ILLAWARRA coach Rob Beveridge was not simply waxing lyrical when he praised his side’s resilience this season through a myriad of personal battles his side fought off-court.
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Only Beveridge and his team know just how much off-court adversity his troops have faced this season but the Hawks coach said it’s built a family-like bond in the organisation.
Marvelle Harris played his first professional season away from home as his father Marvin battled ill-health and rushed home to be by his side following the Hawks game three semi-final victory over Adelaide.
He flew back in time for game two and played game three on Sunday barely 24 hours after learning his father had passed away. It was the most public battle any of his stars fought but Beveridge said on Sunday that several other players in his squad dealt with personal turmoil during the season.
“I’m not going to publicly state the adversity some of these guys have gone through but I just shake my head in amazement at what these guys have been able to turn up every day,” Beveridge said.
“For nearly every player, something has happened from a personal perspective If it was any other workplace they’d be taking three-four weeks leave. That’s why we’re a very tight united group.”