Our people. Our stories. Our history: Annette and Dave

Annette and Dave’s connection to the Perth Wildcats has stretched across decades, finals series, friendships, train rides, Japanese dinners, shared routines and in one particularly special chapter, their wedding day. 

What started as a love of basketball has grown into something much more personal, with the Wildcats becoming part of the rhythm of their relationship and one of the great constants in their life together.

Annette has been a Wildcats member since 2014, while Dave’s connection to the club dates back even further, to the early 1990s, a few years after he moved to Western Australia with his family. Having arrived in Perth in 1987 as an 18-year-old, Dave was still finding his way in a new place when he was introduced to the Wildcats through an Italian friend named Flavio, whose mother was a passionate supporter.

“She was a massive Wildcats fan,” Dave said. “She used to sit and shout at the TV in Italian, and that sort of got me starting to watch the Wildcats because I didn’t even know anything about them at the time.”

What began as curiosity soon turned into genuine passion, and before long, the club had found a permanent place in his life at a time when the Wildcats were becoming one of the defining sporting forces in Western Australia.

“I just fell in love with the sport and the team,” he said.

By the time Dave and Annette began going out, the Wildcats were already woven into the story. It was during the 2014 finals series which they attended, that one player in particular left a lasting impression. Damien Martin, already admired across the league for his toughness, defence, leadership and ability to influence winning, quickly became one of Dave and Annette’s favourite players.

“Damo was one of the best players,” Dave said. “He was sensational, and he became basically a sporting hero of ours.”

Years later, when Dave and Annette decided to get married, Dave knew exactly how he wanted to bring the Wildcats into the day. First, he asked Annette to marry him. Then, in a move that would surprise almost everyone at the wedding, he picked up the phone and contacted Damien Martin to see whether he would be their celebrant.

“The very first person I asked was Annette to marry me, thankfully,” Dave said. “The second thing I did was phone Damien Martin to see if he would be my celebrant.”

The plan was kept completely secret from their guests, meaning friends and family arrived at the wedding expecting to celebrate Dave and Annette, with no idea that a six-time Perth Wildcats championship hero would be standing there waiting to marry them. When Martin appeared on the day, the reaction was everything Dave had hoped for, with guests slowly realising that the person leading the ceremony was one of the most beloved players in Wildcats history.

“Damien turned up on the day of our wedding and nobody in the crowd had a clue,” Dave said. “There was a lot of jaws dropping, a lot of people going, ‘Oh my God, that’s Damien Martin.’”

Dave and Annette couldn't be happier, it was the perfect way to include one of their great shared passions in one of the biggest moments of their lives. Having Damo create an unforgettable experience at their wedding day turned their connection with the club and other members of the Red Army into an unbreakable bond.

“The Red Army is just incredible,” Annette said. “Being part of that and being part of that community, you feel like you’re not only West Australian, but you’re part of this real basketball community, and it goes beyond just the games.”

The community has been built for Dave and Annette over years of sitting in the same row, surrounded by many of the same people and the shared understanding that everyone has come together for the same reason.

One young supporter, who sits a few rows behind them, has become one of their favourite parts of the experience. His energy, voice and running commentary have become part of the soundtrack of their game night.

“It’s not a game without his voice,” Annette said. “He kind of narrates the whole game, and he’s so fabulous. His mum and dad come down to us and say, ‘I hope it wasn’t too loud,’ and we said, ‘No, we love it.’ It enhances the experience for us.”

Another young fan nearby has grown up right in front of them, from a little girl attending games to now being around 12 years old. Over the years, Dave and Annette have passed on Wildcats memorabilia whenever they could, in the hopes that long-time fans could help younger supporters feel part of something special.

“We watched her be this little five-year-old and now she’s like 12 or something,” Annette said. “We’ve always handed her all the old gear that we’ve had, and the hats and anything that we win, we always give it to her.

“Game day is just magic at RAC Arena,” Annette said. “When you see all the kids dressed up and they’ve got all the face paint on, and then the dancers, and there’s stuff happening at halftime, there’s stuff happening at quarter time, you just get swept up in it. It’s such a great experience.”

Their connection to game night begins well before they reach RAC Arena. Dave and Annette usually catch the train into the city and stop at a Japanese restaurant they love before making their way to the game. Over time, that pre-game visit has become a ritual of its own, with the staff recognising them, knowing their routine and often having two coldies ready before they've even asked.

“We made a habit of just turning up in our Wildcats gear,” Annette said. “As soon as we walk in, they pour our drinks before we even ask. They’ve got two on the bench, they know exactly where we want to sit.”

The routine has become so associated with the Wildcats that when Annette and Dave visit the restaurant on a non-game day, staff sometimes assume the team must be playing.

The Perth Wildcats have become part of the fabric of Annette and Dave's life together. Their story is a reminder that the history of the Perth Wildcats is written in the supporters who keep showing up and over time, find that the club has become part of their own story too.