NICKNAME/S: The Garbage Man, The Scoring Machine

BIO: Redhage was born in Jacksonville, Florida but grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He attended Lincoln East High School, where he played for the school’s basketball team in each of his four years. He averaged 22.1 points and nine rebounds in 1997/98 and 21.0 points and 9.4 rebounds in 1998/99. He led the team to a 19–3 record in senior season (1998/99) and was subsequently named Nebraska Player of the Year (honorary captain) and Class A first-team all-state by the Omaha World-Herald. He ended his career as the school’s career leader for rebounds (554), assists (315) and blocks (235), while finishing second in points with 1,206.

Known as “The Scoring Machine” for becoming the fastest Wildcats player ever to score 2000 points, Redhage spent his early years in the NBL as a force on the interior before becoming known for his knockdown ability from deep as his career progressed.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Shawn Redhage made his NBL debut with the New Zealand Breakers at 23 years of age. He scored 27 points in his first game.

The Breakers entered their second NBL season looking to improve on their tenth-place finish in their first year during their debut season. The Breakers moved Frank Arsego, who had replaced Jeff Green mid-season, into a permanent position as the team’s head coach. The next move was locking in the Breakers’ leading scorer and MVP from the previous season, Mike Chappell, and replacing import Casey Frank with Shawn Redhage, who had been dominating the state league (SEABL).

Ben Melmeth would return to his hometown of Newcastle to play for the Hunter Pirates. He was replaced with fellow Aussie big man Ben Pepper, whose former team, the Victoria Giants, had vacated the league due to financial issues.

To begin the season, Paul Henare was made co-captain, alongside last year’s ‘skipper’ Pero Cameron, and despite falling short in their opening game (a re-match of the team’s first ever game against Adelaide, which they lost 94-106) they started the season by splitting the first games six games and sit within the middle of the were pack with a 3-3 record.

Although Redhage (12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists) made a impressive start to the season, a form slump in November, which saw the team lose six of its seven games, led to Redhage’s court time being reduced and eventually his release after 13 games.

While Redhage would go on to sign with Perth and become one of the NBL’s all-time greats, his replacement came in the form of Marcus Timmons (9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals). A clear mistake had been made there, however, as shortly after taking the court, it was clear Timmons was no longer the player he was back when he joined the Melbourne Tigers mid-season in 1997 and led them to a championship.

Chappell (18 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists) would lead the team in scoring for a second consecutive season, while Aaron Olson would boost his scoring from 10.8 points per game to 15.5 points per game and win the club’s MVP award at the end of the season.

Redhage appeared in 13 games and averaged 12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, while the Breakers finished in eleventh place (9-23), failing to improve on their debut season.

PERTH WILDCATS
2005/06
After Ricky Grace retired in 2005, veteran Tony Ronaldson was elevated to team captain of the Wildcats. While the team looked to build on its disappointing seventh place finish last season, they kept the majority of their local intact, the only major change being the departures of Grace, Adrian Majstrovich (New Zealand), and seldom used Braith Cox (Melbourne), while replacing them with Paul Rogers (via Spain), Dillon Boucher (via New Zealand) and rookie swingman Cameron Tovey.

The Wildcats did clean house when it came to imports, however. The departing Rosell Ellis (to South) and Rashad Tucker (to Melbourne) would be replaced by point guard David Bailey and Shawn Redhage, who joined the team after being unceremoniously cut by New Zealand in 2004.

In his first season at Perth, Redhage (20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists), perhaps motivated by his Breakers’ experience, led the team in scoring alongside Bailey (17.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.0 steals), who proved to be a competent replacement for Grace.

With their two imports delivering, Tony Ronaldson (14.9 points, 5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists), Peter Crawford (14.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals) would add additional scoring with veteran Matthew Shanahan (11.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) produced the best season of his career coming off the bench.

Despite the reshuffled roster, Perth would finish seventh for the second season in a row.

Despite not having a winning record (16-16), the team qualified for the playoffs, with the league allowing the top eight team’s to proceed to the postseason.

There, things all began to click for the Wildcats, and after upset victories over both the sixth-ranked Brisbane (96-91) and third-ranked Wollongong (101-121), the team found themselves in a unlikely semi final appearance, facing off against a powerhouse Melbourne squad.

Behind the NBL MVP Chris Anstey and former Wildcat Rashad Tucker, the Tigers would prove too strong. Anstey (28 points and 11 rebounds) and Tucker (10 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals) delivered a comfortable 94-78 Melbourne win at home in game one. Then backing it in Perth, winning 106-101, with Anstey (29 points and 6 rebounds) and Tucker (9 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists), ending Perth’s ‘Cinderella’ playoff run and going on to win the NBL championship.

Redhage would appear in 36 games and averaged 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, while Redhage’s first year in Perth saw him finish runner-up in league MVP voting.

In February 2006, West Australian businessman Jack Bendat became the chairman and majority shareholder of the franchise. Although no longer the majority shareholder, Andrew Vlahov remained in control of the team as managing director. Bendat then assumed full control in 2007.

Shawn Redhage earned All-NBL Second Team honours for the 2005/06 season.

2006/07
In 2006, although they made the playoffs, the Wildcat’s failed to finish with a winning record, which had occurred only seven times prior. With the team’s backcourt highlighted as a major cause of their problems, and import point guard David Bailey being fined ($ 5,000) and reprimanded for testing positive for cannabis during in-season tests by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA), a roster rehaul was undertaken as a result with Coach Scott Fisher replacing 50% of the team.

Shawn Redhage, Paul Rogers, Tony Ronaldson, Peter Crawford and Jeff Dowdell returned, and young guards Damien Ryan, Adam Caporn and Brad Robbins to solve the team’s backcourt woes.

The team signed import Darren Brooks to pair with Redhage and provide some additional offensive firepower while being a pesky defender in the backcourt. Another key move saw Rogers replace Tony Ronaldson as team captain.

During a campaign that also saw the Wildcats celebrate their 25th anniversary, Redhage (21.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals) led the team in scoring for the second straight season, this included his 30 point, 11 rebound and 15 assist game against West Sydney, here he became the first player in NBL history to record a triple double with 30 points and 15 assists. A few days later, he recorded 20 points and 20 rebounds against Sydney to be a no-brainer for the NBL Player of the Week award.

Rogers (15.6 points and 10.5 rebounds) doubled his offensive output from last season and led the team rebounding, while Brooks (15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.0 steals) led the league in steals.

Shawn Redhage earned All-NBL Second Team honours for the 2006/07 season.

Perth (23-10) would record their highest number of wins in a single season (although historically, they have recorded better win-loss ratios) but flounder in the playoffs, seeing their season end thanks to a loss against Cairns (78-82) in the Quarterfinals.

Redhage was fifth in the 2006/07 Andrew Gaze Trophy (NBL MVP) vote with 100 votes, behind winner Sam Mackinnon (141), Martin Cattalini (139), Carlos Powell (132) and Chris Anstey (101). The vote tally appeared in the contemporary NBL announcement reproduced by Hoops.com.au (topic 10624).

2007/08
After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, the Wildcat’s moved on from veteran Tony Ronaldson (to New Zealand) and guard Damien Ryan (Europe), looking to get younger and bigger and replaced them with Alex Loughton (Spain) and Tom Garlepp (NCAA). after an impressive debut season, Perth could not retain import Darren Brooks who received several lucrative offers from overseas and replaced him with Rashad Phillips.

Despite leading the league in assists, Phillips (13.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 7.5 assists) was released six games into the season, with the team sitting on a 3-3 record and head coach Scott Fisher citing Phillps fitness being the main issue.

‘ Unfortunately, Rashad never really showed us the athleticism or intensity needed to make himself or those around him better. Plus, he never really contributed to the defensive side of things. He lacked the leadership and on-court management that this group needs. So we felt it was in the best interest of the club to delist him.’

The team immediately replaced him with Gerald Brown (13.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists), who had been a former teammate of Luc Longley at the Phoenix Suns.

Rookie Loughton (14.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals)impressed during his rookie season, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting (losing to Nathan Jawai). Shawn Redhage (22.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists) delivered a career high scoring season, which incliuded a career-high 40 points against Adelaide (10 Oct 2007) and became the fastest Wildcat to reach 2,000 career points, doing so in 95 games and 3,400 minutes. Captain Paul Rogers (12.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks) proved he was still one of the competition’s elite big men, earning a spot on the All-NBL Third Team, joining Redhage who earned a spot on the All-NBL First Team. Despite the high-level play from Redhage and Rogers the team just couldn’t win on the road. Close to unbeatable at home (12-3) but woeful in away games (6-9), the Wildcats finished the season in fourth place (18-12).

Much like their results from the regular season, Perth was able to win at home but struggled on the road in the playoffs. They defeated fifth seed Townsville at home (96-78) in their quarterfinal matchup, but upon reaching the semi finals against Sydney, they were outmatched. Perth would push the Kings to the limit on their home court in game one (101-98) rebound behind a huge game from Redhage (35 points) to gain a win on home soil in game two (94-85) only to have Sydney hand Perth their worse loss of the season in game three (109-77), ending their playoff run. Shortly after, coach Fisher announced that he would not seek a new contract from the Wildcat’s and would return to the United States.

2008/09
After four seasons of leading the Wildcats, coach Scott Fisher decided it was time to return to his family in the US. Upon Fisher’s announcement that he would not return after leading the Wildcats to within one game of the grand final, a worldwide search was conducted for the hiring of the team’s next coach. Ultimately, Fisher’s replacement would be Conner Henry, a former college teammate of Fisher’s who had been with the Wildcats since 2006 as a assistant coach.

The core of the Wildcat’s roster, Shawn Redhage (University of Utah), Alex Loughton, Peter Crawford and Paul Rogers, would all return, with the only major changes to the team’s local roster being the additions of Ben Knight (via Singapore), Chris Goulding (via Brisbane) and Rookie Stephen Weigh. As a result of Shawn Redhage becoming a naturalised Australian (Jan 08), the Wildcats had the luxury of being able to sign two new imports with athletic forward Isiah Victor (via Sydney) and Darnell Hinson (via West Sydney), who both delivered debut NBL seasons the year prior.

Perth entered the season fighting off multiple injuries, with guards Adam Caporn, Brad Robbins, and Peter Crawford all fighting through knee issues. The team even placed starting centre Rogers on the deactivated list due to a lingering knee complaint. The additional roster spot allowed Perth to pull off a major recruiting coup, beating Melbourne Tigers and South Dragons for the signature of former Boomers point guard Luke Kendall.

At the mid-way point of the season, Rogers returned to the lineup, forcing the Wildcat’s to release Kendall (8.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals), who had become a key reserve with Robbins managing only three games over the season. Kendall signed a deal to play with Melbourne shortly after, who needed a replacement for Sam MacKinnon after medical staff advised him not to return to play. Team captain Rogers (9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks) played in only two games before a ruptured disc in his back that required surgery kept him out of the remaining games.

Perth’s efforts during the regular season were a carbon copy of the one before. The Wildcats were a force at home (11-4) but couldn’t win on the road (6-9), finishing in fourth place (17-13) for the second year in a row. Shawn Redhage (19.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists) would lead the team in scoring and rebounding, earning selection to the Al-NBL Second Team along the way. Hinson (13.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.7 steals), Loughton (13 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists) and Victor (12.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) all playing key roles also.

Once into the postseason, Perth faced fifth seed Townsville, who defeated them in the Elimination Finals (96-103), delivering a abrupt end to their season and ending their playoff run and ensuring Henry’s tenure lasted only one season.

Shawn Redhage earned All-NBL Second Team honours for the 2008/09 season.

2009/10
Following the 2008/09 season, the Wildcats came within weeks of folding unless they raised a million dollars in sponsorship. The NBL itself was also in strife; with the competition falling on tough times, there was a real possibility at the time that there would be no league in 2009-10. Collaborating with other clubs, the Wildcats helped reform the league.

Once the season was given the green light, the Wildcats hired a new coach in Rob Beveridge, who was tasked with recruiting a new-look team where Shawn Redhage, Stephen Weigh and Brad Robbins would be complimented by newly acquired proven talent Damian Martin (via Sydney), Drew Williamson (via Townsville), Luke Schenscher (via Adelaide), Martin Cattalini (via Cairns) and rookie Jesse Wagstaff to round out the bench. Import Kevin Lisch was then recruited to lead the Wildcats on the offensive end and lead the team into a new era. Just prior to the season kicking off, Paul Rogers relinquished the captaincy heading into the 2009/10 season, handing over the reins to Redhage. In what would be his final NBL season, Rogers would play two games before a injury to his elbow and triceps in the team’s second game would see him sidelined for the rest of the season. The injuries would ultimately end Rogers’ playing career, and the Wildcats signed import Galen Young as his replacement.

Lisch started out slowly over his initial weeks in the league, averaging only 11.4 points across his first five NBL games. A victory over the Melbourne Tigers (94-90) where he dropped a season-high 21 points in 27 minutes, proved to all that he would be a force in this league. By January, the Wildcats had emerged as clear frontrunners (13 wins, 8 losses) as new point guard Damian Martin (8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists) delivered his best season to date, numbers which would earn him a Australian Boomers call-up at the end of the season. Alongside them, Redhage would finish the season with averages of 15.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists.

The team rolled through the regular season to finish in first place (17-11) before going on to the semi finals to face Gold Coast (fourth seed). Lisch (19 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Wildcats in scoring in game one (81-68). In game two, Lisch (18 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) backed it up, by leading the team to victory once again (82-78), sending Perth through to a Grand Final matchup with Wollongong (making their first Grand Final series since 2003).

Perth started the series with a very comfortable win at home (75–64), with Lisch (15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 1 block) filling the box score. The series then moved to Wollongong for game two, where the Hawks rebounded to defeat Perth (75-63), with both Lisch (11 points) and Redhage (9 points) struggling to make a impact in the loss.

After Games 1 and 2 proved to be comfortable victories for each home team, the series returned to Perth for the third and deciding game, where the Wildcats found themselves down by as many as 11 points in the second quarter. Redhage (9 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists) was again limited by the Hawks, but Lisch (29 points and 5 rebounds) would prove to be the difference-maker in the second half, defeating Wollongong (96–72) and guiding the team to a record fifth NBL Championship. Lisch was subsequently named Finals MVP after averaging 18 points and 4 rebounds over the three-game series.

2010/11
After winning the 2010 championship, Wildcats legends Paul Rogers and Martin Cattalini decided to retire, leaving room for Perth to bring in some younger talent. Ater Majok, Greg Hire, Cameron Tovey, Jeremiah Trueman, and big man Matthew Knight being the key addition. Perth had beaten out multiple offers from both European and NBL team’s offering contracts to Knight, who had spent the past season playing in Hungary. During the off-season, he was pursued by multiple European and NBL clubs, but Knight, who had previously played under coach Rob Beveridge and alongside Damian Martin with the Sydney Spirit before they exited the NBL, ultimately chose to sign with the Wildcats. Another major coup came with the team being able to retain star import Kevin Lisch despite him several European clubs offering him much larger contracts and re-signed Shawn Redhage (three-year deal).

Knight’s debut season for the Wildcats began positively before tearing his left calf muscle in a win over Melbourne (12 Dec). The injury ruled Knight out for two months, and a injury to Jesse Wagstaff (ankle ligaments) saw him on the sidelines as well shortly after. On Christmas Eve, the Wildcats signed Ater Majok (7.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks) to a six-week deal as an injury replacement for Jesse Wagstaff and Matthew Knight. 8 games later Majok was released due to behavioural issues. Despite his short stint in Perth, Majok became a favourite amongst the Wildcat’s fans with due to his shot blocking ability, blocking a total of 11 shots in his first three games. This forced coach Beveridge to sign former NBA big man Andre Brown (9.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 0.6 steals) in a attempt to improve the interior weaknesses since losing Knight (12.4 points and 6.7 rebounds) and Wagstaff (8.4 points and 4.3 rebounds).

Shortly after, a hip injury to leading scorer Shawn Redhage (18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) resulted in losing him for the second half of the season, throwing another spanner into the Wildcats’ hunt for back-to-back titles. Redhage dislocated his left hip during a loss to Adelaide (77–76) on the road. Redhage had lunged for a contested ball in a way that punched the head of his femur through his pelvis, breaking the bone and dislocating the joint. The injury was originally feared to be career-ending, with Redhage potentially requiring a hip replacement.

Shawn Redhage earned All-NBL Third Team honours for the 2010/11 season.

The Wildcats lost four consecutive games following Redhage’s injury, winning only two from the team’s remaining eight matches, as Kevin Lisch (13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 steals) delivered another impressive season, scoring in double figures in all but nine games.

the Wildcats finished the season in fourth place (16-12) and would earn a semi final matchup against New Zealand.

The Undermanned Wildcats rode the brilliance of Kevin Lisch (29 points), who almost single-handedly won the opening game of the series for Perth (101-78 win). After losing in Auckland, the Breakers would travel to Perth and win games two (93-89) and three (99-83) before going on to defeat Cairns to win the 2011 NBL championship.

Kevin Lisch and Shawn Redhage were named co-MVPs for the Wildcats, and Damian Martin (8.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.4 steals) claimed the league’s Best Defensive Player award for the first time. Martin also made history by becoming the first player to be named to the All-NBL First Team and average under nine points per game. .

In honour of @Redhage42 retiring, here is his comeback video I made for the @perthWildcats 11 years ago.

Still one of the worst injuries I’ve ever seen in a @nbl game.

Cheers to a helluva career Scoring Machine! #42ForeverRedhage pic.twitter.com/R1I69ixJrP— Full Court Fitness (@AdamWesterhout) November 15, 2022

2011/12
Perth looked to get back on top in 2011 by adding 7’2 centre Luke Nevill with a aim to re-create the ‘Perth Wall’ alongside Matthew Knight, Jesse Wagstaff and Shawn Redhage, who was returning to action returned to action after a career-threatening injury suffered the prior season.

Kevin Lisch, who re-signed with the Wildcats (two-year deal), was coined the ‘best import in the league’ by coach Rob Beveridge at the start of the year, and he certainly proved that during the five rounds of the season. With Damian Martin injured, Lisch ran the point for the first few weeks and averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game during October, guiding the Wildcat’s to a 3–1 record. Lisch (17.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists) finished the season as the league’s leading scorer (the first Wildcats player to lead the NBL in scoring) and won the NBL Most Valuable Player award. Shawn Redhage (13.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists), Jesse Wagstaff (11.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) and Matthew Knight (10.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) were key to the Wildcat’s success, as was Damian Martin (7.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists) claimed his second consecutive Best Defensive Player award.

Redhage made his remarkable return in the Wildcats’ season opener against the 36ers in Adelaide on 8 October 2011, the same arena where his horrific injury occurred nine months earlier, Redhage scored a game-high 26 points (6-of-9 threes) alongside Kevin Lisch (23 points at 73 percent) and Jesse Wagstaff (22 points at 50 percent), who also delivered big games, and handed Adelaide their biggest opening night loss in team history (69-102).

After just narrowly missing out on the opening round’s Player of the Week award, Redhage went on to earn Player of the Week honours for Round 2 after recording 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in a win over Melbourne (92–76) on 14 October 2011. Redhage concluded the season by earning Player of the Week honours for Round 25 after scoring 19 points and adding seven rebounds, two steals, one assist and one blocked shot to help the Wildcat’s finish the regular season with a road win over Melbourne (72–71).

Perth (19-9) entered the playoffs as the second seed, and after defeating Gold Coast in the semifinals (2-1), they would face New Zealand in the Grand Final. After losing to the Breakers in game one in Auckland, the Wildcat’s looked down and out in game two in Perth also. All looked lost for Perth In game two, who trailed the Breakers for much of the game until Hire, who had averaged five minutes a game for the season, delivered a rousing half-time speech before injecting life into Perth in the third term. Backing up his words, he registered seven points and four rebounds in the following quarter. Hire (2.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists) led a Perth comeback that turned a 13 point deficit to a one-point win (87–86) and was decided only by a memorable final-second shot from Breakers guard CJ Bruton being blocked by Shawn Redhage.

It all ended with the team returning to Auckland for game three and suffering a six-point loss (79-73) in front of 9,258 New Zealand faithful, the largest NBL crowd of the season.

2012/13
Before the season began, the state-of-the-art Perth Arena was completed, with the 13,500 seat stadium becoming the new home of the Wildcat’s in 2012. Perth began the season hoping for Matthew Knight, who had undergone off-season shoulder surgery, to become the team’s go-to guy in the paint. Knight embraced the responsibility and excelled in the Wildcats’ season-opening win over the New Zealand Breakers, earning the NBL’s Player of the Week award for a 20-point, nine-rebound effort.

a early season win against the Townsville (Oct 14) saw Kevin Lisch (15.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists) play in his 100th consecutive NBL game and Rob Beveridge coach 100 games for the Wildcats. Amidst the celebrations however, Knight (13.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists) succumbed to another injury that saw him miss four games. Import Michael Dunigan (13.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks) was brought in as a short-term replacement, becoming a fan-favourite with his thunderous dunks and athletic blocks before exiting the club once Knight returned to health.

Ten games in, Perth faced another hurdle when co-captain Brad Robbins (3.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) abruptly retired, citing he had lost his motivation and passion for the game. Rhys Carter (6.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals), who had been playing in Sweden, was brought in as a replacement for Robbins and played the remaining 16 games as Damian Martin (6.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists) was elevated to co-captain alongside Shawn Redhage (14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists) upon Robbins’ retirement. Shortly after, Cameron Tovey (1.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists) also announced he would retire at the season’s end.

Shawn Redhage earned All-NBL Third Team honours for the 2012/13 season.

Despite the shuffling of the roster, the Wildcat’s went on to finish in second-place (22–6).

Lisch and Knight were both selected to the All-NBL first team and together, swept Wollongong in the semifinals (2-0), setting up a Grand Final rematch against New Zealand, their third time facing the Breakers in a playoff series in as many years. Damian Martin (6.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.9 steals) won his third consecutive Best Defensive Player award before learning a injury to his Achilles would stop him from playing in the Grand Final series. a emergency call was then made to the retired Brad Robbins, who was rushed back into the lineup as a replacement, but with the team missing Martin, New Zealand defeated Perth in two straight games, winning their third consecutive championship in 2013. Redhage appeared in 32 games, averaging 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.

In late May 2013, Lisch and coach Rob Beveridge parted ways with the Wildcats after four seasons. Lisch ended his four-year tenure in Perth to pursue his European aspirations, finishing with career averages of 14.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Also during this season, Shawn Redhage was named in the Perth Wildcats 30th Anniversary All-Star team.

2013/14
Having been defeated by the New Zealand Breakers in the previous two Grand Final series and then losing star import Kevin Lisch (to France), the Wildcat’s revamped their roster, looking to bring a new look squad and style that would deliver the team a sixth championship.

Team changes included the departure of Rob Beveridge, Kevin Lisch (who would follow Beveridge to Illawarra) and Cameron Tovey. The Wildcats’ then reloaded first by appointing Trevor Gleeson as head coach and signing two new imports in small forward James Ennis, who had just been selected as the 50th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft, and shooting guard Jermaine Beal. Hard-nosed point guard Damian Martin would be named team captain, and Perth’s core group of Shawn Redhage, Jesse Wagstaff, Matthew Knight and Greg Hire all returned. Tom Jervis, as well as guards Drake U’U and Erik Burdon, were also signed to bolster the team’s bench.

A search to replace a former NBL MVP is never easy, but when Wildcats managing director Nick Marvin and head coach Trevor Gleeson witnessed his ability first hand at the NBA Summer League, they knew they had a star.

Ennis opened the season with 25 points and 4 rebounds on debut, a three-point victory over arch-rivals Adelaide, the most points scored by a Wildcat on NBL debut at the time. Ennis would earn player of the month in his first month as a Wildcat as Perth began the season with a 8-0 start.

Injuries to Knight forced the club to sign Jarrad Prue and Jeremiah Trueman as short-term injury replacements in October and January, but the Wildcats were still the clear pacesetters for the league. In February 2014, Hire played his 100th NBL game, and by the league’s mid-season break for the All-Star game, Perth sat in first place with a 12-1. James Ennis (21.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 steals) and Jermaine Beal (15.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists), perfectly complemented the league’s best defender Damian Martin (7.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, and 2.2 steals) and best villain Shawn Redhage (13.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists) and to no surprise, Perth finished the season on top of the ladder and reached the postseason for their 28th year in a row. Ennis and Beal were named to the All-NBL first and second team’s, respectively.

Once into the postseason, the Wildcat’s eliminated the Wollongong Hawks first in straight sets, while on the other side of the bracket, their historic rivals Adelaide eliminated Melbourne in three games to see both team’s progress to the 2014 Grand Final.

The grand final would see first-placed Perth face second-ranked Adelaide with game one held in Perth. Wildcats star import James Ennis (30 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) would lead Perth in points, rebounds, and assists, resulting in Perth claiming the win (92-85) and taking a 1-0 series lead. Beal also contributed 19 points in the win.

Game two saw Beal (19 points) again lead the Wildcats in scoring, but it wasn’t enough to stop the 36ers from forcing a deciding third game in front of their largest crowd of the season. 8,127 fans helped rally the 36ers to a 89-84 win behind the high scoring of Gary Ervin (23 points) and a all-round game from Adam Gibson (18 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists) to even the series (1-1).

In response, 13,498 of Perth’s ‘red army’ would show up to see Perth defeat Adelaide and win their sixth NBL title. With James Ennis subdued by foul trouble, the Wildcat’s most experienced duo, Shawn Redhage and Damian Martin, were relied upon to pick up the slack. Redhage, scored 10 of his 16 points in the first term to help his team settle into the contest, while Martin produced a superb defensive effort on 36ers star Gary Ervin, limiting Adelaide’s game two hero to just four points while adding 14 points and six rebounds to the stat sheet. Greg Hire (9 rebounds, 5 assists) and Jermaine Beal (15 points and 4 assists) provided key contributions to help Perth bury the demons of successive grand final defeats in the past two seasons.

While Anthony Petrie (20 points) gave up for the 36ers, he lacked the support from fellow starters Adam Gibson (8 points) and Daniel Johnson (9 points), both of whom had been influential in the first two games of the series.

After his huge opening game, Ennis struggled to make a impact in Games two and three, and Beal would go on to win Finals MVP after averaging 17.6 points per game, shooting 48% from beyond the three-point line.

2014/15
After winning the 2014 NBL championship with a 21-7 regular-season record and defeating Adelaide in the Grand Final, Perth entered the 2014/15 season looking to win back-to-back titles. Trevor Gleeson returned as head coach, with the Wildcats retaining almost their entire championship roster. James Ennis (to Miami) and Erik Burdon (to Mount Gambier) departed, while Jermaine Beal, Shawn Redhage, Damian Martin, Matthew Knight, Jesse Wagstaff, Greg Hire, Tom Jervis and Drake U’u returned. DeAndre Daniels (via Connecticut), who had been selected with the 37th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, and Earnest Ross (via Missouri) were added as Perth’s new imports.

Redhage returned for the second year of a three-year contract signed in May 2013, having helped Perth claim its sixth NBL championship the previous season. After previously serving as captain, he continued under Damian Martin, who had taken over the captaincy in 2013/14, and entered the season as one of Perth’s most experienced players and a central part of its championship-winning core.

Perth opened its championship defence against New Zealand at Perth Arena on October 10, where Redhage (20 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal) made 7-of-9 shots, including both three-point attempts, to lead the Wildcats in scoring. Daniels (19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks) and Beal (12 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists) provided support, although Beal struggled through a 2-of-17 shooting performance. Cedric Jackson (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) led New Zealand to an 80-70 victory. The 20-point performance would remain Redhage’s highest-scoring game of the season.

Redhage (11.4 points and 3.9 rebounds across 28 games) remained one of Perth’s main offensive options, although the arrival of Daniels and Beal taking on a greater scoring role following Ennis’s departure reduced his offensive responsibilities. He appeared in all 28 regular-season games, averaging 23.5 minutes while shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 81 percent from the free-throw line. His scoring average was the lowest of his NBL career to that point, but his experience and ability to play multiple positions remained important as injuries disrupted Perth’s frontcourt.

One of the season’s first major milestones came against Wollongong at Perth Arena on October 17, when Redhage (15 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 block) played his 300th NBL game. He made 5-of-7 shots, including both three-point attempts, and connected on a crucial three-pointer late in the fourth quarter before fouling out with two minutes remaining. Daniels (16 points, 13 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks) recorded his first professional double-double and Beal (13 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) provided further support, while Jahii Carson (19 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Wollongong. Perth won 69-59 in front of 11,586 fans as Redhage celebrated becoming a 300-game NBL player.

Redhage reached another milestone against Sydney at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre on December 18, playing his 300th game for Perth and becoming just the sixth player in Wildcats history to achieve the feat, joining Ricky Grace, James Crawford, Andrew Vlahov, Eric Watterson and Mike Ellis. Redhage (9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) contributed in limited minutes as Beal (16 points) and Ross (10 points) led the Wildcats, but Josh Childress (17 points and 10 rebounds) carried Sydney to a 78-74 victory. Before the game, Redhage reflected on his career and the serious hip injury he had overcome in 2011, which had initially left doctors uncertain whether he would play again. “I’ll keep playing as long as I can help this team win and be productive out there on the court,” he said.

Perth’s season became increasingly difficult as injuries affected almost every part of its frontcourt rotation. Hire (3.5 points across 11 games) tore his left calf at training shortly after the season opener and missed the following three months, leading to Mathiang Muo (1.9 points across 15 games) being activated as his injury replacement. Muo was deactivated on January 15 following Hire’s return. Knight (10.5 points and 7 rebounds across 24 games) suffered a broken toe in January and missed six games, while Ross (3.3 points across 18 games) sustained a season-ending Achilles injury against Cairns on January 9. Luke Martin (0.7 points across 9 games) was signed as Ross’s injury replacement on January 16.

The injuries contributed to Perth losing three consecutive games during January, falling from a 12-5 record to 12-8. Despite the disruptions, Redhage continued playing through the season, providing experienced frontcourt support alongside Daniels, Wagstaff and Jervis as Gleeson attempted to keep the defending champions in the playoff race.

One of the season’s most dramatic games came against New Zealand at Perth Arena on February 15, where Redhage (12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) contributed as Daniels (24 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Beal (24 points) helped Perth force the Breakers into double overtime. Corey Webster (27 points) and Jackson (22 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals) led New Zealand, with Beal hitting a late basket to force overtime before scoring again at the end of the first extra period to send the game into a second overtime. Beal then made two free throws with less than three seconds remaining to put Perth ahead 87-86, but Jackson answered with a half-court three-pointer at the buzzer to give New Zealand an 89-87 victory in front of 13,241 fans.

Redhage’s best all-around performance came in Adelaide on February 20, where he finished with 17 points, a season-high 11 rebounds, and 4 assists while making 6-of-13 field goals. Beal (23 points) and Knight (20 points) led Perth’s scoring, but Brock Motum (25 points and 6 rebounds) made six three-pointers and Jamar Wilson (25 points) helped Adelaide recover from a halftime deficit to win 101-94. The result left Perth with a 15-12 record heading into the final game of the regular season, with the Wildcats struggling to regain the consistency that had delivered the previous year’s championship.

Perth completed the regular season against Townsville at Perth Arena on February 22, where Redhage (16 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) made 4-of-8 field goals and 8-of-9 free throws as Daniels (24 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks) and Jervis (14 points) helped the Wildcats recover from a second-half deficit. Brian Conklin (17 points) led Townsville, but Perth claimed an 81-71 victory to finish fourth with a 16-12 record and secure a 29th consecutive playoff appearance. Redhage experienced discomfort in his right foot during the game but was able to finish, and although he returned to training during the following week, further examinations revealed a stress fracture of the navicular bone in his right foot. He was ruled out of the entire postseason and was expected to spend approximately six weeks in a moonboot, with development player Nic Cody activated on Perth’s finals roster in his absence.

Beal (16.4 points across 30 games) finished among the NBL’s top five regular-season scorers, led the league with 69 made three-pointers and won the Gordon Ellis Medal as Perth’s club MVP. Daniels (14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds across 30 games) provided the Wildcats with an athletic scoring and rebounding presence, finishing second in club MVP voting, while Wagstaff (8.5 points and 4 rebounds across 30 games) continued providing reliable scoring and outside shooting from the bench. Jervis (7.1 points and 4.9 rebounds across 30 games) became an important contributor during Perth’s injury problems, while Martin (6.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.7 steals across 30 games) anchored the team’s defence and led the NBL in steals.

Knight was selected to the All-NBL Second Team and received Perth’s Coaches Award, Jervis was named the club’s Most Improved Player and Martin won the NBL Best Defensive Player award for the fifth consecutive year, drawing level with Darnell Mee for the most wins in league history at the time.

With Redhage sidelined by his foot injury, Perth opened its semifinal series against minor premier Cairns on February 27 with a 71-64 loss at the Cairns Convention Centre before returning to Perth Arena on March 1, where the Wildcats were also without Hire following another calf injury and fell 80-68, allowing the Taipans to complete a 2-0 semifinal sweep and end Perth’s championship defence.

2015/16
Following an injury-riddled season that ended in a semifinal defeat, similar to the 2010/11 season, coach Trevor Gleeson entered 2015/16 confident Perth had assembled a team capable of winning its seventh championship. DeAndre Daniels (not re-signed), Drake U’U (opted out) and Earnest Ross (released following an Achilles injury) departed, while Casey Prather (via Bakersfield), Nathan Jawai (via Andorra) and Hugh Greenwood (via New Mexico) were added. Greenwood had signed a three-year deal but requested a release in August after losing his motivation for basketball and deciding to pursue an AFL career, later joining the Adelaide Crows, with Jarrod Kenny (via Hawke’s Bay) signed on September 1 as his replacement. Once the regular season began, Perth made no contracted mid-season roster addition or release.

On 16 August 2016, Redhage re-signed with the Wildcats for the 2016/17 NBL season after after recovering from the right-foot stress fracture that had ruled him out of the previous season’s playoffs. At the time he revealed that he never seriously contemplated retirement following his injury in 2015.

Jawai’s arrival allowed an injury-free Matthew Knight to move to his natural position of power forward while Redhage moved into a bench role, providing Perth with experience and scoring in the second unit.

Perth opened the season in Adelaide on October 10, where Redhage (7 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) came off the bench as the Wildcats defeated the 36ers 79-66. Jermaine Beal (18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal), Nathan Jawai (11 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Jesse Wagstaff (11 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists) led Perth, while Daniel Johnson (18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) was Adelaide’s best.

Redhage (6.6 points and 3.1 rebounds across 34 games) appeared in every game for Perth, playing all 28 regular-season games and all six playoff games while starting 11 times. His move to the bench saw him average under 10 points for the first time in his NBL career, but he continued to provide a valuable spark in Perth’s second unit.

Redhage’s best all-round game of the season came against Townsville at Perth Arena on October 23, where he finished with 8 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Matthew Knight (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block) led Perth in scoring, but Mitchell Norton (20 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) shot 7-of-9 from the field and made four three-pointers as Townsville defeated Perth 66-63.

Redhage first reached his season-high in scoring in Adelaide on November 18, making four three-pointers and finishing with 16 points and 4 rebounds as Perth defeated the 36ers 94-88. Casey Prather (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist) led the Wildcats, while Beal (16 points, 9 assists, and 1 steal) directed the offence and Jerome Randle (21 points and 4 assists) led Adelaide.

One of Perth’s biggest wins came against Melbourne on December 10, where Redhage (8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) provided support as Beal (40 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals) delivered a career-high performance. After going scoreless in the opening quarter, Beal scored 33 points during the second and third quarters and made ten three-pointers, breaking the Wildcats’ single-game record, while Prather (20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) also starred. Daniel Kickert (23 points and 3 rebounds) led Melbourne as Perth dismantled United 113-83.

A few weeks later, Melbourne reversed the result, with Redhage (3 points and 3 rebounds) playing limited minutes as United defeated Perth 92-87 on December 27 and pushed the Wildcats into third position for the only time during the season. Prather (24 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Knight (19 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists) led Perth, while Chris Goulding (27 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists) and Hakim Warrick (16 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 block) led Melbourne.

Redhage played his 350th NBL game against Cairns at Perth Arena on January 25. Ahead of the milestone game he remained confident Perth could contend for the championship, saying, “We definitely have the capabilities.” Redhage (6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) started as Beal (15 points, 6 assists, and 1 steal), Greg Hire (14 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) and Damian Martin (11 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Perth to an 84-74 victory, while Cameron Gliddon (16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) was Cairns’ best. The victory improved Perth to 16-8 and moved the Wildcats to the top of the ladder.

Prather (16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 27 games) led Perth in scoring and was named the Wildcats’ MVP despite missing games with knee, ankle and hamstring problems, while Beal (15.6 points and 3.6 assists across 33 games) remained the team’s other major offensive weapon. Knight (11.6 points and 7.9 rebounds across 33 games) earned All-NBL Second Team honours, with Jawai (10.3 points and 4.1 rebounds across 32 games), Wagstaff (9.3 points and 4 rebounds across 34 games) and Tom Jervis (6.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks across 34 games) giving Perth considerable frontcourt depth. Martin (5.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 steals across 24 games) battled a calf injury before suffering a broken jaw and displaced teeth following an errant elbow from Townsville’s Brian Conklin, then later dealt with an ankle injury.

Perth completed the regular season against Adelaide at Perth Arena on February 14, where Redhage (6 points and 2 rebounds) came off the bench as the Wildcats defeated the 36ers 100-84. Beal (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists), Prather (15 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal) and Jervis (14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) led Perth, while Mitch Creek (17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) was Adelaide’s leading scorer. The Wildcats finished second with an 18-10 record and extended their run of consecutive playoff appearances to 30 seasons.

Perth opened its semifinal series against the Rob Beveridge-led Illawarra Hawks at Perth Arena, where Redhage (3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist) contributed off the bench as Prather (19 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists), Beal (18 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists) and Jervis (14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block) led the Wildcats to an 80-68 victory. Martin (9 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals) produced a strong defensive performance in his 200th game for Perth, while Illawarra suffered a major blow when Kevin Lisch (2 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal) injured his ankle during the opening quarter. Tim Coenraad (23 points and 3 rebounds), Kirk Penney (17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) and AJ Ogilvy (14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) led the Hawks.

Game two moved to Wollongong, where Redhage (4 points and 1 rebound), Prather (21 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals), Beal (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Knight (15 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Perth, but Illawarra responded without its injured MVP. Oscar Forman (21 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks), Ogilvy (20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks) and Penney (18 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal) powered the Hawks to a 104-87 victory and forced a deciding game.

Game three returned to Perth Arena, where Redhage (5 points and 1 assist) provided minutes off the bench as Beal (17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) and Wagstaff (17 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) led Perth in scoring. Prather (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) produced one of the highlights of the season with a thunderous one-handed slam over Ogilvy (9 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) early in the fourth quarter, while Penney (18 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) led Illawarra and Lisch (11 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal) returned from his ankle injury. Perth won 89-74 to take the series 2-1 and advance to the Grand Final.

Reigning champion New Zealand had finished the regular season with a 16-12 record before sweeping top-seeded Melbourne in the semifinals to set up another championship series against Perth.

The Grand Final opened at Perth Arena, where Redhage (7 points and 4 rebounds) contributed from the bench as Jawai (15 points, 1 steal, and 1 block), Knight (14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block), Prather (11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks) and Martin (9 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block) helped Perth take an 82-76 victory. Corey Webster (19 points, 2 assists, and 2 steals) and Cedric Jackson (14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led New Zealand.

Game two moved to Auckland, where Redhage (9 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) provided valuable scoring off the bench and Beal (20 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Perth, but a costly late turnover from Beal helped give New Zealand an opportunity to close out the game. Cedric Jackson (13 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals) produced a near triple-double and Thomas Abercrombie (12 points and 5 rebounds) provided support as the Breakers won 72-68 and levelled the series.

The deciding game returned to Perth Arena in front of 13,090 fans, where Redhage (7 points) came off the bench as Prather (19 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) and Beal (14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) led Perth in scoring. Abercrombie (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals) was New Zealand’s leading scorer, while Martin (10 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block) produced another outstanding defensive performance and was named Grand Final MVP after holding Cedric Jackson (0 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists) scoreless. Redhage collected his third NBL championship as Perth defeated New Zealand 75-52 to claim its seventh NBL championship.

2016/17
After defeating New Zealand 2-1 in the 2016 Grand Final to claim its seventh championship, Perth entered the season attempting to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1991. Nathan Jawai (to Cairns), Tom Jervis (to Brisbane) and import Jermaine Beal (to Brisbane) departed, leaving Casey Prather as Perth’s only returning import. Jaron Johnson (via Rio Grande Valley) and Jameel McKay (via Iowa State) were added as the other two imports, while Angus Brandt (via Sydney) and Dexter Kernich-Drew were also added. Damian Martin re-signed on a three-year deal and Matthew Knight on a two-year deal, although Knight was recovering from left shoulder stabilisation surgery before suffering a subluxation of his right shoulder during training and being ruled out for the opening weeks. Lucas Walker (via Adelaide) joined as Knight’s injury replacement, while the veteran forward returned on a one-year deal for another season with Perth.

Perth opened the season in Brisbane on October 6, where Redhage (3 points and 1 rebound) came from the bench as McKay (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Prather (9 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) led the Wildcats. Torrey Craig (16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) and former Wildcat Beal (14 points and 4 rebounds) led Brisbane to a 72-65 victory.

Redhage (2.7 points across 33 games) accepted a significantly reduced role during his final season, averaging 7.8 minutes per game but remaining healthy throughout the campaign. He appeared in all 28 regular-season games and all five postseason games and did not miss a game through injury or illness. Perth recovered from its opening loss to improve to 4-1, while Knight’s return saw Walker removed from the active roster and remain with the Wildcats as a training player.

Perth’s import combination then began changing rapidly. Johnson (13.1 points and 4.6 rebounds across 14 games) was deactivated after only three games when the Wildcats decided he was not providing the team balance and perimeter threat they required, with three-point specialist Andre Ingram (via Los Angeles D-Fenders) signed as his replacement. Ingram (8.5 points across 2 games) left Perth after only two appearances and returned to the United States citing mental health issues. With Martin sidelined by a fractured jaw and Jarrod Kenny also unavailable with a groin injury, Perth immediately brought Johnson back into the team only days after replacing him.

Redhage’s best game came against Adelaide at Titanium Security Arena on December 3, where Redhage (11 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) made two three-pointers and helped Perth recover from a 15-point deficit and force overtime. Johnson (18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals), Kenny (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) and McKay (13 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 blocks) also contributed, while Jerome Randle (23 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Adelaide to a 92-86 overtime victory.

Perth continued to struggle and had fallen to last place with a 7-9 record when Johnson was released for a second time on December 23, with the club again citing the need to improve team balance. Former NBA guard Bryce Cotton (via Anadolu Efes) was signed as his replacement in early January after leaving the Turkish club the previous month. Cotton (23.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals across 16 games) scored 26 points on debut against Sydney on January 7, the same night Martin returned from his MCL injury, and the combination immediately changed Perth’s season. The Wildcats were 8-9 entering Cotton’s debut, went 7-4 over their final 11 regular-season games with him and then 5-0 during the playoffs, finishing 12-4 across his 16 appearances.

On January 30, Redhage announced he would retire from the NBL at the end of the season. He had already moved into a smaller role over the previous two seasons but remained an important veteran presence as Perth fought to extend its playoff streak, with four games remaining when he announced his decision.

Prather (19.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.6 steals across 32 games) remained Perth’s leading scorer before Cotton arrived and finished second in NBL MVP voting behind Adelaide’s Randle while earning All-NBL First Team honours and winning the Gordon Ellis Medal as Wildcats MVP. Knight (11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds across 22 games), Wagstaff (9 points across 33 games), McKay (7.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across 33 games), Brandt (6 points across 33 games) and Martin (4.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.7 steals across 22 games) provided the other major contributions, while Cotton finished as the NBL’s leading scorer.

Perth entered the final round needing to win both games to guarantee its 31st consecutive playoff appearance. Against Sydney on February 10, Redhage (11 points) matched his season-high while making five of six shots as Prather (29 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Cotton (21 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Perth to a 101-74 victory, while Brad Newley (19 points) led Sydney.

Two days later in Melbourne, Redhage (2 points and 1 steal) played limited minutes as Prather (26 points and 11 assists), Cotton (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Knight (15 points and 10 rebounds) led Perth. Josh Boone (27 points and 11 rebounds) and Casper Ware (27 points and 6 assists) led Melbourne, but the Wildcats won 96-94 to finish third with a 15-13 record and extend their playoff streak to 31 consecutive seasons.

Perth opened the semifinals in Cairns, where Redhage (0 points and 2 rebounds) played four minutes as Cotton (34 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals), Prather (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Knight (14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Wildcats to a 91-69 victory. Travis Trice (15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) and Mark Worthington (11 points and 4 rebounds) led Cairns.

Game two moved to Perth Arena, where Redhage (0 points) played the final minutes as Prather (24 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Wagstaff (20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals) led the Wildcats. Trice (22 points and 5 assists) and Tony Mitchell (17 points and 5 rebounds) led Cairns, but Perth won 74-66 to complete the semifinal sweep.

Perth opened the Grand Final against Illawarra at Perth Arena, where Redhage (0 points) played three minutes as Prather (22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Cotton (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Knight (18 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led a balanced Wildcats attack. Cody Ellis (12 points and 4 rebounds) was Illawarra’s leading scorer as Perth won 89-77.

Game two moved to Wollongong, where Redhage (2 points) played seven minutes as Cotton (20 points and 3 steals), Prather (18 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals), Brandt (15 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Martin (12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) helped Perth win 89-77 again. AJ Ogilvy (21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks) and Rotnei Clarke (21 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Illawarra, while Knight suffered a concussion during the third quarter and was ruled out of game three.

With Knight unavailable, Redhage (3 points and 1 steal) moved into the starting lineup for his final NBL game as Perth attempted to complete the sweep at Perth Arena. Cotton (45 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) made seven three-pointers and produced the highest-scoring Grand Final game in NBL history, while Prather (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Wagstaff (10 points and 3 assists) provided support. Clarke (30 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Ogilvy (11 points and 7 rebounds) led Illawarra, but Perth won 95-86 to complete a 5-0 postseason and claim its eighth championship. Cotton was named Grand Final MVP after averaging 27.7 points across the series as Perth won back-to-back championships for the first time since 1991. “Not many guys get to go out with a Championship, so I’m proud of this team,” Redhage said. Redhage collected his fourth championship in his final NBL game.

Shawn Redhage played thirteen seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Perth Wildcats and the New Zealand Breakers. He averaged 14.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 393 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:

– 35th in total points
– 48th in total rebounds

HIGHLIGHTS: