Hawks let fly at Kings

If the relationship between Sydney and Illawarra wasn’t testy enough already, more petrol has just been poured on the fire.

Hawks’ coach Brian Goorjian returned fire at Sydney owner, Paul Smith, who called his team “scumbags” and “idiots”.

“We're under their skin,” Goorjian said triumphantly on The Huddle.

The master coach then dug up some recent history from last season to fan the flames.

“We went in there and we beat their ass on their court. And then we went into Melbourne and got them again and then, when they came down here (to play), and shook their hand it's now, 'Watch us on TV - the finals are coming and you're not in.’ So, 1-0 the Gong right now.”

The Kings and Hawks will face each other four times this season, with the first being at 5:30pm AEDT on Saturday December 11 at Qudos Bank Arena, and Goorjian’s side will be all guns blazing.

“When they come down here and bring their gun, we're going to have a cannon waiting for them,” he stated.

This latest tit-for-tat began when Smith fired the first volley of shots during a radio interview.

“We're ready to take them on,” Smith declared.

“I grew up down that area and I’ve called Chase Buford [head coach] and I said, ‘Leave nothing in the tank, mate. No secrets. I want everything thrown at those idiots’.”

Smith also labelled the Goorjian-led side ‘scumbags’ which has breathed new life into the ‘Freeway Series’.

All Kings vs Hawks games will be broadcast live on ESPN and Kayo Sports. Sydney’s season begins on December 5 against Melbourne United.