i think we are a chance,i also think perth will finish in the top 4 or 5. It depends on which offencive sixers team rocks up. The 5 out lets bomb it from the outside offence(which i dont usually mind if they all drop), Or lets play like a team and hit the open man offence. I think we will match up well against them in defence. Im curious who will match up on the rookie Loughton, He can pull up from outside and take you in the post. My season ticket says sixers by 3. My brain is telling me the wild cats at the buzzer.either way should be awesome game. Go sixers!!

Cats easily

Crawford facing surgery - if he plays, Perth will be tough IMO and I think Adelaide enter as underdogs.

I don't hold out much hope but a win would be fantastic...(er der) A lot has been said about this team needing to gel so a road trip might be just what the doc ordered. A road win could see some back slapping and some new found confidence. Even a close loss could provide benefits. We just don't want a nasty blow-out... and i honestly don't think this team will let that happen.

The 5 out lets bomb it from the outside offence which i dont usually mind !!!! gee skink, that doesnt sound like you at all .....

Perth, holding a 10 point advantage for most of the game. I don't think we can beat them now on their own court, but I am hoping by the end of the season we will be able to.

My bets for tonight and tomorrow:

Tigers line at -4
Wildcats line at -9
Breakers line at -7.5
Wildcats vs 36ers total under 204.5
Breakers vs Crocs total under 200.5
Loughton to outscore the pack
Pepper to outscore the pack
Robertson more threes than Forman

Was tempted to take Chappell at $7+ to outscore the pack. One game soon he's going to have to come good!

Although this doesn't inspire me Isaac:

"Smyth said import Mike Chappell (back) had been continuing to progress this week after showing some glimpses against the Dragons. "How Mike survives the flight to Perth is the unknown," he said."

Sounds like Symth is already pre-empting another poor performance from Chappell and has a ready-made excuse for the poor performance.

How long do you retain a player who risks injuring his back everytime he flies interstate??

Rat, I saw that. Smyth is often one to under-promise so he could just be paving an easier road for Chappell should he struggle with his shot again.

It's a tough call re waiting on his recovery IMO. I guess as long as their record is reasonable (2-1 is where most would expect them to be), they can show a bit more patience.

Though Boti played his "this game will show where we're at" card in the Melbourne preview, he's also said that this road trip will tell us more and I completely agree.

They should be able to come away with 2-2 from the next four games or better if they are real contenders. Still got it fairly smooth after that (seven winnable games IMO). My concern is that they want to convert as many of the even chances (Breakers on the road, Cats on the road, Blaze, Dragons, etc) now before they start coming up against Brisbane and Cairns a bit more often later in the season.

The Pigs showing some ability early mixes things up in the second bracket of teams 5-8.

Anon - don't blame you - will be interesting games for sure. I just think that Melbourne have enough firepower to overcome anyone having an off-night. Cairns haven't scored a lot this year whereas Melbourne are averaging 100+/game and can also play a bit of defense of their own.

posted on the cats website yesterday....

"Perth's early season injury woes continue with Peter Crawford facing the prospect of missing his first game since becoming a Wildcat with an infected cyst requiring surgery this week."

maybe opens the door just a enough?...Darren can belt out another 29 point game, Chappell hits form..and Brett...is just Brett.

36ers by 1 in OT :)

Spotted this on OzHoops re Brad Davidson:

Side strain according to todays West, and question mark over the amount of minutes he will get.

So Isaac, are you taking that as a multi??? Massive odds if they all came off!!!
My tip though would be to have Redhage outscore the pack.
Where do you get your odds for the NZ games as it seems that TAB and Sportsbet don't ever have odds for NZ home games.

I use Centrebet - lots of options there. Don't think Redhage was in the pack - think it was Loughton, Chappell, Phillips and couple others - can't remember.

In the Crocs-NZ game, it was Pepper, Young, Jones, Turner and Rickert. Rickert was favourite.

Issac do you have any inside information regarding "Robertson more threes than Forman"?? :P

I think Perth will win by 10+. My guess would be 20. I think the difference tonight will be one coach can get the best out of his players the other one can't. I hope I eat my words though :)

I nearly always bet against Oscar in head-to-head threes - that way, either he does well, or I win a token bet. No inside information - it's a bet I'm always happy to lose.

True but not a bet I'm happy to lose :P I would say Oscar has the edge in this one.

Funny you say you that Isaac, I tend to do the same during the footy season.

With Davidson and Chappell not 100% fit, I think could be just the difference as Crawford is playing.
Might be just a bit too hard for us to win in Perth.

Perth easily by 15+
Loughton to eat up adelaide like he did in pre season...
Go Tigers!!! [and Jingles]

dammit...it shouldve been OT...missed to many easy ones lol