1981 NBL season

The 1981 NBL season was the third season of the National Basketball League (NBL).

1981 NBL season
LeagueNational Basketball League
SportBasketball
Duration14 February – 21 June (Regular season)
27 June – 28 June (Finals)
Number of games22
Number of teams12
TV partner(s)ABC
Regular season
Top seedSt. Kilda Saints
Season MVPMike Jones (Illawarra)
Top scorerMike Jones (Illawarra)
Finals
ChampionsLaunceston Casino City (1st title)
  Runners-upNunawading Spectres

Regular season

The Regular Season took place over 18 Rounds between 14 February 1981 and 21 June 1981. Each team played 22 games, against every opponent twice.

Round 1
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
14/02/1981 Forestville Eagles 94–74 West Adelaide Bearcats Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
21/02/1981 Newcastle Falcons 93–73 Illawarra Hawks Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
21/02/1981 Forestville Eagles 77–78 Bankstown Bruins Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
21/02/1981 Canberra Cannons 78–71 Nunawading Spectres AIS Arena N/A boxscore
21/02/1981 Launceston Casino City 90–88 St. Kilda Saints Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore
22/02/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 80–92 Illawarra Hawks Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
22/02/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 91–74 Bankstown Bruins Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
22/02/1981 Brisbane Bullets 56–60 Nunawading Spectres Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
22/02/1981 Coburg Giants 88–93 St. Kilda Saints Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 2
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
28/02/1981 Illawarra Hawks 91–71 Canberra Cannons Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
28/02/1981 Launceston Casino City 79–85 Brisbane Bullets Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore
28/02/1981 Nunawading Spectres 83–62 City of Sydney Astronauts Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
28/02/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 85–73 Newcastle Falcons Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
1/03/1981 Bankstown Bruins 64–66 Canberra Cannons Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
1/03/1981 Coburg Giants 61–78 Brisbane Bullets Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore
1/03/1981 St. Kilda Saints 104–72 City of Sydney Astronauts Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
1/03/1981 Forestville Eagles 54–74 Newcastle Falcons Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 3
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
7/03/1981 St. Kilda Saints 114–100 Illawarra Hawks Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
7/03/1981 Newcastle Falcons 73–50 Canberra Cannons Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
7/03/1981 Forestville Eagles 66–59 Coburg Giants Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
8/03/1981 Nunawading Spectres 95–74 Illawarra Hawks Kilsyth Stadium N/A boxscore
8/03/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 69–74 Canberra Cannons Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
8/03/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 82–74 Coburg Giants Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 4
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
14/03/1981 Bankstown Bruins 77–88 Launceston Casino City Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
14/03/1981 Canberra Cannons 82–71 Forestville Eagles AIS Arena N/A boxscore
14/03/1981 Newcastle Falcons 80–75 Coburg Giants Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
14/03/1981 St. Kilda Saints 94–90 West Adelaide Bearcats Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
15/03/1981 Illawarra Hawks 91–104 Launceston Casino City Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
15/03/1981 Brisbane Bullets 84–71 Forestville Eagles Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
15/03/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 87–79 Coburg Giants Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
15/03/1981 Nunawading Spectres 86–61 West Adelaide Bearcats Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 5
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
21/03/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 104–66 Illawarra Hawks Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
21/03/1981 Canberra Cannons 88–89 Bankstown Bruins AIS Arena N/A boxscore
21/03/1981 Coburg Giants 64–66 Nunawading Spectres Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore
21/03/1981 Newcastle Falcons 85–83 St. Kilda Saints Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
22/03/1981 Forestville Eagles 94–88 Illawarra Hawks Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
22/03/1981 Brisbane Bullets 100–72 Bankstown Bruins Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
22/03/1981 Launceston Casino City 80–83 Nunawading Spectres Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore
22/03/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 85–99 St. Kilda Saints Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 6
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
28/03/1981 Illawarra Hawks 85–91 Newcastle Falcons Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
28/03/1981 Coburg Giants 78–76 Canberra Cannons Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore
28/03/1981 St. Kilda Saints 66–73 Brisbane Bullets Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
28/03/1981 Forestville Eagles 65–67 City of Sydney Astronauts Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
28/03/1981 Bankstown Bruins 77–86 Newcastle Falcons Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
29/03/1981 Launceston Casino City 88–76 Canberra Cannons Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore
29/03/1981 Nunawading Spectres 63–67 Brisbane Bullets Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
29/03/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 89–107 City of Sydney Astronauts Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 7
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
4/04/1981 Nunawading Spectres 79–61 Bankstown Bruins Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
4/04/1981 Newcastle Falcons 79–78 Brisbane Bullets Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
4/04/1981 Forestville Eagles 80–77 Launceston Casino City Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
5/04/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 65–95 Brisbane Bullets Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
5/04/1981 St. Kilda Saints 98–97 Bankstown Bruins Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
5/04/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 91–90 Launceston Casino City Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 8
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
11/04/1981 Canberra Cannons 98–82 West Adelaide Bearcats AIS Arena N/A boxscore
11/04/1981 St. Kilda Saints 101–91 Coburg Giants Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
11/04/1981 Newcastle Falcons 70–73 Launceston Casino City Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
11/04/1981 Illawarra Hawks 97–76 Forestville Eagles Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
12/04/1981 Bankstown Bruins 90–98 Forestville Eagles Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
12/04/1918 Brisbane Bullets 62–71 West Adelaide Bearcats Ballarat Stadium N/A boxscore
12/04/1981 Nunawading Spectres 78–65 Coburg Giants Kilsyth Stadium N/A boxscore
12/04/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 83–98 Launceston Casino City Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 9
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
15/04/1981 Bankstown Bruins 91–78 Illawarra Hawks Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
16/04/1981 St. Kilda Saints 79–76 Nunawading Spectres Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
18/04/1981 Newcastle Falcons 83–60 City of Sydney Astronauts Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
19/04/1981 Brisbane Bullets 80–63 Canberra Cannons Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 10
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
25/04/1981 Canberra Cannons 76–69 Illawarra Hawks AIS Arena N/A boxscore
25/04/1981 Launceston Casino City 92–81 Bankstown Bruins Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore
25/04/1981 Newcastle Falcons 75–70 Nunawading Spectres Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
26/04/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 81–80 St. Kilda Saints Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
26/04/1981 Coburg Giants 92–64 Bankstown Bruins Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore
26/04/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 71–95 Nunawading Spectres Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
26/04/1981 Forestville Eagles 88–115 St. Kilda Saints Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 11
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
2/05/1981 Illawarra Hawks 98–81 City of Sydney Astronauts Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
2/05/1981 Nunawading Spectres 73–68 Canberra Cannons Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
2/05/1981 Launceston Casino City 79–80 Newcastle Falcons Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore
2/05/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 85–79 Brisbane Bullets Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
3/05/1981 Bankstown Bruins 96–78 City of Sydney Astronauts Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
3/05/1981 St. Kilda Saints 99–88 Canberra Cannons Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
3/05/1981 Coburg Giants 85–78 Newcastle Falcons Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore
3/05/1981 Forestville Eagles 76–95 Brisbane Bullets Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 12
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
9/05/1981 Illawarra Hawks 108–91 West Adelaide Bearcats Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
9/05/1981 Canberra Cannons 81–71 Coburg Giants AIS Arena N/A boxscore
9/05/1981 Nunawading Spectres 70–73 Launceston Casino City Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
9/05/1981 Newcastle Falcons 107–96 Forestville Eagles Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
10/05/1981 Bankstown Bruins 77–68 West Adelaide Bearcats Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
10/05/1981 Brisbane Bullets 71–77 Coburg Giants Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
10/05/1981 St. Kilda Saints 120–95 Launceston Casino City Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
10/05/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 79–76 Forestville Eagles Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 13
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
16/05/1981 Illawarra Hawks 76–74 Nunawading Spectres Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
16/05/1981 Canberra Cannons 88–71 City of Sydney Astronauts AIS Arena N/A boxscore
16/05/1981 Coburg Giants 72–65 Forestville Eagles Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore
17/05/1981 Bankstown Bruins 76–69 Nunawading Spectres Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
17/05/1981 Brisbane Bullets 73–63 City of Sydney Astronauts Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
17/05/1981 Launceston Casino City 114–90 Forestville Eagles Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 14
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
23/05/1981 Newcastle Falcons 87–73 Bankstown Bruins Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
23/05/1981 Launceston Casino City 95–78 Illawarra Hawks Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore
23/05/1981 Canberra Cannons 99–95 St. Kilda Saints AIS Arena N/A boxscore
23/05/1981 Forestville Eagles 74–96 Nunawading Spectres Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
24/05/1981 Coburg Giants 84–81 Illawarra Hawks Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore
24/05/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 92–79 Bankstown Bruins Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore
24/05/1981 Brisbane Bullets 68–90 St. Kilda Saints Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
24/05/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 98–77 Nunawading Spectres Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Round 15
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
30/05/1981 Illawarra Hawks 90–80 Brisbane Bullets Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
30/05/1981 Forestville Eagles 75–73 Canberra Cannons Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
30/05/1981 Launceston Casino City 72–76 City of Sydney Astronauts Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore
30/05/1981 Nunawading Spectres 82–61 Newcastle Falcons Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
31/05/1981 Bankstown Bruins 65–66 Brisbane Bullets Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
31/05/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 113–82 Canberra Cannons Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
31/05/1981 Coburg Giants 84–80 City of Sydney Astronauts Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore
31/05/1981 St. Kilda Saints 96–93 Newcastle Falcons Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 16
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
6/06/1981 Illawarra Hawks 100–102 St. Kilda Saints Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
6/06/1981 Canberra Cannons 76–65 Newcastle Falcons AIS Arena N/A boxscore
6/06/1981 Coburg Giants 66–72 West Adelaide Bearcats Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore
7/06/1981 Bankstown Bruins 87–118 St. Kilda Saints Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
7/06/1981 Brisbane Bullets 90–74 Newcastle Falcons Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
7/06/1981 Launceston Casino City 95–82 West Adelaide Bearcats Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 17
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
13/06/1981 Canberra Cannons 76–63 Launceston Casino City AIS Arena N/A boxscore
13/06/1981 Illawarra Hawks 87–85 Coburg Giants Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
13/06/1981 Nunawading Spectres 77–62 Forestville Eagles Burwood Stadium N/A boxscore
13/06/1981 Newcastle Falcons 79–80 West Adelaide Bearcats Newcastle Sports Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
14/06/1981 Bankstown Bruins 92–88 Coburg Giants Bankstown Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
14/06/1981 Brisbane Bullets 81–82 Launceston Casino City Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
14/06/1981 St. Kilda Saints 115–98 Forestville Eagles Albert Park Basketball Stadium N/A boxscore
14/06/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 89–83 West Adelaide Bearcats Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore

Round 18
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
18/06/1981 Nunawading Spectres 83–85 St. Kilda Saints Kilsyth Stadium N/A boxscore
20/06/1981 Illawarra Hawks 98–86 Bankstown Bruins Beaton Park Stadium N/A boxscore
20/06/1981 Canberra Cannons 71–69 Brisbane Bullets AIS Arena N/A boxscore
20/06/1981 Launceston Casino City 90–81 Coburg Giants Dowling Street Stadium N/A boxscore
20/06/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 75–73 Forestville Eagles Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
21/06/1981 Brisbane Bullets 82–69 Illawarra Hawks Auchenflower Stadium N/A boxscore
21/06/1981 Coburg Giants 71–78 Launceston Casino City Ken Watson Stadium N/A boxscore
21/06/1981 City of Sydney Astronauts 94–93 Newcastle Falcons Alexandria Stadium N/A boxscore

Ladder
# Team Played Won Loss Win% Last 5 Streak Home Away For Against Points%
1 St. Kilda Saints1 22 17 5 77.27% 5-0 Won 6 10-1 7-4 2,134 1,927 110.74%
2 Launceston Casino City 22 14 8 63.64% 4-1 Won 3 7-4 7-4 1,895 1,810 104.70%
3 West Adelaide Bearcats2 22 13 9 59.09% 3-2 Won 1 10-1 3-8 1,848 1,823 101.37%
4 Nunawading Spectres2 22 13 9 59.09% 3-2 Lost 1 8-3 5-6 1,706 1,566 108.94%
5 Brisbane Bullets1 2 3 22 13 9 59.09% 3-2 Won 1 6-5 7-4 1,712 1,592 107.54%
6 Newcastle Falcons2 3 22 13 9 59.09% 0-5 Lost 6 9-2 4-7 1,779 1,714 103.79%
7 Canberra Cannons 22 12 10 54.55% 3-2 Won 3 10-1 2-9 1,700 1,719 98.89%
8 Illawarra Hawks 22 9 13 40.91% 3-2 Lost 1 8-3 1-10 1,889 1,949 96.92%
9 City of Sydney Astronauts 22 8 14 36.36% 4-1 Won 2 5-6 3-8 1,711 1,898 90.15%
10 Coburg Giants4 22 7 15 31.82% 0-5 Lost 5 6-5 1-10 1,690 1,746 96.79%
11 Bankstown Bruins4 22 7 15 31.82% 1-4 Lost 1 5-6 2-9 1,746 1,897 92.04%
12 Forestville Eagles 22 6 16 27.27% 1-4 Lost 3 5-6 1-10 1,719 1,888 91.05%

The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win-loss record, the results in games played between the teams will determine order of seeding.

1St. Kilda Saints chose to participate in the 1981 FIBA Club World Cup in Brazil, instead of the 1981 NBL Finals. They were replaced by the Brisbane Bullets.

24-way Head-to-Head between West Adelaide Bearcats (5-1), Nunawading Spectres (3-3), Brisbane Bullets (2-4) and Newcastle Falcons (2-4).

3Head-to-Head between Brisbane Bullets and Newcastle Falcons (1-1). Brisbane Bullets won For and Against (+15).

4Head-to-Head between Coburg Giants and Bankstown Bruins (1-1). Coburg Giants won For and Against (+24).

Finals
Main article: 1981 NBL Finals

The NBL finals series in 1981 consisted of two semi-final games, and one championship-deciding grand final. All three of these finals games were sudden death.

Bracket
Semi Finals Grand Final
      
1 Launceston Casino City 71
4 Brisbane Bullets 69
1 Launceston Casino City 75
2 Nunawading Spectres 54
2 West Adelaide Bearcats 71
3 Nunawading Spectres 74

Semi Finals
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
27/06/1981 Launceston Casino City 71–69 Brisbane Bullets Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore
27/06/1981 West Adelaide Bearcats 71–74 Nunawading Spectres Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Grand Final
Date Home Score Away Venue Crowd Box Score
28/06/1981 Launceston Casino City 75–54 Nunawading Spectres Apollo Entertainment Centre N/A boxscore

Awards

Statistics leaders
CategoryPlayerTeamStat
PointsMike JonesIllawarra Hawks671 pts / 22 games[1]
Free throw percentageMike JonesIllawarra Hawks87.6% (113/129)[1]

Regular season

References
  1. "All Time Leaders". nbl.gearbox.performgroup.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-23. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  2. "All NBL First Team". andthefoul.net. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012.
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