventh place with an 11-19 record.

GOLD COAST BLAZE
2009/10
In 2009/10, Anthony Petrie joined the Gold Coast Blaze, where he averaged 11.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists, playing a pivotal role in helping the Blaze to a strong third-place finish in the regular season with a 16-12 record.

2010/11
In the 2010/11 season, Anthony Petrie delivered a strong performance for the Gold Coast Blaze, averaging 15 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. His efforts on both ends of the court were vital in helping the Blaze secure a sixth-place finish with a 13-15 record.

2011/12
In 2011/12, Petrie continued to be an integral part of the Blaze squad, averaging 10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. His steady contributions supported the team’s successful campaign, leading them to a strong third-place finish with a 17-11 record. Petrie’s experience and consistent play proved essential as the Blaze made a significant impact in the regular season standings.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2012/13
Adelaide approached the 2012/13 NBL season with a renewed focus on developing homegrown talent. After the Gold Coast Blaze folded, the 36ers moved quickly to secure Adam Gibson, Anthony Petrie, and Jason Cadee on multi-year contracts. The team also welcomed back Luke Schenscher (via Townsville) for his second stint with the club. Returning players Daniel Johnson, Mitch Creek, Nathan Crosswell, and Stephen Weigh provided a measure of continuity. In a notable shift in strategy, the team opted to use just one import slot, awarding it to state league standout CJ Massingale. Departures included Adam Ballinger (to Melbourne), Everard Bartlett (to Perth), imports Chris Warren and Diamon Simpson, while veterans Darren Ng, Nathan Herbert, and Wade Helliwell all stepped away from the game.

The season began with promise as Adelaide thrashed Melbourne 84–61 in their opener. By Round 7, a narrow 69–65 win in Perth had them sitting at 4–3 and in third place on the ladder. However, that early momentum quickly disappeared.

Daniel Johnson (16.2 points and 8.1 rebounds) led the team in scoring and finished as the NBL’s top rebounder, further establishing himself as the centrepiece of the franchise. Playing in all 28 games, Johnson provided consistent production on both ends of the floor. Unfortunately, his efforts weren’t enough to prevent the 36ers from enduring another collapse, with the club going 4–17 over the remainder of the schedule, including a second consecutive eight-game losing streak.

The loss of emerging star Mitch Creek (5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds) to a season-ending Achilles injury against Townsville on December 15 proved a major setback. Creek’s athleticism and defensive energy had made him a fan favourite and a key piece of the team’s future.

Massingale (4.1 points) was cut mid-season after failing to make an impact and was replaced by American guard Scott Christopherson (2.9 points and 2.0 rebounds), who arrived from Belarusian club Tsmoki-Minsk. Christopherson never found his footing in Marty Clarke’s rotation and saw minimal action. He would later be dubbed the worst import in club history by journalist Boti Nagy.

The 36ers dropped their final four games to close the season with an 8–20 record—identical to the previous year—and finished in last place for the second straight campaign. Head coach Marty Clarke was not reappointed, and the team made a statement by hiring former championship-winning coach Joey Wright to lead them forward.

Johnson was named to the All-NBL Second Team for his standout play, while Gibson (11.6 points, 4.9 assists, and 3.6 rebounds) earned All-NBL Third Team honours. Petrie (11.4 points and 5.8 rebounds), Weigh (10.6 points and 5.9 rebounds), and Schenscher (9 points and 6.1 rebounds) anchored the frontcourt rotation, and Cadee (7.5 points and 2.5 assists) paired with Crosswell (3.1 points and 1.7 assists) to manage the backcourt.

Adelaide missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season and coach Marty Clarke was not re-signed, with the 36ers hiring Petrie’s former Gold Coast coach Joey Wright as his replacement.

2013/14
In 2013, the Adelaide 36ers appointed championship-winning coach Joey Wright, tasked with reviving the club after consecutive wooden spoons. Departing from the previous year’s roster were Stephen Weigh (to Cairns) and veteran Nathan Crosswell (retired). Wright retained a strong domestic core, including key returning players Daniel Johnson, Adam Gibson, Jason Cadee, and Anthony Petrie, along with Mitch Creek and Luke Schenscher, both returning from injury. Significant off-season additions were former league MVP Gary Ervin (via Townsville), import forward Jarrid Frye (via Iceland), and New Zealand forward BJ Anthony.

Adelaide began the season strongly, quickly ascending the ladder to second place with a 7–2 record after Round 7. Highlights of this period included back-to-back road wins over the three-time defending champion New Zealand Breakers—their first victories in Auckland since 2009—and a home win over the previously undefeated Perth Wildcats (91–86), played before a crowd of 6,585, the largest since Brett Maher’s farewell game in 2009. By December, the 36ers had already surpassed their previous season’s win total, holding a 9–4 record.

Anthony Petrie (10.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) provided consistent contributions and critical leadership throughout the season. Petrie’s standout performances included grabbing 13 rebounds in a dominant home win against the Breakers (99–73) on January 4, anchoring the team defensively and providing second-chance opportunities. On February 14, despite Adelaide’s tough road loss to Perth (85–61), Petrie led the team offensively with 15 points, demonstrating his ability to step up in challenging matchups.

In February, import Jarrid Frye (8.2 points and 4.4 rebounds) was released due to injury and inconsistent form. Local guard Rhys Carter (6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists), returning from a stint in Sweden, replaced him for the final 14 regular-season games. The 36ers finished strongly, securing second place with an 18–10 record.

Adelaide faced Melbourne in the semi-finals, opening the series with a commanding 101–85 home victory, led by Ervin (27 points and 7 assists). Melbourne evened the series 1–1 in Game 2 behind Chris Goulding’s 37 points. Despite Ervin’s suspension for Game 3 due to a kneeing incident with Goulding, Adelaide dominated Melbourne (102–63) to reach the Grand Final series. The 36ers’ defence held Melbourne to 27 first-half points, winning each quarter convincingly.

The Grand Final pitted Adelaide against the top-seeded Perth Wildcats.

Game 1 went to Perth (92–85), with James Ennis (30 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists) starring. Anthony Petrie was Adelaide’s standout, leading the 36ers with 20 points (6-of-11 FG, 2-of-3 3PT, and 6-of-6 FT), adding 4 rebounds. Despite Petrie’s determined effort, limited support from fellow starters hindered Adelaide’s ability to secure a win.

Adelaide responded strongly in Game 2, winning 89–84 in front of a season-high crowd of 8,127, with Ervin (23 points) and Gibson (18 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists) playing key roles. Petrie again delivered a steady presence, finishing with 9 points and a team-high 7 rebounds, helping the 36ers tie the series.

In the deciding Game 3, Perth dominated with a 93–59 victory, led by Damian Martin’s defensive mastery, limiting Ervin to just 4 points while contributing 14 points and 6 rebounds himself. Petrie battled hard, recording 14 points (6-of-9 FG), 6 rebounds, and 1 block, again showcasing his reliability under pressure. However, the Wildcats proved too strong, securing their sixth NBL championship.

Anthony Petrie was honoured with the club’s Best Team Mate award, recognising his influential leadership, team-first mindset, and consistent on-court performance. Daniel Johnson (19.2 points and 6.8 rebounds) earned his third consecutive club MVP and All-NBL First Team honours, while Gary Ervin (16.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists) played a critical role in Adelaide’s resurgence. Additional key contributors included Adam Gibson (12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists), Mitch Creek (7.7 points and 3.8 rebounds), and Luke Schenscher (6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds). Adelaide’s turnaround from wooden spooners to Grand Finalists marked a significant new era under Wright’s leadership, with Petrie’s contributions central to the team’s success.

2014/15
In a bid to strengthen their backcourt, the 36ers parted ways with Gary Ervin (to Wollongong), Jason Cadee (to Sydney), and Rhys Carter (to Europe), signing import guards Jamar Wilson (via Cairns) and Daequon Montreal (via Europe). Rising star Brock Motum, a member of the national team, joined the team, expected to be a central offensive player.

Wilson (20 points, 5 rebounds, 3.1 assists) led the team in scoring and was twice named NBL Player of the Week, first after scoring 22 points against Melbourne (Jan 10) and then after a 25-point game against Townsville (Feb 1). Motum (17.5 points, 7.1 rebounds) topped the rebounding charts for the team, while Creek (11.2 points, 4.4 rebounds) continued to improve, becoming the team’s third-leading scorer. Petrie also contributed, averaging 10.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.

The 36ers finished the season in third place (17-11) but were swept in the semifinals by the eventual champions, the New Zealand Breakers. Wilson’s strong season earned him the Mark Davis Trophy (club MVP) and All-NBL Second Team honours.

Anthony Petrie played eleven seasons across five NBL teams. This included the West Sydney Razorbacks, Gold Coast Blaze, Wollongong Hawks, Adelaide 36ers and Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 10.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 268 NBL games.