BIO: Rod Johnson was born in Wollongong (NSW) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Illawarra basketball program.

FAMILY: Rod’s brother, Terry Johnson also played 200 games in the NBL.

NBL EXPERIENCE

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

In 1987, the Hawks had their best season to date, finishing in third place (20–6). As a rookie, Johnson added 2.1 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.4 assists.

1988
In 1988, Johnson averaged 5.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, playing a key role in the Hawks rotation, helping the team finish reach a seventh place finish in the regular season with a 11-13 record.

1989
The 1989 season saw Johnson average 14.1 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists and played a key role for the Hawks who finished the year with a record of 7-17.

1990
During the 1990 season Johnson averaged 13.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists and helped the Hawks finish to a record of 13-13 and end the regular season in eighth place.

1991
The 1991 season saw Johnson average 14.5 points, 3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists during a season where the Hawks struggled against the competition.

On the 27th of July, 1991 Johnson was a part of the highest scoring game in NBL history when the Illawarra Hawks lost to the Melbourne Tigers 186-158 in a game where a total of 344 points were scored. Johnson contributed 15 points himself and added 3 assists and 2 steals to the stat sheet as well. Remarkably the Hawks shot 76% from the field, which remains the highest shooting percentage ever recorded by a team in a losing effort.

The Hawks managed only six wins this season, finishing with a 6-20 record.

NORTH MELBOURNE GIANTS
1992
In 1992 Johnson was lured to Melbourne after the Giants signed his brother Terry and offered him the chance to play alongside him in a starting role. The two brothers joined the Giants in the midst of a major re-structure with the team moving on from long-term head coach Bruce Palmer. 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. Rod joined local talent Pat Reidy (16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.0 steals) and Darryl Pearce (11.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals) in the starting lineup.

Terry Johnson (2.5 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) saw minimal playing opportunities that season but was used by Brown as a motivator for his brother. Twice Terry replaced Johnson (6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.6 steals) in the starting lineup, a move designed to get more production the older brother, that outcome resulted in Rod Johnson dropping 21 points, a season high, the following game against Perth.

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 Johnson also contributed 2.5 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.9 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.

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.

Giants stalwart Mark Leader (who became a naturalised Australian in 1993) was named team captain and the team also added Rod’s younger brother Terry to the roster.

Next, Brown looked to replace Fisher, firstly with import Chuckie White, who failed to cut it during pre-season before signing Jason Reese, a player known around the league as ‘workhorse’ and dominant inside scorer that had spent the past two seasons with Hobart (1991) and Canberra (1992).

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 Johnson also contributed 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.9 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
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. Their decision to replace high-scoring forward Jason Reese with a 30-year-old point guard named Darryl McDonald was met with much surprise. The media and betting agencies promptly wrote off the Giants’ season, most tipping them to finish dead last. The pundits couldn’t have been more wrong, however, with McDonald (17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 10 assists and 3.0 steals per game) leading the league in steals and assists and 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) fans really started to become excited.

Pat Reidy (19.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 3.4) and Paul Maley (19.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg) became the main beneficiaries of many of McDonald’s flashy assists, while Johnson finished the season averaging 12.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.

The Giants would finish the season in second place, winning 19 of their 26 games. At season’s end, Brown would be named Coach of the Year. Also, quite controversially, McDonald finished second in both the NBL MVP (behind Andrew Gaze) and Best Defensive Player (Darren Lucas) awards, but McDonald responded by taking his game to a entirely new level for the playoffs.

After Sydney blitzed the Giants (131–109) in the opening game of the quarter-finals, McDonald led the Giants to a 112-91 victory in game two and a 104-95 victory in game three. In the deciding game, ‘D-Mac’ played all 48 minutes and filled the stat sheet with 17 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists while shooting 70% (7/10) from the field.

On the other side of the bracket, South East Melbourne eliminated Perth before being knocked out 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.

1995
After winning the 1994 championship, North Melbourne entered Brett Brown’s third season with almost its entire title roster intact, with Darryl McDonald, Pat Reidy, Paul Rees, Paul Maley, Larry Sengstock, Rod Johnson, Darryl Pearce, Mark Leader and John Stelzer all returning. The only major setback came in the final weeks before the season when Maley (back injury) was ruled out for the year, 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 Johnson (11.5 points) finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks as the Giants defeated the Rollers 118-97. McDonald (21 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block), Reidy (22 points and 12 rebounds) and Jent (33 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led the way, with Jent’s debut marking the first time a reigning NBA champion had played in the NBL.

Johnson’s best regular-season scoring game came on May 12 against Newcastle, where he made 11-of-19 shots, hit three three-pointers and finished with 26 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block, but the Falcons defeated North Melbourne 109-104 at the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre.

On August 18, Johnson finished with 20 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal against Melbourne, but Andrew Gaze and the Tigers handed North Melbourne a 123-108 loss at Melbourne Park.

A week later, Johnson made 10-of-14 shots and finished with 22 points and 2 rebounds as North Melbourne defeated Geelong 150-118 at the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre, with Reidy (28 points), McDonald (23 points, 9 assists, and 7 steals), Jent (19 points) and Rees (17 points and 7 rebounds) helping the Giants produce their highest score of the season.

North Melbourne closed the regular season in Brisbane on September 16, where Johnson finished with 9 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal, while Jent (31 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block), McDonald (26 points, 8 rebounds, 15 assists, and 9 steals), Reidy (26 points) and Rees (16 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) led the Giants to a 122-109 win, closing on a five-game winning streak and finishing third with a 18-8 record during a season where Brisbane, Sydney, North Melbourne, South East Melbourne and Melbourne all spent time on top of the ladder.

Jent (25.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.9 steals) led North Melbourne in scoring after replacing Maley and earned All-NBL Third Team honours, while Reidy (20.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals) remained a major scoring and rebounding option on the wing. 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 gave the Giants another perimeter scoring option, while Sengstock (5.7 points and 4.4 rebounds), Pearce (5.7 points) and Leader (4.6 points and 3.0 rebounds) completed Brown’s veteran rotation.

The quarterfinals opened in Brisbane, where Jent (34 points and 7 rebounds), Reidy (25 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Johnson (20 points, 2 rebounds, 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, and 5 assists), Jent (21 points and 5 rebounds), Rees (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 blocks) and Johnson (11 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) helped North Melbourne complete 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), Rees (17 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block), McDonald (11 points, 5 rebounds, 12 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Johnson (9 points and 4 rebounds) 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), Rees (12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) and Johnson (7 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal) contributed, 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), McDonald (14 points, 5 rebounds, 13 assists, and 8 steals), Sengstock (14 points) and Johnson (12 points and 3 rebounds) 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 and 11 rebounds) kept North Melbourne close before Perth won 97-88 and levelled the series, with Johnson held to 2 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist.

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. Johnson (6 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal) played 21:42 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, 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 Johnson (2 points and 3 steals) played 17:10 minutes, but the Kings defeated the Giants 102-97 despite Maley (20 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals), McDonald (16 points, 4 rebounds, 12 assists, and 2 steals) and Reidy (16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) keeping North Melbourne close.

Johnson (9.1 points and 1.3 steals) remained part of Brown’s backcourt rotation and four days later added 7 points and 2 rebounds as North Melbourne defeated Melbourne 105-85 at Melbourne Park. McDonald (20 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) recorded a triple-double, while Reidy (27 points and 10 rebounds), Jensen (28 points) and Rees (17 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks) helped the Giants claim their first win of the season.

Johnson (7 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) produced one of his best all-round games against Geelong on May 10 as North Melbourne defeated the Supercats 133-103, with McDonald (24 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, and 7 steals), Reidy (22 points), Maley (19 points and 5 rebounds) and Rees (14 points and 8 rebounds) leading the Giants.

Johnson’s best scoring game came at Carrara Indoor Stadium on May 17, where Johnson (31 points and 1 steal) made five three-pointers as North Melbourne defeated Gold Coast 125-106. Maley (28 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals), Reidy (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists), Rees (14 points and 4 blocks) and McDonald (13 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists, and 7 steals) helped the Giants win on the road.

Johnson (16 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) added another strong game against Melbourne on July 5, but the Tigers defeated North Melbourne 100-97 despite McDonald (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 15 assists) and Maley (25 points and 4 rebounds) leading the Giants.

Johnson (19 points and 2 steals) delivered his best late-season game in Perth on September 28 as North Melbourne defeated the Wildcats 99-93 behind McDonald (30 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 9 steals) and Rees (15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists). The win came one night after a 92-70 loss in Adelaide and left the Giants seventh with a 15-11 record in a tight ladder where only two games separated third place and eighth.

Reidy (20.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals) led North Melbourne in scoring, while 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), Sengstock (4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds), Shanahan (5 points) and Stelzer (2.1 points) completed Brown’s rotation.

The quarterfinals opened at the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre, where South East Melbourne defeated North Melbourne 96-82 behind Andrew Parkinson (19 points). Johnson (7 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block) played 28:23 minutes, while Rees (28 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks), Reidy (19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and McDonald (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block) led the Giants as 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 an 87-77 win and completed the sweep. Johnson (14 points and 2 rebounds) played 41:50 minutes in the 87-77 loss.

1997
By 1997, Rod Johnson was one of North Melbourne’s longest-serving players, remaining in Brett Brown’s rotation as financial pressure continued to shape the Giants’ roster. Tonny Jensen (to Newcastle) and Paul Maley (back injury) exited, but with Gold Coast and Hobart no longer in the league, Brown was able to add David Stiff (via Hobart), Mike Mitchell (via Brisbane), Andrew Goodwin (via Brisbane), Matthew Reece (via Newcastle) and Cameron Jackson as North Melbourne carried the league minimum of 11 players.

North Melbourne opened the season with a 85-81 win over Sydney, where the veteran wing added 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals as Reidy (24 points), 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).

Johnson (10.8 points) remained one of Brown’s main perimeter options as the Giants started 4-0, hitting three triples and finishing with 17 points in a 109-101 win over Newcastle on April 18, then adding 9 points in a 94-92 win over Sydney the next night.

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 missing, Stiff took on a larger frontcourt role, Goodwin added size and Johnson’s outside shooting became more important around McDonald, Reidy and Mitchell.

One of Johnson’s best games came in Adelaide on May 3, where he made five three-pointers and finished with 19 points as North Melbourne defeated the 36ers 99-92.

He added another 19 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals on June 5 as the Giants defeated Wollongong 104-90, then scored 19 points again against Melbourne on June 21, although the Tigers defeated North Melbourne 115-104.

Johnson’s best scoring game came on July 19 against South East Melbourne, where he made 8-of-12 shots and finished with 20 points and 2 rebounds, but the Magic defeated the Giants 99-86.

North Melbourne steadied late in the season, with Johnson adding 14 points in a 117-96 win over Sydney on September 7 and 14 points again in a 92-90 win over Brisbane on September 20. The Giants closed the regular season at home against Perth on September 24, where Johnson finished with 12 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals, but the Wildcats defeated North Melbourne 106-102, leaving the Giants third with a 18-12 record.

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) became the main interior presence in Rees’ absence. 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, with Johnson finishing with 8 points and 3 steals.

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. Johnson finished with 5 points and 2 rebounds in the win.

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, while Johnson added 5 points and 2 assists.

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) and Johnson (17 points and 4 assists) 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 on its way to the NBL championship. Johnson (10 points and 5 rebounds) played 23:10 minutes in the 112-105 loss.

CANBERRA CANNONS
1998
Johnson averaged 8.4 points and 2.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists during a lacklustre season where the Cannons limped home to a seventh place finish with a 14-16 record.

NEWCASTLE FALCONS
1998/99
Entering the 1998/99 season, the Falcons were in dire financial trouble, but on the brink of the season starting, they secured funds from a group of investors from Albury. As a result, the Falcons were able to retain local talent Ben Melmeth, Terry Johnson and import Todd Mundt but were forced to build the rest of the team on a shoestring budget. Somewhat luckily, Newcastle benefitted from the merger of South East Melbourne and North Melbourne, which saw Pat Reidy and import Butch Hays both former Giants players, without a team. With few NBL team’s having any space on their rosters at this stage, the Falcons were able to sign both at budget prices. Dean Brogan (via Adelaide), Rod Johnson (via Canberra) and legendary shot blocker Willie Simmons was lured out of retirement to play another season.

While obvious favourites to finish on the bottom of the ladder, the Falcons surprised everyone by winning five of their first six games.

Shortly after, reports of players not being paid their salaries surfaced, and the focus, motivation and production among the players began to wane. Mundt exited the team as a result of not getting paid on time and was replaced with Simmons (14.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.2 steals) who after a season playing with Sydney was sitting at home after being unable to find another new deal.

The remainder of the season then saw Newcastle record three wins from their next nineteen games before finally beating Perth (113–111) in their final game of the year.

Pat Reidy (17.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals) led the team in scoring, Ben Melmeth (17.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals) led the team in rebounds while Terry Johnson (14.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.1 steals) delivered his best season at the point guard position and his brother Rod Johnson (11.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists) rounded out the team’s leading scorers.

After narrowly surviving the season before, this would prove to be the death knell for Newcastle, with the league stepping in to address their financial situation and its result being the removal of their NBL licence and the Falcons being forced out of the league.

BRISBANE BULLETS
1999/00
The team were unable to retain imports Chuck Kornegay (Spain) and Steve Woodberry (Sydney), who both left for high-paying deals, and by the 1999/00 season, Leroy Loggins (16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal per game) was finally showing signs of slowing down. By now, his numbers had dropped to career lows across the board, and the Bullets began to plan for life after Leroy.

Head coach Brian Kerle signed his son Simon Kerle and Jason Cameron (both via Townsville) as well as Brendan Mann (via Canberra) to build a local core to build around, adding them to existing young talent, Phil Doherty and Mark Nash. Johnson was also added for some veteran leadership, and import signings Kelvin Price and Sheldon Quarles rounded out the roster.

Amazingly, Loggins (15.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals) was still a vital cog in the Bullets’ offence and continued to clock 29 minutes of playing time each game despite being 42 years old. Kerle (14.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists) did what he could, while Price (12.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists) and Quarles (11.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) underperformed, to say the least. The Bullets didn’t quite have the talent they did the previous year and finished 7-21, causing Loggins to miss the playoffs for only the third time in his 20 seasons in the NBL.

Johnson appeared in 24 games and averaged 8.9 points, 2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists.

Rod Johnson played fourteen seasons across five NBL teams. This included the Illawarra Hawks, North Melbourne Giants, Newcastle Falcons, Canberra Cannons and Brisbane Bullets. He averaged 10.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 367 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 46th in total steals