NICKNAME/S: The Baseline Bandit

BIO: Robert Sibley was born in Brisbane (QLD)

NBL EXPERIENCE

Robert Sibley made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 17 years of age. He scored four points in his first game.

Under new coach Brian Kerle the Bullets underwent a number of roster changes, the biggest being the return of Leroy Loggins who had spent the previous two seasons with the West Adelaide Bearcats. The team then added import guard Ron ‘The Rat’ Radliff, known for his long curly hair and brilliant outside shooting to play alongside star forward Loggins, who delivered his finest season to date in 1984, averaging 29.3 points, 3.4 steals and 1.9 blocked shots per game. Loggins efforts saw him selected to the All NBL First team and voted the league’s Most Valuable Player.

Alongside Loggins, Radliff and captain Larry Sengstock, Sibley averaged 2.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.3 assists.

The Bullets’ made their first playoffs appearance since 1981, finishing the regular season in first place with a 19–5 record, a major improvement on their 10–12 record in 1983.

After defeating the Coburg Giants and the Geelong Supercats in the playoffs, the team were into their first ever NBL Grand Final with the game to be played at the ‘Glass House’ in Melbourne, which would be the last year that the NBL Grand Final was played at a pre-determined ‘neutral’ venue.

Despite the improvement Brisbane ultimately fell short, losing to the defending champion Canberra Cannons 84–82 who were led by the Australian Boomers point guard Phil Smyth. First year coach Brian Kerle’s efforts in turning the team around were rewarded by claiming 1984 Coach of the Year award.

1985
Sibley averaged 1.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists for the year as the Bullets emerged as the league’s most powerful team. With star import Cal Bruton (17 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists) returning to the team and the guidance of head coach Brian Kerle, the Bullets again finished in first place with a 20–6 record.

The Bullets received a first round bye in the NBL playoffs and would meet the winner of the elimination final between the Coburg Giants and last year’s champions Canberra. Canberra eliminated Coburg convincingly by 23 points which would give Brisbane a chance at revenge from being beaten by the Cannons in the previous years Grand Final.

The Bullets would get their revenge on Canberra with Bruton racking up 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists in the 93-76 win as Adelaide defeated the Newcastle Falcons by a record score of 151–103 on the other side of the semi-final bracket.

With the game being held at their home venue, the Chandler Arena, the Bullets went into the series as favourites against the Adelaide 36ers (whose merger with the Bearcats in 1985 had seen them become a NBL force for the first time) in what was to be the last single game grand final in NBL history. Leading 78–74 going into the last period of play, the Bullets then outscored Adelaide 42–21, setting a NBL grand final record for points scored in the final period and easily accounting for the 36ers 121–95 to record their first ever championship win. Bruton almost replicated his semi-final performance, scoring 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists as Brisbane claimed their first NBL championship.

1986
The team’s major change during the 1986 season was when they moved out of the 2,700 seat Chandler Arena and into the brand new Brisbane Entertainment Centre which could seat up to 13,500 fans, easily giving the Bullets the largest and newest home arena in the NBL at the time (the next largest venue in the league was The Glass House which could only seat 7,200). Indeed, the Entertainment Centre was not only the NBL’s but also Australia’s then largest indoor arena. They finished the regular season in third place with a 17–8 record but progressed to their third Grand Final in a row with wins over the Sydney Supersonics and regular finals opponent Canberra in the playoffs.

Sibley contributed 5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists over the season alongside Cal Bruton, who led the team with 16.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3 assists as the Bullets would up facing the Adelaide 36ers in a Grand Final rematch to decide the championship.

In the first ever NBL grand final series to be played over three games, the Bullets lost to the Ken Cole coached Adelaide 36ers 2–1, losing game three of the series 113–91 in Adelaide (the 36ers had a league leading 24–2 record for the season including a 13–0 record at home). In the opening game, over 11,000 fans, a indoor sports attendance record for Australia at that time, saw the 36ers defeat the Bullets 122–119 in overtime at the Entertainment Centre, while they became the only team to defeat the 36ers in Adelaide in 1986 when they won game two 104–83 at the Apollo Stadium. Leroy Loggins was again voted the league’s MVP in 1986, giving himself and Brisbane a second MVP title while he was again a unanimous selection to the All-NBL Team. Crucially though, Loggins fouled out of both game one and 3 of the Grand Final series which limited his on court impact.

1987
With Brisbane looking to go ‘younger, bigger and faster’ with their roster to compete with the likes of Adelaide’s Mark Davis and Perth’s James Crawford, the decision was made to release US born players Cal Bruton and Dave Nelson in favour of incoming import Emery Atkinson and giving more playing time to young local talent Robert Sibley, John Dorge and rookie Darren Perry.

The Bullets were led by star Leroy Loggins (28.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.9 steals), Ron Radliff (15.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.9 steals) and Atkinson (15.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.3 steals) whose athletic dunks had Bullets fans on their feet during the season. Sibley (5 points, 4 rebounds) and Dorge (9 points, 6 rebounds) saw their playing time boosted to 25-30 minutes a game with Sibley (11 points, 6 rebounds) and Dorge (11 points, 9 rebounds) playing big roles in the Bullets success.

Ending the season with a 20-6 record the Bullets finished in second place (Adelaide claimed top spot) and as a result received a first-round bye. There, they would face the Illawarra Hawks after they defeated the North Melbourne Giants in the elimination finals. As Brisbane waited for the semi finals to be decided, Loggins was named the NBL’s Most Valuable Player in a tie with Adelaide’s Mark Davis before continuing their winning ways. The would take out game one (109-87) but then lost a nail-biter in game two (77-78) before eliminating Illawarra in the third game (100-82).

Brisbane had made it to the NBL grand final for a league-record fourth consecutive season and face off against the Perth Wildcats who had just upset the defending champions Adelaide on the other side of the semi-final bracket.

Perth was led by player/coach and former Bullets’ favourite Cal Bruton. Bruton’s exit had also came on the back of a very public falling out with coach Brian Kerle. In a surprise move Brisbane elevated 19-year-old point guard Darren Perry (10 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals) into the starting lineup for the playoffs and alongside Atkinson (22 points, on 10/16 shooting, and 9 rebounds) and Loggins (17 points and 5 rebounds) the Bullets defeated Perth in low scoring, griding 80-79 victory. Kendall Pinder (27 points and 15 rebounds) and James Crawford (23 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks) leading the way for the visitors.

In game two, although Pinder (25 points, 15 rebounds) and Crawford (22 points, 11 rebounds) still proved hard to stop, none of the Wildcats’guards were able to score against the tandem of Perry (12 points and 3 assists) and game high scorer Loggins (36 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists). The Wildcats’ guard rotation of Bruton (9), Mike Ellis (6) and Alan Black (2) combined for just 17 points.

After winning a tightly fought first half (47-44) Brisbane owned the Wildcat’s in the second half, outscoring them by 16 points.

Leroy Loggins was awarded the Grand Final MVP, his first time winning the award as although he had been named ‘player of the game’ (behind a 41 point effort) in Brisbane’s 1985 Grand Final win, the award wasn’t presented that season.

1988
The Bullets entered 1988 looking to defend their championship and secure a third title in four years. With head coach Brian Kerle at the helm, the team retained the core of its 1987 championship roster. The only offseason changes came on the bench, with James Carr and Paul Webb departing and being replaced by two rookies—17-year-old Shane Heal and Simon Kerle.

Robert Sibley (8.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assist) featured in 21 games during the season, carving out a reliable role in the frontcourt rotation. Known for his physical presence and ability to stretch the floor with his mid-range shooting, Sibley added depth to a strong Brisbane front line and provided valuable minutes behind the team’s starting bigs.

Brisbane remained one of the league’s elite teams throughout the regular season and were sitting in second place with two rounds to go. However, a costly 97–105 home loss to Canberra dropped them into a tie with the North Melbourne Giants at 18–6. With the head-to-head series split 1–1, North Melbourne edged Brisbane out for second place on for-and-against (+9), forcing the Bullets into third.

The team was once again led by Leroy Loggins (24.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.4 steals), who earned his seventh straight All-NBL First Team selection and led the league in free throw percentage (85.6%). Import forward Emery Atkinson (16.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks) gave Brisbane a consistent two-way option in the paint, while veterans Larry Sengstock (11.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists) and Ron Radliff (12.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.2 steals) continued to provide leadership and composure on both ends.

One of the major stories of the year was rookie Shane Heal (15.0 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists), who quickly made his mark as one of the NBL’s rising stars. Playing 27 minutes per game while backing up starting point guard Darren Perry (6.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals), Heal claimed the NBL Rookie of the Year award with ease.

Brisbane’s third-place finish meant they missed out on a direct entry to the semi-finals and were forced into a sudden-death quarterfinal against the sixth-seeded Perth Wildcats at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Leroy Loggins (31 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 steals) led all scorers in 45 minutes of action, while Larry Sengstock (17 points and 10 rebounds) and Emery Atkinson (12 points and 8 rebounds) made solid contributions inside.

Despite their efforts, Brisbane hit just 2-of-16 from three-point range and couldn’t keep up with Perth’s offensive firepower. The Wildcats shot 52% from the field, led by former Bullets guard Calvin Bruton (31 points, 4 assists, and 9-of-9 from the free throw line), who delivered a statement performance against his old team. James Crawford (26 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 blocks) controlled the interior, completely disrupting Brisbane’s inside game.

The 98–113 loss eliminated Brisbane in the quarterfinals and denied them a fifth consecutive Grand Final appearance.

1989
Brisbane entered the 1989 NBL season in a period of adjustment after losing two of their key offensive weapons from the previous campaign—rising star Shane Heal (to Geelong) and import Emery Atkinson (to Canberra). In response, the Bullets turned to American forward Winston Crite to fill the offensive void and add a strong presence around the basket.

Leroy Loggins (22.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks) remained the club’s leading force at both ends of the floor. While he continued to deliver elite numbers, Loggins missed out on All-NBL First Team honours for the first time since 1981—likely a reflection of the team’s drop in performance. Winston Crite (20.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks) made an immediate impact statistically, but struggled to establish the same on-court connection with Loggins that past imports had.

Veteran leaders Larry Sengstock (12.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists) and Ron Radliff (12.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 steals) continued to be integral to the team’s structure, though both began to show signs of decline with reduced efficiency and consistency.

A major highlight for Brisbane was the breakout season from Robert Sibley (15.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists), who transitioned from a bench contributor to a reliable scoring option in the frontcourt. His increased productivity gave the Bullets a valuable third option and helped ease the loss of firepower from the offseason.

Despite these standout efforts, the Bullets struggled to regain the cohesion and depth that had defined their dominance throughout the 1980s. Brisbane finished the regular season in eighth place with an 11–13 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in six years.

1990
After finishing eighth with an 11–13 record in 1989 and missing the playoffs for the first time under coach Brian Kerle, Brisbane entered 1990 with an almost completely rebuilt roster. Only Leroy Loggins, Robert Sibley and Greg Fox returned, while captain Larry Sengstock and Ron Radliff (both to Gold Coast) were joined by Rodger Smith (to Gold Coast) in leaving for the expansion Cougars. John Dorge (to Geelong), Darren Perry (to Eastside) and Dan Clausen (to Adelaide) moved on, Greg Giddings, Shane Edwards and import Winston Crite were not re-signed, and Danny Morseu retired.

Kerle added imports Derek Rucker and Andre Moore, comeback big Chris McGraw and young Melbourne pair Paul Rees and Craig Adams, with locals Steve McLeod and Chris Clarkson also joining the new-look group. Loggins moved from the off-guard role he had occupied with mixed success in 1989 back to his preferred small forward position, while Moore and Sibley headed the rebuilt front line. The overhaul reduced Brisbane’s average age from 26.5 years to 23.1.

Brisbane opened the season against Adelaide at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on March 30, where Sibley (17 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) helped the Bullets hold on for a 122–119 victory. Rucker (48 points, 2 rebounds, 10 assists, and 4 steals) produced a spectacular NBL debut and Moore (23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks) was productive inside, while Mark Davis (44 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led Adelaide.

Sibley (15.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 33 games) remained a reliable frontcourt scorer and rebounder alongside Moore, working the baseline and offensive glass while providing smart interior defence. Known as the ‘Baseline Bandit’, he became an important part of a Brisbane group that opened 4–0, responded to its first loss with five consecutive victories and later put together another four-game winning streak during June. “He was really selfless and made all the plays that were necessary,” Rucker later said.

Sibley’s best game came against Perth at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on June 8, when he made 11-of-16 shots and finished with 25 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block. Loggins (35 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 7 steals) and Rucker (26 points, 7 assists, and 6 steals) provided the other major contributions, while James Crawford (35 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block) led Perth as Brisbane won 112–101.

Sibley first reached his season-high 27 points against Illawarra on July 21, making 12-of-13 field goals and adding 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Rucker (42 points, 9 assists, 7 steals, and 1 block) and Loggins (23 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block) also filled the stat sheet as Brisbane overwhelmed the Hawks 140–109 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Rucker (33 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 2.6 steals across 33 games) led Brisbane in scoring and was named NBL Most Valuable Player, while Moore (26.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2 blocks across 34 games) gave the Bullets another dominant interior presence. Loggins (22 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks across 34 games) was named the NBL’s Best Defensive Player, while Fox (8.6 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals across 34 games) provided another experienced playmaker. Brisbane finished third with an 18–8 record, while Rucker, Loggins and Moore were all named to the All-NBL First Team, making the Bullets the first club to place three players on the First Team in the same season. Kerle was also named Coach of the Year for the second time.

Brisbane opened its best-of-three elimination final series against Sydney on September 26, where Sibley (8 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) contributed at both ends. Moore (28 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Rucker (21 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) led Brisbane, while Damian Keogh (26 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) helped Sydney win 98–87 and take a 1–0 series lead.

Back at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre for Game two, Sibley (13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) made all five of his field-goal attempts as Brisbane responded with a 124–96 victory. Rucker (37 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) led the scoring and Loggins (25 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals) provided support, while Steve Carfino (30 points) led Sydney as the Bullets levelled the series.

Sibley (12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) then helped Brisbane survive the deciding Game three, with Rucker (46 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) producing the major offensive performance and Moore (25 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, and 1 block) providing further support. Mark Ridlen (35 points) led Sydney, but Brisbane held on 107–104 to win the series 2–1 and advance to the semifinals.

Brisbane hosted Eastside in Game one of the semifinals, where Sibley (2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) played 25 minutes as Moore (36 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Loggins (29 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) led the Bullets to a 121–111 victory. Former Brisbane guard Darren Perry (27 points, 4 rebounds, 12 assists, and 2 steals) led Eastside.

Game two moved to the Glass House, where Sibley (23 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) made 10-of-11 shots in his highest-scoring game of the postseason. Moore (35 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Loggins (29 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) provided the other major contributions, while Bruce Bolden (35 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) led Eastside. Brisbane escaped with a 120–119 overtime victory, completing the 2–0 sweep and advancing to a Grand Final rematch of its 1987 series against Perth.

Perth took the Grand Final opener 112–106 at the Perth Entertainment Centre despite Sibley finishing with 18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Rucker (27 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, and 1 steal) and Moore (25 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led Brisbane, while Ricky Grace (32 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks) powered the Wildcats to a 1–0 series lead.

Brisbane responded in Game two at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, where Sibley (12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block) helped the Bullets level the series with a 106–90 victory. Rucker (27 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Moore (26 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 5 blocks) led Brisbane, while James Crawford (22 points and 14 rebounds) was Perth’s best. The game drew 13,221 fans, a then-record Australian indoor sporting attendance and an NBL Grand Final crowd mark outside Melbourne that stood until 2013.

The deciding Game three drew another 13,159 fans to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, where Sibley finished with 5 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists. Rucker (21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) and Moore (18 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) led Brisbane, but Grace (25 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) carried Perth to a 109–86 victory and its first NBL championship with a 2–1 series win, while Grace was named Grand Final MVP.

1991
After falling to Perth in the 1990 Grand Final, Brisbane entered 1991 without Duncan Johnston, Craig Adams (to South Melbourne) and Darren Breeding, while captain Leroy Loggins, Derek Rucker, Andre Moore, Robert Sibley, Paul Rees and Greg Fox returned under head coach Brian Kerle. The Bullets added veteran guards Gordie McLeod (via Hobart) and Brendan Joyce (via Westside Melbourne), along with Cameron Dickinson, Lyndon Brieffies and development player Jason Cameron.

Brisbane opened the season at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on April 6, where Sibley (10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) helped the Bullets defeat North Melbourne 126-119. Rucker (36 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Moore (29 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 5 blocks) led Brisbane, while Scott Fisher (35 points and 11 rebounds) was the Giants’ best.

A week later Sibley (14 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) was one of Brisbane’s better performers in a 133-102 road loss to Southern Melbourne. Loggins (24 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Moore (20 points and 15 rebounds) led the Bullets, while Andrew Parkinson erupted for 41 points for the Saints.

Sibley (14.1 points and 6.6 rebounds across 25 games) remained an important part of Brisbane’s frontcourt and the team’s fourth-leading scorer, shooting 59 percent from the field during his eighth NBL season.

His highest-scoring game came against Illawarra at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on May 25, when Sibley finished with 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist while making 10-of-11 field goals and 7-of-8 free throws as Brisbane edged the Hawks 125-123.

Rucker (26.6 points, 3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.3 steals across 25 games) led Brisbane in scoring, while Loggins (25.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks across 26 games) led the NBL in free-throw percentage at 91.1 percent and earned All-NBL Second Team honours. Moore (23.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.9 blocks across 26 games) led the Bullets on the boards, with Rees (7.2 points and 3.9 rebounds across 25 games), Fox (5.5 points across 20 games) and Dickinson (5.5 points across 26 games) providing further support.

Sibley’s best game of the season came with Brisbane still fighting for a postseason place against Newcastle on September 7. Sibley (24 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) made 12-of-19 shots, while Moore (30 points, 12 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 blocks) and Loggins (20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block) helped the Bullets escape with a 110-109 victory. Troy Truvillion (34 points and 4 rebounds) led Newcastle. The win kept Brisbane in the finals race, but a three-game losing streak followed and ended its postseason hopes.

Brisbane completed the season at the AIS Arena on September 21, where Sibley (16 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 block) made 7-of-12 shots in a 131-118 victory over Canberra. Loggins (24 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) and Moore (22 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) led Brisbane, while Jamie Kennedy scored 36 points for the Cannons. The win left the Bullets ninth with a 13-13 record and out of the playoffs one season after reaching the Grand Final, with Sibley subsequently joining Melbourne for the 1992 season.

MELBOURNE TIGERS
1992
1992 began with the Tigers replacing forward David Colbert with former NBA guard Lanard Copeland, who paired with Andrew Gaze in the backcourt to become one of the most exciting backcourt duos in NBL history. Gaze (33.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.3 assists) would again lead the league in scoring, with Copeland (28.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists) NBA pedigree showing he was one of the best imports in the league.

Melbourne replaced the interior presence of Colbert with Robert Sibley (via Brisbane), which then resulted in Brisbane signing free agent Colbert in a talent swap for both team’s.

Sibley (11.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists) fitted into the frontcourt nicely, and talented young swingman Stephen Whitehead (13.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks) saw a boost in his numbers for the third straight season.

With the revamped roster, the Tigers became a much faster lineup, finishing the regular season in the third spot, their highest place finish ever (15-9).

Once into the postseason Melbourne would eliminate Perth (2-1) in the quarterfinals, and then the Sydney Kings (2-1) in the semifinals to reach the Grand Final series for the first time in franchise history. Facing off against crosstown rivals the South East Melbourne Magic, Gaze (26 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and the Tigers came out firing and comfortably defeated the Magic (116-98) in the first game of the series. That would be the last of the heroics, however, as the Magic would win the series’ next two games and claim the 1992 NBL championship (2-1).

1993 – THE TIGERS FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP
The Tigers’ season began with the huge signing of Mark Bradtke during the pre-season. His arrival made national news, with Bradtke having spent the off-seasonplaying in Spain and giving former team Adelaide a verbal agreement he would play for them if he returned in 1993. However, upon his return to Australia, Bradtke made it known he did not want to play the final year of his contract in Adelaide, amongst rumours the Melbourne Tigers were actively recruiting him. After negotiations between the two parties broke down, the 36ers gave permission for Bradtke to leave if a team would buy out his remaining contract. However, the NBL stepped in and vetoed the buyout, effectively letting Bradtke leave for Melbourne without the 36ers receiving any compensation. After the fact it became clear Bradtke had decided to move to Melbourne to be closer to then girlfriend (and future wife), pro-tennis player Nicole Provis.

Although the Tigers were coming off a grand final appearance, they began the season poorly and no one was pencilling them in for the championship at midseason. After shaking off their slow start (2-7) but finishing the remainder of the season strong (14-3), the Tigers finished the year in third place. Bradtke (17 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) became the missing puzzle piece to Melbourne’s historically weak frontline as Andrew Gaze (32.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.7 steals), Lanard Copeland (22.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.9 steals) led the team in scoring. Sibley appeared in 33 games and averaged 9.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks for the season.

During the quarterfinals, the Tigers would easily eliminate Illawarra (2-0), setting up a rematch of last year’s grand final, a semi finals showdown against South East Melbourne. Copeland (32 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals), Gaze (23 points 3 rebounds, and 8 assists) and Bradtke (21 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) combined for 76 points and in nail-biting two point win to open the series (108-106). In game two, Bradtke (28 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 steals) was the difference maker, proven unstoppable for the Magic as the Tigers closed out the series behind a 17 point win (89-72).

On the opposite side of the bracket, the Perth Wildcats (21-5) had finished on top of the ladder and made their way through to the Grand Final.

The series began with the Tigers playing at home and, by the second quarter, were controlling things with a 19 point lead. From there, Melbourne saw four key players fall into foul trouble, which included Robert Sibley (13 points and 4 rebounds) and Bradtke (4 points, 11 rebounds) fouling out. Bradtke struggled against Perth’s interior defenders and finished the game shooting one from nine from the field. Ricky Grace (23 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals) then fueled a late-game surge from Perth which closed the game by four points. In the closing minutes, Perth attempted to close the gap by repeatedly sending Melbourne to the line but with Gaze (41 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists) nailing ten from ten free throws in the final quarter, Melbourne see out the game as victors (117-113).

In a similar fashion to game one, Melbourne took out a early lead in game two (32-22), thanks to the dominance of Bradtke (24 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists). By halftime, however, the ‘Perth Wall’ of James Crawford (32 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks), Andrew Vlahov (23 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks), and Scott Fisher (16 points and 6 rebounds) had reined Bradtke things in and returned fire to lead by six at halftime (60-54).

Perth remained in control of the foul-prone Tigers, who struggled to score after losing both Gaze (22 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Dave Simmons (12 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists) to six fouls. Grace (23 points, 8 rebounds, and 13 assists) came close to recording a triple-double, many of those assists coming from feeding Crawford inside, who made 11 of his 15 shots.

A full house at the Perth Entertainment Centre (8,000 fans) witnessed the Wildcats’ victory (112-105), one that extended their consecutive home winning streak to 17. With game three to be played in Perth and the Tigers have never won on the Wildcats’ home floor, Perth entered the game as clear favourites.

The underdog Tigers, however, survived a strong Perth comeback that cut a 15-point lead to three before Gaze (22 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists) sunk a free throw to give Melbourne a two-point edge with four seconds left on the clock. A last-second shot from Vlahov (31 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) which rattled in and out of the ring, saw the Tigers become NBL champions for the very first time (104-102). Copeland (35 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists) led the team in scoring, while Bradtke (23 points, 19 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) dominated Perth inside after struggling with fouls in the first two games. In a surprising decision, however, Wildcats’ guard Ricky Grace was awarded the Grand Final MVP despite playing for the losing team.

The win saw Lindsay Gaze and his son Andrew complete a ten year journey to win Australia’s oldest basketball club its first national championship.

Surprisingly, the season Andrew Gaze led the Tigers to their first championship was the only season between 1991 and 1998 where he missed out on claiming the league’s MVP award. Instead, voters went with South East Melbourne Magic’s Robert Rose, but Gaze’s championship victory far outweighed any MVP result.

BRISBANE BULLETS
1994
In 1994, Sibley averaged 7.7 points and 6.5 rebounds, and helped guide the Bullets to a fourth place finish in the regular season (18-8).

1995
Having lost to Adelaide in the quarterfinals the previous season, the Bullets re-tooled their roster prior to 1995. The early exit saw Brisbane revamp their frontcourt, releasing veteran forward Shane Froling and imports Dave Colbert and Andre Moore. Although Leroy Loggins, Rodger Smith, Robert Sibley and Wayne Larkins were retained from last season, coach Bruce Palmer set out to recruit a younger roster he could develop over the next 2-3 seasons. He signed Andrew Goodwin and Mike Mitchell (both from rival team Gold Coast), and added import Chris Munk as their replacements.

John Rillie, who had just graduated from Gonzaga University, was a late addition to the team signed to backup Brisbane’s leading scorer Shane Heal.

Heal (22.9 points and 7.4 assists), Loggins (21.7 points and 7.5 rebounds), and Mitchell (20.9 points and 6.8 rebounds) would carry the team offensively, notching up 60+ points a game between them with Sibley also adding 6.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Additionally, promising young talent John Rillie finished the season with 13.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game and was awarded the NBL Rookie of the Year award but the ‘new look’ Bullets didn’t fare much better than the old ones. Brisbane finished in fifth place with a record of 16-10 and would suffer elimination during the Quarterfinalsstage yet again, this time losing to North Melbourne (0–2).

1996
In 1996, the Brisbane Bullets re-loaded by adding veteran big man Mark Dalton (via Sydney) and signing star import Steve Woodberry from rival club Gold Coast. Woodberry, who as coming off a major injury, averaged 23 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists and was selected to the All-NBL second team.

Under new head coach David Ingram, the Bullets finished with a record of 14-12 and in eighth place. Sibley, who was coming to the end of his career would see limited playing opportunities with the Bullets, averaging 2.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists.

1997
Following the previous season’s quarterfinal defeat to Melbourne, Brisbane moved on from Mike Mitchell (to North Melbourne), Andrew Goodwin (to North Melbourne), Luke Gribble, Ryan Stolberg and Shaun Guy, while captain Leroy Loggins, Steve Woodberry, Mike McKay, Rodger Smith, Mark Dalton, Robert Sibley and Aaron Honeyman returned under second-year head coach David Ingham. Leonard White (via Pau-Orthez), Andrew Ramsay (via Geelong), Toby Zaremba (via Gold Coast), John Szigeti (via Gold Coast) and rookie Ben Thompson (via AIS) were added, although Ramsay did not appear in an NBL game.

Brisbane opened the season against Melbourne at the Brisbane Convention Centre on April 11, where Sibley (0 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) played 29 minutes as the Bullets defeated the Tigers 111-105. Woodberry (28 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) and McKay (24 points and 7 rebounds) led Brisbane, while Andrew Gaze (33 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) was Melbourne’s leading scorer.

Sibley (1.9 points and 3.3 rebounds across 32 games) appeared in every game for Brisbane, playing all 30 regular-season games and both quarterfinals. After appearing in 23 games the previous season, his playing time remained almost unchanged at around 17 minutes per game, although his rebounding increased from 2.6 to 3.3 per game.

White (16.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals across 3 games) began the season as one of Brisbane’s imports but was cut after the opening three games, with Dwayne McClain (16.8 points, 8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals across 21 games; via Gold Coast) brought in as his replacement. McClain had played the final six games of Gold Coast’s 1996 season before the financially troubled Rollers did not return in 1997 and became one of Brisbane’s main scorers following his arrival.

Sibley’s best game came against North Melbourne at the Melbourne Sports & Entertainment Centre on May 31, where Sibley (6 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) made three of four shots in 21 minutes as Brisbane defeated the Giants 102-97, with Woodberry (30 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and McClain (24 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) leading the Bullets.

McClain suffered an injury against Townsville on September 13 after playing only 7:39, keeping him out of Brisbane’s final four regular-season games and both quarterfinals.

Woodberry (21.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2 steals across 32 games) narrowly led Brisbane in scoring and joined Loggins (21.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.9 steals across 32 games) on the All-NBL Second Team, with Loggins also representing Brisbane at the NBL All-Star Game and winning the three-point shootout. McKay (18.6 points and 5 rebounds across 7 games) was productive across seven appearances, while Smith (9.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 steals across 32 games), Dalton (8.2 points and 5.4 rebounds across 32 games), Thompson (6.9 points across 29 games) and Szigeti (4 points and 3.2 rebounds across 31 games) provided the other major contributions. Brisbane finished the regular season fifth with a 15-15 record, winning the head-to-head tie-breaker over Canberra.

The season was Sibley’s last full NBL campaign before retiring at the end of 1997, although he returned for five games with Brisbane in 2003. His number 52 was later retired by the Bullets, making him the fourth Brisbane player to receive the honour after Larry Sengstock, Ron Radliff and Loggins. Former teammate Derek Rucker later said Sibley was “really selfless and made all the plays that were necessary.”

Brisbane opened its quarterfinal series at the Perth Entertainment Centre on October 4, where Sibley (0 points, 2 assists, and 3 blocks) played 17 minutes as Loggins (32 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks) and Woodberry (23 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) led the Bullets, while Ricky Grace (18 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 steals) and Andrew Vlahov (14 points and 12 rebounds) helped Perth escape with an 81-79 win.

Game two moved to the Brisbane Convention Centre on October 7, where Sibley (2 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist), Woodberry (21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals, and 1 block) and Dalton (16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) led Brisbane, while Grace (25 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals) and Vlahov (21 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) led Perth to an 88-71 victory and completed the two-game sweep.

BRISBANE BULLETS
2002/03
Sibley would make a return to the Bullets, 5 years after his last appearance on the court during a injury plagued season where Brisbane managed only six wins for the season. He played in five games and averaged 0.8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists.

Robert Sibley played fifteen seasons in the NBL. He averaged 8.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 371 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 43rd in total blocks