28
Sep
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Justin Tatum makes one-month vow as Hawks sink 0-3
Illawarra Hawks coach Justin Tatum speaks with a referee during the Round 2 NBL27 game against the Sydney Kings at Afterpay Arena on September 27, 2026. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images
Highlights
The NBL25 champions are 0-3 after three road games and hunting an import before Adelaide at home.
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NBL25 Coach of the Year Justin Tatum declared: "I promise you, in a month's time, we'll be having a different conversation."
Tatum, 47, who sat at the press conference podium 553 days after the Hawks hoisted the 2024-25 NBL championship trophy, made that vow after the Illawarra Hawks lost their third straight game – all on the road – to the rampant Sydney Kings 121-100 at Afterpay Arena in Sydney.
"Clearly, we have the No. 1 toughest schedule in the league. Go figure, right? It is what it is," Tatum said.
"What doesn't break us is going to make us stronger. I promise you, in a month's time, we'll be having a different conversation.
"If you look at the stats, where we're at and who we have available, we're still in every game outside of probably one.
"Our free throws could have been better in the last two games, and we could have had a chance to win. We're still scoring 95-plus points, and we're still working towards having a full roster.
"I know our season's going to change drastically and swiftly once we get everybody on the same page and feel our roster is at full strength. We have to keep building the confidence of the guys in our locker room. I said nothing negative to them in there, nothing but positive things.
"We're going into this week to prepare for Adelaide, and then we're back on the road to South East Melbourne."
The Hawks are the only club to start the season with three straight road games and face Adelaide at home on October 2. Illawarra lost on the road to the Breakers 95-81, to the Bullets in Brisbane 103-95 and then to the Kings by 21 on Sunday, September 27.
They parted ways with NBL25 championship import Darius Days after one game, and are on the hunt for a new import; they lack size behind Sam Froling ($228,200) now that backup big Mason Peatling ($147,700) (foot) is injured, and NBL colour commentators Jason Cadee and Brad Rosen – both retired point guards – agreed they need a specialised floor general.
Tatum started new Australian citizen Tyler Harvey ($271,700) on the bench in the first two losses and inserted him back into the starting line-up against Sydney.
The 33-year-old shooting guard had 12 points in 22:16 and sparked the Hawks early, but Tatum opted to keep him in cotton wool when the game got away.
"We didn't feel we had a chance to come back at that time, and we're depleted," Tatum said.
"I can't have anybody go out there and play meaningless minutes, then find a way to not be prepared and ready for Adelaide, especially with what was allowed on one end and on the other. We can't let that dictate things.
"Anything can happen right now with our group. I'm trying to give us the best chance. When we started Tyler in the last two games, we were beating teams on bench points. Today we couldn't do it.
"We're trying to find a group that can compete and keep managing guys.
"We asked a lot of Sam today. We asked a lot of Kelan (Kelan Martin ($277,000)) and the other guys, and our DPs. Kyle (Kyle Adnam ($69,000)) had a really good game, LP (Lamar Patterson ($210,900)) too.
"We're asking a lot extra of guys right now. We're not using that as an excuse, because anybody could be in this situation. Right now, we are."
Famed X critic Julian O'Brien and noted Hawks booster described it as: "This is as putrid a performance as I've seen from a Hawks team. Melo season included."
To compound the 21-point blow-out, new import Milton Doyle ($274,700) fouled out on a technical after scoring nine points on 3-for-7 from the field in 20:06 minutes.
"Mil deserved it," Tatum said.
"It was out of anger and frustration with the foul. Unfortunately, there are some things you can and cannot say. But I'd respect it more if the person who called the foul, or the person it was directed to, gave him one, instead of somebody running all the way from the other end. That was my beef.
"I don't deny his reaction or the result from the referee. But the person it was directed to should have given it, not somebody coming from the other end. It's unfortunate.
"There's been a lot that's unfortunate in that category. It is what it is."
Tatum said the Hawks were now aggressively in the market for a replacement for Days but he didn't indicate the position the club intended to bolster.
"We're working on another import, and the other guys have to step up," Tatum said.
"We have to find ways to get good starts, minimise [the opposition's chances] and help ourselves on the rebounds. We've got to make shots and have guys who might be playing out of position hold the fort.
"Other teams have had this problem in previous years, and some teams might have it this year. Right now, we're in this situation. As frustrating as it is for a coach, an organisation and the players, it's part of the game. We're going to figure it out.
"It's going to be quick. But I want to get it right. Until then, my guys have to buy us time. I understand we're the only team that hasn't joined the party in the win column yet, but when we do, it's not going to stop."
It's not all dire straits for the Hawks; William Hickey ($331,600), known as "Davo", and Johny Narkle ($69,000), who earned a start, are delivering solid numbers to start the season, and Sam Froling is getting back to his best.
"Davo's a Swiss Army knife for us," Tatum added.
"He doesn't complain. We plug him in wherever we can, and he finds a way to flourish. I'm happy for him reaching 1,000 points. I'd be happier if we'd won, but individually that's a hell of an accomplishment.
"Davo has been fine. He's low-maintenance, high-reward. Has he got more flourishing to do? We all do.
"Johny played well in the last two games. He's a really good on-ball defender. We knew we were starting (Harvey) today, so we hoped (Wani Swaka Lo Buluk ($145,200)) and Davo would help with the bench points, which they did.
"Johny has done really well in practice and in the last two games. This might not be my starting line-up on Friday. Then again, it could be. Johny did a really good job."
One thing is certain, though: the runway in NBL27 is short. The Hawks need to move quickly to bring in a high-impact import before the 0-3 hole gets even deeper.
Illawarra plays its first home game of the season against Bryce Cotton ($473,900) and the Adelaide 36ers on Friday, October 2, 2026 at 7.30pm (AEST) at WIN Entertainment Centre.
Illawarra Hawks: the SuperCoach NBL squad after Round 2
| Sam Froling | $228,200 | 24.3 | 73 | 3 | 15 | 58 ×2 | 25.1 | Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milton DoyleImport | $274,700 | 23.7 | 71 | 3 | 25 | 46 ×2 | 24.0 | Available |
| Tyler Harvey | $271,700 | 23.7 | 71 | 3 | 23 | 48 ×2 | 27.8 | Available |
| William Hickey | $331,600 | 23.3 | 70 | 3 | 34 | 36 ×2 | 24.4 | Available |
| Kelan MartinImport | $277,000 | 21.0 | 63 | 3 | 21 | 42 ×2 | 30.2 | Available |
| Johny Narkle | $69,000 | 14.7 | 44 | 3 | 9 | 35 ×2 | 16.0 | Available |
| Lamar Patterson | $210,900 | 12.5 | 25 | 2 | – | 25 ×2 | 15.8 | Available |
| Todd Blanchfield | $123,800 | 10.5 | 21 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 8.9 | Out |
| Kyle AdnamNRP | $69,000 | 10.0 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 8.7 | Available |
| Daniel Grida | $92,300 | 10.0 | 10 | 1 | – | 10 | 8.8 | Available |
| Wani Swaka Lo Buluk | $145,200 | 8.0 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 17 ×2 | 17.0 | Available |
| Mason Peatling | $147,700 | 7.5 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 7.3 | Out |
| Fletcher MacDonaldDP | $58,500 | 3.0 | 3 | 1 | – | 3 | 4.5 | Available |
| Brodie McGregor | $58,500 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | – | 0 | 4.5 | Available |
| Amarco DoyleDP | $58,500 | – | – | 0 | – | – | – | Available |
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