After 20 long months on the sideline, the Sureway Employment & Training Wollongong Roller Hawks are pleased to announce the return of elite level competitive basketball with the launch of the 2021 National Wheelchair Basketball League Season (NWBL).

 

 

Following the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID, the Roller Hawks committee has worked hard alongside the other NWBL clubs and Basketball Australia to deliver a season amid continuing uncertainty due to the pandemic.

 

The 2021 season will look a little different after three teams chose to withdraw from this year’s competition. It is hoped that the Kilsyth Cobras, the Adelaide Bearcats and the Red Dust Heelers will return next year. That leaves the Wollongong Roller Hawks, the Queensland Spinning Bullets, the Perth Wheelcats and the Sydney Metro Blue Hornets to contest this year’s competition with Australia’s Under 23s team, the Spinners also joining the league this year. Their addition is set to add extra competition for the other NWBL teams and provide essential game time in preparation for the U23s World Championships next year.

 

Due to the team changes, instead of a traditional home and away season, every round will be a Cluster Round with each NWBL team taking turns hosting the other four teams. Roller Hawks will host the opening round cluster 28th-30th May at Shellharbour City Stadium. There will be nine games over 3 days with the Roller Hawks in prime time on Friday and Saturday night as well as two games on Sunday.

 

Round 2 will be hosted by the Sydney Metro Blue Hornets, Round 3 will be held in Perth with the final regular season round taking place in Brisbane with the Finals to be held for the very first time in Darwin the following week. Click here for the Full Draw.

  

The three-time defending league champions are shooting for a fourth consecutive title and their seventh in club history. 2021 is a significant year for the Roller Hawks as the club marks its 20th Anniversary. As the club launches its 20 Year Anniversary logo, the club is reaching out to all past players, coaches and supporters to help mark this significant milestone.

 

In addition to this, the national league plays a vital role within Basketball Australia’s high performance program. The season will provide vital competitive play before the Rollers and Gliders fly out to Japan for the Tokyo Paralympics.

The club would also like to take the opportunity to thank its valued sponsors including naming rights sponsor Sureway Employment & Training, team sponsors Peoplecare, His Boy Elroy, Lancaster Law & Mediation, Illawarra Mercury, player sponsors Dolphin Point Homes, Paul Scully MP, Rotary Club of Shellharbour City, Mudgee Lamb, Potters Contracting, MoneyQuest, South Coast Decorative Concrete Supplies, Phoenix Mobile Laundry Services and special thanks to UOW Printery, Aceit, Microsolve, LP Designs & Collegians.