IT’S impossible not to admire the Perth organisation’s desire for success, and the ability to repeatedly achieve it. They are worthy champions this season and showed their true class at finals time.
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That being said, I think we would all rather be spared the ‘against the odds’ narrative some are trying to spin around it. Yes they were coming last after 10 rounds but every team sat bottom at some stage of the season.
What all teams didn’t have was the luxury of sacking an import (for the second time in the same season) and parachuting an NBA player into their roster with 10 games to go – Illawarra certainly didn’t.
Sacking imports and reshuffling rosters is common int the NBL and certainly no ready-made formula for success – just ask Sydney or Melbourne – but Cotton was incredible on Sunday night and there’s no doubt Perth wouldn’t have lifted the silverware without him.
It does nothing to tarnish the Cats eighth crown but to pitch it as a back from the brink comeback story, rather than a talent stockpile, is divorced from reality.
Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
