The Hawks last week decided not to apply for the streamlined NewNBL competition, but Harmison said there were moves behind the scenes to have a Wollongong team back in the fold.

"I have a feeling that the Hawks will be back, maybe not next year or the year after, but within a couple of years," Harmison said.

"There is a lot of history behind the club, 31 years in fact, and it is part of the community down here."

The Hawks will play their final game on the Gold Coast on Saturday, with tomorrow night's home game against Adelaide sure to be an emotional affair.

Harmison will be courtside to watch the last rites of the club he spent the final nine years of his career with, playing centre and clocking up 234 games.

"I wouldn't miss it," he said. "It's going to be a big night, going to be a very sad night."

Harmison played 386 games in the NBL with stints at Nunawading, Coburg and West Sydney before joining Wollongong in 1988, and that's where his heart remains. He retired in 1996 as the Hawks' games record holder, and moved into the front office, working his way to general manager at Wollongong before taking on senior roles in the NBL.

"I'm talking as a Wollongong life member, not from the NBL, and I know how much support the Hawks have in Wollongong," Harmison said. "It's so disappointing to see this happening, but I'm hoping there are people already working towards having a team in Wollongong, because we need it."

Harmison admitted the past two years had been difficult for the NBL. Four clubs from the 2006 competition - the Newcastle Pirates, Sydney Kings, Brisbane Bullets and Singapore Slingers - collapsed before the start of this year. They've been joined on the bench this year by Sydney Spirit, Cairns Taipans and the Hawks.

"It's been a tough couple of years but this one (the Hawks) really hurts a lot," Harmison said.