Michael Roodenrys

Nationality: AUS
Date of Birth: 1/05/61
Place of Birth:
Position: FRD
Height (CM): 193
Weight (KG): #N/A
Junior Assoc: NSW - Illawarra
College: None

NBL DEBUT: 25/04/81
AGE AT DEBUT: 19
LAST NBL GAME: 18/08/85
AGE AT LAST GAME: 24
NBL History: Illawarra 1981-85
Championships: 0
None

NBL EXPERIENCE

Michael Roodenrys made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 19 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

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).

Michael Roodenrys (0.3 points) appeared in 6 games this season. Though his contributions were modest, Roodenrys provided additional support and depth for the Hawks throughout the season.

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.

Michael Roodenrys (1.7 points and 0.3 rebounds) appeared in 22 games this season. While his role was limited, Roodenrys’ presence in the squad provided essential support and depth for the Hawks during a transitional season.

Michael Roodenrys played four seasons the Illawarra Hawks. He averaged 2.4 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.2 assists in 78 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (832 Posts)

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%	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	TS%	EFG%	HS
1985	24	Illawarra	10-16 (9)	26	0.0	100	59	9	23	36	12	4	27	59	42	108	39%	0%	16	27	59%	41%	39%	12
1984	23	Illawarra	13-11 (8)	24	0.0	55	31	5	13	18	4	2	21	35	24	68	35%	0%	7	9	78%	38%	35%	14
1982	21	Illawarra	11-15 (9)	22	0.0	37	6	3	5	1	0	0	8	24	15	26	58%	0%	7	11	64%	59%	58%	6
1981	20	Illawarra	9-13 (8)	6	0.0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	2	50%	0%	0	0	0%	50%	0%	2
Totals				78	0	194	96	17	41	55	16	6	56	120	82	204	40.2%	0.0%	30	47	63.8%	43%	40%	14

NBL PER GAME STATISTICS

SEASON	AGE	TEAM	TEAM RECORD	GP	PTS	REB	AST	OR	DR	STL	BLK	TO	PF	FGM	FGA	FG%	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	TS%	EFG%	HS
1985	24	Illawarra	10-16 (9)	26	3.8	2.3	0.3	0.9	1.4	0.5	0.2	1.0	2.3	1.6	4.2	39%	0%	0.6	1.0	59%	41%	39%	12
1984	23	Illawarra	13-11 (8)	24	2.3	1.3	0.2	0.5	0.8	0.2	0.1	0.9	1.5	1.0	2.8	35%	0%	0.3	0.4	78%	38%	35%	14
1982	21	Illawarra	11-15 (9)	22	1.7	0.3	0.1	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	1.1	0.7	1.2	58%	0%	0.3	0.5	64%	59.2%	58%	6
1981	20	Illawarra	9-13 (8)	6	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.2	0.3	50%	0%	0.0	0.0	0%	50.0%	0%	2
Total				78	2.5	1.2	0.2	0.5	0.7	0.2	0.1	0.7	1.5	1.1	2.6	40.2%	0.0%			63.8%	43%	40%	14

CAREER HIGHS

POINTS	REBOUNDS	ASSISTS	STEALS	BLOCKS	TURNOVERS	TRIPLE DOUBLES
14	7	2	2	1	5	0

Season	Team	PTS	AST	STL	BLK	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%
1	0	31%	27%	36%	44%
2	0	14	2	2	1
Total						82	204	40.2%	0	0	0.0%

NBA TOTAL STATISTICS

YEAR	AGE	TEAM	POS	GP	GS	MINS	PTS	TRB	AST	ORB	DRB	STL	BLK	TOV	PF	FG	FGA	FG%	3PA	3P%	FT	FTA	FT%	TS%	EFG%
1985	24	Illawarra	10-16 (9)	26	0.0	100	59	9	23	36	12	4	27	59	42	108	39%	0	0%	16	27	59%	41%	39%	12
1984	23	Illawarra	13-11 (8)	24	0.0	55	31	5	13	18	4	2	21	35	24	68	35%	0	0%	7	9	78%	38%	35%	14
1982	21	Illawarra	11-15 (9)	22	0.0	37	6	3	5	1	0	0	8	24	15	26	58%	0	0%	7	11	64%	59%	58%	6
1981	20	Illawarra	9-13 (8)	6	0.0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	2	50%	0	0%	0	0	0%	50%	0%	2
Total				0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0		0	0

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