Illawarra Hawks Stun NBL With Blockbuster Signing: What It Means for the 2025 Season

Illawarra Hawks stumble in Melbourne: what Justin Tatum’s side must fix fast The Illawarra Hawks’ rocky title defence hit another pothole on Thursday night, falling 97-75 to Melbourne United at John Cain Arena and slipping further away from the NBL26 playoff picture. After watching his team concede 56 second-chance points across the past three outings, head coach Justin Tatum cut a frustrated figure in the post-game press conference, pushing back at suggestions the playing group had “checked out”. Rebounding remains the glaring weakness Illawarra were beaten 47-32 on the glass by United, the eighth straight game in which opponents have owned the boards. With import centre Chris Kendricks still on minutes restriction following an ankle sprain, the Hawks allowed 16 offensive rebounds and gifted Melbourne 22 second-chance points. Tatum hinted that a roster shuffle is on the table: “If we can’t box out, we’ll find people who will.” Back-court scoring punch drying up Biwali Bayles has been a bright spot all month, averaging 15.2 points in December, yet the Wollongong native was held to nine on 3-for-12 shooting as United closed driving lanes early. Veteran Tyler Harvey’s shooting slump also continued (1-for-8 from deep). Illawarra have slipped to 9th in offensive efficiency since Round 10 after ranking 3rd in the opening month. Mid-season report card: defence trending the wrong way At 7-11, the Hawks sit two wins outside the top six with exactly half the regular season to play. A recent mid-season review highlighted defensive rebounding and transition D as the two key metrics that have regressed year-on-year, even as turnover rate has marginally improved. Tatum’s squad is allowing 1.11 points per possession in the open floor, worst in the league. Schedule offers little breathing room Illawarra return to the WIN Entertainment Centre on Boxing Day to face an Adelaide 36ers outfit that routed them by 23 in November. A New Year’s Eve clash with ladder-leading Perth Wildcats follows before a gruelling three-game road swing. The Hawks have won just once outside Wollongong since October. Potential changes before the trade deadline The NBL’s December 30 personnel deadline looms large. League sources indicate Illawarra have inquired about rebounding specialist Jordan Hunter, currently out of favour in Sydney, and are exploring a free-agent big man from Europe. Cutting an import would free the necessary cap space but risk further chemistry disruption. Why fans should keep the faith Despite a poor month, the Hawks still boast the league’s second-best three-point accuracy (38.9%) and lead the NBL in assist-to-turnover ratio. If Harvey snaps out of his funk and Kendricks regains full mobility, Illawarra’s offence can quickly return to the top tier. Rookie wing Dave Hickey has also flashed two-way potential that could shore up perimeter defence. Key takeaways • Rebounding crisis: Hawks have lost the board battle eight games running. • Off-court tension: Justin Tatum growing impatient with effort questions. • Deadline watch: big-man reinforcements possible before December 30. • Crucial homestand: back-to-back games vs 36ers and Wildcats may define season. Bottom line The Illawarra Hawks entered NBL26 dreaming of back-to-back championships. Now they’re fighting just to stay in the finals race. If Tatum’s men can plug the rebounding leak and rediscover their early-season shooting rhythm, a second-half surge is still well within reach. Fail to correct those flaws, and the league’s longest-standing club could be watching the postseason from Wollongong’s beaches.