Faces in the crowd: Inaugural Hawks coach Joe Farrugia

During the Illawarra Hawks' 43-year existence, 221 players have pulled on the club's jersey.

But the number of fans who have supported the foundation club during that period is exponentially more.

As such, the club has decided to profile some of the most prominent and longest-serving HawkHeads with our new 'faces in the crowd' series.

After profiling Illawarra's three intern coaches and Hawks legend Gordie McLeod, we decided to feature a story on our inaugural coach Joe Farrugia - who's basketball journey started in Malta.

"As a young boy, I shot hoops in Malta with my father who had played basketball in France and was a natural shooter," Farrugia said.

"I was lucky at high school to have a basketball coach accredited at Leeds University, his name was Tony Micallef Borg, he was my first mentor.

"I was basketball captain at St Michaels’s Teacher’s Training College which I followed by playing for clubs  Mundlos and Aperol winning two national titles, once scoring 42 points vs De La Salle."

Then in his early 20s, Farrugia decided to try his hand at coaching and participated in an accreditation course with FIP Italian coach Tullio Paratore.

"I coached my former club Aperol (still my favourite aperitif beverage) to two straight national championships," he said.

"I was recommended and accepted to participate in a FIBA international coaching diploma course in 1970 and 1971 - my teachers included legends Borislav Stankovic, Giancarlo Primo and Robert Busnel, then president of the European Coaches Commission.

"During the course, I made friends with Arnaldo Taurisano, who was coach of Italian First Division Champions Forst Cantu. 

"Arnaldo invited me to his training camp in Bormio near the Alps and he inspired me towards looking to wider horizons.

"I approached the Australian High Commission in Malta and within weeks the Commonwealth Government paid for my wife and I to emigrate to Australia as a qualified teacher and FIBA accredited basketball coach.

"Upon arrival in Melbourne, I met up with Lindsay Gaze and Ken Watson and was contracted by the VABA Team Nunnawading Demons as the coach."

Two years later, Farrugia moved to Wollongong with his family and became the Snakepit's stadium manager.

"I worked as a coach with the Illawarra Hawks assisting Dr Adrian Hurley in the state championships and coached the Illawarra women’s team," he said.

"I enjoyed playing A grade for Keira Trotters and Rosemont in the Illawarra Amateur Basketball Association competition.

"Adrian used to entrust the Hawks in my hands to participate in the Shoalhaven Easter Carnivals. 

"It was an honour to be trusted at such a young age and we used to bring the bacon home winning the prize money, a useful source of income in those days."

Fast forward to 1979 and Farrugia was appointed the Hawks coach for their inaugural NBL season.

"When I was appointed, I was thrilled especially when we won our first match in the Snakepit against reigning national club champions St Kilda," he said.

"We had a very tough season but accredited ourselves well, rounding off the season by winning the NSW state championships beating Newcastle at their packed home court in the grand final.

"In 1980, Adrian stepped back in as head coach and I worked as his assistant.

"Then in 1981, I was again appointed as head coach of the Hawks."

This was just the start of numerous memories made by Farrugia at the Hawks, thanks largely to the fantastic players he had on his teams.

"My most treasured memory is beating the then European Champions Partizan Belgrade in 1981,  in front of a packed Snakepit," the now 73-year-old said.

"My favourite all-time players Mike Jones, Bennie Lewis, Gordie McLeod, Jim Slacke, Jimmy Williams and Tim Morrisey - who played a great game that night against Belgrade, supported by big man Kurt Forrester, who was loaned to us by Sydney for the match to bolster our rather thin big men roster.

"Tim Morrisey filled an important role as a rookie for us playing well above his weight and height all season showing a maturity way beyond his 18 years of age. 

"Mike Jones was so smooth, probably one of the best players in the NBL of all time - he was awarded MVP of the NBL that year.

"My first memory is when in his first match, he opened his scoring by carving the opposition’s zone defence finishing with a slam dunk.

"I turned round to the bench and all our faces lit up in admiration - I can still picture that moment."

Along with on-court, Farrugia made countless memories off it.

"On the lighter side of things, I remember those car trips to Newcastle, Canberra and Sydney when three or four of us shared a vehicle as we drove to matches," said Farrugia, who also spent time as the president of the Malta Basketball Association.

"On one particular trip, Gordie was driving his little Toyota to Canberra with me and two 'unnamed' others who must have had some gastric issues as we had to often stop in the rain and vent the vehicle.

"It’s amazing how the smell lingers in the memory after so many years.

"On the serious side, one day in our hotel in Adelaide, Gordie and I went into a lift and there was this gorgeous girl.

"Gordie was obviously smitten and not much later Sally (the girl’s name) and Gordie became an item - I can still picture that fateful encounter.

"In 2001 I was in contact with coach Brendon Joyce who signed a championship t-shirt for me.

"I had known Brendon from my Nunnawading days - the framed shirt is hanging in my study to this day."

While more than 40 years have passed since then, Farrugia's love for the foundation club remains the same.

"I still enthusiastically love the Hawks’ never say die ethic that permeates the playing and administration staff and supporters," said Farrugia, who now lives at Sussex Inlet.

"The Illawarra Hawks have been making our region proud for more than half a century since the foundation of the IABA and as a foundation member of the NBL.

"I remember fondly from my coaching days president Peter Brettell, manager John TrivellionScott, captain Bob Kubbinga and Roy Brettel, who was like a father to me and whose support and guidance I deeply appreciated as I came into coaching responsibilities while still relatively very young."

Moving forward, Farrugia believes the Hawks are firmly headed in the right direction towards a second championship banner.

"A long list of stalwart heroes have contributed so much over many years, so many great players, coaches and capable administrators have highlighted the Hawk’s journey to the present," the former NSW Basketball Administrator of the Year said.

"There were some hiccups on the road but the Illawarra's tenacity has prevailed and the club has survived when many city teams have floundered.

"Under the present ownership group, the team is in a very good place and things augur well for the future as evidenced by the first two seasons since they took the reins.

"Bringing in doyen coach Brian Goorjian and his assistant of many years Jacob Jackomas have rocketed the Illawarra Hawks into title contenders.

"Jackomas has been mentored for many years by Brian and Brian’s trust is testimony enough to Jacob’s potential and real capabilities.

"Long-standing continuity through thick and thin have proven to be the right formula in the past when the years of Brendon Joyce eventually led to our only NBL championship.

"I’m confident it can happen again, especially with Jacob at the helm and the outstanding core of Australian and import players we have heading into NBL23."