What the champions said

It was a day the Hawks' players, coaches, staff and the Wollongong community will never forget - a second championship in Illawarra on a history-making day.

Here's what the players had to say after their Game 5 victory.

Tyler Harvey

"It means a lot. 

"It’s just been amazing. When I signed back, it just didn’t feel right, off contract ... (I) didn’t bring a championship here. 

"This town deserved it, this city deserved it. 

"We’ve got a great group of guys that just came together for one common goal and we got it done." 

Harvey on Will Hickey...
"I’ve seen him (Hickey) grow from three years ago not playing, year after that barely playing, coming in late in the year getting a couple of minutes. 

"He’s a grinder, he’s a winner.

"Without him, we don’t get this championship. That man has been unbelievable."

Will Hickey

"I’m lost for words. I’m just trying to soak the moment in.

"I’m just so proud of us. We were down, we were out. 

"It’s the grit that we showed. Two losses on our home court and to come out and finish it here tonight, that’s making me really emotional. 

"I’ve been believing in myself my whole life, nobody’s believed in me. So why not come out and instil that belief into us, and our fans and to Illawarra? 

"Camaraderie … you can look right now, you won’t see a sad face anywhere around here right now. Every single person in there is happy for the next person."

Trey Kell III

"From the day I signed, JT (Tatum) and Tyler made it clear ... this is the goal. 

"It feels really good against a really good team to be a champion. 

"All our hard work was worth it ... whoever was available to play, we had a chance to win."

Dan Grida

"We’re really tight. This is our family. We loved every second of this season. 

"Winning the championship is the ultimate goal for this city, so it’s been unbelievable."

On overcoming his injury struggles...
"There were so many times that I was ready to just pack it up ... I couldn’t get through it anymore.

"This team, this community just got around me so much and I just thought 'I’ve got to give back to them somehow'."

Sam Froling

"That’s what I wanted, the Championship. If I was out there or not, it doesn’t matter ... it’s so special.

"The town’s going to be buzzing for a long time after this."

- Via Code Sports

Todd Blanchfield 

"16 years is a long time, but, at the end of the day I love this game. I love turning up every day to work, but especially with a group like this, from the get-go, we had a special bond, it was different, win, lose or draw, we're never too high, we're never too low.

"Obviously the minor premiership throughout the year was the goal, but the job wasn't even half done.

"We had the most important part to go and we were a little bit up and down, but you know that's finals basketball. You got to be able to win, you've got to be able to win ugly, and I think tonight, I think that was the epitome of us putting four quarters together, or probably 35 minutes."

- Via The Illawarra Mercury

Wani Swaka Lo Buluk

"We did it for the city of Wollongong. 

"The fans were amazing. We couldn’t have done it without them."

- Via Code Sports