‘I don’t feel bad’: Perth Wildcat’s brutal message to Covid-hit rivals

Covid-19 has upended the NBL fixture, but you won’t find the Perth Wildcats sympathising with the teams hit the worst.

Scott Morrison took over from Trevor Gleeson as coach of the Wildcats this season. Picture: Ian Hitchcock / Getty Images

Perth Wildcats coach Scott Morrison has no sympathy for the four NBL teams who have been sidelined for nearly three weeks due to Covid-19, suggesting those teams could find themselves at an advantage as the season progresses.

Covid outbreaks have given the NBL a headache since just before Christmas when a positive test result in the Illawarra Hawks camp forced their December 23 clash with the South East Melbourne Phoenix to be postponed.

The virus has since found its way into other teams’ ranks and forced a handful of other fixtures to be scrapped.

As a result, the Hawks, Phoenix, Adelaide 36ers and Brisbane Bullets have all gone almost three weeks without playing a game.

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The Sixers had been due to make their long-awaited return to the court against the Wildcats on Friday, but the NBL confirmed on Wednesday that the game would be pushed back to January 12 in accordance with its biosecurity protocols.

While the news was frustrating for patient South Australian basketball fans hoping to see their team in action, Morrison said he couldn’t care less that the Sixers’ hiatus would continue.

“They’re our rivals,” said Morrison, whose Wildcats are on a road trip that will keep them out of Perth until February.

“I want them to be healthy; I’d never root for sickness or injury, but at the same time, I’m not rooting for anybody to get a break other than us.

“I’m sure they’re not rooting for us to catch any breaks and they’re not shedding any tears for us being away from home for six weeks.

“So no, I don’t feel bad.”

You won’t find Scott Morrison worrying about the Wildcats’ rivals. Picture: Ian Hitchcock / Getty Images

Morrison said the teams who went through the Christmas and new year period without playing may find themselves at an advantage in the long-term.

While the NBL has previously postponed games when sides still had enough fit players to field a team, Morrison said that could change as the season progressed.

“(The Sixers, Hawks, Phoenix and Bullets) had a disadvantage for a minute, but it almost worked in their favour,” he said.

“If every team was to get Covid at some point in time, they got it at the right time because it didn’t cost them any games in terms of the full roster.

“I think now the league’s going to try and push for replacement players, and as long as you have eight guys you can play.

“So in a certain way, those guys kind of took the brunt of it early, but maybe history will show they got it at the right time.”

CJ Bruton’s tenure as coach of the Sixers is off to a turbulent start. Picture: Albert Perez / Getty Images

Morrison said while it could be challenging to adapt to the schedule’s changes, he predicted there would soon be a light at the end of the tunnel.

“Overall, the delays are pretty frustrating, probably for everyone from the players and coaches to the fans,” he admitted.

“We just want to see some basketball, so I wish we could get some clarity to our schedule, but hopefully that’s coming this week.”

Round 6 of the NBL season is due to get under way this Saturday when the Tasmania JackJumpers meet the Sydney Kings in Hobart.

Originally published as ‘I don’t feel bad’: Perth Wildcat’s brutal message to Covid-hit rivals