NICKNAME/S: The Bear

BIO: Ronaldson played for the Eastside Melbourne Spectres, South East Melbourne Magic, Victoria Titans, Perth Wildcats and New Zealand Breakers in the NBL where he was known as “The Bear” due to his large physique.

He played in seven NBL Grand Final series and won two championships, both with the Magic in 1992 and 1996. He also represented Australia at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and again in 2004 in Athens. Ronaldson received a scholarship to attend the Australian Institute of Sport (Canberra) in 1989. He spent one year there and played for the program’s state league team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Tony Ronaldson made his NBL debut with the Eastside Melbourne Spectres at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

Eastside had been slowly improving each season since Brian Goorjian was appointed head coach in 1988, and by 1990 many of the core group that had been a part of the roster when Goorjian took over had developed from junior talent to highly productive NBL players.

The only changes to the local roster were the exits of veterans Paul Hotchins and Warren Pink, who were then replaced with Darren Perry (Brisbane) and Nunawading junior Tony Ronaldson, who had just completed a year at the Australian Institute of Sport. The departure of import Arne Duncan then made room for the return of former Spectre Bruce Bolden.

To kick off the season, Eastside was tipped to be the big improvers of 1990 after finishing ‘best of the rest’ the year prior. The team started off by winning its first three games on the schedule, but over the course of the season, the team never seemed to be able to beat the league’s best. While they knocked off the majority of the league, losses they couldn’t see to deliver wins against elite team’s like Perth, Brisbane and North Melbourne. In Round 21, Eastside turned things around with a win over crosstown rivals North Melbourne (118-111), but then followed that up with a 3-2 run home.

Despite this, Eastside still managed to finish second on the ladder thanks to a impressive 10-3 home record. Lockhart (27.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.3 steals) returned a better player in his second year in the league, leading the team in scoring and being selected to the All-NBL Second Team. Bolden (26.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.2 blocks) filled the stat sheet most games and Uthoff (17.9 points and 13.6 rebounds) led the team in rebounding once again. Perry (10.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists) running the point guard spot was a big part of the Spectres improvement from 14-10 last season, to 16-8 in 1990. Ronaldson also contributed 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game.

Due to finishing in second place, Eastside received a first-round bye then met Brisbane, who eliminated Sydney in the elimination finals, in the semi final. This was the first time a Goorjian coached team had reached the semi finals but they were eliminated by the Bullets amidst little fanfare in two straight games.

1991
1991 saw Ronaldson average 9.8 points and 3.9 rebounds, and play a key role in helping the Spectres to a second place finish in the regular season with a 17-9 record. Unfortunately, he would miss the Eastside Melbourne Spectres’ Grand Final appearance in 1991 due to leaving for the United States to attend Arizona State University.

SOUTH EAST MELBOURNE MAGIC
1992 – ONE MAGIC YEAR
In the playoffs, the Magic made short work of both the Canberra Cannons and North Melbourne Giants, setting up a NBL Grand Final against their crosstown rival Melbourne Tigers (15-9), who had finished third.

In game one of the series, South East Melbourne’s starting point guard Darren Perry suffered a torn ACL and would miss the next nine months due to injury and the remainder of the Grand Final. The injury rattled the Magic, with the Tigers guards Lanard Copeland (34 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks) and Andrew Gaze (26 points) capitalising, taking home a 18 point win (116-98).

In game two, the Magic backcourt stepped up in Perry’s absence with Darren Lucas (19 points) finishing with a season-high and Scott Ninnis locked down Copeland (14 points), who had single-handed won the opening game for the Tigers, forcing him to shoot a poor 6 of 19 from the field. Ronaldson added 22 points, while Robert Rose (20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals) controlled the point guard spot at the offensive end. Bruce Bolden (22 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocks) dominated inside to give the Magic win (115-93) and even the series (1-1).

The Tigers had been taken by surprise by the Magic’s ability to bounce back without Perry, and although Melbourne battled valiantly in game three, the Magic seemed to have won the mental game with the previous victory. Once again, the Magic backcourt stepped up, this time forcing Gaze (18 points) into a horrible 5/19 shooting night and holding Copeland (24 points) below his season average. Ronaldson contributed 12 points, and the Magic ground out a 95-88 win in the deciding game. The Magic’s import duo of Rose (26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks) and Bolden (21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 3 blocks) were at their very best and at the conclusion of the game Bolden was awarded the NBL Finals MVP award by NBA Commissioner David Stern who was visiting Australia at the time.

1993
With the Magic coming off a NBL championship in their first year in the league, many pondered what they could do in their second. Coach Brian Goorjian was able to return with the majority of the roster intact. Even Darren Perry, who suffered a ACL injury that saw him miss nine months of action, made it back to the court. The only major additions to the roster being David Graham (via North Melbourne) and Simon Kerle (via Brisbane) to cover the loss of Scott Ninnis (to Adelaide).

Ronaldson (20.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists) would have a breakout season for the Magic, alongside the dominant play of imports Bruce Bolden (21.6 points and 12.6 rebounds) and Robert Rose (18.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 3.0 steals), who led the league is steals and was named NBL MVP. South East Melbourne delivered another strong regular season performance, finishing in second place (20-6). They would then eliminate seventh seed Adelaide (2-0) during the quarterfinals, setting up a rematch of last year’s grand final, a semi-final showdown against Melbourne. Mark Bradtke (21 points and 9 rebounds), who had shifted from Adelaide to Melbourne this season, dominated in the Tigers game one win (108-106), only to back it up (28 points and 15 rebounds) in their game two win (89-72), ending the Magic’s season.

1994
After losing to heated rivals, the Melbourne Tigers head coach Brian Goorjian decided the Magic needed to go younger and chose not to re-sign veteran guards, Darren Perry and Robert Rose, replacing them with younger talent. 18-year-old Sam MacKinnon and Rupert Sapwell, who had just returned from playing college basketball, were added to the roster, and Adonis Jordan, who had led the Kansas Jayhawks to the 1993 NCAA Final Four only six months prior, became the Magic’s sole import.

Jordan would lead the team in scoring (19.9 ppg) and assists (8.2 apg), with Ronaldson (19.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 2.7 apg) and Bruce Bolden (16.5 ppg and 8.9 rpg) doing the damage inside. As the season progressed Sam MacKinnon would deliver one of the greatest seasons ever witnessed in the NBL by a 18-year-old, averaging 5.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 19.2 minutes of game time, enough to earn the league’s Rookie Of The Year Award.

In a interesting nod to the future, due to injury the Magic replaced him with state league star Mike Kelly who would become a major part of the Magic roster in 1997.

South East Melbourne was unbeatable at home all season (11-2) butcould never replicate that on the road, losing half their away games and finishing third on the ladder (18-18).

In the postseason, South East swept Perth in two games to set up a semi-finals matchup against crosstown rival North Melbourne. The Giants delivered a major upset in game one, convincingly defeating the Magic (108-87). In game two, it was much closer. In fact, the game was only decided in the final minute (76-79), and if Adonis Jordan hadn’t missed a three-point heave at the buzzer (many thought he could have made a extra pass to a open David Graham for a better shot), the Magic might have been able to force a third game. Instead, the South East Melbourne’s season came to a end.

1995
Brian Goorjian’s youth movement continued in 1995. After moving on from star import Robert Rose the season prior, veteran big man Bruce Bolden would not be offered a chance to return (he would move on to sign with the Sydney Kings), with his replacement coming in the form of young 7-footer Chris Anstey from the Melbourne Tigers.

Anstey’s move to the Magic was one of huge controversy when Melbourne coach Lindsey Gaze appealed the signing via the NBL tribunal. The NBL decided that Anstey could not leave the Tigers and would have to play for Melbourne as long as the Tigers could match the contract, which they did.

After some extremely creative salary tweaking where Magic CEO Graham McNaney and Goorjian convinced all of the Magic players to sign for less so they could offer Anstey a larger contract (which also fit within the NBL salary cap) that the Tigers couldn’t match. Once Anstey had signed with the Magic, all of the team’s players were reinstated to their previous contracts.

After the Anstey deal was done, the Magic rounded out the roster by adding Nunawading junior Jason Smith, re-signing import Adonis Jordan and pairing him with Richard ‘Scooter’ Barry, son of NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry. Unfortunately, Barry (14.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.3 steals) didn’t quite make the impact in the NBL that his father had in the NBA and was shown the door after four games. Goorjian chose to elevate 23-year-old development player Shane Bright (0.3 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists) for the remaining games instead of bringing in another import, aiming to give his young local core of MacKinnon, Anstey and Smith as much playing time as possible.

The Magic went on to finish second on the ladder (18-8), with Tony Ronaldson (21.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.0 steals) leading the team in scoring and Jordan (20.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.8 steals) leading the Magic in assists.

Additionally, 33-year-old big man John Dorge (16.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 3.0 blocks) turned the clock back and delivered a breakout season, leading the league in blocked shots. Dorge’s improved play saw him selected to the All-NBL first team at the end of the season. Ronaldson also averaged 21.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists and backup guard Darren Lucas (9.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals) took home the league’s Best Defensive Player award.

In the postseason, the Magic lost game one of their quarterfinal matchup with the Illawarra (108-113), then returned to Melbourne to win both games two (92-89) and three (93-75). Moving onto the semi-finals, South East Melbourne would face North Melbourne and saw their season end early thanks to losses in both games one (77-98) and game three (92-107).

1996
By 1996, Magic coach Brian Goorjian had succeeded in rebuilding his roster, focusing on developing young Aussie talent. By 1996 Sam MacKinnon, Chris Anstey and Jason Smith, all under 21 years of age, had become key contributors to the team. In a move to create more opportunities for his young team, he replaced high-scoring import Adonis Jordan with pass-first point guard Billy McCaffrey (via Vanderbilt) and signed tenacious defender Mike Kelly who was one of the premier players in the state league competition and had a brief cameo with the Magic 1994. Rupert Sapwell was replaced by 18-year-old Frank Drmic, and Goorjian’s veteran core of Ronaldson, John Dorge, Andrew Parkinson, and Darren Lucas returned, believing this was their year to go all the way.

South East Melbourne would deliver a balanced attack with six players averaging double figures in scoring for the season. Tony Ronaldson (18.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists) and new import Billy McCaffrey (17.6 points, 2.8 rebounds 4.7 assists) led the team in scoring, and assists while Anstey (11.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game) delivered a breakout season, doubling his playing time (from 9.6 minutes to 21.3 minutes) and sharing the centre position with Dorge (12.4 points. 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 27.1 minutes). Anstey’s play earning him the Most Improved Player award at season’s end.

This season, the Magic were unstoppable at home, winning 11 from 13 games. The team’s weaknesses, however, seemed to come from its youthful inexperience and learning to win on the road. Case in point, the Magic managed only two away wins during the regular season against playoff team’s.

Once into the Playoffs, the Magic were able to get revenge on the North Melbourne Giants, who had ended their season in 1995. South East Melbourne defeated North Melbourne in game one (96-82), after shutting down Giants star point guard Darryl McDonald (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 turnovers). Veteran Andrew Parkinson (19 points) came off the bench to lead the Magic in scoring, and import duo Billy McCaffrey (18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists) and Mike Kelly (15 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals) delivered all-round efforts and a dominant Chris Anstey (12 points and 7 rebounds) created havoc inside.

In Game two, John Dorge (14 points and 14 rebounds) shut down big man Paul Rees (10 points), who had led the Giants in scoring in the opening matchup (28 points). Tony Ronaldson (25 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks) led the team in scoring, and Kelly (17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) was able to limit the impact from McDonald (17 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists) once again to end the Giants season (87-77). South East Melbourne would face Adelaide in their semi-final matchup, Ronaldson (20 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists) continued to carry the scoring load in game one, but thanks to 36ers athletic forward Leon Trimmingham (23 points and 9 rebounds), the Magic were unable to get it done in the game’s closing moments (86-87). In game two, Ronaldson (11 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists) delivered a all-around performance, while the team’s young stars were the main driving force in the Magic’s game one win (112-81). MacKinnon (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Anstey (14 points and 6 rebounds) kept the scoreboard ticking over, but more importantly, they were able to limit Trimmingham (10 points) to a 3 from 12 shooting night. South East Melbourne and onto a Grand Final matchup with crosstown rival the Melbourne Tigers.

Melbourne was too good in game one (100-89), with Gaze (35 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists) delivering his best game of the series in front of a packed Melbourne crowd. Mark Bradtke (24 points and 15 rebounds) and Lanard Copeland (23 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists) were also brilliant, scoring whenever Gaze didn’t, and the Tigers ‘Big Three’ combining for 82 points.

The Magic would then bounce back and win game two (88-84) in front of a Grand Final record crowd of 15,064 at the National Tennis Centre at Flinders Park, which still stands as Melbourne’s highest-attended NBL game ever. Gaze (21 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists) led the Tigers in scoring in the loss, while the Magic were led by Tony Ronaldson (28 points) and Mike Kelly (19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals). The third and deciding game was held less than 48 hours later, a scenario that benefited the younger legs of the Magic and allowed them to deliver the final blow (107-70). Billy McCaffrey (24 points and 5 assists) and the incredibly efficient performances from Sam MacKinnon (18 points and 9 rebounds), who shot 9/10 from the field, and John Dorge (16 points and 8 rebounds) who made 8 of his 11 shots saw South East Melbourne’s field goal percentage be the game’s deciding factor. The Tigers made only 23 of 60 shots (38%) compared to the Magic, hitting 46 of their 85 shots (54%) in the 30-point blowout.

The 1996 NBL Grand Final series drew a aggregate attendance record of 43,605 (average 14,535), the largest crowd ever for a three-game NBL series. Magic guard Mike Kelly was awarded the Finals MVP award after averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.3 steals across the three-game series.

1997
After winning the championship in 1996, the Magic returned the majority of their roster for the 1997 season, the only major changes being import Brian Tolbert replacing the exiting Billy McCaffrey and 18-year-old Frank Drmic replacing a retiring Darren Lucas. The changes didn’t seem to impact the Magic’s winning ways, with the team finishing the year on top of the NBL ladder with the best record in franchise record (22-8).

The team delivered a balanced scoring attack again, with five players averaging double figures and only four points separating the team’s leading scorer from its fifth-leading scorer. Leading the way in points per game was Ronaldson (16.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists), closely followed by young stars Sam MacKinnon (15.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists) and Chris Anstey (13.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and a team-leading 1.6 steals and 1.8 blocks). At the end of the season, veteran Mike Kelly (12.6 points) was named the NBL’s Best Defensive Player, and Brian Goorjian took home the Coach of the Year trophy.

Finishing first on the ladder saw the Magic earn a first-round bye in the playoffs before facing the fourth-placed Perth Wildcats, who had eliminated Brisbane in the elimination finals. In game one, Chris Anstey (19 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 steals) and Tony Ronaldson (18 points) led the Magic to victory in Perth (92-82). With game two being in Melbourne, the Magic upped their defensive intensity, shutting down the Wildcat’s to win by 27 points (96-69), with Sam MacKinnon (21 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists) leading the way on the scoreboard.

The Magic returned to the NBL Grand Final with a rematch against the Tigers set to determine this year’s champions. This Melbourne squad, however, was no ordinary team. After a slow start (6 wins and 5 losses), once the team replaced import Jarvis Lang with Marcus Timmons mid-way through the season, the Tigers made history this season, recording a franchise record of 13 consecutive wins during the regular season, which they had extended to 15 by the time they met the Magic in the Grand Final. Behind big games from Lanard Copeland (29 points and 4 rebounds), Marcus Timmons (24 points and 9 rebounds), and Andrew Gaze (23 points, 9 assists), the Tigers blew the Magic off the court to the tune of 37 points in the opening game (111-74), while shutting down Anstey (6 points) on the offensive end.

Goorjian knew the game plan had to change, and in game two, the Magic surprised the Tigers behind a much more physical game, with veteran John Dorge selected to start instead of Anstey. Moving Anstey (21 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 33 minutes) to the bench, he delivered the best postseason of his career, getting the Magic the win (84-78) and ending the Tigers’ consecutive win streak at 17.

For the second straight year, Melbourne and South East Melbourne would face off in a third game to decide the championship. Midway through the opening term of game three, the scores were tied, but after the Tigers frontcourt were able to limit Anstey (8 points) and pull out a offensive Tigers run in the second quarter, the game was all but over at half-time. The Tigers never looked back, claiming the team’s second NBL championship (93-83).

Ronaldson (26 points) led the Magic in scoring, while Copeland (26 points) was the top scorer for the victors. Copeland was named Finals MVP after averaging 27.6 points and 3.3 rebounds (56% shooting) over the three game series, yet it was blue-collar Tigers forward Warrick Giddey who the Melbourne Tigers deemed the deciding factor in the game three victory. Giddey recorded zero points, four rebounds, three assists and one block, and if you hadn’t seen the game, you’d probably question why he even bothered showing up. But Giddey delivered three crucial plays in the series’ closing moments that turned the tide. Firstly a hard foul on Sam MacKinnon, which broke the Magic star’s nose. The second was a huge block on Frank Drmic, and finally, a mid-court screen on Mike Kelly that came close to knocking him out of his shoes.

A great Australian sporting rivalry!! pic.twitter.com/qVrlKwROkN

— RANDOM HOOPS (@HoopsRandom) March 21, 2023

1998
After falling short in the grand final, South East Melbourne coach Brian Goorjian looked to rekindle some of the ‘Magic’and replace import guard Brian Tolbert with Billy McCaffrey, who led the Magic to the 1996 championship. Goorjian also added young talent Brett Wheeler to the squad as a replacement for the NBA departure of Chris Anstey.

The team would win their first six games in a row before a loss to Brisbane that also saw the team release McCaffrey (10.3 points and 2.9 assists) after realising he was not quite the same player as he was in 1996. Former NBA guard Clinton McDaniel (17.4 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.7 steals) would replace him and go on to lead the league in steals.

Tony Ronaldson (18.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists), led the team in scoring for the fourth season in row while 20-year-old Frank Drmic (14.4 points and 6.6 rebounds) had a breakout season, gaining the attention of NBA scouts. The Magic would finish in first place (26-4) during the regular season, recording the third best win/loss record of all-time behind Adelaide (24-2) in 1986 and Geelong (21-2) in 1984). As a result, Brian Goorjian took home his third Coach of the Year award and Mike Kelly was named the defensive player of the year for the second straight season.

The Magic received a first-round bye thanks to finishing in first place, then faced off against Brisbane in the semi-finals.

The Magic would swiftly eliminate the Steve Woodberry led Bullets in two straight games to reach the NBL Grand Final for the third season in a row, this time going head to head with the Adelaide 36ers.

In game one of the Grand Final series, second seed Adelaide (19-11) delivered the initial blow (100-93) on the back of first-year import Kevin Brooks (24 points and 8 rebounds). Amazingly, game one of the Grand Final was only the second time the 36ers had defeated the Magic since the Eastside Melbourne Spectres and Southern Melbourne Saints had merged to form the Magic in 1992.

The 36ers, who had started the season off slowly, had really found their form come the Grand Final and, in game two, obliterated the Magic, who at that point had lost only one home game for the season, at Melbourne Park 90-62. The 36ers held the Magic to less than 15 points in three of the game’s quarters. Brooks (21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks) and Martin Cattalini (20 points and 6 rebounds) were brilliant for the 36ers in a game decided by turnovers and free throws, with South East Melbourne finishing with 26 turnovers and 6 of 8 from the free throw line to Adelaide’s 14 turnovers and 25 of 33 from the stripe.

The win saw Adelaide capture their first NBL championship since 1986 with Kevin Brooks being named Grand Final MVP in what was to be the last NBL season played during the winter months. This season also saw the end of the South East Melbourne Magic, who merged with the North Melbourne Giants the following year to become the Victoria Titans.

VICTORIA TITANS
1998/99
After the NBL’s move to summer, interest in the league had declined, and financially, it had become difficult for Melbourne to sustain three separate clubs. In a effort to boost sponsorship and membership numbers, the South East Melbourne Magic merged with the North Melbourne Giants, who had struggled financially for a number of years.

The team was re-branded to the Victorian Titans and with the majority of the front office being former Magic owners, a decision was made to retain Brian Goorjian, leaving Giants coach Brett Brown without a job (Brown would later sign on to coach the Sydney Kings).

Selecting a team generated its criticism as Goorjian’s appointment coincided with team’s deciding not to offer Pat Reidy, then a member of the Australian national team, a spot on the roster. The Titans would complete their roster by signing four players from the Giants roster, Darryl McDonald, Ben Pepper, David Smith and Paul Maley and five players from the Magic’s roster, Jason Smith, Frank Drmic, Brett Wheeler, Mike Kelly and Tony Ronaldson.

As a testament to the strength in depth that this newly possessed the Titans became immediate favourites to lift the title in April. To kick-start the season, Victoria faced long-time rivals of the Magic and Giants, the Melbourne Tigers. The 80-99 loss inflicted by the Tigers wasn’t the result many expected and clearly showed the lack of cohesion that combining two team’s had created.

Although it took a little while before the Titans found their rhythm, starting the year with a 2-2 record, a few weeks into the season and they quickly proved they were championship contenders.

Ronaldson (16.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists) was named team captain and responded by leading the team in scoring and earning the club MVP at the end of the season. Ben Pepper (12.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks) finished second in scoring and led the team in rebounds and blocks, while Darryl McDonald (11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 2.4 steals) led both the Titans and the league in steals and assists.

The team would deliver a balanced attack with seven of its players scoring in double figures and finishing the year in fourth place. The Titans were clearly a different team come playoffs than the team which lost by 19 points to the Tigers in round one, having lost only three games at home (10-3) and finishing the regular season on a four-game winning streak.

Victoria destroyed Wollongong at home in game one of the Qualifying Finals (96-65) and in game two, delivered the knockout punch, eliminating the Hawks in two straight games.

in the semifinals, the Titans would face the aforementioned Tigers, who led by star import Marcus Timmnons (31 points and 9 rebounds), and were able to grind out a three point win (80-77). Ronaldson (17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists) led the team in scoring, and Paul Maley (16 points) delivered a incredibly efficient game off the bench, nailing seven of nine shots in 22 minutes.

In game two, Mike Kelly (19 points and 7 rebounds) and Ben Pepper (15 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks) led Victoria in scoring as the Titans led the Tigers in all four quarters and came away with the win (94-87). The win would set up a grand final series between Victoria and Adelaide, who defeated Brian Goorjian’s squad the previous season when they were known as the Magic.

The opening matchup delivered a battle of the point guards with McDonald (23 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 steals) and 36ers import Darnell Mee (25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks) led both team’s in scoring. Mee was able to come out on top in this one, with Adelaide winning the game (104-94) and Mee also forcing McDonald into making 8 turnovers.

Brett Maher (25 points) came out firing for Adelaide in game two, but the Titans’ defence saw the remainder of the 36ers struggle, with no one else able to score more than 12 points and the team shooting 39% from the field. Victoria would rely on Tony Ronaldson (22 points), Brett Wheeler (18 points, 9 rebounds) and McDonald (12 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists) to get the win (88-82), evening the series.

With the 36ers finishing in first place during the regular season the deciding game would be held in Adelaide where more than 7,000 Sixers fans willed the team over the line to become back-to-back NBL champions. Martin Cattalini (19 points and 9 rebounds) led the 36ers in scoring while Brett Maher (15 points and 7 rebounds) was named Grand Final MVP. Ben Pepper (15 points) top scored for the Titans who shot a woeful 26/78 from the field (38%) in the deciding game.

1999/00
After falling short in the Grand Final for the second year in a row (Magic ’98, Titans ’99) Brian Goorjian looked to add local youth to his roster in a attempt to go one step further. a common Goorjian strategy. This saw veteran import players Paul Maley and Mike Kelly shown the door and 20 year old Glen Siegle elevated from development player to the full roster and signed 23 year old big man Nathan Taylor away from the Melbourne Tigers. The remainder of the Titans roster all returned, as the team looked to go one step further than last season and win the NBL championship.

In their second as the Titans, Victoria finished the season strong thanks to a breakout season from Jason Smith, who boosted his numbers from 11.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.7 steals in 29 minutes to 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.8 steals in 40 minutes per game and named the Titan’s club MVP at the end of the season. In addition to Smith leading the team in scoring, Victoria would deliver a well-balanced offensive attack, with six players scoring in double figures. Tony Ronaldson contributed 16.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, Darryl McDonald averaged 13.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and while leading the led the league in both assists (7.8 apg) and steals (3.1 spg).

Once again, the Titans built their season around a strong home record (11-3) and finished the season in fourth place. This saw Victoria (20-8) and Melbourne (14-14) face off in the elimination finals where the Tigers took game one (101-94). The Titans evened the series (78-70) in game two, setting up a third and deciding game. In game three, Victoria overcome a offensive explosion from Melbourne’s Andrew Gaze (30 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists), but again, the Titans defence proved highly successful in generating turnovers (Gaze himself had 7), and Victoria closed out the series (2-1). MacDonald (29 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steal) led the Titans in scoring in the win (105-96).

This set-up a rematch with the aforemention Adelaide, who had picked up the discarded Paul Maley (12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds) midseason, to see him become a valuable bench contributor. Adelaide, who had finished the season in first place (and had the wood of the Titan’s it was believed) and entered the in the semifinals as favourites. Ronaldson (26 points and 5 rebounds) and MacDonald (24 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks) would lead the Titans to a game one win in Melbourne (101-86), before the series moved to Adelaide for games two and three.

Game two saw the 36ers return to the same high-scoring offence that had proven unstoppable during the past two seasons. Martin Cattalini (24 points and 7 rebounds) and Darnell Mee (22 points,7 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals) delivered big games, allowing the 36ers to even the series with a win (95-72). With many expecting Victoria to come up short against Adelaide yet again, the team rallied behind MacDonald (24 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals), who again impacted the game from every angle. While his counterpart Mee (22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) filled the stat sheet, his 36ers teammates struggled to score through the impenetrable Titans defence. This resulted in Victoria winning the game three (93-89) and finally overcoming the 36ers, igniting a Titans celebration on court, which some felt was premature considering the grand final series was still to come.

Not surprisingly, Victoria had nothing left for Perth in the Grand Final, and the Wildcat’s defeated the Titans in two straight contests, a six-point win in game one (84-78) followed up with a similar outcome in game two (83-76). Perth were led by league MVP Paul Rogers (24 points and 20 rebounds), who connected on 10 of 16 shots and racked up a 20/20 game in game one. Marcus Timmons (27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals) couldn’t miss in game two, going 9/15 from the field and being voted the NBL Finals MVP.

2000/01
After three years in the NBA, Chris Anstey returned to play for Brian Goorjian and the Titans. Although Anstey’s signature was a major coup, Victoria also suffered a major loss with Frank Drmic signing with Brisbane. In a surprise move, however, Smith would exercise a European out clause before the start of the season and head overseas before backflipping, returning to Australia and inking a deal with the Sydney Kings. Anstey would replace Nathan Taylor, who would sign with rivals Melbourne, Darren Smith (Jason’s older brother) would replace David Smith (no relation) and New Zealand born Mark Dickel would replace Frank Drmic. Dickel would be required to sign as a import player, as New Zealand players weren’t considered local players in Australia until 2003.

Ronaldson would average 16.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists alongside Jason Smith, who would continue his development, posting career highs in scoring to lead the team. He averaged 20.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists for the season and Anstey showcasing his development since his NBA stint, averaging 16.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. Goorjian would choose to play Anstey off the bench this season behind Brett Wheeler in a attempt to replicate the success of the double-headed centre that Anstey formed with John Dorge during the Magic’s 1996 championship run. This resulted in the Titans finishing the year in first place with a franchise-best record of 22-6 and Anstey being named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year as well as the Titan’s club MVP.

This saw them face off against long-time rivals, the sixth-placed Adelaide 36ers and behind a season high scoring performance from Anstey (27 points and collected 16 rebounds) took out game one (101-96). The Sixers, behind star duo Darnell Mee and Kevin Brooks, would then rebound to win games two (96-83) and three (115-103). Mee (22 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists) and Brooks (25 points and 7 rebounds) put up big numbers over the three-game series.

As a result of finishing first, the Titans being the highest placed loser in the Qualifying Finals allowed them to proceed to the semi finals. There they would face the Townsville Crocodiles, led by 37 year old Robert Rose, who had just become the league’s oldest winner of the NBL’s MVP award. Thanks to veteran players Tony Ronaldson (22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists) and Darryl McDonald (20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists) stepped up and delivered a game one win for Victoria (106-97). a injury to Anstey in the early moments of game two saw him miss the remainder of the series, which saw the Titans lose both game two (98-82) and three (101-97). A major factor was Anstey suffering a injury in the early moments of game two which kept him out of both games.

In a twist of fate, the Crocodiles roster was made up of a number of players discarded by Brian Goorjian in recent years. In addition to Rose Townsville also featured Titans cast-offs Pat Reidy and Mike Kelly who both played big roles in eliminating the Titans. Reidy was a equal game high scorer (with Rose and Andrew Goodwin) in game two, finishing with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists and Kelly dropped a 17 point, 10 rebound, 6 assist effort in the deciding game three.

2001/02
After the Titans failed to reach the Grand Final in 2001, the first time a Brian Goorjian team hadn’t reached a NBL Grand Final in seven years. It was decided the triple big man rotation of Chris Anstey, Brett Wheeler, and Ben Pepper wasn’t working, and as a result, Pepper was not re-signed. As a result of Darryl McDonald becoming a naturalised Australian, the team used its second import spot to sign power forward Jamahl Mosely as his replacement. Mark Dickel remained the team’s second import, as New Zealand players were not considered local players until 2003. The Titans’ next moves were replacing Glen Siegle with young guard Nathan Crosswell who had been playing for the Melbourne Tigers state league squad.

Anstey would move into the starting lineup this season, and alongside team captain Tony Ronaldson, Jason Smith, Brad Sheridan and McDonald guide the team to a first place regular season finish for the second year in a row.

The team featured six players scoring in double-figures that year with team captain Ronaldson (19.5 points and 4.5 rebounds) leading the team way. Anstey, who would fill the box score in multiple categories each game, averaging 16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game resulting in him being awarded the Titans club MVP. Mosely, who averaged 11.5 points and 6.7 rebounds off the bench, become the first import player to win the league’s sixth man of the year award in the process. As well as Jason Smith (18.8 points and 5.4 rebounds), Darryl McDonald (12.0 points and 7.3 assists), Mark Dickel (11.6 points) to round out one of the most productive team rotations in NBL history.

The first stage of the playoffs saw Victoria take on sixth-placed Melbourne and, after winning game one (113-107), went on to lose games two (105–107) and three (103-97). As a result of finishing first, they progressed to the next stage as a result of being the highest-ranked losing team in the Qualifying Finals. This time, facing third-ranked Adelaide this time, the Titans lost game one in Melbourne 92-99, evened the series with a 86-81 win in Adelaide, then lost game three 103-92. The loss would become the last game for the Victoria Titans franchise, with the team falling into financial strife shortly after. The team would sell their licence to a group comprising a number of former North Melbourne Giants staff headed by Peter Fiddes and rebranding to the Victoria Giants.

PERTH WILDCATS
2002/03
In 2002, club legend and captain Andrew Vlahov retired after 12 seasons, leaving Ricky Grace as the only remaining Wildcat from the team’s early championships in the 1990s. Following Vlahov’s retirement, Grace became captain of the Wildcats’ for the 2002/03 season before the closure of the Perth Entertainment Centre saw the Wildcats return to their old home, the Superdrome (now HBF Stadium), for the 2002/03 season.

Vlahov’s retirement created a enormous gap in both leadership and frontcourt that seemed impossible to fill. However, as a result of the unexpected demise of the Victoria Titans, Vlahov’s fellow Australian Boomers teammate Tony Ronaldson would join the team and capably fill his role. Big man Brett Wheeler would also move across from Victoria to Perth and fill the shoes of the recently departed Paul Rogers, who had decided to return to his hometown 36ers.

The team would start the year with a 5-1 record, losing only to Wollongong, with the team hardly missing a step despite losing Vlahov and Rogers. Import Rob Feaster (19.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists) would lead the team in scoring, while the recently acquired Wheeler (12.1 points and 8.6 rebounds) led the team in rebounds, and Ricky Grace (18.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists) led both the team and league in assists.

Ronaldson added 12 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists as the new-look squad delivered a balanced offensive attack with seven players, all scoring in double figures (James Harvey 14 ppg, Stephen Black 12.6 ppg and Matthew Burston 11.6 ppg).

As a result, the Wildcats were unbeatable at home, finishing with a 14-1 home record and ending the regular season on a four-game winning streak. Perth and Sydney ended the season with equal records (22-8) but due to the Kings having the head-to-head advantage (2-1), the Wildcats finished in second place, with the Kings claiming top spot.

The Wildcats balanced roster saw a number of players recognised at the 2003 NBL awards night. Stephen Black earned the Sixth Man of the Year award, and Matthew Burston won the league’s Most Improved Player award, having leapt from 2.3 ppg in 6 minutes of game time to 11.6 ppg and 6.8 rpg and averaging 21 minutes per game. Grace’s continued form saw him named to the All-NBL First team for the fourth time.

The Qualifying Finals saw Perth matchup against their former teammate Rogers and the Adelaide 36ers. Perth would win games one and three behind big games from Grace, who came up big in Perth’s wins in game one (29 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists) and game three (32 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists).

Perth’s semi-final matchup would be against fourth-seed Illawarra, who they swiftly eliminated in two straight games with the one-two punch of Grace and Wheeler really hitting its stride. Game one saw Grace (24 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists) and Wheeler (21 points and 7 rebounds) destroy the Hawks 121-90 at home before a similar result saw Grace (26 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists) and Wheeler (27 points and 14 rebounds) eliminate the Hawks in Perth for game two (113–84). The win saw Perth reach their seventh Grand Final in 17 years.

The Kings had followed a similar playoff path to the Wildcats, defeating Melbourne (2-1) in the Qualifying Finals before convincing wins over Townsville (2-1) resulted in the two squads who had led the competition all season facing off in the Grand Final.

The Kings lineup, which featured league MVP Chris Williams, Shane Heal and Matt Nielsen, guided Sydney to a narrow victory at home for the opening game, overcoming the phenomenal play of Grace who recorded a triple double with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists (only the second triple double ever recorded in a grand final series). Behind Chris Williams stat stuffing effort, which included 26 points (12/23 shooting), 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals, the Kings claimed the opening game 98-94. Although game two would be held in Perth, a similar result followed with Grace leading Perth again with 24 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists, yet unable to outperform the Kings Chris Williams, who finished with 24 points (10/17 shooting), 6 rebounds and 6 assists as Sydney claimed the victory (117-101). The outstanding play of Williams earning him the Grand Final MVP award.

2003/04
In the days following their grand final loss to Sydney, Perth choose not to renew Alan Black’s contract and parted ways with him for a second time (he was sensationally sacked in 1990 after just one season as a coach before being brought back in 1998 to replace the outgoing Adrian Hurley. After the change, Perth struggled to retain a lot of the roster which had reached the 2003 NBL Grand Final under Black, with only five players returning for 2003/04. Team captain Ricky Grace, James Harvey, Tony Ronaldson, Matthew Burston and Ben Thompson remained as the club’s core group after losing Brett Wheeler (Sydney) and last season’s leading scorer Rob Feaster (Victoria) after both were asked to take 30% pay cut. They were then replaced with import tandem Reed Rawlings and John Jackson. Young guns Travis Lane and Liam Rush were also signed to fill out the team’s second unit.

After losing the first two games of the season, Reed Rawlings (12.5 points and 2.5 rebounds) was replaced by Rashad Tucker (17.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.3 steals), who was forced to take over point guard duties when Ricky Grace went down with a injury. During that time set the record for triple doubles in a season, notching up six during his first season with Perth.

This season also saw James Harvey (20.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists) develop into one of the league’s most potent offensive weapons, his scoring increasing by 6 points per game, becoming the team’s leading scorer. while Ronaldson averaged 14.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.

In Ellis’ lone season as coach of the Wildcats, the team would record their first losing season (15 wins, 18 losses) since 1986, finishing in the seventh spot after a season destroying team’s at home (13-3) but failing to win on the road (2-15). In a year where the league’s top eight team’s would make the playoffs thanks to a early format of the play-in tournament, the Wildcat’s faced sixth-placed Cairns in a qualification game. There, former Perth guard Anthony Stewart (30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists) led Cairns to victory (103-96) and ended the Wildcats’ season.

2004/05
Mike Ellis was replaced as coach by another former player, Scott Fisher prior to the 2004/05 season. In addition, co-owner Luc Longley relinquished his majority share of the Wildcats in April 2004, leaving Andrew Vlahov as the sole owner of the franchise.

After Perth’s leading scorer James Harvey chose to play overseas (Israel) this season, Perth were then forced to rebuild. Tony Ronaldson, Matthew Burston, Liam Rush, Ricky Grace (captain) and Rashad Tucker, who had broken every triple-double record the season prior, all returned from the previous season but lost their leading scorer James Harvey to a lucrative contract overseas (Israel). Perth brought in Townsville product Peter Crawford to fill the scoring void left by Harvey and, looking for ways to bolster the frontcourt, signed import Jaron Brown, who wasn’t a great fit and was replaced by Rosell Ellis before the season started. Matthew Shanahan (via Wollongong), Braith Cox (via state league) and Adrian Majstrovich (via NZNBL) were all later added to round out the team’s second unit.

The Wildcats’ season started out hot, defeating Harvey and the Razorbacks in their opening game (120–97), adding a home win against Cairns in round two (110–93) and then two easy wins over both Hunter (85-72) and Townsville (108–101) to start the season 4-0.

Tucker (17.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.5 steals) was player of the week in round one, and was putting up impressive numbers once again but concerns around his attitude resulted in Perth sacking him by round nine.

‘After a promising start to the season, Rashad’s form and attitude has become a growing concern .. He has lost the confidence of his teammates and coaching staff and we believe he is a liability in our attempt to achieve our team goals’ said Scott Fisher at the time..

The Wildcats then replaced Tucker with Ontario Lett as a means to fill the gap left by a season ending injury to centre Matt Burston (14.8 points and 6 rebounds), who managed to play in only 8 games. Tucker would land on his feet, knocking back offers from Brisbane and Townsville to sign a deal to play with Melbourne shortly after.

Shortly after, media reports suggested that Tucker’s attitude and behaviour were overblown and a result of Fisher wanting to replace one of the team’s imports with Lett and after Rosell Ellis, who was originally destined for the chop, exploded with a 38 point and 15 rebound effort against Townsville, the axe was swung on Tucker.In either situation, the move failed to improve the team’s win/loss record. With the team struggling to win on the road again, they finished in seventh place (17-15) record for the second consecutive season.

Rosell Ellis (17.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game) collected the Wildcat’s MVP award after he finished as the Wildcat’s leading scorer and rebounder, as well as being the league’s most effective scorer, shooting 61% from the floor. Peter Crawford (15.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists) impressed during his first year in Perth and collected the NBL Most Improved Player award at the season’s end. Ronaldson finished the season with averages of 15.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.

The 2004/05 season saw the end of a era as captain Ricky Grace played his last game of his career with the Wildcats on 24 February 2005. Grace retired as a four-time NBL champion and a 15-year member of the Wildcats.

2005/06
In 2005/06, Ronaldson averaged 14.9 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, playing a key role in the Wildcat’s rotation, helping the team finish reach in seventh place finish during the regular season with a 16-16 record.

2006/07
In 2006, although they made the playoffs the Wildcats had failed to finish with a winning record, something that had occurred only seven times prior. With the team’s backcourt highlighted as a major cause of their problems, and import point guard David Bailey being fined ($5000) and reprimanded for testing positive to cannabis during in-season tests by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA), a roster rehaul was undertaken as a result with Coach Scott Fisher replacing 50% of the team. Shawn Redhage, Paul Rogers, Tony Ronaldson, Peter Crawford and Jeff Dowdell returned and young guards Damien Ryan, Adam Caporn and Brad Robbins were added to the roster.

The team signed import Darren Brooks to pair with Redhage and provide some additional offensive firepower while being a pesky defender in the backcourt.

This season, where the Wildcat’s celebrated their 25th anniversary Tony Ronaldson was replaced by Paul Rogers as captain and went on to record 23 wins, their highest number of wins in a single season (although historically they have recorded better win–loss ratios).

For a second year in a row Redhage (21.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals) led the team in scoring, Rogers (15.6 points and 10.5 rebounds) led rebounding, while Brooks (15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.0 steals) led the league in steals and Ronaldson added 13.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists for the season.

Despite the regular season success and what would be coach Fishers most successful season as a coach, the Wildcats were eliminated in the Quarterfinals, which were a single game elimination format at the time, to the Cairns Taipans 78-82.

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
2007/08
During the 2007/08 season Ronaldson averaged 11.3 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists and helped the Breakers finish with a record of 16-14 and end the regular season in seventh place.

2008/09
After the Brisbane Bullets fell into financial hardship and withdrew from the league, head coach Andrej Lemanis recruited free agent pair CJ Bruton (two-year deal) and former Breaker Dillon Boucher (three-year deal) to play for the Breakers with the explicit intentions to win a championship that season.

“The Breakers have proved they’re a playoff team and I’d like to help take them up to that next level,” Bruton said upon signing with New Zealand.

“I’ve seen the Breakers change their team and their culture to become more competitive. They’re serious about becoming number one and I want to be a part of New Zealand’s first championship. You don’t play this sport just to be in it.”

The duo joined the existing roster of Paul Henare, Kirk Penney, Phill Jones, Oscar Forman, Tony Ronaldson and Tim Behrendorff. The Breakers later signed import Rick Rickert and elevated development player Thomas Abercrombie into the full squad to finalise their roster.

Bruton’s signing gave the Breakers’ stability and direction at the point guard position, something that had previously been missing. Behind Bruton (16.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.7 steals) and sharp-shooting Kirk Penney (24.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists), the Breakers started the season off firing with 15 wins and 4 losses. But, the loss of Bruton to a high-ankle sprain in late December saw the Breakers stumbled through January to lose eight of their next nine games.

After finishing the season the Breakers (18–12) qualified for their first ever home playoff game. New Zealand would then win their elimination playoff game against Adelaide (131-101) and proceed to face the defending champions Melbourne. In their first-ever semi finals appearance, the Breakers were beaten 2–0.

Ronaldson would average 13.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4 assists over the course of the Breakers’ season.

2009/10
Having achieved their first-ever playoff appearance the season prior, coach Andrej Lemanis returned with the majority of Breakers roster intact, losing only Phill Jones (to Cairns) and Tim Behrendorff (to Wollongong). Having played with one import last season, Rick Rickert, the Breakers added Dave Thomas (via Cairns) to add veteran leadership to the club but prior to the season starting, he was forced to retire from playing in the NBL due to injury. Former NBA talent Awvee Storey was then signed as his replacement and development player Thomas Abercrombie was elevated to the full squad.

New Zealand struggled through the first half of the season, mainly due to missing their leading scorer Kirk Penney (23.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists) due to a back injury that saw him sidelined for nine games. In addition to this, Storey (7.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists) fell well short of expectations and was released after nine games with the club stating ‘things weren’t working out’. John Rillie (4.3 points and 1.6 rebounds), who had been released by Townsville the season prior, signed with the club as a interim replacement and appeared in 12 games.

New Zealand was then boosted by the midseason addition of import Kevin Braswell (9.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 2.3 steals), who played in the Breakers final seven games, winning the last six in a row.

New Zealand’s late-season surge proved to be in vain, as the Breakers missed the playoffs during one of the closest NBL seasons of all-time. Despite New Zealand being only two games behind league leaders Perth, they would miss the playoffs and finish in fifth place (15-13).

Ronaldson would appear in all 28 games for the Breakers, averaging 10.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in what would be his final NBL season.Tony Ronaldson played twenty-one seasons across five NBL teams. This included the Eastside Melbourne Spectres, South East Melbourne Magic, Victoria Titans, Perth Wildcats and New Zealand Breakers. He averaged 15.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 665 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 1st in total games played.
– 5th in total points
– 11th in total rebounds
– 13rd in total assists

Dan Boyce (798 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.