The 29-year-old newly stamped Australian citizen has played his entire NBL career under Beveridge since arriving in Australia in 2009, netting a championship and two league MVP awards – the second coming last season with the Hawks.

Beveridge’s new deal tying him to Wollongong for the next four seasons was expected to see their collaboration continue only for cashed-up arch-rivals Sydney to lure him away with a career-best offer on the eve of the new free agency period.

Beveridge admitted it was a tough call to take from a man he’s described as a “de facto son” but said their relationship will survive.

“It was a real tough situation and he choked up a bit on the phone,” Beveridge said.

“He was upset and thought he was letting me down but he’s going to be 30 years of age and he’s been offered the biggest contract of his life. We just can’t compete with that.

“At the end of the day it did come down to money and they blew us out of the water. He’s the best player in the league and he’s getting paid accordingly.

“He was upset, disappointed, we all were. It was like a death in the family to me, it felt like I was losing a son but then you look back and reflect and look at the journey I’ve had with him. It’s been wonderful and in the end you just wish him the all the very very best. He might find out the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, who knows.”

While Beveridge won’t hold any grudges he admitted Lisch’s shock defection has “thrown a spanner in the works” since the Hawks entire roster became free agents on Friday. He’ll now turn his attention to re-signing the remaining two members of the ‘big three’ Kirk Penney and AJ Ogilvy and confirmed that the club will be replacing Lisch with an import guard.

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