Libertine
Years ago
Newley ROY and Best 6th Man
MEDIA RELEASE
9 March 2005
NEWLEY TAKES DOUBLE HONOURS
Rising National Basketball League (NBL) superstar Brad Newley of the Townsville McDonald's Crocodiles has taken an historic double, winning both Best Sixth Man and Rookie of the Year honours for the 2004/05 Philips Championship season
No other player in the history of the Philips Championship has ever managed to capture both honours, capping what has already been an outstanding season for the 20 year old.
Newley, who joined Townsville after helping the Australian Emus Under 20 National Team to a World Championship in 2003 in Greece, played in all 35 of the Crocs games in season 2004/05 and averaged 16.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
He twice scored career-highs of 26 points in his first year in the league - on 22 December against Brisbane and 16 January against the Melbourne Tigers. He also recorded career highs of seven rebounds (three times) and seven assists (once) in a spectacular debut campaign.
The athletic guard was a runaway winner in both the Rookie and Sixth Man awards. He polled the maximum 90 votes to more than double the total of the runner-up for Rookie honours, Sydney's Luke Kendall (32), who appeared destined to give the Crocs star stiff competition for the award until a knee injury tragically cut short his season. Third in Rookie voting was Perth's Braith Cox with 29 votes.
In voting for the Best Sixth Man, Newley was once again a clear winner. He received 64 votes to put him comfortably in front of last year's recipient, Melbourne's Darryl McDonald, in second place with 41. Hunter's Geordie Cullen came third in Best Sixth Man voting with 30 votes.
Newley was a surprise fan selection to the McDonald's 2005 NBL All-Star Game but soon showed he more than belonged, taking out Most Valuable Player honours for the match to the delight of his home crowd at the Swamp.
He joins a stellar list of names to have won the Rookie honour which includes Andrew Gaze, Sam Mackinnon, Andrew Vlahov, Shane Heal, Matt Nielsen and John Rillie.
Previous winners of the Best Sixth Man award include Jason Smith, Bruce Bolden, Stephen Black and Chris Anstey.
NBL Commissioner Rick Burton said that Newley was a breath of fresh air in the Philips Championship. "Brad Newley is undoubtedly the most exciting young talent the league has seen in more than a decade," said Burton. "To win both these prestigious awards is a truly remarkable achievement."
Both the Rookie of the Year and Best Sixth Man Awards are determined by a vote of all league head coaches and captains and one assistant coach per club, with voters excluded from voting for members of their own team.
Rookie of the Year Winners
1983 Jamie Kennedy (Canberra Cannons)
1984 Andrew Gaze (Melbourne Tigers)
1985 Mike McKay (Adelaide 36ers)
1986 Steve Lunardon (Nunawading Spectres)
1987 Greg Hubbard (Illawarra Hawks)
1988 Shane Heal (Brisbane Bullets)
1989 Justin Withers (Illawarra Hawks)
1990 Justin Cass (Hobart Tassie Devils)
1991 Andrew Vlahov (Perth Wildcats)
1992 Lachlan Armfield (Canberra Cannons)
1993 Chris Blakemore (Adelaide 36ers)
1994 Sam Mackinnon (South East Melbourne Magic)
1995 John Rillie (Brisbane Bullets)
1996 Scott McGregor (Newcastle Falcons)
1997 Matt Nielsen (Sydney Kings)
1998 David Smith (North Melbourne Giants)
1999 Damien Ryan (Canberra Cannon)
2000 Derek Moore (Sydney Kings)
2001 Axel Dench (Wollongong Hawks)
2002 Travis Lane (Sydney Kings)
2003 Gary Boodnikoff (Sydney Kings)
2004 Steven Markovic (West Sydney Razorbacks)
Best Sixth Man Winners
1996 Mike McKay (Brisbane Bullets)
1997 Ben Pepper (Newcastle Falcons)
1998 Jason Smith (South East Melbourne Magic)
1999 Bruce Bolden (West Sydney Razorbacks)
2000 Ben Knight Townsville Crocodiles
2001 Chris Anstey (Victoria Titans)
2002 Jamahl Mosley (Victoria Titans)
2003 Stephen Black (Perth Wildcats)
2004 Darryl McDonald (Melbourne Tigers)
