The votes have been counted and all will be revealed on Saturday.
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Voting closed on Monday for the Illawarra Mercury’s Greatest Hawks of All Time campaign.
The campaign will coincide with the Illawarra Mercury-sponsored heritage round on Saturday celebrating the Hawks’ role as the National Basketball League's only remaining foundation club for the 40 season history of the league.
A special edition of the Illawarra on Saturday will reveal who made the final list of the 12 Greatest Hawks of All Time.
Saturday’s edition will include a special feature recognising the achievements of those players as well as a special commemorative poster.
Some of the Hawks greats will be introduced to the crowd at half-time of Saturday's game against New Zealand at the Sandpit.
The Illawarra Hawks have revealed a special heritage round uniform for the clash featuring the name of every player who has ever pulled on a Hawks singlet over those 40 NBL seasons.
The Illawarra Mercury will also give one lucky reader their very own piece of history. Readers who voted in our online poll to decide the Greatest Hawks of All Time will be in the draw to win a signed heritage singlet. The winner will be announced later this week.
The Greatest Hawks of All Time is a joint initiative of the Illawarra Hawks and the Illawarra Mercury.
A judging panel of some of Illawarra basketball’s biggest names announced a shortlisted squad of 40 players to choose from for the Greatest Hawks of All Time. The judges’ votes have been weighted against the public vote to decide the final 12.
The five players who have had their singlets retired and hanging from the rafters of the Sandpit were admitted as automatic entries into the final 12.
The complete list of nominees for the Greatest Hawks of All Time are: Jim Slacke, Jim Bateman, Don Bickett, Ray Borner, Michael Jones, Alphonse Hammond, Jerry Steurer, Bob Kubbinga, Benny Lewis, Dene McDonald, Greg Hubbard, Justin Withers, Rod Johnson, Norman Taylor, Doug Overton, Clayton Ritter, Butch Hays, Damon Lowery, Charles Thomas, Darnell Mee, Matt Garrison, CJ Bruton, Adam Ballinger, Axel Dench, Cortez Groves, Tim Coenraad, Oscar Forman, Rhys Martin, Larry Davidson, Rotnei Clarke, AJ Ogilvy, Gary Ervin, Kevin Lisch, Nick Kay, Kirk Penney. *Gordie McLeod, Chuck Harmison, Melvin Thomas, Mat Campbell, and Glen Saville are automatic inclusions into the final 12.
Check our illawarramercury.com,au across the weekend for some exclusive videos to coincide with Saturday’s Greatest Hawks of All Time special edition.