Four years of personal excellence but finals disappointments were all wiped away on Friday night when Shawn Redhage became a championship captain with the Perth Wildcats.

Redhage arrived in Perth for the 2005/06 season and had a point to prove after his stint with the New Zealand Breakers left him with a bitter taste.

He immediately showed his quality over the last four years as he was named the Wildcats' MVP each season and earned a spot in the Boomers squad for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 after becoming a naturalised Australian, but what was missing was playoff success.

There were disappointing home losses to Cairns and Townsville in the four years and a tight semi-final series loss to Sydney included in those exits for the Wildcats, but things have now changed with the 'Cats winning the title in his first year as captain.

The Wildcats had talent in each year Redhage has been in Perth, but what was missing a focus on getting better as a team and having a plan in place that looked beyond winning game by game, but creating a culture built for long-term success.

Coach Rob Beveridge brought that approach to the team in his first season in charge and the return of Martin Cattalini, and arrivals of Kevin Lisch, Damian Martin, Galen Young, Luke Schenscher, Drew Williamson and Jesse Wagstaff were the pieces to get the 'Cats over the hump.

Redhage bought into what Beveridge was preaching and was prepared to get set for the long haul of developing that winning culture, but now he looks back and sees Beveridge and Lisch, in particular, as the ones that brought the championship back to Perth.

"We talked at the start of the year and Bevo called me in and it seemed like we were just going to bring a group of young guys in and hopefully develop in two to three years time. He sold me on that plan, but the way that he taught us this year about wanting to be great and improve was different to what we had talked about in this club in the four years I've been here," Redhage said.

"It's always been about winning and this year was about the process, and getting guys with great character. It's a different feel and it's a special moment for all of us, especially myself and Brad Robbins who have been there through that four or five year stretch where we just couldn’t get over that hump. Bevo and Kevin gave us that difference I think."

Redhage can't speak highly enough of what coach Beveridge has brought to the Wildcats this season that saw him join Alan Black, Murray Arnold and Adrian Hurley as Perth championship coaches, and to help Redhage join Mike Ellis, Cal Bruton and Andrew Vlahov as title-winning captains.

"It's been a completely different focus for us this year and as players, Bevo held us accountable and wanted us to try and be great. It wasn’t about winning a championship, it was about trying to be the best we could be and challenging us every day," he said.

"When we got our mind off of winning and the process, the winning happened. We had a belief in him, he's won World Championships, so there was that instant respect, but through the year he has earned all the guys' respect to another level and I'm glad we found him and Perth has him. He was a big reason for why we won the championship this year."