Illawarra Hawks’ fan favourite Dan Grida in action against Melbourne United. Photo: Joel Armstrong/Illawarra Hawks.
When Dan Grida peels off his warm-up top at the WIN Entertainment Centre, affectionately known as the Sandpit, the reaction is instant.
The noise lifts, the crowd rises and those wearing mullet-print T-shirts stand in anticipation as the owner of said mullet takes the floor.
The echo of that roar is imminent again this week as Grida and his Illawarra Hawks teammates return to action in the National Basketball League’s (NBL) pre-season tournament in Canberra – known as The Blitz – this time as reigning champions.
Grida played a vital role in last season’s triumph, a small but telling reminder of what he brings when healthy.
“It’s a bit wild, hey?” Grida laughs.
“I’m not the flashiest player, but I feel like the fans get around me. They know I’m gonna dive on the floor, hustle, do the dirty work. And when you’ve had three years off, just to feel that roar when you check in … it’s unreal.”
The roar means more because of the silence that came before it. In the space of three seasons, Grida endured two ACL reconstructions and a hamstring tear, missing almost 100 games in total.
“There were some tough days. You start to wonder if you’ll ever get back. It broke me a little bit,” he admits.
“But I never felt like I was on my own. The boys, the coaches, the fans … even when I wasn’t on the floor, they made me feel like I was still part of it.”
The Hawks doubled down on him too, offering fresh contracts mid-rehab.
“That loyalty … that’s why I stayed. I could’ve gone home to WA. But honestly, I love this place. I love the Gong, I love the people. It’s like family now.”
That family feeling is mutual. Illawarra fans have a knack for finding their cult heroes and in Grida they’ve struck gold.
The mullet, the grit, the heart … it all adds up to a player whose value isn’t just in box scores.
Grida, now 27, chuckles at the reputation. And in an era where personal awards translate to dollars on contracts, it’s not the type of award he is seeking.
“I actually lost the club’s Community Award last season … to Luca Yates,” he grins.
“I’d won it three years in a row before that, so I’m coming back for it. Luca’s a great bloke, but I’m not letting him get a streak going!”
It’s the kind of self-deprecating humour Hawks fans adore. Grida doesn’t shy away from being seen as the team’s battler, he embraces it.
“If people are making T-shirts with your haircut on them, you’ve gotta own it, right?”
Part of what kept him afloat was his friendship with Sam Froling, his former housemate.
“Sam was massive for me. We lived together through some of those rehabs. He probably saw me at my worst. But he also pushed me, made sure I kept showing up. That’s what mates do.”
Froling calls him the “heartbeat of the team”, a tag Grida shrugs off but secretly enjoys. “If Sam says that, I’ll take it. He’s family to me.”
For a Perth kid, Illawarra has become more than just a stop on the basketball map.
“When I first came here, WA was still shut with COVID and I was homesick as anything. But the longer I’ve stayed, the more it’s felt right. People here, they just get around you. It’s not
about being the superstar, it’s about working hard and being part of something bigger. That’s what the Gong’s about.”
He pauses, then adds: “And the beaches aren’t bad either.”
With a full pre-season under his belt for the first time in years, Grida is ready for a proper run.
“This is the first season where I’m not thinking about my knees, or about what I can’t do. I’m just playing. And that’s the best feeling. I just want to give back to the club and the community
that stuck with me.”
And yes, he’s serious about chasing that Community Award again. “It sounds funny, but I love it. Being out there, meeting kids, running clinics … that’s as rewarding as anything I do on
the court. If I can inspire someone who’s going through a rough patch, that’s better than hitting a three.”
So when the roar goes up again at the Sandpit, it’s about more than basketball. It’s about loyalty, perseverance and a player who reflects the Illawarra spirit back to its people.
“I’m not the star,” Grida says with a grin.
“But if I can be the heartbeat, if I can be the bloke the fans feel proud of … then that’s enough for me.”
And it’s enough for us too, Dan.
The Hawks will play their first home game of the NBL season on 27 September, against the Tasmanian JackJumpers. The game will also act as the club’s championship banner ceremony where the NBL25 championship banner will be officially hung in the rafters. Visit the Hawks for memberships and tickets.
