We continue our deep dive into one of Aussie hoops’ fiercest rivalries — Sydney vs Illawarra — picking things up from the Wollongong Hawks’ historic 2001 championship and tracking how the Kings and Hawks battled for New South Wales bragging rights through the mid-2000s.
Host Dan Boyce revisits Wollongong’s underdog run to become the first NSW club to win an NBL title, then jumps into Sydney’s response — the arrival of Brian Goorjian, the recruitment of Chris Williams and Kavossy Franklin, and the three-year stretch that saw the Kings finally shed the “Violet Crumbles” tag and dominate the league.
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Featuring first-hand accounts from Glenn Saville, Shane Heal, Bill Tomlinson and Brian Goorjian, this episode blends locker-room stories, X-and-O breakdowns and playoff memories to show how the “Freeway Series” evolved from a regional feud into a clash between genuine title contenders.
Listen now:
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Podcast topics include…
- How the 2001 Hawks title changed the rivalry and put a target on Wollongong’s back (02:00)
- Glenn Saville on trying to defend the crown in 2001–02 and suddenly becoming the hunted (05:00)
- Brett Brown to the Spurs, the Titans folding and how Brian Goorjian ended up in Sydney (13:50)
- Bill Tomlinson on recruiting Chris Williams, early doubts about the Kings’ chemistry and fixing the “Violet Crumbles” reputation (16:00)
- Shane Heal’s version of the 2003 title run — ownership drama, Chris Williams’ rise and finally delivering a championship to Sydney (21:30)
- Goorjian breaks down the 2003 finals, the comeback vs Perth and how the Kings’ culture flipped overnight (27:00)
- Inside the 2003–04 repeat: Nielsen’s MVP breakout, CJ Bruton’s arrival and losing Jason Smith mid-season (32:30)
- 2004–05 sees both clubs become true championship at the same time and culminate with an all-NSW grand final (38:30)
- Goorjian on the 1–1–3 zone that Wollongong “had no answer for” and how the Kings swept the 2005 series (48:00)
- Glenn Saville’s memories of facing that Kings juggernaut and what the 2005 grand final meant to Hawks players and fans (54:00)
All of this and a whole lot more…