The Illawarra Hawks' faltering NBL championship defence has been plunged into deeper crisis following a demoralising and unexpected defeat on their home court.
A Shocking Home Loss to the League's Strugglers
In what head coach Justin Tatum described as potentially his team's poorest performance of the campaign, the Hawks were comprehensively outplayed 93-76 by the cellar-dwelling Cairns Taipans at Wollongong's WIN Entertainment Centre on Saturday, December 6, 2025.
The result marked a sixth home loss in just nine outings for the defending champions, with the frustration etched on Tatum's face post-game. The loss was particularly galling given the context: the Taipans arrived in Wollongong having won only three of their first 15 games and were severely undermanned, missing key players Jack McVeigh, Sam Waardenburg, and Reyne Smith.
"Close to it, if not," was Tatum's blunt assessment when asked if this was the Hawks' worst display of NBL 26. "It's a tough hurt for myself and the group. Unfortunately, we didn't play and come out with the fire that I expected."
Game Breakdown: Taipans Dominate from the Second Quarter
The match was evenly poised after the first quarter, but the game turned decisively in the second period. Cairns exploded with a 29-14 quarter, taking a commanding 49-34 lead into halftime. They extended their advantage to as many as 21 points in the third term.
To their credit, the Hawks showed a flicker of fight in the final stanza, reducing the deficit to just six points with under five minutes remaining. However, the resilient Taipans steadied once more to seal a comfortable 17-point victory, their fourth of the season.
The defeat was a brutal reality check for an Illawarra side that had entered the clash buoyed by a hard-fought overtime win over South East Melbourne Phoenix just 48 hours earlier. Instead of building momentum, they produced a flat and error-riddled performance.
Rebounding Woes Highlighted as a Critical Flaw
While turnovers had been a recent concern, a new and glaring weakness was exposed on Saturday: rebounding. The Taipans dominated the boards, pulling down 51 rebounds to Illawarra's 40. Tatum identified this as a major point of failure, suggesting rival teams are now deliberately targeting the Hawks' lack of physicality under the basket.
"[Rebounding] is about effort levels," Tatum stated. "Guys have to want to, we have guys now not pursuing the ball and other teams just out-hustling us. The word is out that Illawarra do not box out."
Offensively, the Taipans shared the load brilliantly, with five of their eight players scoring in double figures. Import guard Andrew Andrews led all scorers with 27 points and six assists, well-supported by Admiral Schofield (17 points, 11 rebounds) and Kyrin Galloway (16 points, 14 rebounds).
The sole bright spot for the Hawks was the performance of Dan Grida, who led the team with 18 points in just 10 minutes of action. JaVale McGee managed a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds but was inefficient, hitting only six of 17 shot attempts.
What's Next for the Struggling Champions?
The Hawks have little time to dwell on the loss, facing a quick turnaround with a third game in seven days at the WEC. They host the Brisbane Bullets next Thursday night in a must-win fixture to salvage their fading playoff hopes.
Meanwhile, the victorious Taipans will be reinforced for their next outing. They are set to welcome back Jack McVeigh—who missed the Wollongong trip for the birth of his first child—and the returning Sam Waardenburg from injury when they host the Tasmania JackJumpers in Cairns next Saturday.
For Justin Tatum and his Illawarra squad, the path forward is clear but challenging. They must rediscover the energy, effort, and defensive grit that defined their championship run, or risk seeing their title defence end in disappointing fashion.
