Two more years of Sparkle: Hawks re-sign Johny Narkle

The Illawarra Hawks have re-signed guard Johny "Sparkle" Narkle on a two-year deal, locking the livewire West Australian into the program through NBL27 and NBL28.

After a breakout first season in Hawks colours, Narkle has put pen to paper for two more years in Wollongong. The 24-year-old guard arrived from Western Australia as a development player in NBL26 and earned everything that came after it, working his way onto the main roster and carving out a role with the energy, defence and fearlessness that quickly made him a WIN Entertainment Centre crowd favourite. A genuine fan favourite in both his home state and the Illawarra, Narkle has won supporters over wherever he plays.

Earning his stripes in NBL26

Narkle joined the Hawks as a development player in August 2025 and wasted no time making his presence felt. He made his NBL debut on 11 October, chipping in five points in a 116 to 89 demolition of the Brisbane Bullets. By 25 October he had been elevated to the Hawks' main roster, and from there he never looked back.
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He finished the season with 18 games to his name, capped by a career-high 20 minutes in the season finale against the Tasmania JackJumpers, where he posted six points, four rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block. It was the kind of all-round, full-throttle shift that summed up his first year in the league.

Narkle was also part of a genuine piece of NBL history. During Indigenous Round, he took the floor alongside teammates Hickey and Bayles in a Hawks first: three Indigenous Australians sharing the court for one NBL team in the same game, against the New Zealand Breakers. Narkle was singled out as a live-wire presence, and that night said plenty about both the player and the club he plays for.

A red-hot offseason

Hawkheads have not had to wait long to see Narkle keep building. The reigning NBL1 West MVP has been in scorching form for the Cockburn Cougars this offseason, headlined by a 40-point masterclass in a 91 to 82 win over the Goldfields Giants in June, where he poured in 28 of his side's final 29 points to drag the Cougars home.

Across the 2026 NBL1 West season he is averaging 23.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game, along with a standout 3.0 steals that speak to the defensive intensity he is known for. It is the latest chapter in a junior and NBL1 résumé that already runs deep: back-to-back NBL1 West Sixth Man of the Year awards in 2022 and 2023, two championships with the Geraldton Buccaneers off the back of two Grand Final MVP performances, and NBL1 West Youth Player of the Year and All-NBL1 West First Team honours in 2025.

What Campbell said

Hawks General Manager of Basketball Mat Campbell said the re-signing was a reward for a young player who has done the work.
"Johny showed plenty of promise in his first season with us. He earned his spot on the main roster, he competed every single night, and he never looked out of place at this level. The numbers he is putting up in NBL1 West this offseason tell you everything about his work rate and his hunger. We are backing him to take another big step in NBL27, and we are thrilled he is staying in Wollongong."
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Campbell also pointed to what Narkle represents for the club's wider commitment to Indigenous talent.
"We are proud of the Indigenous pathway we have built here. Johny is part of a story that gives players from right across Australia a place to come to Wollongong and show what they can do on the biggest stage. That matters to us, it matters to this club, and it matters to the Illawarra."

The road ahead

Narkle turns 25 in August, with his best basketball still in front of him and two seasons locked in to chase it. His re-signing keeps a genuine energy source in the squad and continues the Hawks' long tradition of backing emerging Australian talent from every corner of the country and developing it for the long haul.

Two more years of Sparkle. Stronger. Louder. Together.
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