I think a few games crammed in is tolerable - it's happening to most teams. Also, some travel between back-to-backs isn't horrible unless you're coming back from Singapore to play that day, or going from Auckland to Perth, as you said (Cairns to Auckland is another rough one).

If games could be better spaced, we'd probably see players performing better - more rest, more chance to recover from minor injuries.

The 36ers have avoided any massive gaps in their schedule (biggest has been around 9-10 days I think) though there was a gap without a home game from December 15 to January 12 (good timing for fans to get away I thought).

Main beef for me is when a team plays an opponent more than once in a short space of time. e.g., Adelaide get through the majority of the season without having played Cairns; then they either get lucky and catch them both times with significant injuries, or get them full strength twice (e.g., Cattalini is back after missing most of the season). NZ have the same thing with Perth - the Breakers have played 25 out of 30 games, and still have to meet the Wildcats twice.

For me the worst part of the scheduling is when you play games on consecutive nights and have to fly on the morning of the second game. Normally means late to bed after a game and an early start the next day to get to airport etc etc. Brisbane/Gold Coast on consecutive nights shouldnt be all that bad as its only a 50min drive.

Also as Isaac has said to play a team 3 times in short period can be a great advantage - or disavantage depending on how each team is travelling at that point of the season.

In reality I cant see the scheduling issues being properly addressed until the league is revamped and everyone plays the others twice - one home and one away. When and how that will happen is anyones guess

Statman, I think teams sometimes fly out straight after a game in those cases, but not sure.

I wonder if the Brisbane game on Saturday was originally scheduled to be in Brisbane in an early draft of the draw. But then had to change due to venue issues and maybe they found it too hard to re jig the entire draw so they just swapped this game with the last one. Is there anything on at the Ent Cent on Saturday night?

Good point Oden! I think you're right as it looks like the Brisbane International Motor Show is on at the Convention Centre this weekend.

I agree with Statman on the play twice arrangement over a 24 game season. Not only would this even things up somewhat, but it would make the scheduling a little easier with less games to coordinate.

Home games would drop from 15 to 12 which could be a problem for Clubs needing the extra gate money.

As the alternative of playing each team three times (making for a 36 game season), seems too many, the other option would be the introduction of new teams.

While I'm not a big fan of non-Australian teams, I heard last week from an informed source that there is talk of a team from Hong Kong being looked at for 2009/2010.

As the Hawks now look good for next season, perhaps a 14 team league running a 26 game schedule may look pretty good next year.

I would like o see a team play out of Macau at the new Venetian Casino. It would be another drawcard for the place and should get plenty of fans/tourists attending. Much like I'd like to see an NBA team in Vegas (preferably a new team and not Seattle)