After an exciting season, the 2023 Spalding Waratah League and 2023 GTK Waratah Wheelchair League (Powered by Spalding) season has come to an end, marked by a thrilling Finals weekend!
Bankstown Basketball Stadium and Sutherland Basketball Stadium hosted Semi-Finals on Saturday the 26th of August, which determined the teams competing in Grand Finals the following day, Sunday the 27th of August, also at Sutherland Basketball Stadium.
Basketball NSW would like to give a massive thank you to Bankstown Basketball Association and Sutherland Basketball Association, their staff and all their volunteers, who played an integral role in the success of the Finals weekend! A lot of work has gone into the weekend, from organising and selling tickets, to the logistical proceedings of the days, and their support and help can be seen in the smooth running of the days, which allowed for great basketball to take place on the courts!
Basketball NSW would also like to thank our sponsors of the leagues, Spalding and GTK, whose support has been invaluable! Their genuine care and investment in the league, athletes and officials has been instrumental in the growth and development of the Waratah and Waratah Wheelchair Leagues.
Finally, Basketball NSW would like to give a heart-felt thank you to all the athletes, coaching staff, volunteers, venue staff, volunteers, commentators, referees, score-table officials and spectators – who all contributed in different ways to make it a great, high-energy weekend.
Check out a breakdown of the 2023 Spalding Waratah League and 2023 GTK Waratah Wheelchair League Finals weekend games below.
SEMI-FINALS – SATURDAY 26TH AUGUST
Spalding Waratah Men
- Port Macquarie Dolphins 85 – Canberra Gunners Academy 94
Referee Panel: Jayden Krieg, Robert King and Richard Watson
Score-table Officials: Neil McNaught, Tracy Childs, Paul Vels, Rachael Benton-Doyle and Roupen Zarigian
Commentators: Karen Irwin and Lachy France
Watch replay HERE
- Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders 58 – Hills Hornets 80
Referee Panel: Byron McCready, Kevin Poulton and Blake Testoni
Score-table Officials: Greg Stevenson, Suzanne Goodman, Peta Collard, Tro Manjikian and Keira Rostirolla
Commentators: Tim Hudson and Maria Nordstrom
Watch replay HERE
Spalding Waratah Women
- Coffs Harbour Suns 83 – Moss Vale Magic 48
Referee Panel: Courtney Smith, Rachel Hogan and Isabella Naylor
Score-table Officials: Rachael Benton-Doyle, Aram Zarigian, Neil McNaught, Yomwana Bradford and Jeff Cooper
Commentators: Lachy France and Jon Jones
Watch replay HERE
- Canberra Nationals Academy 80 – Lismore Storm 55
Referee Panel: Jayna Bonney, Jayna Bonney and Eloy D’Rozario
Score-table Officials: Tro Manjikian, Peta Collard, Renee Harbach, Colin Hart and Greg Stevenson
Commentators: Karen Irwin and Rachel Herrick
Watch replay HERE
Spalding Waratah 1 Youth Men
- Maitland Mustangs 82 – Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 65
Referee Panel: Oliver Toon, Molly Manns and Michael Napperc
Score-table Officials: Nicholas Rosenberg, Suzanne Goodman, Christine Curtis, Paul Vels and Peter Nicholas
Commentators: James Mullan and Garen Kortian
Watch replay HERE
- Hills Hornets 77 – Central Coast Crusaders 61
Referee Panel: Ethan Tulk, Rhys Boreham and Jakson Peach
Score-table Officials: Sheree Smith, Jade Whitehead, Christine Curtis, Nicholas Rosenberg and Peter Nicholas
Commentators: James Mullan and Garen Kortian
Watch replay HERE
Spalding Waratah 1 Youth Women
- Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 75 – Sydney Comets 65
Referee Panel: Caitlin Grove, Maddie Suprain and Maddie Suprain
Score-table Officials: Keira Rostirolla, Lauren Cooper, Aram Zarigian, Sue Baxter and Greg Stevenson
Commentators: Tim Hill and Lachy France
Watch replay HERE
- Norths Bears 65 – Central Coast Crusaders 56
Referee Panel: Zara Baldwin, Yashar Elliin and Sarah Fahey
Score-table Officials: Roupen Zarigian, Wendy Elliss, Lynne Ackroyd, Renee Harbach and Jeff Cooper
Commentators: James Mullan and Garen Kortian
Watch replay HERE
GTK Waratah 1 Wheelchair (Powered by Spalding)
- Illawarra Hawks White 75 – Blacktown Storm 31
Referee Panel: Nathan Smith, Ki Lun (Freddy) Ng and Helen Maree Rosenberg
Score-table Officials: Yomwana Bradford, Fynn Aldridge, Irene Wong, Susanne Taula and Roupen Zarigian
Commentators: Janna Mizens and Robert Piper
Watch replay HERE
- Illawarra Hawks Red 57 – All Stars 32
Referee Panel: Mark Flanagan, Sachin Byanjankar and Ron Josephs
Score-table Officials: Jeff Cooper, Ysobel Croucher, Wendy Elliss, Blu Aldridge and Keira Rostirolla
Commentators: Dean Gerke and Zoe Bartlett
Watch replay HERE
Spalding Waratah 2 Youth Men
- Sutherland Sharks 75 – Camden Valley Wildfire 85
Referee Panel: Jesse Brown, Stuart Smith and Jake Jennings
Score-table Officials: Colin Hart, Irene Wong, Fynn Aldridge, Tracy Childs and
Commentators: Lachlan Binkley and Justin Pineda
Watch replay HERE
- Newcastle Falcons 73 – Hills Hornets 52
Referee Panel: Jacob Brennan, Brendan Reid and Cooper Elliss
Score-table Officials: Blu Aldridge, Margaret Bennett, Ysobel Croucher, Ysobel Croucher and Jeff Cooper
Commentators: Karen Irwin and Lachy France
Watch replay HERE
Spalding Waratah 2 Youth Women
- Penrith Panthers 56 – Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders 78
Referee Panel: Kaitlyn Neate, Ryan Blundell and Matthew Venticinque
Score-table Officials: Catriona Pennay, Catriona Pennay, Paul Vels, Tony Ohrdorf and Peter Nicholas
Commentators: Drew Draper and Benjamin Brooker
Watch replay HERE
- Bankstown Bruins 76 – Newcastle Falcons 47
Referee Panel: James Poelczer, Louis Brockwell and Luke Spradbrow
Score-table Officials: Tony Ohrdorf, Jade Whitehead, Suzanne Goodman, Suzanne Goodman and Peter Nicholas
Commentators: Drew Draper and Benjamin Brooker
Watch replay HERE
GTK Waratah 2 Wheelchair (Powered by Spalding)
- Canberra Gunners 48 – Central Coast Crusaders 18
Referee Panel: Ian Lemes, Liam Flanagan and Alexander Palmer
Score-table Officials: Sue Baxter, Aram Zarigian, Lauren Cooper, Susanne Taula and Keira Rostirolla
Commentators: Jess Cronje and Taitum Brown
Watch replay HERE
- Hills Hornets 35 – Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 40
Referee Panel: Annette Flanagan, Rudy De Vos and Brad Lynch
Score-table Officials: Irene Wong, Margaret Bennett, Wendy Elliss, Renee Harbach and Roupen Zarigian
Commentators: Maryanne Latu and Janna Mizens
Watch replay HERE
GRAND FINALS – SUNDAY 27TH AUGUST
Spalding Waratah Men
- Canberra Gunners Academy 62 – Hills Hornets 72
MVP: Robert Meyrick
Referee Panel: Jayden Krieg, Kevin Poulton and Robert King
Score-table Officials: Heidi Wong, Irene Wong, Tro Manjikian and Rachael Benton-Doyle
Commentators: James Mullan and Garen Kortian
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
Spalding Waratah Women
- Canberra Nationals Academy 57 – Coffs Harbour Suns 62
MVP: Jordon Woods
Referee Panel: Jayna Bonney, Courtney Smith and Rachel Hogan
Score-table Officials: Greg Stevenson, Wendy Elliss, Aram Zarigian and Tracy Childs
Commentators: Jon Jones and Karen Irwin
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
Spalding Waratah 1 Youth Men
- Maitland Mustangs 88 – Hills Hornets 74
MVP: Billy Parsons
Referee Panel: Oliver Toon, Caitlin Grove and Ethan Tulk
Score-table Officials: Peter Nicholas, Ysobel Croucher, Sheree Smith and Nicholas Rosenberg
Commentators: Justin Pineda and Lachlan Binkley
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
Spalding Waratah 1 Youth Women
- Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 60 – Norths Bears 74
MVP: Carla Pitman
Referee Panel: Zara Baldwin, Molly Manns and Sarah Fahey
Score-table Officials: Roupen Zarigian, Jade Whitehead, Peta Collard and Susanne Taula
Commentators: James Mullan and Garen Kortian
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
GTK Waratah 1 Wheelchair (Powered by Spalding)
- Illawarra Hawks White 55 – Illawarra Hawks Red 67
MVP: Tristan Knowles
Referee Panel: Nathan Smith, Sachin Byanjankar and Ki Lun (Freddy) Ng
Score-table Officials: Rachael Benton-Doyle, Margaret Bennett, Catriona Pennay and Yomwana Bradford
Commentators: George Ajaka and Janna Mizens
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
Spalding Waratah 2 Youth Men
- Camden Valley Wildfire 62 – Newcastle Falcons 69
MVP: Ashley Schellenberger
Referee Panel: Jacob Brennan, Stuart Smith and Rhys Boreham
Score-table Officials: Nicholas Rosenberg, Paul Vels, Wendy Elliss and Lynne Ackroyd
Commentators: Drew Draper and Lachlan Binkley
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
Spalding Waratah 2 Youth Women
- Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Spiders 60 – Bankstown Bruins 84
MVP: Jurnee Straker
Referee Panel: James Poelczer, Brendan Reid and Jakson Peach
Score-table Officials: Colin Hart, Suzanne Goodman, Neil McNaught and Sue Baxter
Commentators: Lachlan Binkley and Drew Draper
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
GTK Waratah 2 Wheelchair (Powered by Spalding)
- Canberra Gunners 50 – Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 34
MVP: Jontee Brown
Referee Panel: Annette Flanagan, Mark Flanagan and Alexander Palmer
Score-table Officials: Jeff Cooper, Christine Curtis, Renee Harbach and Sheree Smith
Commentators: Janna Mizens and Pablo Jimenez
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
This marks the end of yet another incredible Waratah and Waratah Wheelchair League season, and a huge congratulations to all our winners. Thank you again to all the players, associations, volunteers, officials, commentators and fans for all their contributions and excitement this season – we’ll be back for a bigger and better 2024 Spalding Waratah League and GTK Waratah Wheelchair League (Powered by Spalding) season!
Make sure to familiarise yourself with the Spalding Waratah League and GTK Waratah Wheelchair League award winners for the 2023 season HERE
View the 2023 Spalding Waratah League and GTK Waratah Wheelchair League (Powered by Spalding) Online Program HERE
Check out the pictures taken from the Finals Weekend on the Waratah League Facebook Page!
Day 1 pictures HERE