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
At the end of 1991, the South Melbourne Saints were in financial crisis and unable to continue operations. In a landmark move, they merged with cross-town rivals the Eastside Melbourne Spectres to form a new NBL franchise: the South East Melbourne Magic. With the Spectres having come within one game of a championship the previous season, head coach Brian Goorjian was retained to lead the newly formed club. Only two Saints players were carried over—Andrew Parkinson and Andrej Lemanis—joining a proven Spectres core that included Bruce Bolden, Tony Ronaldson, Darren Lucas, Scott Ninnis, and Darren Perry.

To finalise the Magic’s inaugural roster, John Dorge (via Geelong) and import forward Milt Newton were signed. South East Melbourne started the season by winning six of their first seven games. Although Newton (15.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.6 steals) was productive early, the team made a decisive mid-season change by releasing him in favour of former LA Clippers guard Robert Rose. The move supercharged the team, who surged to a 20–4 regular season record and an unbeaten 12–0 home mark.

Ronaldson, who had spent the prior season playing college basketball in Arizona, was a key cog in the Magic’s rotation. The versatile forward averaged 11.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists playing in all 31 games, thriving in Goorjian’s system. Still only 20 years old, Ronaldson was already a dependable contributor, often tasked with guarding larger opponents or spacing the floor as a stretch big. His midrange touch and ability to finish through contact made him a reliable option in the frontcourt alongside Bolden and Dorge.

Goorjian was named NBL Coach of the Year, and after finshing the season on top of the ladder, South East Melbourne stormed through the playoffs, sweeping Canberra in the quarterfinals before then dispatching North Melbourne in two games. That set up a Grand Final showdown against the high-powered Melbourne Tigers, who were led by Andrew Gaze (33.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.3 assists) and explosive import Lanard Copeland (28.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists).

Game 1 of the Grand Final series was a major blow for the Magic. Starting point guard Darren Perry tore his ACL just 11 minutes into the game, sidelining him for the remainder of the series. The Tigers capitalised on the sudden disruption, with Copeland erupting for 34 points and Gaze adding 26 as Melbourne claimed a 116–98 victory. Ronaldson was one of the few bright spots for the Magic, delivering 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 1-of-3 from long range and 2-of-2 from the free throw line. He also contributed 3 rebounds and 1 block in just under 25 minutes, giving the Magic steady minutes while others struggled to adapt to the lineup change.

In Game 2, the Magic bounced back in style. Ronaldson was outstanding off the bench, scoring a season-high 22 points on a hyper-efficient 9-of-13 from the field. He also added 4 rebounds and went 4-of-7 from the free-throw line in 23 minutes of action. His inside presence helped complement the brilliance of Rob Rose (20 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists) and Bruce Bolden (22 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 4 blocks), as the Magic cruised to a 115–93 win, evening the series at 1–1.

Game 3 was a tense, physical contest with the championship on the line. Ronaldson again delivered timely production, finishing with 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting, including 1-of-2 from three and 3-of-4 from the line. He also chipped in 2 rebounds and a steal in 23 minutes. While Rose (26 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks) and Bolden (21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks) led the way, Ronaldson’s ability to stretch the defence and provide tough interior minutes helped the Magic grind out a 95–88 win. The win secured South East Melbourne’s first NBL Championship in their debut season.

Often the glue guy in a frontcourt full of star power, Tony Ronaldson’s poise, shooting touch, and physicality were vital to the Magic’s 1992 success. His Grand Final contributions—48 points across three games on 18-of-34 shooting—reflected both his reliability and ability to rise in pressure moments.

1993
Tony Ronaldson emerged as one of the brightest young stars during South East Melbourne’s title defence. With the Magic returning most of their 1992 championship roster—despite early injury setbacks to starting big man John Dorge (missed 16 games) and point guard Darren Perry who returned mod-season after an ACL tear (missed 10 games)—Ronaldson took on a significantly larger offensive role and delivered a breakout campaign under coach Brian Goorjian.

Ronaldson averaged 20.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks across 30 games—providing consistent scoring and strong all-around play to complement imports Bruce Bolden (21.6 points, 12.6 rebounds) and Robert Rose (18.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 3.0 steals), who would finish the season on the All NBL First Team and win the NBL MVP award.

Ronaldson’s ability to stretch the floor and post-up mismatches became a cornerstone of the Magic’s high-powered offence, as South East Melbourne finished the regular season in second place with a 20–6 record, including a dominant 12–1 mark at Melbourne Park.

The Magic swept seventh-seed Adelaide in the quarterfinals, with Ronaldson maintaining his efficiency and versatility. In the semi-finals, the Magic faced a rematch with their 1992 Grand Final opponents—the Melbourne Tigers—now bolstered by Boomers centre Mark Bradtke.

In Game 1, Ronaldson was one of South East Melbourne’s best performers, scoring 18 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in 44 minutes, shooting 7-of-20 from the field. Despite his efforts, the Magic were outplayed by a red-hot Bradtke (28 points, 15 rebounds), falling 89–72 as the Tigers controlled the glass and tempo.

Game 2 saw Ronaldson contribute 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists in 38 minutes, though he struggled from the field (3-of-13). He remained active on the boards and in playmaking, helping the Magic push the game into a high-scoring shootout. Rose led the way with 25 points, while Bolden (14 points, 12 rebounds) and Darren Lucas (19 points) kept the pressure on. However, a 32-point explosion from Lanard Copeland and another dominant showing from Bradtke (21 points, 9 rebounds) saw Melbourne edge out a 108–106 win, ending South East Melbourne’s season in straight sets.

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 with young Aussie talent like Sam MacKinnon, Chris Anstey and Jason Smith, all under 21 years of age, key contributors on 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 blossoming big man Brett Wheeler (via Adelaide) 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
The NBL’s first summer season coincided with another shift in Melbourne basketball, with South East Melbourne and North Melbourne merging into one entity after both teams had started to face financial pressures. Magic coach Brian Goorjian remained as head coach, while Giants leader Brett Brown headed to the San Antonio Spurs after the exit.

The Titans rolled out an inaugural roster that included Tony Ronaldson, Jason Smith, Frank Drmic, Brett Wheeler and Mike Kelly (via South East Melbourne), while adding Darryl McDonald, Ben Pepper, David Smith and Paul Maley (via North Melbourne), and Brad Sheridan (via AIS).

Victoria opened its first season against Melbourne at Melbourne Park on October 10, where Ronaldson (13 points and 4 rebounds), the captain of the new club, led the way in a loss to the Tigers (99-80). McDonald (16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) and Pepper (15 points and 10 rebounds) were Victoria’s other main contributors as the new roster struggled for cohesion in its first game together.

The following game he finished with 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists as Victoria defeated the Cannons 110-94, with McDonald (21 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 steals) and Wheeler (20 points and 6 rebounds) helping the Titans record their first win.

With the Titans starting the season 2-2 and star Darryl McDonald suffering a major injury that would keep him out of action in November and December, Ronaldson (16.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists) would lead Victoria in scoring this season, recording a season high scoring night against Wollongong on November 7, where he made six three-pointers and finished with 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists, but the Hawks defeated Victoria 111-100 despite McDonald (17 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 steals) and Pepper (16 points and 6 rebounds) keeping the Titans close.

Ronaldson (27 points and 6 rebounds) produced another key late-season game against Sydney on February 27 as Victoria defeated the Kings 98-87 at Melbourne Park, with McDonald (12 points, 5 rebounds, 14 assists, and 4 steals) directing the offence and Pepper (15 points and 5 rebounds) helping the Titans continue their run towards the playoffs.

Ronaldson would earn the club MVP award this season, with Pepper (12.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks) finished second on the team in scoring and led Victoria in rebounding and blocks, while McDonald (11.1 points, 5 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 2.4 steals) led both the Titans and the NBL in assists and steals.

Jason Smith (11.2 points and 4.1 rebounds), Wheeler (11 points and 5.9 rebounds), Drmic (10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds), Kelly (10.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals) and Maley (7.2 points) gave Goorjian seven double-figure scorers as Victoria finished fourth with a 16-10 record, lost only three games at home and entered the playoffs on a four-game winning streak.

Victoria opened the Qualifying Finals at Melbourne Park with a 96-65 win over Wollongong, taking control of the series behind Ronaldson (20 points and 4 rebounds), Jason Smith (18 points), Wheeler (15 points and 6 rebounds), Pepper (12 points and 16 rebounds) and Maley (12 points and 5 rebounds), while Glen Saville (10 points) and David Andersen (7 points) were Wollongong’s best.

Game two moved to the WIN Entertainment Centre, where Victoria completed the sweep with a 91-82 win behind Ronaldson (20 points and 4 rebounds), Jason Smith (19 points and 5 rebounds), Wheeler (14 points and 8 rebounds) and McDonald (7 points, 5 rebounds, 14 assists, and 5 steals), sending the Titans into a semifinal series against Melbourne.

The semifinals opened at Melbourne Park, where Victoria ground out an 80-77 win over Melbourne behind Ronaldson (17 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists), Maley (16 points) and McDonald (11 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists), while Marcus Timmons (31 points and 9 rebounds) led the Tigers.

Game two stayed at Melbourne Park, where Kelly (19 points and 7 rebounds), Pepper (15 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and McDonald (13 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals) led Victoria to a 94-87 win over Melbourne, completing the sweep and sending the Titans into the Grand Final, while Ronaldson (8 points and 5 rebounds) played 36:55 minutes in the win.

The Grand Final series opened in Melbourne, where Adelaide made 16 three-pointers and defeated Victoria 104-94 behind Brett Maher (31 points) and Darnell Mee (25 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists). Ronaldson (19 points and 4 rebounds) led Victoria, while McDonald (23 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals) and Pepper (18 points) kept the Titans within reach.

Game two moved to Adelaide, where Maher (25 points) came out firing for the 36ers, but Victoria slowed the game down and levelled the series with an 88-82 win. Ronaldson (22 points) led the Titans, with Wheeler (18 points and 9 rebounds), Jason Smith (15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and McDonald (12 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists) helping Victoria force a deciding game.

Game three remained in Adelaide, where more than 7,000 36ers fans saw Martin Cattalini (19 points and 9 rebounds) lead Adelaide and Maher (15 points and 7 rebounds) named Grand Final MVP as the 36ers completed back-to-back championships. Pepper (15 points) was Victoria’s leading scorer, while the Titans shot a woeful 26/78 from the field (38%) in the deciding game. Ronaldson (15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) played 42:31 minutes in the 80-69 loss.

1999/00
After falling short in the Grand Final for the second year in a row, first as South East Melbourne in 1998 and then as Victoria in 1999, Brian Goorjian looked to refresh the Titans with local youth in an attempt to go one step further. Paul Maley (to Adelaide) and Mike Kelly (to Townsville) exited, while 23-year-old big man Nathan Taylor returned to the roster and 20-year-old development player Glen Siegle was elevated into the full squad. The remainder of the Titans’ core returned, with Tony Ronaldson, Darryl McDonald, Jason Smith, Frank Drmic, Brett Wheeler, Ben Pepper, David Smith and Brad Sheridan all back as Victoria again chased its first championship.

Victoria opened the season at Melbourne Park on October 2, where Ronaldson (8 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists) helped the Titans defeat Townsville 106-95. Smith (29 points and 7 rebounds) and McDonald (19 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals) led the way as Victoria began its second season as the Titans with a home win.

Ronaldson (16 points and 5.4 rebounds) remained captain and one of Victoria’s most reliable scorers, giving Goorjian a steady frontcourt option as the Titans opened 8-1 and again looked like a championship contender.

Ronaldson’s best scoring game came against Perth on December 17, where he finished with 29 points and 5 rebounds, but the Wildcats defeated Victoria 98-90 at Melbourne Park. Drmic (20 points and 5 rebounds) and Smith (14 points and 7 rebounds) were the other main contributors as the Titans dropped their second game of the season.

Ronaldson produced another major game against Wollongong on December 30, finishing with 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists as Victoria defeated the Hawks 88-86 at the WIN Entertainment Centre. Smith (24 points) and McDonald (13 points, 12 assists, and 7 steals) helped the Titans escape with a two-point road win.

Ronaldson (23 points and 11 rebounds) delivered another double-double against Cairns on February 18 as Victoria defeated the Taipans 103-87 at Melbourne Park, with McDonald (27 points and 10 assists) and Smith (17 points) giving the Titans support as they continued to build towards the playoffs.

Smith (17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 steals) enjoyed a breakout season, leading Victoria in scoring and earning club MVP honours after increasing his role from the previous year. McDonald (13.8 points, 4 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.5 steals) again led both Victoria and the NBL in assists and steals, while Drmic (13.3 points and 5.6 rebounds), Wheeler (11.9 points and 7.7 rebounds), Pepper (10.4 points and 6 rebounds) and David Smith (5 points and 3 rebounds) helped Victoria deliver a balanced attack with six players scoring in double figures. The Titans finished fourth with a 20-8 record, built their season around a 11-3 home record and entered the playoffs against Melbourne.

Victoria opened the elimination finals at Melbourne Park, where Melbourne took game one 101-94 despite Smith (22 points and 5 rebounds), McDonald (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Drmic (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) leading the Titans. Ronaldson (9 points and 5 rebounds) played 41:17 minutes in the loss.

Game two stayed at Melbourne Park, where Victoria answered with a 78-70 win behind Ronaldson (18 points and 5 rebounds), McDonald (15 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals), Smith (13 points) and Drmic (12 points and 11 rebounds), forcing a deciding game.

Game three remained in Melbourne, where Victoria overcame Andrew Gaze (30 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists) and eliminated the Tigers with a 105-96 win. McDonald (29 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals) led the Titans, while Ronaldson (19 points and 7 rebounds), Smith (14 points) and Drmic (14 points and 8 rebounds) helped Victoria move into a semifinal series against Adelaide.

The semifinals opened in Melbourne, where Victoria defeated Adelaide 101-86 behind Ronaldson (26 points and 5 rebounds) and McDonald (24 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks), taking game one against the team that had ended the Titans’ previous two seasons.

Game two moved to Adelaide, where Martin Cattalini (24 points and 7 rebounds) and Darnell Mee (22 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals) led the 36ers back into the series with a 95-72 win. Ronaldson (17 points and 5 rebounds), Drmic (14 points) and Smith (13 points) were Victoria’s main contributors as Adelaide forced another deciding game.

Game three remained at Adelaide Arena, where Victoria finally overcame the 36ers with a 93-89 win behind McDonald (24 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals), Pepper (21 points and 7 rebounds) and Drmic (19 points and 4 rebounds), while Mee (22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) again filled the stat sheet for Adelaide. Ronaldson (7 points and 5 rebounds) played 40:37 minutes as the win sent Victoria into its second straight Grand Final series and sparked a Titans celebration on court before the series with Perth had begun.

The Grand Final series opened at Melbourne Park, where Perth defeated Victoria 84-78 behind league MVP Paul Rogers (24 points and 20 rebounds). Ronaldson (25 points) led the Titans, while Drmic (13 points and 4 rebounds), Smith (11 points) and McDonald (8 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) kept Victoria within reach.

Game two moved to Perth, where Marcus Timmons (27 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals) led the Wildcats to a 83-76 win and was named Finals MVP as Perth completed the sweep. McDonald (25 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals) led Victoria, while Ronaldson (7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block) played 40:44 minutes in the 83-76 loss.

2000/01
Having been swept by Perth in the previous season’s Grand Final, Victoria reshaped its roster while retaining captain Tony Ronaldson, Jason Smith, Darryl McDonald, Brett Wheeler, Ben Pepper, Brad Sheridan and Glen Siegle. Frank Drmic (to Sydney), Nathan Taylor (to Melbourne) and David Smith exited the team.

Head coach Brian Goorjian brought Chris Anstey (via Chicago) back to Australia after three seasons in the NBA, replaced David Smith with his older brother Darren Smith and signed Mark Dickel (via UNLV). Dickel occupied an import position because New Zealand players were not considered local players in the NBL until 2003.

Victoria opened the season at the Brisbane Convention Centre on October 20, where Ronaldson (17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) helped the Titans defeat Brisbane 95-80. McDonald (16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Jason Smith (15 points and 4 steals) provided the support as Victoria began the season with a road win.

Ronaldson (16.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists) remained captain and one of Victoria’s most dependable offensive players, combining his perimeter shooting with the size to play both forward positions as the Titans again built one of the league’s deepest rotations.

Ronaldson’s best scoring game came against Melbourne on March 10, where he made four three-pointers and finished with 31 points and 5 rebounds as Victoria defeated the Tigers 133-124 at Vodafone Arena. Jason Smith (28 points) and McDonald (23 points and 14 assists) helped the Titans win the high-scoring contest and continue their run towards first place.

Ronaldson produced one of his best all-around games against Townsville on December 11, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal as Victoria defeated the Crocodiles 104-90. Jason Smith (30 points and 7 rebounds) and Wheeler (16 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks) provided the support as the Titans collected another home win.

Ronaldson added 24 points and 8 rebounds against Brisbane on January 17 as Victoria defeated the Bullets 119-96 at Ballarat Stadium. Dickel (21 points, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and McDonald (16 points, 10 assists, and 2 steals) helped the Titans control the game as Ronaldson delivered another strong performance against Brisbane.

Victoria closed the regular season against Adelaide on March 31, where Ronaldson (23 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) helped the Titans defeat the 36ers 113-98. Jason Smith (26 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and McDonald (15 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals) provided the support as Victoria secured first place with a 22-6 record.

Jason Smith (20.5 points and 5.4 rebounds) produced the highest-scoring season of his career and led Victoria offensively, while Anstey (16.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2 blocks) provided scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking from the bench. McDonald (15.4 points, 5 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 2.7 steals), Dickel (13.2 points, 3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists) and Wheeler (13 points and 8 rebounds) gave Victoria six players averaging at least 13 points, while Darren Smith (6.6 points and 3.7 rebounds) and Sheridan (6 points) provided depth.

Mid-season injuries to Pepper (4.1 points and 3.8 rebounds), Anstey and Darren Smith led to development players Marcus Wright and Pero Vasiljevic being elevated into the full roster. Anstey was named Titans MVP, won the NBL Best Sixth Man award and earned All-NBL Second Team honours, while Jason Smith was selected to the All-NBL First Team and McDonald earned All-NBL Third Team honours.

Victoria opened the qualifying finals at Adelaide Arena, where the Titans defeated Adelaide 101-96 behind Anstey (27 points, 16 rebounds, and 1 block) and Wheeler (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks), while Kevin Brooks (24 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists), Brett Maher (19 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Darnell Mee (18 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks) led Adelaide. Ronaldson (11 points and 2 rebounds) played 43:52 minutes, while Jason Smith (2 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 block) suffered a severe knee injury late in the game and missed the remainder of the postseason.

Game two moved to Melbourne, where Brooks (34 points and 9 rebounds), Maher (24 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Mee (12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) led Adelaide to a 96-83 win. Ronaldson (22 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) top-scored for Victoria, while Wheeler (12 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 block) and Dickel (12 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal) provided the support as the 36ers forced a deciding game.

Game three remained in Melbourne, where Ronaldson limped out of the warm-up and was unable to play, leaving Victoria without both its captain and the injured Jason Smith. Anstey (21 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 steals), Darren Smith (21 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Dickel (17 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) led the Titans, but Adelaide won 115-103 to take the series 2-1. Victoria still advanced as the highest-placed losing team from the qualifying finals.

The semifinal series opened at Vodafone Arena, where Ronaldson (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists), McDonald (20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Wheeler (17 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks) led Victoria to a 106-97 win over Townsville. Robert Rose (26 points), Mike Kelly (17 points and 9 rebounds) and Pat Reidy (16 points and 3 rebounds) led the Crocodiles as Victoria took game one.

Game two moved to Townsville, where Andrew Goodwin (19 points and 11 rebounds), Reidy (19 points and 4 assists) and Rose (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists) led the Crocodiles to a 98-82 win. Ronaldson (17 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Sheridan (17 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) top-scored for Victoria, while Anstey (2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block) suffered an injury during his 7:31 minutes and missed the deciding game.

Game three remained in Townsville, where Dickel (33 points and 4 assists) and McDonald (19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) kept Victoria close, while Goodwin (23 points), Rose (20 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals) and Kelly (17 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) carried Townsville to a 101-97 win. Ronaldson (14 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) played 48:00 minutes in the 101-97 loss.

2001/02
Coming off a minor premiership that ended with a semifinal defeat to Townsville, Victoria reshaped its frontcourt after Brian Goorjian’s seven-year run of Grand Final appearances came to an end. Ben Pepper (to Wollongong) and Glen Siegle (to Brisbane) exited, while Darryl McDonald’s naturalisation allowed Goorjian to add Jamahl Mosley (via Spain) as a second import. Nathan Crosswell (via Melbourne’s state league squad) joined the backcourt, Chris Anstey moved into the starting lineup and Mark Dickel continued to occupy an import position because New Zealand players were not considered locals until 2003.

Opening night placed the Titans against cross-town rivals Melbourne at Vodafone Arena on October 13, where Ronaldson (19 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) began the season strongly. Dickel (21 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) and McDonald (19 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) also contributed, but the Tigers defeated Victoria 109-103.

Ronaldson (19.5 points and 4.5 rebounds across 33 games) delivered his highest scoring average since 1995, leading the Titans in points while continuing as team captain. His ability to score inside and stretch opposing forwards beyond the three-point line remained a major part of Victoria’s offence, with his season earning All-NBL Third Team selection.

His first major performance came against Perth on October 20, where Ronaldson (33 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) made five three-pointers and 10 free throws as Victoria defeated the Wildcats 103-85. McDonald (16 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) and Mosley (13 points and 10 rebounds) supported him as the Titans collected their first win of the season.

Ronaldson’s best scoring game came at the AIS Arena on November 1, where he made nine three-pointers and finished with 36 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal as Victoria defeated Canberra 112-83. Darren Smith (17 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 assists) and Anstey (17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) helped the Titans complete the 29-point road win.

Against Brisbane on December 3, Ronaldson (32 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) made eight three-pointers as Victoria won 119-107 at Vodafone Arena. Anstey (30 points, 16 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block) and Mosley (25 points and 12 rebounds) gave the Titans three players with at least 25 points during one of their strongest offensive performances of the season.

Ronaldson and Jason Smith (18.8 points and 5.4 rebounds across 21 games) became Victoria’s two leading scorers, with Smith returning from the severe knee injury suffered during the previous postseason. Anstey (16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks) was named Titans MVP and selected to the All-NBL First Team, while McDonald (12 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 2.3 steals) led the league in steals and joined Ronaldson on the All-NBL Third Team.

Dickel (11.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.1 assists) supplied another playmaker alongside McDonald, while Mosley (11.5 points and 6.7 rebounds) became the first import to win the NBL Best Sixth Man award. Darren Smith (8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds), Brad Sheridan (8.1 points), Brett Wheeler (7.3 points and 6.2 rebounds) and Crosswell (5.3 points) completed the main rotation as Goorjian was named NBL Coach of the Year.

Ronaldson’s final regular-season appearance came against Melbourne on March 9, where he finished with 17 points, 1 assist, and 1 block as the Tigers defeated Victoria 127-121. McDonald (14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Sheridan (13 points and 4 assists) provided support before Ronaldson missed the Titans’ remaining three regular-season games. Victoria still finished first with a 21-9 record and secured its second consecutive minor premiership.

Victoria opened the qualifying finals against sixth-placed Melbourne with a 113-107 win, with Ronaldson (6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) contributing alongside Jason Smith (27 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Anstey (19 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks), while Hoare (20 points and 13 rebounds) was Melbourne’s best.

Game two remained at Vodafone Arena, where Ronaldson (13 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists), Jason Smith (22 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) and McDonald (11 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block) led Victoria. Copeland (41 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals) and Timmons (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) carried Melbourne to a 107-105 win and forced a deciding game.

Game three saw Ronaldson (24 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block), Anstey (32 points, 20 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Jason Smith (11 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block) lead the Titans. Copeland (37 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Timmons (21 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks) delivered another strong performance as Melbourne won 103-97, although Victoria progressed as the highest-ranked losing team from the qualifying finals.

The semifinals opened at Vodafone Arena, where Ronaldson (27 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist), Jason Smith (19 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Anstey (17 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Victoria. Farley (25 points and 4 rebounds) and Maher (23 points and 8 rebounds) carried Adelaide to a 99-92 win and placed the Titans one loss from elimination.

Game two moved to Adelaide, where Ronaldson (6 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) helped Victoria remain alive behind Anstey (26 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) and Jason Smith (20 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists). Farley (24 points) and Maher (15 points) led Adelaide, but the Titans won 86-81 and forced a deciding game.

Game three remained in Adelaide, where Ronaldson (26 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist), Jason Smith (16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Dickel (14 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1 steal) led Victoria without the injured Anstey. Farley (33 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists), Maher (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Rees (16 points and 9 rebounds) carried Adelaide to victory. Ronaldson (to Perth) joined the Wildcats following the season, while Victoria’s financial problems led the club to sell its licence to a group headed by Peter Fiddes and rebrand as the Victoria Giants, making the defeat the final game played by the Titans. Ronaldson played 47:50 minutes in the 103-92 loss.

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.

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
Following Ricky Grace’s retirement, Perth also lost Adrian Majstrovich (to New Zealand), Braith Cox (to Melbourne), Rosell Ellis and Rashad Tucker (to Melbourne) as the Wildcats reshaped their roster after missing the semifinals the previous season.

Coach Scott Fisher retained Tony Ronaldson, Peter Crawford, Matthew Shanahan, Matthew Burston and Liam Rush, with Ronaldson elevated to captain, while Paul Rogers (via Spain), Dillon Boucher (via New Zealand), rookie Cameron Tovey and imports David Bailey and Shawn Redhage were added to the roster.

Perth opened the season against Adelaide on 2 September, where Tony (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists) contributed in a 102-93 loss to the 36ers.

Ronaldson (14.9 points and 5.0 rebounds across 32 games) played a key role in the Wildcats’ rotation and provided the team with scoring, rebounding and experience throughout his first season as captain.

His first major performance came against Townsville on 18 September, where Tony (22 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists) produced one of his strongest all-round games of the season despite Perth losing 124-108.

Tony (25 points and 3 assists) then shot 11-of-14 from the field as Perth defeated Adelaide 121-100 at Challenge Stadium on 28 October.

His best game came in Wollongong on 4 January, where Tony (34 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) delivered his season-high as Perth fell narrowly to the Hawks 116-113.

Tony (13 points and 6 rebounds) helped Perth close the regular season with a 112-89 win over Hunter on 5 February, leaving the Wildcats seventh on the ladder with a 16-16 record.

Redhage (20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) led Perth in scoring and finished runner-up in the league MVP voting while earning All-NBL Second Team honours, with Bailey (17.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.0 steals) directing the backcourt.

Crawford (14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals), Shanahan (11.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists), Burston (7.6 points and 5.3 rebounds), and Rogers (7.4 points and 5.7 rebounds) were the Wildcats’ other key contributors.

Following the NBL season, Tony was selected to co-captain Australia at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, where the Boomers won the gold medal.

Perth opened the postseason in Brisbane, where Shanahan (22 points), Tony (20 points and 8 rebounds), and Bailey (17 points) led the Wildcats to a 96-91 win, while Mark Bradtke (22 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks), Sam Mackinnon (19 points and 10 rebounds), and Ben Brannen (17 points and 13 rebounds) were best for the Bullets.

The Wildcats then hosted Wollongong at Challenge Stadium, where Redhage (32 points), Crawford (18 points), Bailey (17 points), and Tony (9 points and 4 rebounds) led Perth to a 121-101 win, while Cortez Groves (23 points) and Adam Ballinger (23 points) carried the Hawks.

Melbourne entered the semifinals behind league MVP Chris Anstey (22.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.1 blocks) and former Wildcat Tucker (15.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists).

Melbourne opened the semifinals at the State Netball and Hockey Centre with a 94-78 win over Perth, taking control of the series behind Anstey (28 points and 11 rebounds), Darryl McDonald (17 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals), and Tucker (10 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals), while Redhage (17 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals), Bailey (16 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), and Tony (8 points and 4 rebounds) were best for Perth.

Game two moved to Challenge Stadium, where Anstey (29 points and 6 rebounds), Dave Thomas (18 points and 11 rebounds), and Tucker (9 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Melbourne, while Bailey (30 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals), Burston (17 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks), and Tony (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists) kept Perth close before Melbourne completed the sweep with a 106-101 overtime win.

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
New Zealand reshaped its roster after Carlos Powell, Brian Wethers, Ben Pepper (to Townsville), and Aaron Olson (retired) exited, with coach Andrej Lemanis retaining Oscar Forman, Paul Henare, and Mika Vukona and adding Tony Ronaldson (via Perth), Kirk Penney (via Berlin), Phill Jones, Paora Winitana, and imports Rick Rickert and Wayne Turner.

The Breakers opened the season with a 95-90 loss to Cairns on September 20, with Ronaldson (11 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) beginning his Breakers career with an all-around effort in the defeat.

Ronaldson (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) delivered his best game of the season on November 1, leading New Zealand to a 127-126 win over defending champions Brisbane. Another one of his best performances came on December 20, where Ronaldson (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) helped the Breakers edge Wollongong 105-103, giving New Zealand another close win behind his scoring and playmaking. He followed that up the following round when New Zealand lost to Sydney on December 29, with Ronaldson (20 points) helping force overtime before the Kings pulled away for a 103-94 win.

Season-ending injuries to Rickert (17.8 points and 10.7 rebounds) and Turner (12.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals) forced Lemanis to replace both imports with Derrick Alston (14.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks) and Orien Greene (13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 steals) during the season.

Penney (24.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals) led New Zealand in scoring, while Ronaldson (11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists) gave the team a strong interior presence. Penney earned All-NBL First Team honours, Greene led the league in steals, and Tim Behrendorff led the NBL in field-goal percentage as the Breakers finished seventh with a 16-14 record and reached the playoffs for the first time.

New Zealand opened the postseason in Cairns with a 100-78 win, led by Alston (20 points and 12 rebounds), Greene (17 points), and Tony (9 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists), while Stephen Black (30 points) and Gary Boodnikoff (17 points) were Cairns’ best.

Brisbane ended New Zealand’s first playoff run 106-89 behind Craig Bradshaw (23 points and 10 rebounds), Dusty Rychart (22 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists), Ebi Ere (22 points and 8 rebounds), and CJ Bruton (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists), while Penney (24 points and 4 rebounds), Alston (22 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists), and Tony (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) led the Breakers.

2008/09
The Breakers entered the 2008/09 season without Derrick Alston (to Libertad), Orien Greene, Wayne Turner, Mika Vukona (to South Dragons), Ryan Kersten (to Adelaide), Paora Winitana (to Adelaide), and Chris Daniel (to Singapore). Paul Henare, Kirk Penney, Phill Jones, Oscar Forman, Tony Ronaldson, and Tim Behrendorff returned under head coach Andrej Lemanis.

After the Brisbane Bullets fell into financial hardship and withdrew from the league, Lemanis recruited free-agent pair CJ Bruton (via Brisbane) on a two-year deal and former Breaker Dillon Boucher (via Brisbane) on a three-year deal with the explicit intention of winning a championship. Adam Tanner (via Denver University) was also added, Rick Rickert re-signed, and development player Thomas Abercrombie was elevated into the full squad.

“The Breakers have proved they’re a playoff team and I’d like to help take them up to that next level,” he 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.”

New Zealand opened the season at the North Shore Events Centre on September 18, defeating Wollongong 114-93 as Tony (9 assists) helped direct the offence.

Ronaldson (13.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4 assists) appeared in all 33 games, providing the Breakers with scoring and playmaking from the forward position.

On September 25, Tony (23 points and 6 assists) helped New Zealand defeat defending champions Melbourne 120-111, giving the Breakers a 2-0 start behind one of his strongest all-around performances of the season.

Tony (18 points and 7 rebounds) then helped the Breakers defeat Sydney 114-70 on December 18 before delivering his best game of the season two nights later. Tony (31 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led New Zealand to a 118-94 road win over Perth, earning the NBL’s Round 14 Player of the Week award.

With New Zealand sitting on top of the ladder with a 15-4 record, Bruton (16.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.7 steals) suffered a high-ankle sprain in late December. His absence saw the Breakers stumble through January and lose eight of their next nine games.

New Zealand closed the regular season with a 103-69 win over Cairns, with Tony (12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) helping secure third place with an 18-12 record and the first home playoff game in club history.

Penney (24.1 points and 4.3 rebounds) led the league in scoring and became the first New Zealand-born player to win the NBL MVP award, while also joining Bruton on the All-NBL First Team. Jones (14.5 points and 3.6 rebounds) was named the NBL Sixth Man of the Year, with Rickert (13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds), Ronaldson, Forman (12.6 points and 6 rebounds), and Boucher (4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals) providing the Breakers with a deep rotation.

New Zealand hosted Adelaide in their elimination playoff and delivered a 131-101 victory behind Penney (31 points), Bruton (26 points), Boucher (14 points), and Rickert (14 points), while Brad Hill (32 points), Adam Ballinger (22 points), and Rod Grizzard (22 points) led the 36ers.

Game one of the semifinals moved to Melbourne, where Luke Kendall (25 points), David Barlow (23 points and 14 rebounds), and Ebi Ere (22 points) led the Tigers to a 117-99 win, while Bruton (22 points and 4 assists), Penney (19 points and 7 rebounds), Tony (18 points), and Rickert (14 points and 7 rebounds) led New Zealand.

Game two moved to the North Shore Events Centre, where Ere (26 points), Barlow (19 points), and Chris Anstey (16 points) led Melbourne, while Bruton (22 points), Jones (21 points), Penney (19 points), and Tony (11 points and 2 steals) carried New Zealand in a 103-97 loss.

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