The Rise and Fall of the West Sydney Razorbacks with Mark Watkins
February 17, 2025
Gordie Mcleod
- Nationality: AUS
- Date of Birth: 7/11/56
- Place of Birth: Wollongong (NSW)
- Position: PG
- Height (CM): 173
- Weight (KG): 70
- Junior Assoc: NSW - Illawarra
- College: None
- NBL DEBUT: 3/03/79
- AGE AT DEBUT: 22
- LAST NBL GAME: 2/08/91
- AGE AT LAST GAME: 34
- NBL History: Illawarra 1979-82, 1984-88 | Sydney 1983 | Hobart 1989 | Brisbane 1991
- Championships: 0
- None
BIO: Gordie Mcleod was born in Wollongong (NSW) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Illawarra basketball program.
NBL EXPERIENCE
Gordie Mcleod made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 22 years of age. He scored 14 points in his first game.
When the NBL was launched in 1979, Illawarra entered the competition with a roster primarily made up of players local to Wollongong, including McLeod (10.1 ppg). US import Jim Slacke (23.8 ppg) led the Hawks in scoring and Bob Kubbinga (8.1 ppg) was appointed as the Hawk’s first team captain. Illawarra managed 5 wins, 13 losses during the inaugural season of the NBL, finishing eighth out of ten team’s.
To crown the first champions of the national league, the first and second team’s would play off in a single game Grand Final clash. This saw St Kilda (1st) defeating Canberra (2nd), 94–93, to become the league’s first champions.
1980
In 1980, Adrian Hurley took over from Joe Farrugia as head coach of the Hawks and Gordie McLeod (13.0 ppg), who also played with the Boomers at the Moscow Olympics this year, would take over from Bob Kubbinga (4.7 ppg) as team captain. McLeod (13 ppg) played a key role in the Hawks rotation, as the Hawks went 13-9 after going 5-13 the year before, recording their first winning season and finishing in sixth place. US born star Jim Slacke (22.6 ppg) would lead the team in scoring for the second year in a row, as well as record the league’s highest free-throw shooting percentage (68/78).
1981
The biggest off-season move by the Hawks in 1981 was the decision to move into their new home venue, Beaton Park Stadium, commonly known as ‘The Snakepit.’
Joey Farrugia, who coached the team during the Hawks’ inaugural season, was reappointed as head coach. The team saw Kevin Becker, Ted Holcomb, and Bob Kubbinga leave, while new imports Michael Jones and Benny Lewis were added. Local talent, 17-year-old rookie Tim Morrissey, also joined the roster, tipped by many to be a future star in the league. Returning players Ray Hannett, Jim Slacke, and captain Gordie McLeod filled out the team’s starting five.
The Hawks’ biggest game in 1981 was perhaps before the season even started when they defeated European powerhouse Partizan in an exhibition game. Riding off a strong preseason, the Hawks’ season began poorly with a 20-point loss to Newcastle (73-93). Although they managed to bounce back with a win against the City of Sydney (92-80), the Hawks struggled to maintain momentum, dropping four straight games between Rounds 3 and 5, including their worst loss of the season to West Adelaide (66-104).
The Hawks were led by Michael Jones (30.5 points), one of the first legitimate big men in the league. Jones’s scoring ability had never been seen from a centre before, as he led the league in scoring and free throw percentage (87.6%) before being voted as the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Their best win came in Round 12 when they upset West Adelaide (108-91), a team that finished the season in the top three. While the Hawks were formidable in their new home (8-3), their away form was disappointing, managing only one win out of ten road games.
Benny Lewis (20.5 points), Jim Slacke (12.7 points), Ray Hannett (8.4 points), and Gordie McLeod (7.5 points) delivered solid seasons, but the Hawks’ inconsistent form, particularly in away games, saw them miss out on a postseason berth.
Illawarra closed the season strongly with a victory over Bankstown (98-86), but despite a few notable wins, their inconsistencies, particularly on the road, resulted in them finishing eighth during the regular season (9-13).
1982
In 1982, Illawarra returned with much of their roster intact, missing only import Benny Lewis and Alan Yates. The Hawks added import Alonzo Weatherly to replace Lewis and were able to retain last season’s MVP, Michael Jones.
The Hawks faced a season of inconsistency. They performed strongly at home, posting an 8-5 record at Beaton Park Stadium, showcasing their ability to defend their home court effectively. Their season opener was a highlight, securing a victory over Launceston Casino City (98-91). However, road games proved to be a stumbling block, as they managed only three wins from thirteen matches away. The lack of consistency on the road, combined with narrow defeats such as the loss to Adelaide City (87-88), highlighted their struggles to close out tight contests.
The Hawks were led by team captain Gordie McLeod (10.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists) on the court, while U.S. talent Michael Jones (23.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists), Alonzo Weatherly (23.7 points and 9.2 rebounds) and Jim Slacke (16.8 points and 5.0 rebounds) provided the offensive firepower.
Throughout the season, the Hawks experienced both promising moments and challenging stretches. They had notable home victories, demonstrating their potential as a competitive team, but also faced tough losses, including a defeat to Brisbane (99-105). These mixed results were emblematic of the team’s difficulties in maintaining momentum, especially when playing away from home.
Ultimately, the Hawks concluded the season in ninth place with an 11-15 record.
SYDNEY SUPERSONICS
1983
1983 saw the City of Sydney Astronauts became the Sydney SuperSonics, and the legendary American import Owen Wells signed on as player-coach. The team added Gordie McLeod (9.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists) from the Illawarra Hawks and import Ronnie Cavenall (15 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks) to pair with Wells (24.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists), who would finish the 1983 season by winning the Most Valuable Player award. Together they led Sydney to a record-breaking 16-game winning streak and finished in first-place during the regular season with a 19-3 record.
In 1983, the NBL Finals were played in unusual circumstances. As a cost-cutting measure, the NBL decided to play two divisional finals, a three-game round-robin tournament for the top eight team’s which strangely saw the league’s two best team’s excluded from the NBL playoffs.
The three-game round robin tournament resulted in the first placed team in the Western Divison (Sydney) and the first place team in the Eastern Division (Geelong) being eliminated from a playoff spot due to finishing the three game round robin tournament with 2 wins and 1 loss, a equal record to two other team’s who progressed through based on points percentage.
The semi finals then saw reigning champions West Adelaide defeat Nunawading 84-77 and Canberra eliminated Coburg 80-75 in the semifinals. Canberra go on to become champions, defeating Loggins and West Adelaide 75-73 in the grand final game.
The Supersonics didn’t decide to bring Cavenall which saw him return to the US and later become the first player to go from the NBL to the NBA.
ILLAWARRA HAWKS
1984
After a one season stint with the Sydney Supersonics, McLeod returned to the Hawks in 1984. McLeod would regain the club captaincy from import Michael Jones who would not return for a third season, the club instead replacing him with big man David Mcguire (16 points, 9 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks).
10 games into the season it was felt Mcguire wasn’t the right fit for the Hawks and he was replaced by Marlon Redmond (29.1 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.6 steals) who would lead the Hawks in scoring over the last 15 games of the season.
The local talent on the team really stepped up this season. Wollongong born talent players McLeod (15.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 2.4 steals) and forward Tim Morrissey (18.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 steals) both delivered the best season of their careers and were a huge reason the Hawks were able to make the NBL playoffs for the first time in the club’s history. The Hawks finished with a record of 13-12, their first winning season in Hawks history, before losing the Elimination Final 101–108 to the Newcastle Falcons.
1985
Once again the Hawks were forced to re-tool their starting lineup after losing Tim Morrissey to Canberra after his breakout season and imports Jerry Steurer and Marlon Redmond who were not re-signed. Local product Graham Kubank was brought in as Morrisey’s replacement and Greg May and Learando Drake signed as the team’s new import duo.
May (27.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks) and Drake (26 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks) didn’t disappoint, filling the stat sheet in every column most games and naturalised import Jim Slacke (19.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 blocks) helped form a formidable frontline for Illawarra. However, the Hawks would struggle against other team’s with a brutal schedule. Round 14 for example saw the Hawks travel through three states in three days. Friday night the Hawks lost to Perth by 15 points, Saturday they travelled to Adelaide and lost by 75 points and then Sunday morning it was off to Melbourne to play St Kilda where somehow the Hawks came away with a one point victory.
Illawarra failed to build on their history making postseason appearance from last year, the Hawks finished the season with both a losing record at home (6-7) and away (4-9). Mcleod (10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 10.2 assists, and 2.8 steals) led the league in assists. Kubank (10.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2 assists) impressed during his debut season, narrowly missing out on rookie of the year award to Mike McKay (Adelaide).
1986
McLeod averaged 9.1 points, 2 rebounds, and 5.8 assists as Illawarra bounced back from missing the playoffs in 1985, finishing in fifth place with a record of 15-11. They would go on to lose to eventual champions Adelaide in just their second playoff appearance as a club.
1987
In 1987, the Hawks had their best season to date, finishing in third place (20–6). In the postseason, Illawarra lost a three-game series, again to the eventual league champions, the Brisbane Bullets. McLeod added 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 8.2 assists.
1988
The 1988 season saw McLeod average 7.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists and help the Hawks finish the regular season with a 11-13 record.
HOBART DEVILS
1989
Following the 1988 season, McLeod again left the Illawarra Hawks, this time joining the Hobart Devils. There, McLeod averaged 3.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists and helped the team finish the regular season in tenth place (8-16).
BRISBANE BULLETS
1991
In 1991 McLeod averaged 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds, and 2 assists, and helped guide the Bullets to a tenth place finish in the regular season with a 13-13 record. After the Bullets failed to repeat their 1990 form and failed to make the NBL finals, McLeod was released and soon after retired from playing professional basketball at the age of 34.
Gordie Mcleod played twelve seasons across four NBL teams. This included the Illawarra Hawks, Sydney Supersonics, Hobart Devils and Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 9.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 259 NBL games.
CAREER RANKINGS:
– 24th in total assists
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 34 | Brisbane | 13-13 (10) | 2 | 37.0 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 50% | 1 | 2 | 50% | 4 | 4 | 100% | 76% | 0% | 5 |
| 1989 | 32 | Hobart | 8-16 (10) | 22 | 623.0 | 77 | 52 | 102 | 8 | 44 | 26 | 0 | 36 | 44 | 23 | 95 | 24% | 13 | 59 | 22% | 18 | 20 | 90% | 37% | 31% | 10 |
| 1988 | 31 | Illawarra | 11-13 (7) | 24 | 821.0 | 176 | 60 | 140 | 12 | 48 | 41 | 0 | 56 | 39 | 69 | 172 | 40% | 22 | 66 | 33% | 16 | 27 | 59% | 48% | 47% | 17 |
| 1987 | 30 | Illawarra | 20-6 (3) | 30 | 1,233.0 | 372 | 97 | 246 | 16 | 81 | 55 | 0 | 69 | 49 | 143 | 307 | 47% | 35 | 91 | 38% | 51 | 60 | 85% | 55% | 52% | 25 |
| 1986 | 29 | Illawarra | 15-11 (5) | 28 | 0.0 | 255 | 55 | 163 | 4 | 51 | 53 | 0 | 67 | 43 | 105 | 253 | 42% | 13 | 51 | 25% | 32 | 45 | 71% | 46% | 44% | 26 |
| 1985 | 28 | Illawarra | 10-16 (9) | 26 | 0.0 | 267 | 85 | 264 | 12 | 73 | 74 | 0 | 94 | 66 | 99 | 227 | 44% | 8 | 28 | 29% | 61 | 79 | 77% | 50% | 45% | 22 |
| 1984 | 27 | Illawarra | 13-11 (8) | 25 | 0.0 | 397 | 94 | 218 | 10 | 84 | 61 | 2 | 75 | 40 | 173 | 332 | 52% | 3 | 10 | 30% | 48 | 55 | 87% | 55% | 53% | 34 |
| 1983 | 26 | Sydney | 19-3 (1) | 20 | 0.0 | 192 | 43 | 78 | 4 | 39 | 40 | 0 | 51 | 37 | 79 | 160 | 49% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 34 | 40 | 85% | 54% | 49% | 24 |
| 1982 | 25 | Illawarra | 11-15 (9) | 26 | 0.0 | 267 | 75 | 118 | 7 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 91 | 46 | 104 | 207 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 59 | 75 | 79% | 55% | 50% | 26 |
| 1981 | 24 | Illawarra | 9-13 (8) | 20 | 0.0 | 150 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 65 | 132 | 49% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 20 | 33 | 61% | 51% | 49% | 20 |
| 1980 | 23 | Illawarra | 13-9 (6) | 19 | 0.0 | 247 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 98 | 196 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 51 | 66 | 77% | 54% | 50% | 22 |
| 1979 | 22 | Illawarra | 5-13 (8) | 17 | 0 | 172 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 79 | 158 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 14 | 18 | 78% | 52% | 50% | 18 | Totals | 259 | 2714 | 2581 | 568 | 1333 | 74 | 494 | 350 | 2 | 541 | 482 | 1039 | 2243 | 46.3% | 95 | 307 | 30.9% | 408 | 522 | 78.2% | 52% | 48% | 34 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 34 | Brisbane | 13-13 (10) | 2 | 18.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 50% | 0.5 | 1.0 | 50% | 2.0 | 2.0 | 100% | 76% | 0% | 5 |
| 1989 | 32 | Hobart | 8-16 (10) | 22 | 28.3 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 4.6 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 24% | 0.6 | 2.7 | 22% | 0.8 | 0.9 | 90% | 37% | 31% | 10 |
| 1988 | 31 | Illawarra | 11-13 (7) | 24 | 34.2 | 7.3 | 2.5 | 5.8 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 7.2 | 40% | 0.9 | 2.8 | 33% | 0.7 | 1.1 | 59% | 48% | 47% | 17 |
| 1987 | 30 | Illawarra | 20-6 (3) | 30 | 41.1 | 12.4 | 3.2 | 8.2 | 0.5 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 4.8 | 10.2 | 47% | 1.2 | 3.0 | 38% | 1.7 | 2.0 | 85% | 55% | 52% | 25 |
| 1986 | 29 | Illawarra | 15-11 (5) | 28 | 0.0 | 9.1 | 2.0 | 5.8 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 9.0 | 42% | 0.5 | 1.8 | 25% | 1.1 | 1.6 | 71% | 46% | 44% | 26 |
| 1985 | 28 | Illawarra | 10-16 (9) | 26 | 0.0 | 10.3 | 3.3 | 10.2 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 8.7 | 44% | 0.3 | 1.1 | 29% | 2.3 | 3.0 | 77% | 50% | 45% | 22 |
| 1984 | 27 | Illawarra | 13-11 (8) | 25 | 0.0 | 15.9 | 3.8 | 8.7 | 0.4 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 0.1 | 3.0 | 1.6 | 6.9 | 13.3 | 52% | 0.1 | 0.4 | 30% | 1.9 | 2.2 | 87% | 55% | 53% | 34 |
| 1983 | 26 | Sydney | 19-3 (1) | 20 | 0.0 | 9.6 | 2.2 | 3.9 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 49% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 1.7 | 2.0 | 85% | 54% | 49% | 24 |
| 1982 | 25 | Illawarra | 11-15 (9) | 26 | 0.0 | 10.3 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 2.3 | 2.9 | 79% | 55.0% | 50% | 26 |
| 1981 | 24 | Illawarra | 9-13 (8) | 20 | 0.0 | 7.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 6.6 | 49% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 1.0 | 1.7 | 61% | 50.8% | 49% | 20 |
| 1980 | 23 | Illawarra | 13-9 (6) | 19 | 0.0 | 13.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 5.2 | 10.3 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 2.7 | 3.5 | 77% | 54.3% | 50% | 22 |
| 1979 | 22 | Illawarra | 5-13 (8) | 17 | 0.0 | 10.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 4.6 | 9.3 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.8 | 1.1 | 78% | 51.6% | 50% | 18 | Total | 259 | 10.5 | 10.0 | 2.2 | 5.1 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 4.0 | 8.7 | 46.3% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 30.9% | 0.4 | 1.2 | 78.2% | 52% | 48% | 34 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 34 | 8 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
|---|
FIBA EXPERIENCE
McLeod played for the Australian Boomers at the 1978 FIBA World Championship in the Philippines, helping the team to a then best 7th place.
He also represented the Boomers at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow where the team finished in 8th position despite the boycott of the games by the gold medal favourite United States.
FIBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 20.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 1978 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 6 | 9 | 66.7% | Total | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 20% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 6 | 9 | 67% |
FIBA PER GAME STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 24 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 20.0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% |
| 1978 | 22 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.9 | 1.3 | 66.7% | Total | 11 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 20% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 0.5 | 0.8 | 67% |
| Season | Team | PTS | AST | STL | BLK | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 68% | 97% | 91% | 33% | ||||||
| 2 | 0 | 34 | 18 | 8 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 1039 | 2243 | 46.3% | 95 | 307 | 30.9% |
NBA TOTAL STATISTICS
| YEAR | AGE | TEAM | POS | GP | GS | MINS | PTS | TRB | AST | ORB | DRB | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 34 | Brisbane | 13-13 (10) | 2 | 37.0 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 50% | 1 | 2 | 50% | 4 | 4 | 100% | 76% | 0% | 5 |
| 1989 | 32 | Hobart | 8-16 (10) | 22 | 623.0 | 77 | 52 | 102 | 8 | 44 | 26 | 0 | 36 | 44 | 23 | 95 | 24% | 13 | 59 | 22% | 18 | 20 | 90% | 37% | 31% | 10 |
| 1988 | 31 | Illawarra | 11-13 (7) | 24 | 821.0 | 176 | 60 | 140 | 12 | 48 | 41 | 0 | 56 | 39 | 69 | 172 | 40% | 22 | 66 | 33% | 16 | 27 | 59% | 48% | 47% | 17 |
| 1987 | 30 | Illawarra | 20-6 (3) | 30 | 1,233.0 | 372 | 97 | 246 | 16 | 81 | 55 | 0 | 69 | 49 | 143 | 307 | 47% | 35 | 91 | 38% | 51 | 60 | 85% | 55% | 52% | 25 |
| 1986 | 29 | Illawarra | 15-11 (5) | 28 | 0.0 | 255 | 55 | 163 | 4 | 51 | 53 | 0 | 67 | 43 | 105 | 253 | 42% | 13 | 51 | 25% | 32 | 45 | 71% | 46% | 44% | 26 |
| 1985 | 28 | Illawarra | 10-16 (9) | 26 | 0.0 | 267 | 85 | 264 | 12 | 73 | 74 | 0 | 94 | 66 | 99 | 227 | 44% | 8 | 28 | 29% | 61 | 79 | 77% | 50% | 45% | 22 |
| 1984 | 27 | Illawarra | 13-11 (8) | 25 | 0.0 | 397 | 94 | 218 | 10 | 84 | 61 | 2 | 75 | 40 | 173 | 332 | 52% | 3 | 10 | 30% | 48 | 55 | 87% | 55% | 53% | 34 |
| 1983 | 26 | Sydney | 19-3 (1) | 20 | 0.0 | 192 | 43 | 78 | 4 | 39 | 40 | 0 | 51 | 37 | 79 | 160 | 49% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 34 | 40 | 85% | 54% | 49% | 24 |
| 1982 | 25 | Illawarra | 11-15 (9) | 26 | 0.0 | 267 | 75 | 118 | 7 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 91 | 46 | 104 | 207 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 59 | 75 | 79% | 55% | 50% | 26 |
| 1981 | 24 | Illawarra | 9-13 (8) | 20 | 0.0 | 150 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 65 | 132 | 49% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 20 | 33 | 61% | 51% | 49% | 20 |
| 1980 | 23 | Illawarra | 13-9 (6) | 19 | 0.0 | 247 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 98 | 196 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 51 | 66 | 77% | 54% | 50% | 22 |
| 1979 | 22 | Illawarra | 5-13 (8) | 17 | 0 | 172 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 79 | 158 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 14 | 18 | 78% | 52% | 50% | 18 | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
AWARDS
- 3x NBL Assists Leader
COACHING HISTORY
McLeod began his NBL coaching career in 1989, taking on a brief two-game stint as a player-coach for the Cascade Tassie Devils. He later transitioned into coaching full-time, joining the Brisbane Bullets as an assistant coach in 1992.
In 1998, McLeod was appointed as the inaugural head coach of the West Sydney Razorbacks, where he quickly built the franchise into a championship contender. He led the team to the 2002 NBL Grand Final, where they fell to the Adelaide 36ers (1-2) in a tightly contested series.
McLeod's Razorbacks returned to the 2003-04 NBL Grand Final, marking the first-ever five-game championship series in league history. The Razorbacks pushed cross-town rivals, the Sydney Kings, to the brink before suffering a heartbreaking 2-3 series loss. In the deciding Game 5, West Sydney held a commanding 17-point lead in the third quarter and a 79–72 advantage with just over three minutes remaining. However, Sydney mounted a furious comeback, closing the game with an 18-0 run to win 90-79 and secure the title.
Despite leading the Razorbacks to back-to-back grand final appearances, McLeod was not retained for the 2004-05 season.
McLeod was named the inaugural head coach of the Singapore Slingers for the 2006-07 season, leading the expansion franchise to the playoffs in their debut year. He remained with the team for two seasons before the Slingers withdrew from the NBL following the 2007-08 season.
McLeod was appointed as an assistant coach of the Australian Boomers for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where the team finished in 7th place with a 3-3 record. His experience and tactical knowledge made him a valuable asset to the national team, and he was later invited to rejoin the Boomers' coaching staff in 2013 under head coach Andrej Lemanis for the FIBA Oceania Championship against New Zealand. In 2009, McLeod returned to his hometown and was named head coach of the Wollongong Hawks, the team where he made his name as a player. In his first season at the helm, he guided the Hawks to a 16-12 regular-season record, finishing in second place. The team advanced to the 2010 NBL Grand Final, where they fell to the Perth Wildcats (1-2). McLeod’s impressive efforts were recognized as he was named NBL Coach of the Year.
Despite dealing with injuries during the 2010-11 season, McLeod kept the Hawks competitive, finishing with a 15-13 record. He continued to lead the team for several more seasons, cementing his place among the most respected coaches in NBL history.
In 2014, McLeod re-signed with the Hawks on a three-year contract extension, but uncertainty surrounding the club’s financial future led to a mutual departure in 2015. Reflecting on his exit, McLeod stated: "I no longer feel that my values and those of the club are in alignment. In those circumstances, it's appropriate that I move on."
At the time of his departure, McLeod had compiled a career NBL coaching record of 149–173, placing him 14th all-time in coaching wins.
Shortly after leaving the Hawks, McLeod was hired by the Cairns Taipans as an assistant coach where he spent the 2015-16 season under head coach Aaron Fearne. Fearne actively sought McLeod for the position, stating: "It was always a major chess game coaching against him. Our program learned a lot just by coaching against his teams, so I jumped at the chance to work together."
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