Townsville are much better on PAPER then their record suggests. In reality they stink.

than*

I think you are being too hard on them Mick.

Sure they haven't had the success you may have expected but they don't have the worst record in the league, have beaten some pretty useful teams and have done so while dealing with off court issues (both individually and as an organisation).

If they can keep the nucleus, get the Marksman back on target and get another big man who is more offensively versatile than both Jacob and Greg then I expect them to be even more difficult next year (if they make it back). It's not all bad.

Despite your opinion Mick they still present their problems for opposition teams and are far from easy beats.

Pledger is not a huge loss.
Crocs playing for pride at home have caused some upsets, but I don't think they'll be a match for NZ gunning for top spot.

I reckon the Crocs are good. Much like the Hawks have lost some games that could've gone either way. Their record may show they stink, but they play decent basketball grind it style.

Breakers should win this game but wouldn't be surprised if Crocs fought their way to a win.

Does anyone know exactly why Markovic is still coming off the bench. Is it still injury management or is he really that unfit ?

After the Wildcats beat out the Taipans this is a great opportunity for NZ to grab the top spot again.

@Mystro,

My only regret, haha. :)

Haha fair enough? At least you guys got Knight back in time for the playoffs.

Breakers have dropped games to both Kings and Crocs now ... Ouch. Battles for top spot well and truly on still.

Blanchfield with another monster game, 27 points and 8 boards. He loves playing against New Zealand.

Good to see Blanchfield with so many FGA. We are much better when he takes the most shots on this team, he's such an efficient scorer: elite finisher, 3 pt shooter, and free throw shooter, with all of his buckets coming at the rim or from deep.

Wow, two big dropped games from NZ, shocked.

Top 4 teams are decided, just order to work on now, but finals are looking interesting.
NZ looking vulnerable.

NZ dropping two in a row that they really should have got up for, kudos to the Crocs for getting the W.

It's made the finals race that much more interesting.

Round 19 will be huge for NZ with the Adelaide 36ers visiting & then the road trip to Perth to face the Wildcats.

NZ will need to play themselves into some form if title #4 is too become a reality with Adelaide & Cairns both showing consistency over the past few rounds while NZ has been fairly helter skelter.

sorry not 2x in a row but 2x within a short space of time after going something like 10/12.
not a good look at the pointy end of the season especially when it has quite possibly cost them HC advantage.

Maybe Cairns and NZ are tanking to avoid Adelaide in the first round!!!

"Adelaide should be the fav for the title based on current form and new roster additions."

Sure, if you were playing Sydney and Wollongong in the finals.

NZ have done the hard work all season, on that basis they should have been favourites, but these two recent inexplicable losses throw that into doubt.
On that recent form, Adelaide (or Perth) are a chance to roll them in the Semis.

I blame the education system