Kane

The Perth interview carried another significance that had nothing to do with basketball.

My half-brother Kane lived in Perth.

Kane and I had been estranged for much of our lives. Our father had not been part of my life since I was eleven, and the consequences of that family history meant Kane and I never had the ordinary experience of growing up together as brothers.

By the time Perry Lakes brought me to Western Australia, we were both mature enough to understand that we could not rewrite childhood, but we could decide what adulthood looked like.

We spent time together while I was there for the interview and discovered how many interests we shared. There was no manufactured reconciliation or dramatic moment. We simply had the chance to know each other properly, and the bond began to solidify.

That made Perth feel different. Professionally, I was being offered the chance to rebuild a career. Personally, I was being given the chance to rebuild a relationship with my brother.

One trip west unexpectedly offered me two opportunities to recover something I had lost.

A career and a brother.

Whatever ultimately happened with Perry Lakes, I would never regard my time in Perth as entirely lost. In one profoundly important respect, I would leave Western Australia with more family than I had when I arrived.

On 12 May, Morgan called.

After the conversation I sent through the vision and structure material he wanted to circulate to the Board.

His response said they would have a draft contract for me by Friday.

By 22 May the contract arrived.

That same day Rockhampton Basketball sent through an offer of its own.

For a short period I had a choice.

Rockhampton had been transparent about its challenges and I respected that enormously.

But the Perry Lakes opportunity had been presented as a financially stable Association seeking a basketball person with business acumen who could help drive the organisation forward.

I chose Perth.

On 24 May I signed the contract.

The next chapter had a start date.

8 June 2026.