After an exciting season, the 2024 Spalding Waratah League and 2024 GTK Waratah Wheelchair League (Powered by Spalding) season has come to an end, marked by a thrilling Finals weekend!
The weekend just passed saw 28 teams descend onto the courts at Hills Basketball Stadium on Saturday, as they played for a spot in their respective divisions’ Grand Final the following day. With 21 thrilling games across seven divisions the weekend of August 24 to August 25, the action was plentiful with plenty of spectators cheering their team on.
Basketball NSW would like to give a massive thank you to Hills Hornets Basketball Association and Hills Basketball Stadium, 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 each day. Their support and help is evident throughout the smooth running of the weekend, 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 2024 Spalding Waratah League and 2024 GTK Waratah Wheelchair League Finals weekend games below.
SEMI-FINALS – SATURDAY 24TH AUGUST, 2024
Spalding Waratah Men
- Tamworth Thunderbolts 91 – St George Saints 67
Referee Panel: Oliver Toon, Joey Henderson, Peter Baxter, Jeff Cooper
Score-table Officials: Sheree Smith, Sebastian Florean, Grace Baynie, Peta Collard
Commentators: Justin Pineda and Matt Pullbrook
Watch replay HERE
- Hills Hornets 72 – Port Macquarie Dolphins 64
Referee Panel: Joey Henderson, Byron McCready, Richard Watson
Score-table Officials: Tro Manjikian, Jenny He, Rachael Benton-Doyle, Kylie Montgomery, Greg Stevenson
Commentators: Andre Miles and Karen Irwin
Watch replay HERE
Spalding Waratah Women
- Canberra Nationals Academy 95 – Central Coast Waves 51
Referee Panel: Courtney Smith, Jessica Berndt, Matt Walker
Score-table Officials: Andrew Reddy, Harmony Hudson-Stevens, Lauren Cooper, Amanda Lipidoth, Michelle Nicholas
Commentators: Andre Miles and Karen Irwin
Watch replay HERE
- Maitland Mustangs 72 – Coffs Harbour Suns 56
Referee Panel: Rachel Hogan, Nick Newman, Poya Kavianpour
Score-table Officials: Blu Aldridge, Riley Gilchrist, Carolyn Birchall, Jade Whitehead, Lynne Ackroyd
Commentators: Garen Kortian and Lachlan France
Watch replay HERE
GTK Waratah 1 Wheelchair (Powered by Spalding)
- Hills Hornets 33 – Central Coast Waves 29
Referee Panel: Ian Lemes, Alexander Palmer, Matthew Chau
Score-table Officials: Carolyn Birchall, Keeley Hamilton, Murray King, Michelle Nicholas
Commentators: Justin Pineda and Tim Fares
Watch replay HERE
- Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 33 – Canberra Gunners 56
Referee Panel: Nathan Smith, Liam Flanagan, Freddy Ng
Score-table Officials: Shalin Kumar, Toni Longbottom, Tracy Childs, Lynne Ackroyd
Commentators: Jessica Cronje and Taitum Brown
Watch replay HERE
Spalding Waratah 1 Youth Men
- Maitland Mustangs 73 – Blacktown Storm 69
Referee Panel: Jayden Krieg, Rhys Boreham, Yashar Elliin
Score-table Officials: Rachael Benton-Doyle, Peta Collard, Grace Baynie, Tro Manjikian, Greg Stevenson
Commentators: Garen Kortian and Matt Pullbrook
Watch replay HERE
- Hills Hornets 114 – Norths Bears 96
Referee Panel: James Poelczer, Zara Baldwin, Thomas Marsh
Score-table Officials: Aram Zarigian, Kate Filemu, Jeremy Karam, Xavier Cavanagh-Doowns, Jeff Cooper
Commentators: Cooper Moore and Lachlan France
Watch replay HERE
Spalding Waratah 1 Youth Women
- Norths Bears 104 – Bankstown Bruins 65
Referee Panel: Jayna Bonney, Maddie Suprain, Kaitlyn Neate
Score-table Officials: Tracy Childs, Rajesh Hejmady, Riley Gilchrist, Kate Filemu, Heidi Wong
Commentators: Andre Miles and Garen Kortian
Watch replay HERE
- Central Coast Crusaders 59 – Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 88
Referee Panel: Sarah Fahey, Brendan Reid, Ryan Buchaniec
Score-table Officials: Keeley Hamilton, Murray King, Jeremy Karam, Harmony Hudson-Stevens, Jeff Cooper
Commentators: Cooper Moore and James Mullen
Watch replay HERE
Spalding Waratah 2 Youth Men
- Penrith Panthers 62 – Sydney Comets 44
Referee Panel: Jacob Brennan, Stuart Smith, Michael Napper
Score-table Officials: Sheree Smith, Jade Whitehead, Andrew Reddy, Blu Aldridge, Heidi Wong
Commentators: Kiran Kumaresan and Nick Godsell
Watch replay HERE
- Sutherland Sharks 92 – Central Coast Crusaders 88
Referee Panel: Jesse Brown, Kevin Poulton, Eloy D’Rozario
Score-table Officials: Kylie Montgomery, Gary Sarkissian, Shalin Kumar Sebastian Florean, Keira Rostirolla
Commentators: Kiran Kumaresan and Tim Fares
Watch replay HERE
Spalding Waratah 2 Youth Women
- Hills Hornets 83 – St George Saints Red 40
Referee Panel: Jakson Peach, Matthew Chau, Jake Jennings
Score-table Officials: Aram Zarigian, Lauren Cooper, Toni Longbottom, Gary Sarkissian, Greg Stevenson
Commentators: Justin Pineda and Lachlan France
Watch replay HERE
- Moss Vale Magic 78 – Springwood Scorchers 65
Referee Panel: Molly Manns, Jackson Tomas, Louis Brockwell
Score-table Officials: Xavier Cavanagh-Downs, Amanda Lapidoth, Jenny He Rajesh Hejmady, Keira Rostirolla
Commentators: Karen Irwin and Nick Godsell
Watch replay HERE
GRAND FINALS – SUNDAY 25TH AUGUST 2024
Spalding Waratah Men
- Tamworth Thunderbolts 95 – Hills Hornets 62
MVP: Max Clark
Referee Panel: Oliver Toon, Joey Henderson, Peter Baxter
Score-table Officials: Sheree Smith, Lauren Cooper, Jenny He, Harmony Hudson-Stevens, Heidi Wong
Commentators: Karen Irwin and Tim Fares
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
Spalding Waratah Women
- Canberra Nationals Academy 79 – Maitland Mustangs 72
MVP: Jayelin Janssen
Referee Panel: Rachel Hogan, Courtney Smith, Nick Newman
Score-table Officials: Aram Zarigian, Riley Gilchrist, Grace Baynie, Peta Collard
Commentators: Kiran Kumaresan and Robbie Clayton
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
GTK Waratah 1 Wheelchair (Powered by Spalding)
- Hills Hornets 26 – Canberra Gunners 56
MVP: Jontee Brown
Referee Panel: Freddy Ng, Matthew Chau, Alexander Palmer
Score-table Officials: Jeremy Karam, Kylie Montgomery, Sebastian FLorean, Lynne Ackroyd
Commentators: Taitum Brown and Tim Fares
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
Spalding Waratah 1 Youth Men
- Maitland Mustangs 83 – Hills Hornets 68
MVP: Jay Cole
Referee Panel: Jayden Kreig, James Poelczer, Yashar Elliin
Score-table Officials: Rachael Benton-Doyle, Kylie Montgomery, Kate Filemu, Sebastian Florean, Greg Stevenson
Commentators: Garen Kortian and James Mullen
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
Spalding Waratah 1 Youth Women
- Norths Bears 92 – Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 82
MVP: Ruby Perkins
Referee Panel: Jayna Bonney, Sarah Fahey, Brendan Reid
Score-table Officials: Blu Aldridge, Amanda Lapidoth, Keeley Hamilton, Harmony Hudson-Stevens, Jeff Cooper
Commentators: Cooper Moore and James Mullen
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
Spalding Waratah 2 Youth Men
- Penrith Panthers 105 – Sutherland Sharks 67
MVP: Harrison Turner
Referee Panel: Jesse Brown, Kevin Poulton, Jacob Brennan
Score-table Officials: Tro Manjikian, Andrew Reddy, Lauren Cooper, Jade Whitehead
Commentators: Andre Miles and Will Sumner
Watch replay HERE
Watch post game interview HERE
Spalding Waratah 2 Youth Women
- Hills Hornets 105 – Moss Vale Magic 24
MVP: Alanah Ellis
Referee Panel: Jakson Peach, Jakson Tomas, Jake Jennings
Score-table Officials: Tracy Childs, Shalin Kumar, Toni Longbottom, Rajesh Hejmady
Commentators: Nick Godsell and Will Sumner
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 2025 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 (Powered by Spalding) award winners for the 2024 season HERE.
View the 2024 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, and check back soon on the Waratah League Facebook Page for Day 2!