Culture standing firm behind Gold Coast success

The Gold Coast Rollers were clicking so well that it was no surprise to see them win the NBL1 North championship in 2026, but to then lose their big guns and win the National Final still had coach Anthony Petrie beaming with pride for an organisation that's everything to his family.

The Petries have made Gold Coast home since he finished his 264-game NBL career which included a stint playing at the Gold Coast Blaze along with playing with the West Sydney Razorbacks, Wollongong Hawks, Adelaide 36ers and Brisbane Bullets up to the end of NBL18.

Petrie has now been a mainstay coaching the Rollers in the NBL1 North to championships in 2022 and 2026, his wife Sarah has been heavily involved too, and that's where their children Jess, Emma, Holly and Will all started their basketball journeys.

Jess and Emma are now embarking on their college journeys, Holly has big dreams too and Will is enjoying being the youngest and having those big sisters to look up to, but the culture of basketball is what Petrie is most proud of at the Gold Coast Rollers.

He put together quite a team for 2026 as well and it was no surprise to see them beat the Ipswich Force in two games in the Grand Final Series to claim the championship with Jensen Bradtke, Jimmy Whitt and Preston Le Gassick starring.

All three had to focus on their NBL commitments so weren’t available when Gold Coast went to play the NBL1 National Finals in Adelaide.

In fact, the Rollers only had seven players available but led by Boston Mazlin and TJ Diop, a young group did Gold Coast proud by ending up beating the local Forestville Eagles to become National Champions.

Reflecting on 2026 success

That's exactly what made Petrie so proud of what they achieved in 2026. They won the NBL1 North title on the back of being a dominant offensive team and then their defensive might not have been heralded, but was outstanding too.

But to then have their culture shine like it did with Ashley McGrath, Brodie McGregor, Cooper Urquhart, Matthew McKewin and Riley Oberman all stepped up with the leadership of Mazlin and Diop to win a remarkable National Championship.

"I think I said it originally, I'm just really proud and have great pride because I grew up in a very small community where sport was our community," Petrie said.

"That was our sort of place of gathering where the community would come together on a weekend and it was just a happy place for everyone.

"Gold Coast is my family's community and I've said it a million times before, it's just our happiest time of the week because it's our kids club and they've come through that system and pathway so I'm just really proud that that's our association and our club.

"Then I think to have a group of men that we had represent our association, both in the North and then at National Finals, the way they did, I was just really proud of the example they showed to our juniors and our community about that's what we envisage Gold Coast basketball to look like.

"Then also you can just be a great human being doing it. So in amongst all that, when I actually sat back, and Sarah, my wife, was our manageress, and it's just rare in sport to get such a great group of people that will do whatever it takes to achieve a goal.

"The cool part was we were super young and we've had that little core group of guys who are all fighting for furthering their career. But they proved you could do it in a really healthy way, and all leverage from each other, and still get to the places you want to get to," he added.

"That was the other thing I was really proud of because sometimes that NBL1 environment is pretty tricky with who you bring in and what they actually want out of the environment. So, honestly I'm just really proud of them that they got to experience that because they all deserved it."

Having a deep squad paying off

Gold Coast ended up averaging 113.8 points a game all NBL1 North season including 121.7 during the playoffs, and Bradtke, Whitt and Le Gassick combined for 68.5 of those along with 20.1 rebounds and 16.1 assists.

But what Petrie was seeing during the week was how much his younger bench players were developing beneath them so even though as they headed to Adelaide with things stacked against them, he still expected his group available to compete hard.

"We said it all year that we never really speak about who's not suiting up or who we don't have. It's always honestly been who we've got and who's actually playing tonight," Petrie said.

"If that's who we've got, that's who we've got, and I just knew the level of competition at the NBL1 training level that we have, and have had for the past few years, is really high.

"It is genuinely a place to come and get better, and I watch our bench guys who train and compete with these guys at every practice, they go and work out with them on the off days and get after it and all get better together.

"Knowing how they were like on some training nights, there were some nights where our bench guys would get our starters. So I knew they can play and it can be hard as a player because the worst thing about basketball is court time.

"If you sit in an unhealthy space where you're not on, but you hope that someone doesn't play great so you get your opportunity, it actually doesn't put you in a healthy space.

"Mika Vukona was the person who taught me this and opening your mind to whether it's you or the other guy, if you actually truly embrace and celebrate their success, it puts you in such a healthy mind space.

"Then when you do get your opportunity, you're ready to go, and it comes from a place of positivity."

Having faith in entire squad

Gold Coast were then rocked when they got to Adelaide and told that their three extra Queensland State League players they brought to fill their 10 spots wouldn’t be allowed to play.

So all of a sudden Petrie had just seven players to use to try and win a National Championship, but what he saw is the reason why your culture is so important where everyone is happy for each other's success whether they are getting court time or not.

"Our rotation guys all season were amazing and I'm a coach that I understand how popular rotations are in modern day, but I'm a little bit from the Joey Wright side of things, that if you earn that right and you start and you're playing well, you're going to play a bunch that night," Petrie said.

"I also understand that can be detrimental to the bench as well but through the whole thing, never once, never felt it. So I had this sense that it was their opportunity for those guys that went across.

"What we didn't know was that the three guys we took across from our QSL team wouldn't be able to play. So we get shut down to seven guys for three games in a couple of days so were thinking holy heck then.

"But for the guys who could play to get their chance on the national stage, man, and fight what they fought through for those three days, and to just have their chance in the national spotlight and show people what they could do, that was an amazing feeling for them. Again, just for them, not me or anyone else, just them."

Gold Coast players in the NBL

Since the NBL1 North season, Bradtke has joined Melbourne United, Le Gassick is at the New Zealand Breakers, McGregor is at the Illawarra Hawks, and Jimmy Whitt was at the Perth Wildcats.

Only injury has stopped Le Gassick get on the court so far but the Breakers are high on him and once healthy he'll slot into that back up point guard role to Parker Jackson-Cartwright.

And Petrie can't help but just be proud that those players have come through Gold Coast and it's played a part in them advancing their careers.

"There's so many people that have helped them on their journey, that's the part, and it's a sense of pride for anyone that's been involved with them," Petrie said.

"But you have to figure out what you're about at NBL1 level first and for some guys that's chasing championships, for some it's solely representing the club and for some it's a springboard for other people in your program for their careers.

"Then there's ones like Brodie McGregor and Preston Le Gassick, and we never ever over recruit if we have our juniors that we believe in.

"Sarah and I are both basketball junkies and I sit down on the couch and I'm beaming that they're getting the opportunity to leverage us, and they've done it in a healthy way.

"They all were fighting to further their careers this year those main guys and to see them actually do it and live it out, and just knowing, like myself, how much I just loved playing in the NBL, that they're in those environments and around those type of people and having those experiences, it makes me really happy."

Boston Mazlin is an NBL player

While Petrie is happy those players from Gold Coast are getting a chance in the NBL, he continues to shake his head why Boston Mazlin isn’t getting the chance to join them.

He moved to Gold Coast from Logan ahead of the start of the 2024 season and has gone from strength to strength since with him finishing with 17.5 points, 5.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals on shooting 53 per cent from the field and 45 per cent from the outside.

Given he can shoot and score, he can play make, he can rebound, and his defence is nowhere near the liability some people think, Petrie doesn't know why a chance hasn’t presented yet for the 24-year-old but hopes it's not far away.

"The other part for me too is Boston Mazlin is an NBL player," Petrie said.

"His joy in their success is what actually speaks to what we're trying to have at the Gold Coast and in the program because I don't know what it is that people are reluctant to give Boston the opportunity.

"The whole defender part is just a lazy narrative because he can actually defend and the things he can actually do. The one thing that kid can do that people at the moment cannot do is actually shoot the ball.

"I could talk all night about Boston, I just wish that someone would give him a chance he's gone close this year. He worked out for a few different teams so I hope it happens for him."

The Gold Coast culture

Petrie was huge on culture during his NBL career, and he took on especially strong leadership roles to close out his career with Adelaide and Brisbane, where he was a leader and saw how important that was.

He's brought that into his coaching now at Gold Coast and what he takes pride in that they only recruit players who can either give them what their locals don't have, or if it's someone to set the tone for the locals.

That's where recruiting 400-plus NBL game veterans like Jason Cadee, Reuben Te Rangi and Todd Blanchfield has been so crucial along the journey.

"I'm just proud that at some point they stopped in at the Gold Coast and it started with Jase Cadee who was the most important signing we made at the Gold Coast," Petrie said.

"But then to see Tanner Krebs rejuvenate his career, Todd Blanchfield when he left Perth stopped in and now he's kicked on, and it just sort of doesn't stop. Reuben was incredible and he played like New Zealand Reuben for us.

"That's why I feel like Preston Le Gassick, Brodie McGregor and Jensen Bradtke have gone on to do what they've done because we're really careful about who we recruit.

"We don't have a big budget, so it's important to bring in a Jason Cadee, or Reuben Te Rangi or Todd Blanchfield, and all the young fellas can actually see these pros, pros.

"They're invested and in their off-season they don't make it about how many points they score and this and that. They're actually invested in what we're doing and it really it really helps a lot."

Family always remains the focus

Given the sporting history of their parents, the four Petrie children were always likely going to want to grow up playing sport but at no point were they pushed towards basketball.

That naturally happened, and a lot of it was because of the people and the community, and now it's led to 21-year-old Jess currently attending Indiana University, and 19-year-old Emma being at the University of Utah.

The younger pair Holly and Will are still at home with their parents on the Gold Coast, but for Petrie, it's all about them playing basketball for the right reasons and hoping they get to where they hope, but also letting them fight their own struggles at the same time too.

"I'm really obviously proud and we exposed our kids to all different sports because I was a multi-sport kid, so was Sarah, and we didn't want them to think basketball was it because we were both playing basketball," Petrie said.

"But they just naturally fell in love with it and why they fell in love with it is what I always come back to, and it's actually the people and the communities. They fall in love with that and they also fall in love with playing the game, but it's what the game gives you outside of that.

"Then I'm proud that the girls, especially the two older ones, are able to put that back into the places they've been in, which is really cool for me because that's actually what it's about. Sarah and I are really mindful that we know sport is a brutal business.

"It's a very tough world to enter when you get into that space so for us, it's about as parents watching them go through it. There's times when you want to help, and you probably can help, but you just have to sit back and watch them battle through it and see if they can come out the other side.

"You can't always in that world help your kid up because it's just going to get really tough for them at some point on their journey. They've both gone through it in different realms through juniors, making and missing teams, and having different experiences, and then moving to the other side of the world.

"But for us, I didn't have a day where I just couldn't wait to put on my training uniform and go to practice, and just train, and play in front of crowds.

"I just want it to always be fun for our kids in amongst that because if you enjoy the craft of trying to get better and fighting through all the ups and downs of what sport gives you, and remember why you're actually doing it, all the other stuff like contracts and careers, all comes off the back of it."

Rightfully proud parents

Opening up about his family isn’t something Petrie does too often, but as much as he loves basketball, his wife and their four children are everything to him in his life.

That's why the plan this Christmas for the six of them to find a way to be together as a family unit in the United States will mean the world to him, and watching their kids grow up means the world to both Petrie and wife Sarah.

"We don't talk about them often and we're pretty quiet on talking about their kids, but we're super proud of them," Petrie said.

"We're proud of them because from my two older brothers and our immediate sort of family, they're the first two to come through and pioneer that you can do these things from our family.

"Sarah and I never went to college, we turned that down when we were younger, but you can actually do this and have these life experiences, and show our other two younger ones and, and our nieces and nephews what's possible through a through a game of sport.

"That’s really cool and then remaining, hopefully, humble through the whole experience."