Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The long-running dispute between the Bendigo Spirit and former coach Bernie Harrower has been resolved.
The Spirit and Harrower have reached an out of court settlement after the two-time WNBL championship coach sued the club for unpaid entitlements.
The details of the settlement won’t be made public, but Harrower said in a statement he was pleased with the outcome.
“A lot of people think that I was suing the club for breach of contract, the fact is I was suing the club for entitlements that had been owed to me for a number of years,’’ Harrower said in a statement.
“I had contracts with the club and now I am pleased to say that the Spirit and I have reached agreement on those contracts, which now means that the pending court action will no longer proceed.
“As the person who started the club, and after competing in three grand finals in a row, it was disappointing that it had to come to this, but I was left with no alternative other than to take this course of action.
“It has been a long drawn out process since March last year, and I can now say that I am pleased and relieved that it has now come to an end, and that I am happy with the result.”
Bendigo Spirit chairman Greg Bickley said the club was pleased the saga was over.
“We’ve avoided the case going to trial which is preferable for all parties,’’ Bickley said.
“We can all get on with what we need to focus on.
“It was a source of distraction for all involved, not just the club but Bernie as well.
“It’s something we’re glad to have behind us and we can look forward to next season… knowing that we have complete control of our own destiny.
“We’re looking forward to what the season can bring.”
Harrower took the opportunity to thank everyone that played a part in his time with the Spirit.
“The Bendigo Spirit has provided me with so many special memories. The back-to-back WNBL championships are the highlights of my basketball career.
“I couldn’t have experienced those great highs without the support of so many people.
“My wife Janice has been a basketball widow for more than 30 years. I couldn’t do what I do without her support.
“My daughters Kylee and Kristi had been by my side all the way. Trying to juggle running my own business with coaching the Spirit was tough and I couldn’t have done it without the help of Kylee and Kristi.
“Kylee put in amazing amount of work off the court to help the Spirit and what Kristi achieved for the club should never be understated.
“Thank you to all those players that were loyal to me that I have coached with the Spirit. Against the odds we achieved more than I could have ever imagined. Those players will always be special to me.”
“I’ve been lucky to have had wonderful support staff in all my time with the Spirit. A big thank you to my assistant coaches, physio and medical teams, fitness coaches and the volunteers who helped make the club tick.
“A special thank you to Jonathon Goodman, who has been a very loyal assistant coach and friend, and also to Graham Taylor who sat beside me for over twenty years.
“A big thank you to the Spirit’s fans, the fans have stuck with the club through thick and thin and their support for me is something I will always cherish.”
