As we close out NBL1 Heritage Round, it’s the perfect time to recognise two long-time contributors to the Willetton Tigers: Brock and June Halliday. Better known to many around the club as Brocky and June Bug, they’ve been familiar faces at Willetton for over 20 years.
Their connection to basketball started in the late ’90s as members and supporters of the Perth Wildcats, where they got to know Steven Black and James Harvey. When Black and Harvey were playing at Willetton in 2000, Brock began attending Tigers home games, with June in tow for a few as well. It was at a Wildcats awards night where Brock got talking to Tigers players Shamus Ballantyne, Clint Read and Mark Heron, and from there, both he and June became part of the Willetton family.
By 2001, they were attending every Tigers game, including the regional trips. They connected closely with the Ballantyne family, who introduced them to more people around the club. That sense of connection and community is what kept them coming back week after week.
In 2002, Jim Ballantyne was managing the MSBL team, and Brocky was given the role of Assistant Manager. That started a long period of volunteering for both Brock and June, helping out in any way they could across both SBL and Div 1 teams.
Brock became Co-Team Manager in 2003 and held the role until 2016, taking just one year off for health reasons. June joined him in managing duties for eight seasons, seven of those working together. On top of that, Brock also managed the WABL Champ (Division 1/D-League) team from 2013 through to 2024, spending most weekends on the sidelines, cheering on the Tigers and making sure the boys were always looked after.
While Brock was busy managing, June supported the club in other ways. In 2002, she helped Marcus Langshaw upload box scores (before live stats were around) and wrote summaries for both MSBL and WSBL games. She’s also been a record keeper ever since, tracking games played and player milestones across SBL and now NBL1.
In 2003, June picked up a film camera as a hobby, taking photos at end-of-season functions and around the club. By 2006 she moved to a digital camera, and in 2013 she bought her first DSLR, which allowed her to start capturing proper in-game action. She’s now been a volunteer photographer for 24 seasons, covering both SBL/NBL1 and WABL Champ games. She owns three DSLRs these days, but still prefers that original one for game shots and for the memories it holds.
June has always had a soft spot for following the younger players as they move through the program. One of her favourite parts of being involved has been “watching youngsters develop into wonderful young men and women on their journey.”
Over the years, there have been some special moments — 11 women’s grand finals (with 7 championships) and 3 grand finals on the men’s side, including one championship where both Brock and June were managing.
“We have so many fond memories of the club,” June says. “Definitely those SBL/NBL1 road trips haha, all the grand finals we have watched and been a part of, the opening of the new stadium, and mostly all the laughs we have had along the way.”
“Our favourite part of being involved in this club is that it has given Brock and I a special family, creating lifelong friendships that now go around the world. I have over 200,000 photos on my computer (yes, I even kept the blurry ones) that I can reminisce with. Before basketball, I never knew I was a photographer!”
For Brock, it’s the connection with the younger players that stands out most. He loves supporting them as they chase their goals, being part of their journey, and of course, just being around the Tigers.
Both Brock and June have been recognised with the club’s prestigious President’s Trophy, an award that honours the outstanding contribution of volunteers to the Willetton Tigers. June received the award in 2022, and Brock was the most recent recipient in 2024.
We want to say thank you to Brock and June for everything they’ve given to the club over the past 23 years. Their support for the NBL1 programs, and the wider basketball community, has never gone unnoticed. These two special people are known around the league for their positive outlook, their warm demeanour, their selflessness, their love of the game, and their love of the Tigers.
Clubs like ours are built on the contributions of people like Brock and June, and many others, who know that basketball is just one part of what makes a club special. The friendships, the families, and the sense of belonging mean just as much. We’re lucky to have them, and proud to call them part of the Willetton Tigers family.