BIO: Pat Reidy was born in Melbourne (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Coburg basketball program. Reidy received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 1988. He spent two years year there and played for the program’s state league team (1988, 1989).

NBL EXPERIENCE

Pat Reidy made his NBL debut with the North Melbourne Giants at 19 years of age. He scored 10 points in his first game.

The Giants lost a number of key players after winning the 1989 Grand Final, which resulted in head coach Bruce Palmer furiously recruiting new talent instead of devising ways to defend their championship.

Former Indiana Hoosier Joe Hillman was signed as a replacement for Dillon, naturalised import Dwayne Nelson who had spent the past five seasons with Adelaide filled the role of Exum and young Australian Institute of Sport product, 19-year-old Pat Reidy was added to fill out the team’s main roster.

Despite the roster overhaul, the Giants blazed a trail through NBL opponents, winning their first eight games in a row. Scott Fisher (31.4 points, 12 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.5 steals) led the team in points and rebounds, finished second on the team in assists and steals and shot 55% from the field to deliver one of the greatest statistical season in NBL history.

Hillman added 22.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.3 steals while Reidy also contributed 7.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game.

The team finished the season in first place on the ladder, winning 20 from 26 games. The Giants and the Eastside Melbourne Spectres (who finished first and second) would earn a bye and face the winners of the elimination finals which saw Perth defeat Melbourne in two games and Brisbane, rebound from a game one loss to eliminate Sydney in three games. In surprising fashion, fifth placed Perth would eliminate North Melbourne in the semifinals (2-1) and third placed Brisbane defeated Eastside in two games. Perth would go on to become eventual champions, defeating Brisbane in three games to capturing their first NBL title.

1991
The North Melbourne Giants had lost star forward Tim Dillon after their 1989 championship and had failed to find a suitable replacement. For the 1991 season the team added Yale University grad Paul Maley who had played the previous season with the South Melbourne Saints. Reidy would average 14.7 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists alongside stars Fisher (30.3 points, 12 rebounds) and Maley (27.6 points, 10.2 rebounds) and help lead the Giants to a second place finish for the season. After eliminating the Geelong Supercats in the elimination finals in three games the Giants were defeated in the semifinals by rival club Eastside Melbourne Spectres.

1992
In 1992, Reidy would average 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists alongside stars Fisher (27.1 points and 11.3 rebounds) and Maley (21.9 points and 9.9 rebounds) who would again led the Giants to the postseason with a fourth place finish (14 wins, 10 losses). The Giants would then eliminate the Illawarra Hawks in the Quarterfinals before being outed by the South East Melbourne Magic, who had re-branded from the Spectres at the start of the season, in their semi-final matchup.

1993
In 1993, the Giants chose not to re-sign long term head coach Bruce Palmer who since taking over in 1987 had led them to the semi finals five of six years and to the 1989 championship. His successor would be found in young Melbourne Tigers assistant Brett Brown whose appointment was deemed a cash saving move by a team beginning to face years of financial uncertainty. Another sign of the Giant’s financial struggles became evident when they lost star import Scott Fisher to the ‘deeper pockets’ of the Perth Wildcats.

Brown began his search for Fisher’s replacement first with import Chuckie White, who failed to cut it during pre-season, before settling on Jason Reese. Reese was known around the league as ‘workhorse’ and dominant inside scorer that had spent the past two seasons with Hobart (1991) and Canberra (1992) and Mark Leader, who had became a naturalised Australian in 1993, replaced Fisher as team captain.

Reese went on to lead the team in scoring (26.4 ppg and 8.9 rpg), fellow import Paul Maley led the team in rebounding (22.5 ppg and 9.1 rpg) and Reidy also contributed 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.

North Melbourne finished the season (13-13) sneaking into the final playoff spot. There, they would face familiar foes, Scott Fisher and the Perth Wildcats who had finished the season in first place (21-5). Despite winning game one at home (105-101), the Giants would lose games two (98-108) and three (104-117) to Perth to put a end to their season.

1994 – ONE GIANT LEAP
North Melbourne’s financial struggles publicly came to light after 1993, but a group of new investors saved the team at the eleventh hour from its burgeoning financial woes. The new ownership made a number of changes, including a uniform design change, tossing away the team’s maroon uniforms and switching to the colours of the NBA’s most marketable outfit, the Charlotte Hornets.

The Giants’ roster had aged considerably in the years between its 1989 championship and 1994, with its roster now being the oldest roster in the league.

With team stalwart Mark Leader eligible to play as a local in 1994, the Giants were able to sign a new import for 1994, but many were surprised when the team added a 30-year-old point guard Darryl McDonald to the roster. The media and betting agencies tipped the Giants to finish at the bottom of the ladder. The pundits couldn’t be more inaccurate, however, with the team McDonald leading the league in steals and assists and finishing second in both the NBL MVP (behind Andrew Gaze) and Best Defensive Player (Darren Lucas) awards.

Giants fans began to get excited when the Giants came home undefeated after the ‘Doomsday Double’, first avenging a home loss to Perth then holding off Adelaide at the Clipsal Powerhouse, a feat which hadn’t been achieved since 1986. The new-look outfit would go on to win 19 of their 26 games and finish the year in second place. Pat Reidy (19.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 3.4) and Paul Maley (19.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg) would carry most of the offensive load.

Once into the NBL playoffs, the Giants faced the Sydney Kings, who opened the Quarterfinalswith a absolute blitz of the Giants (131–109) before falling in three games. On the other side of the bracket, South East Melbourne swept Perth before being swept in a similar fashion by the Giants after a Adonis Jordan three-point heave (he could have found a open David Graham for a better shot but missed him) in the game’s closing moments missed its mark and the chance to force a third game.

Game one of the Grand Final series was held at the Clipsal Powerhouse in Adelaide and after Robert Rose had dragged the Sixers back into the match when they still had trailed by 14 inside the last six minutes of regulation the ball ended up in McDonald’s hands before he nailed the game-winning shot in overtime, delivering a 95–93 win.

As the series moved to the Glasshouse in Melbourne for game two Rose would come out firing, his 31 point effort would see him finish as the game’s high scoring. Still, a balanced attack from North Melbourne proved too strong for the 36ers. The Giants would control the first half, the scoreboard reading 51-41 at halftime and with 36ers forward Mark Davis in serious pain, the Giants were able to put the foot down in the third quarter and then closed out the game with a 117-97 victory.

Paul Rees, who benefitted greatly from McDonald’s passing all series, finished up earning the Finals MVP award after delivering 17 points and 5 rebounds in game one and 20 points (making all seven of his shots) and 7 rebounds in game two.

The 1994 NBL season made history bypassed the one-million spectator mark during the regular season for the first time.

1995
After winning the 1994 championship, North Melbourne entered Brett Brown’s third season with its title core still in place, with Darryl McDonald, Pat Reidy, Paul Rees, Paul Maley, Larry Sengstock, Rod Johnson, Darryl Pearce, Mark Leader and John Stelzer all returning. Maley (back injury) was ruled out for the year in the final weeks before the season, forcing Brown to find a late replacement before the Giants signed former Ohio State forward Chris Jent (via Houston Rockets), who had won the 1994 NBA championship only months earlier.

North Melbourne opened the season on April 22 against Gold Coast, where Reidy (20.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals) finished with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists as the Giants defeated the Rollers 118-97. Jent (25.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 steals) became the first reigning NBA champion to play in the NBL and finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in his debut.

Reidy produced one of his strongest early-season games in Adelaide on May 21, finishing with 26 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block as North Melbourne defeated the 36ers 112-85 and collected one of its best road wins of the first half of the season.

On June 24, Reidy delivered another all-around performance against Brisbane, finishing with 28 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block as the Giants battled one of the teams that spent time on top of the ladder during a season where Brisbane, Sydney, North Melbourne, South East Melbourne and Melbourne all led the league at different stages.

Reidy’s best regular-season game came in Hobart on July 7, where he finished with 32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks as North Melbourne defeated the Devils 102-86, with Jent adding 34 points while David Stiff (23 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks) led Hobart.

By August, opposition coaches were identifying Reidy as one of North Melbourne’s key problems, with Canberra coach Brett Flanigan calling him the Giants’ shooting ace and describing him as one of the league’s best inside-outside scorers prior to their match-up. Reidy responded on August 11 with 29 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal against Adelaide, then added 28 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals against Geelong on August 25.

North Melbourne closed the regular season in Brisbane on September 16, where Reidy finished with 26 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, while McDonald (26 points, 8 rebounds, 15 assists, and 9 steals) filled the stat sheet as the Giants defeated the Bullets 122-109, closed the regular season on a five-game winning streak and finished second with a 18-8 record.

Jent led North Melbourne in scoring after replacing Maley and earned All-NBL Third Team honours, while Reidy earned All-NBL Third Team selection for the second straight season. McDonald (17.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 10.4 assists, and 3.8 steals) led the NBL in assists and steals for a second consecutive season, earned All-NBL First Team honours and won the Good Hands Award.

Rees (14.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks) anchored the middle, Johnson (11.5 points) gave the Giants another scoring option, while Sengstock (5.7 points and 4.4 rebounds), Pearce (5.7 points) and Leader (4.6 points) completed Brown’s veteran rotation. Sengstock retired at season’s end as the NBL’s only five-time champion at the time.

The quarterfinals opened in Brisbane, where Jent (34 points and 7 rebounds), Reidy (25 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block), Johnson (20 points and 4 assists) and McDonald (7 points, 6 rebounds, 19 assists, and 6 steals) led North Melbourne to a 115-105 win, while Leroy Loggins (42 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block), Mike Mitchell (17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) and Shane Heal (16 points, 12 assists, and 5 steals) kept Brisbane within reach.

Game two moved to Melbourne, where McDonald (32 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals), Reidy (28 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal), Jent (21 points and 5 rebounds) and Rees (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 blocks) dominated as North Melbourne completed the sweep with a 130-99 win, while Loggins (25 points and 8 rebounds), Mitchell (22 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals) and Heal (14 points and 5 assists) led Brisbane.

The semifinals opened against South East Melbourne, where Jent (24 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block), Reidy (23 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and McDonald (11 points, 5 rebounds, 12 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) helped North Melbourne hold the Magic to 77 points and take game one 98-77.

Game two moved to South East Melbourne, where Jent (17 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), McDonald (17 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) and Reidy (13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) filled the stat sheet again, but the Magic responded with a 98-79 win and forced a deciding game.

Game three remained in Melbourne, where Reidy (27 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), Jent (25 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) and McDonald (14 points, 5 rebounds, 13 assists, and 8 steals) led North Melbourne to a 107-92 win and moved the Giants into the Grand Final for a second consecutive season.

The Grand Final series opened at the Perth Entertainment Centre, where Jent (29 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals), Johnson (21 points and 3 assists), Reidy (21 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) and McDonald (18 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) powered North Melbourne to a 104-97 win over Perth, while James Crawford (24 points and 9 rebounds) led the Wildcats.

Game two moved to Melbourne, where Perth trailed 53-45 at halftime and faced elimination before lifting its defensive pressure in the second half. Andrew Vlahov (29 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) led the Wildcats, while Jent (28 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block), McDonald (17 points, 3 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Reidy (17 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) kept North Melbourne close before Perth won 97-88 and levelled the series.

Game three returned to Perth, where the Wildcats scored 30 points while holding North Melbourne to 15 in the opening quarter, limited the Giants’ leading scorer to 5-of-14 shooting and forced North Melbourne to shoot 29-of-77 from the field. Crawford (32 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 5 blocks) made 15-of-18 shots and powered Perth to a 108-88 win, with Vlahov named Grand Final MVP after averaging 24 points across the series. Reidy (6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals) played 40:51 minutes in the 108-88 loss.

1996
After falling one win short of back-to-back championships, North Melbourne returned most of its roster for Brett Brown’s fourth season. Darryl McDonald, Pat Reidy, Paul Rees, Paul Maley, Rod Johnson, Larry Sengstock, Matthew Shanahan and John Stelzer all remained in place, while Mark Leader and Darryl Pearce retired and Chris Jent (to New York Knicks) exited after his one-season stint with the Giants. Australian Boomers guard Tonny Jensen (via Townsville) joined the roster, while Maley returned from the back injury that had ruled him out for the entire 1995 season.

North Melbourne opened the season in Sydney on April 12, where Reidy (16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) played 36:20 minutes, but the Kings defeated the Giants 102-97 despite Maley (20 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals) and McDonald (16 points, 4 rebounds, 12 assists, and 2 steals) keeping North Melbourne close.

Reidy (20.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals) led North Melbourne in scoring and four days later delivered his first major game of the season, finishing with 27 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block as the Giants defeated Melbourne 105-85 at Melbourne Park. McDonald (20 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) recorded a triple-double, while Rees (17 points and 13 rebounds) and Jensen (28 points and 9 rebounds) added support.

Reidy’s best scoring game came against Wollongong on May 31, where Reidy (34 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 steal) shot 11-of-13 from the field and 12-of-14 from the free-throw line as North Melbourne defeated the Hawks 117-107, with Maley (27 points and 11 rebounds) and McDonald (12 points, 8 rebounds, 12 assists, and 3 steals) helping the Giants continue their push through the middle of the season.

Reidy (26 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) added one of his best all-round games against Gold Coast on June 7 as North Melbourne defeated the Rollers 114-98, with McDonald (16 points, 9 rebounds, 14 assists, and 3 steals) controlling the floor and Maley (25 points and 15 rebounds) giving the Giants another major frontcourt performance.

Reidy (26 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) finished with another big game against South East Melbourne on September 21, but the Magic defeated North Melbourne 114-105 despite McDonald (29 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists) leading the Giants in the loss.

McDonald (17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3.9 steals) again led the NBL in assists, earned All-NBL First Team honours, won the Good Hands Award and was named NBL All-Star Game MVP. Maley (17.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals) returned strongly after missing the previous season, Jensen (14.6 points) gave the Giants another perimeter scorer, while Rees (14 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks), Johnson (9.1 points and 1.3 steals), Shanahan (5 points), Sengstock (4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds) and Stelzer (2.1 points) completed Brown’s rotation as North Melbourne finished seventh with a 15-11 record in a tight ladder where only two games separated third place and eighth.

The quarterfinals opened at the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre, where South East Melbourne defeated North Melbourne 96-82 behind Andrew Parkinson (19 points). Reidy (19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and McDonald (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block) led the Giants, but the Magic took control of the series.

Game two moved to Melbourne Park, where Tony Ronaldson (25 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) and Mike Kelly (17 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) led South East Melbourne to a 87-77 win and completed the sweep. Reidy (17 points and 14 rebounds) played 40:30 minutes in the 87-77 loss.

1997
North Melbourne entered 1997 still trying to contend despite growing financial pressure, with Brett Brown keeping Darryl McDonald, Pat Reidy, Paul Rees, Rod Johnson, Matthew Shanahan, Stephen Hoare and John Stelzer together. Tonny Jensen (to Newcastle) and Paul Maley (back injury) exited, while Brown added David Stiff (via Hobart), Mike Mitchell (via Brisbane), Andrew Goodwin (via Brisbane), Matthew Reece (via Newcastle) and Cameron Jackson as the Giants built a reduced 11-man roster around their veteran core.

North Melbourne opened the season with a 85-81 win over Sydney, where Reidy finished with 24 points as Mitchell (23 points), McDonald (14 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, and 5 steals) and Stiff (8 rebounds and 6 blocks) helped the Giants defeat a Kings team led by Isaac Burton (19 points) and Bruce Bolden (14 points).

The Giants backed it up the next night with a 97-83 road win over Canberra, then moved to 3-0 when Reidy finished with 17 points, 1 rebound, 5 assists, and 4 steals in a 109-101 win over Newcastle. North Melbourne completed the opening fortnight unbeaten with a 94-92 win over Sydney, giving Brown’s short rotation an early buffer before injuries began to hurt.

The biggest setback came when Rees suffered a severe knee injury that kept him out for most of the regular season, only to return late and break his wrist against Brisbane in the second-last round. With Rees out, Stiff took on a larger frontcourt role and Goodwin added size, while Reidy carried the main scoring load alongside McDonald and Mitchell.

Reidy’s best all-round game came on May 23 against Townsville, where he finished with 24 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block as North Melbourne defeated the Crocodiles 122-114, with Derek Rucker (23 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists) leading Townsville.

North Melbourne closed the regular season at home against Perth on September 24, where the Wildcats defeated the Giants 106-102, leaving North Melbourne third with a 18-12 record. The Giants finished 9-6 at home and 9-6 on the road despite operating with one of the league’s smallest rotations.

Reidy (20.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals) led North Melbourne in scoring, while McDonald (17.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 8.9 assists, and 3.3 steals) led the NBL in assists and steals, won the Good Hands Award, finished runner-up in MVP voting and earned All-NBL Second Team honours.

Mitchell (15.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals) gave the Giants another reliable import option, while Stiff (13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks) stepped into a major role in Rees’ absence. Johnson (10.8 points), Goodwin (10.5 points and 5.7 rebounds), Shanahan (7.7 points) and Rees (4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds) filled out the main rotation.

The elimination finals opened at the AIS Arena, where Canberra defeated North Melbourne 104-93 to take the early edge in the best-of-three series.

Game two moved to the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre, where North Melbourne answered with a 108-98 win, with Rees returning for the playoffs and giving the Giants a needed interior presence.

Game three stayed in Melbourne, where North Melbourne closed the series with a 102-75 win, with Stiff (16 points) helping the Giants handily defeat Canberra and move into the semifinals.

The semifinals opened against Melbourne at the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre, where Bradtke (25 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 blocks) played all 48 minutes for the Tigers, while Stiff (24 points) kept North Melbourne in touch before Melbourne took game one 107-99.

Game two moved to Melbourne Park, where Bradtke (26 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 assists) again played all 48 minutes as Melbourne completed the sweep, while Reidy (20 points and 5 assists) finished in the 112-105 loss.

1998
After being eliminated by Melbourne in the 1997 semifinals, North Melbourne moved into what became its final Giants season with the club’s financial pressure still growing. Mike Mitchell, Paul Rees (to Adelaide), Rod Johnson (to Canberra), Stephen Hoare (to West Sydney) and Matthew Reece all exited the team, while Brett Brown retained Darryl McDonald, Pat Reidy, David Stiff, Andrew Goodwin and Matthew Shanahan. Paul Maley also returned after missing the previous season with a back injury, with Ben Pepper (via Newcastle), David Close (via Canberra), rookie David Smith (via AIS) and new import Darnell Hoskins added to round out the roster.

North Melbourne opened the season at Beaton Park on January 30 without McDonald, losing to Wollongong 109-96 as Reidy (21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) carried the offence, with Hoskins (15 points) and Goodwin (15 points and 7 rebounds) providing support in the loss.

With the Giants’ star import sidelined for the opening 13 games, Brown added Nate Driggers to cover the backcourt and help Hoskins through the early part of the season. Reidy (17.9 points, 6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) led North Melbourne in scoring and carried the offence early, but the Giants lost their first five games before Reidy (22 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) helped North Melbourne defeat Melbourne 102-82 on February 27, with Hoskins (29 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Stiff (17 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists) helping Brown claim the team’s first win of the season.

Driggers (6 points and 3.3 rebounds) played seven games before being released after failing to provide the cover needed during McDonald’s absence. Hoskins (17 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals) briefly looked like he might settle the import spot when Hoskins (40 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Reidy (21 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) led North Melbourne to a 97-91 win over Sydney on March 14. Despite that breakout game, Hoskins played his final game on March 29 and was released as Brown continued reshaping the roster, with NBL legend Butch Hays (8.9 points and 3.4 assists) brought out of retirement on April 3 to steady the group before McDonald returned.

Reidy (20 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists) produced one of his strongest all-round games against Adelaide on April 4 as North Melbourne defeated the 36ers 115-99, with Maley (19 points and 4 rebounds) and Hays (17 points and 4 rebounds) providing support as McDonald returned from injury and the Giants collected only their fourth win of the year.

Reidy (23 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists) followed with another strong performance against Newcastle on April 12 as North Melbourne defeated the Falcons 99-89, with Pepper (19 points and 14 rebounds) and Maley (16 points) helping the Giants win consecutive home games.

Reidy (26 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals) delivered another major scoring night against Melbourne on April 18, but North Melbourne lost 112-106 despite Maley (25 points and 8 rebounds) and McDonald (18 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists) keeping the Giants close.

Reidy’s best game of the season came at the Perth Entertainment Centre on April 26, where he made five three-pointers and finished with 29 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals as North Melbourne pushed the Wildcats to the final possession before falling 103-102. Stiff (19 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and McDonald (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 13 assists) also had big games in the loss.

Reidy (23 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists) added another strong game at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on May 1, but North Melbourne fell 102-98 to Sydney despite Pepper (22 points and 16 rebounds) and Stiff (16 points and 8 rebounds) keeping the Giants within reach.

Pepper (13.7 points and 8.2 rebounds) gave North Melbourne a new interior focal point after arriving from Newcastle, while Maley (12.7 points and 4.9 rebounds) returned from injury and became one of the Giants’ steadier scorers. McDonald (12.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 2.3 steals) remained the team’s engine when healthy, while Stiff (11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals), Goodwin (10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds), and Smith (7.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 steals), who earned Rookie of the Year, one of the few positives from a difficult season.

Reidy’s final game for North Melbourne came at Melbourne Park on May 23, where Reidy (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) played 35:13 minutes as the Giants lost 93-89 to South East Melbourne. North Melbourne closed the season two weeks later at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, falling 115-113 to Sydney to finish 10th with a 9-21 record, including only one road win.

In an effort to boost sponsorship and membership numbers, South East Melbourne merged with North Melbourne at the end of the season, with the club re-launching as the Victoria Titans. With the majority of the front office being former Magic owners, Brian Goorjian was retained as head coach, leaving Brown without a job, and the Titans built their roster by taking McDonald, Pepper, Smith and Maley from North Melbourne and Jason Smith, Frank Drmic, Brett Wheeler, Mike Kelly and Tony Ronaldson from South East Melbourne, while Reidy (to Newcastle) was not taken across to the Titans.

NEWCASTLE FALCONS
1998/99
During the 1998/99 season, Reidy averaged 17.8 points and 5.2 rebounds, helping the Falcons record a 9-17 record.

TOWNSVILLE CROCODILES
1999/00
Key exits reshaped Townsville’s wings and depth: James Harper departed, while veterans Simon Kerle (to Brisbane), Jason Cameron (to Brisbane) and Michael Pennisi (to Philippines) moved on. Back came the core scorers who’d averaged above 4 points per game in 1998/99—Robert Rose, Sam Mackinnon, Andrew Goodwin, Brad Davidson and David Pennisi—giving second-year coach Ian Stacker a sturdy base. Stacker reloaded with Mike Kelly (via Victoria), Ben Knight (via Sydney) and, Australian Boomers forward Pat Reidy (via Newcastle).

The season opened in Melbourne with a 95–106 loss to the Victoria Titans. Reidy (8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals) began the season quietly, while the duo of Rose (29 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists; 14-of-15 FT) and Goodwin (19 points, 6 rebounds) went shot for shot against Victoria’s Jason Smith (29 points, 7 rebounds) and Darryl McDonald (19 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists).

A week later the Crocs corrected course by beating Wollongong 99–88. Rose (17 points, 8 rebounds, 13 assists, 3 steals) delivering a near triple-double, while Reidy (21 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) headlined a balanced scoring attack, with Kelly (19 points, 4 rebounds) and Goodwin added (18 points, 4 rebounds) also having solid games. The Hawks were led by Melvin Thomas (21 points, 10 rebounds).

Momentum snowballed: a 123–81 demolition of Perth in Cairns, a 98–88 win at Sydney, and a 103–75 rout in Cairns led into a 131–127 classic over Adelaide where Goodwin (40 points, 15 rebounds) unleashed a season high. Kelly (24 points, 7 rebounds) and Reidy (23 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal; 6-of-7 FT) also having big scoring nights in the shootout against Brett Maher (40 points, 3 rebounds) and Martin Cattalini (27 points, 10 rebounds).

By early December the Crocs had dipped to 4–6, then reset with a crisp 108–90 over Wollongong. In this game, Mackinnon (22 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists) produced a triple-double, Brad Davidson (19 points) was hot off the bench and Reidy (15 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block; 5-of-6 FT) delivered another solid game. Bruton (24 points, 3 rebounds) and Thomas (23 points, 11 rebounds) were best for the Hawks.

Through the holidays Townsville hardened into a contender—116–82 over Cairns, 108–90 over Wollongong and back-to-back wins over Canberra (117–88, 128–101)—before closing the calendar year by crushing Brisbane 103–78, with Rose (14 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) posting a triple-double.

January and February showcased Reidy’s best stretch. He was pivotal in a 102–97 win over Melbourne and then produced his season high (28 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) in a 102–95 victory against West Sydney. Townsville kept things rolling—121–98 at Canberra; then into February with a 78–94 stumble versus Perth followed by a 122–73 avalanche over Brisbane—before banking statement road wins over the Giants (81–74) and at Wollongong (114–98).

The Crocodiles ripped off a seven-game surge and finished with the best record in club history, 22–6 (11–3 home, 11–3 away), securing second place and a first-round bye. Stacker was named NBL Coach of the Year. The attack was led by Andrew Goodwin (18.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals; NBL Most Improved and All-NBL Second Team) and Sam Mackinnon (17.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.1 blocks; All-NBL First Team). Rose (17.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.8 steals), along with MacKinnon, were named co-winners of the club MVP. New faces Kelly (16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists; league-best 43.9% 3PT), Reidy (14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists) and Knight (8.5 points, 4.4 rebounds) all made an impact in their first season, Knight also earning the league’s Best Sixth Man award.

Townsville would meet Perth in game one, losing 101–104. Kelly (29 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists) caught fire, Mackinnon (16 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists) authored a playoff triple-double and Reidy (16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists). The Wildcats were led by Ricky Grace (24 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists) and Marcus Timmons (20 points, 5 rebounds).

For Game two, the series moved to Queensland, where the Crocodile’s levelled the series, 101–78. Mackinnon (23 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals) and Reidy (22 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) led the team in scoring, with Rose (21 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists) finishing a whisker from another triple-double.

Game three swung back Perth’s way, despite Rose (33 points, 8 assists, 4 steals) equalling his season high points tally in the 84-104 loss. Reidy (8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal) produced a quiet game as the Wildcats’ core closed it out—Grace (21 points, 11 assists), Anthony Stewart (21 points, 2 rebounds), Rogers (20 points, 12 rebounds) and Andrew Vlahov (15 points, 17 rebounds).

2000/01
Ian Stacker returned with the core group that had delivered Townsville’s first playoff appearance, retaining Robert Rose, Sam Mackinnon, Pat Reidy, Mike Kelly, Andrew Goodwin, Brad Davidson, Peter Crawford and David Pennisi, with the only notable departure Ben Knight (to Cairns), who was replaced with import Dujuan Wiley.

Townsville opened the season with a statement win over Queensland rivals Cairns at home (120–85).

Sam Mackinnon (35 points and 10 rebounds) led the team in scoring alongside Andrew Goodwin (24 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals), Robert Rose (13 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists) flirted with a triple-double and Pat Reidy (13 points, and 4 rebounds) was also active at both ends.

The wins continued with the team pulling out a 4–1 start to the season, before a string of losses at Adelaide (105–121) and Perth (108–121) and a Victoria double defeat left Townsville 5–4. Pat Reidy (23 points, and 12 rebounds) recording one of his better games during the Adelaide loss.

Shortly after, severe bone bruising saw Sam MacKinnon (17.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.1 blocks across 16 games) shut down for the rest of the season. The injury to MacKinnon prompted the released of underperforming Wiley (7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 blocks) who was replaced with David Hinton (9.8 points, 6.0 rebounds) in February.

Hinton’s arrival sparked an eleven game win streak for the Crocs, highlighted by a 126–63 demolition of Brisbane in Round 22—one of the largest margins in NBL history—where Goodwin (22 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals) led the team in scoring, while Rose (18 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists) recorded a triple-double and Kelly (8 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds) almost achieved the same feat in the same game. Reidy (18 points), Brad Davidson (18 points and 7 assists) were also key factors in the historic win.

Further key wins during the second half of the season included a A drubbing of Canberra (122–88), a nail biter over Sydney (126–123) and then a home rout of the Kings (138–107) in the final regular game of the season which saw the Crocodiles closed the regular season 22–6—best in club history to that point and equal-best in the league—finishing second on percentage behind the Victoria Titans and riding that eleven-game streak into the finals.

Other key games during the second half of the season included the Crocs win over Canberra (122–88) where Reidy (23 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) produced one of his best games for the season. Reidy (31 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) delivered a season high in a thrilling win at Sydney (126–123) shootout with Sydney before defeating them again convincingly at home (138–107) with Reidy (23 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) finishing with another solid game.

In the absence of MacKinnon, Rose (22.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals), took his game to another level, making the All-NBL First Team while finishing fourth in both scoring and assists and fifth in free-throw percentage and winning the NBL Most Valuable Player award.

Reidy (17.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists) also lifted his offensive game after MacKinnon’s injury and together with Mike Kelly (16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 steals), who ranked top-five in league three-point percentage became the team’s primary offence.

The Qualifying Finals opened in Sydney and went the Kings’ way 127–109 despite big games from Rose (28 points) and Reidy (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists).

Back at The Swamp two nights later, Townsville squared the series at 1–1 with a 121–113 win driven by Kelly (29 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists) Reidy (27 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists), Rose (16 points, 16 rebounds and 5 assists) and Brad Davidson (23 points, 6 assists).

The decider again in Townsville finished 122–114 to the Crocs with Rose (22 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists), Goodwin (20-point, 10-rebound double-double) and Reidy (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) being too strong for Matthew Nielsen (28 points and 11 rebounds) and the Kings.

The Semi-Finals began in Melbourne, where Tony Ronaldson (22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) and Darryl MacDonald (20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) led the Titans to a game one win (106–97). Rose (26 points), Kelly (17 points and 9 rebounds) and Reidy (16 points, and 3 rebounds) falling short in the opening game for the second straight series.

The return to The Swamp delivered a Townsville win (98–82) built around defense (Titans were held to 34% shooting) and efficient scoring from Goodwin (19 points and 11 rebounds), Rose (19 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists) and Reidy (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists).

Two nights later the Crocs sealed their first-ever Grand Final berth (101–97) behind Goodwin (23 points and 4 rebounds), Rose (20 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists) and Reidy (12 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists), who drilled a dagger three in the final minute. Titans’ guard Mark Dickel (33 points) kept Victoria within reach until the horn.

The Grand Final series then opened in Wollongong, the Croc’s losing game one for the third time in a row (101–104) despite a season high scoring night from Goodwin (29 points and 8 rebounds). A key factor in the loss was Rose (26 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists) being in foul trouble for most of the game and Hawks stars Melvin Thomas (24 points, 14 rebounds) and Mat Campbell (19 points) rarely making a mistake. Pat Reidy (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists) also produced a solid game.

The response in Game Two at The Swamp was emphatic, a 114–97 victory where Goodwin (19 points, 11 rebounds and 2 steals) imposed himself again, Rose (16 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists) delivered a rare playoff triple double, while Reidy (17 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Kelly (21 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists) also made an impact at both ends. Damon Lowery (25 points, 4-of-6 3PT) and Charles Thomas (20 points) led the visitors.

Less than 24 hours later the title decider was played where the Hawks’ (97–94) again came away victorious in a tightly fought game. Despite a monumental line from Rose (30 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals) and solid games from Kelly (21 points, 7 rebounds), and Goodwin (22 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals), who shot a perfect 7-of-7 at the stripe. Reidy (10 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) battled brilliantly on the glass, but struggled to find an offensive rhythm. Hawks duo Charles Thomas (23 points) and Glen Saville (18 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals) made clutch plays whenever Townsville came too close, resulting in Wollongong becoming the first NBL champions from NSW.

2001/02
During the 2002 season, Reidy averaged 16.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3 assists and was a part of the Crocodiles squad, which finished in ninth place with a record of 13-17.

2002/03
Reidy averaged 19.6 points and 8 rebounds, and helped guide the Crocodiles to a third place finish during the 2002/03 season with a 19-11 record.

2003/04
the Crocodiles finished with a 13-20 record in 2003/04. Reidy averaged 17.1 points and 6.3 rebounds.

2004/05
In 2004/05 Reidy averaged 8.6 points and 4.2 rebounds, and helped guide the Crocodiles to a third place finish in the regular season with a 19-13 record.

Pat Reidy played sixteen seasons across three NBL teams. This included the North Melbourne Giants, Newcastle Falcons and Townsville Crocodiles. He averaged 16.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 467 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 27th in total games played.
– 16th in total points
– 23rd in total rebounds
– 24th in total assists
– 20th in total steals