ILLAWARRA / WOLLONGONG
1993–1998: The Final Flight at The Snakepit: Laying the Championship Foundations
The period from 1993 to 1998 was pivotal for the Illawarra Hawks as they prepared for future success while playing their last seasons at the iconic Snakepit. This era was marked by the rise of future club legends, significant coaching influences, and memorable games that solidified the Hawks’ reputation as fierce competitors.
The Hawks’ transformation began with the appointment of Alan Black as head coach in 1993. Known for his strategic expertise and ability to draw the best out of his players, Black instilled a competitive mindset that propelled the Hawks to consistent playoff appearances. The 1995 season was a highlight, with the team reaching the quarterfinals under Black’s leadership. During this period, Melvin Thomas emerged as a central figure, consistently earning All-NBL honours and anchoring the team’s playoff campaigns with his powerful presence on both ends of the court.
Butch Hays | 1994
A defining moment of this era came on September 17, 1994, in a do-or-die game against the Newcastle Falcons.
With a playoff spot on the line, the Hawks pulled off a stunning win at the Snakepit. In the closing seconds, Mick Corkeron delivered a perfect alley-oop to Melvin Thomas, who soared over Terry Dozier to dunk home the game-winning basket.
The arena erupted as the Hawks secured their playoff berth and eliminated Newcastle. Thomas’ extraordinary game - 34 points, 15 rebounds, 6 blocks, and 5 assists - cemented this victory as a legendary moment in Hawks history.
1995 Illawarra Hawks
The mid-1990s were also notable for the debut of Glen Saville in 1995. Saville, a versatile forward with exceptional defensive skills and leadership potential, quickly became an essential part of the team.
His arrival signalled the start of the most illustrious career in the club’s history.
In 1996, Mat Campbell joined the team, known for his tireless work ethic, defence and sharp perimeter shooting. Together, Saville and Campbell formed the core of the Hawks’ identity and would be pivotal for years to come.
The Brendan Joyce Era
After Alan Black’s departure, the Hawks transitioned to a new chapter with Brendan Joyce as head coach in 1996. Joyce brought a focus on team defence and a balanced offensive approach, which began shaping the Hawks into a stronger, more cohesive unit. This period of adjustment was crucial as Joyce sought to maximise the potential of young stars like Saville and Campbell while maintaining the team’s competitive edge.
Rookie Glen Saville | 1995
The 1998 season was particularly significant as it marked the Hawks’ final year at the Snakepit. That year brought seismic changes both for the club and the league, with the NBL planning its transition from winter to summer competition for the 1998/99 season, and the Hawks preparing to shift from their storied home court to the modern WIN Entertainment Centre.
These developments demanded substantial financial backing to remain competitive with larger franchises. In response, then-Hawks Chairman and Beechwood Homes owner John Carson expanded his 25 percent stake into a controlling interest, marking the club’s transition to private ownership for the first time. This move was critical in securing the operational funding required to adapt to the evolving landscape of the NBL.
The last regular-season game played at the beloved venue was an emotional 109–97 win over Townsville, cheered on by a packed and devoted crowd. This farewell game encapsulated the spirit and history of the Snakepit, which had been the backdrop for so many key moments in the team’s early years.
Highlights from the Hawks Snakepit Farewell game.
Warning: It’s a low quality 240p - but the history is still crystal clear.
According to Chuck Harmison (paraphrased from the Snakepit Farewell Souvenir Programme), the Snakepit had become like a favourite pair of old shoes—tattered, probably a bit smelly, and certainly a size too small. But for twenty seasons, there was something comfortingly familiar about the place. Its cramped seats, dusty corners, and flickering lights were never what truly defined it. Rather, it was the characters, the crowd, and the chaos that made the Snakepit home.
Who could forget the fan who famously hurled a large baby’s dummy onto the court every time an opposition player threw a tantrum? Somehow, he always had another one ready. Or the boisterous “Bulli Boys,” who adopted “Stormin’” Norman Taylor as their own, turning his every move into a spectacle. The Pit was a place where front-row fans like Roger Parrish would bellow “reeeebound!” over the clatter, urging the Hawks on as if their voices alone could will them to victory.
The Phantom Dummy Thrower interview with Illawarra Mercury article from the mid 1980s
The venue had its quirks—none more infamous than the temperamental lighting. In true Snakepit fashion, even the lights seemed to have it in for the Sydney Kings. Twice, mysterious power outages halted play during crucial matchups, including one playoff clash. Ex-Hawk and Sydney King Tim Morrissey once predicted a blackout—and sure enough, to the glee of the locals, the lights went out on yet another Kings campaign.
The Snakepit wasn’t just a venue—it was an experience. It was where opponents could hear, and often feel, the wrath of the crowd. Shane Heal’s running battles with the bar-side fans, and Bruce Palmer dubbing the arena “Hooterville,” were proof that no other NBL court echoed with the same volume of passion or local colour.
The Supporters Club helmed by club stalwarts like Yvonne White changed over the 20 years at the Snakepit. In the beginning, it wasn’t a category on a membership form, it was a way of life. Known more accurately as “the Workers,” it was made up of volunteers, board members, and families who cleaned toilets, erected and dismantled seating for each game, cooked suppers, painted, manned the doors and the bar, built new boxes, and at times worked through the night just to comply with ever-changing regulations.
Their numbers may have decreased throughout the 1990s, but their importance never did. They were the backbone of the club, keeping it viable in an increasingly professional league. Many of these same people also made up the statistician team, volunteering their time and gaining a reputation across the league for accuracy and professionalism. In the final years at the Snakepit, they embraced new electronic systems, continuing their legacy of reliability with quiet pride.
What many don’t remember is that the celebrated “Snakepit finale” wasn’t actually the Hawks’ last game at Beaton Park. A week after that emotional win over Townsville, the Hawks faced a do-or-die road clash in Canberra to decide their postseason fate. In a gutsy showcase of determination and grit, they mounted a dramatic comeback to steal a 90–89 victory—securing an unlikely playoff berth and, in doing so, safeguarding Brendan Joyce’s position as head coach. It was a defining win that captured the club’s resilience under pressure.
That result set up one final showdown at the Snakepit—an elimination final against the Perth Wildcats on 12 June 1998. In front of another packed house, the Hawks battled hard but fell 85–95. While it didn’t end in triumph, the crowd knew they were witnessing the true final chapter of the Snakepit era. The sweat, the noise, the grit—it was all there, one last time.
The end of the 1998 season was bittersweet as the Hawks closed the doors on their beloved home and prepared to move to the larger, modern WIN Entertainment Centre. The move signified the end of a historic chapter, but also the dawn of a new era filled with promise.
Under Joyce’s leadership, with rising stars like Saville and Campbell and consistent contributors like Clayton Ritter—who was instrumental in the 1998 campaign and earned All-NBL Second Team honours—the Hawks laid the foundation for the championship success that awaited in the next decade.
Photo gallery - scroll through or click image to full size.
Photos: Illawarra Mercury
