Lauren Jackson may have been the headline act but the Southside Flyers could very well lay claim to being the most decorated WNBL championship-winning team of all after securing the title in emphatic fashion.
The Flyers were forced to do it the hard way on Sunday, firstly being pushed to three games by cross-town rivals the Melbourne Boomers in the semi-finals while conceding home court with the State Basketball Centre unavailable.
Southside then lost the opening game of the grand final series to the Perth Lynx in Melbourne by 22 points last Sunday where they were run off their legs.
They also had to dig deep to bounce back in Perth on Thursday and did so thanks to a shot on the buzzer from eventual series MVP, Mercedes Russell.
Then come game three back in Melbourne on Sunday, the Flyers were unstoppable, romping to a 115-81 victory to claim the franchise's fifth championship, and second since the rebrand from the Dandenong Rangers.
It's a remarkably decorated team even before you even consider the players' feats in the WNBA and international basketball.
All-time great Jackson is now a six-time WNBL champion having won her first title since 2010 after notching her first way back in 1999.
Jackson is one of three mothers on the team, with Leilani Mitchell now a four-time champion while Carley Ernst hit three triples in a two-minute burst of the third quarter to win a second championship.
Captain Bec Cole is now also a two-time champion while Maddy Rocci won a third championship and there are emerging talents too like Nyadiew Puoch and Louise Brown.
With the size up front of Jackson, Ernst and Russell, the tenacious back court of Rocci and Mitchell, and then the leadership of Cole, they were more than deserving champions.
Cheryl Chambers is now a three-time championship winning coach and couldn’t be prouder of her team.
"They're a great group, they were awesome and I know how much they wanted it," she said.
"I know we had a pretty rough start to the year so it's so great to see that we were able to come together and get over the line.
"You go on a journey with a group of girls who are really special, so I'm just rapped for them and for us, and for our families and supporters."
It might have been a heartbreaking way to lose a second grand final in three years for the Lynx, but first-year captain and 2022 MVP Anneli Maley was emotional afterwards about what her move to Perth has meant.
"Thank you to my girls for showing me how to fall in love with the game again," she said.
"I've never played for a club that has supported their players as much, so thank you so much, and congratulations to the Southside girls."
