Aussie Hoopla Nbl & Nba Podcast

We crack open one of Aussie hoops’ spiciest grudge matches: Sydney vs Illawarra. Host Dan Boyce traces the rivalry back before the Kings even existed—into state-league days at the Snakepit—then follows it through the 1986 replay controversy, the Kings’ 1988 merger and rise, and the big-city v small-town energy that’s fuelled decades of heat. Featuring first-hand stories from Bob Turner, Greg Hubbard and Chuck Harmison, this episode blends history, on-court flashpoints, and off-court theatre to show how the “Freeway Series” became must-watch basketball. Topics include: What this series is and why the rivalry matters (02:00) How the feud predates the Kings: state-league roots and the Snakepit lore (04:00) The 1986 “replay game” drama and why it still stings (12:00) Remembering Robert Scrigni and the emotion of 1987 (20:00) The Snakepit as a sixth man: noise, power cuts, and balcony bar tales (23:00) Birth of the Kings (’88): merger, marketing, and turning Sydney into a show (37:00) Early flashpoi