Alright il guess il chime in before everyone else but THAT SUCKS!!!

That does suck.

Think they are a good chance to bounce back on Saturday night with a win.

But without an upgrade at point. I don't see them making the top 4. Need a guy who can finish, a guy who can score and win them matches in addition to running the offense. Like Wilbekin.

Boti sounded kinda sold on Wilbs coming back $$$ im guessing

Yeah it sucks... I had a feeling that was going to be the situation.

Let's hope Markel pulls himself out of his slump.

This might be what starks needs!? But yeah sucks from a fan of the league point of view

Boti got this one real wrong haha. Cairns can kiss playoffs good bye if they stay with Starks. Some said on here before that he looks like a 16 year old playing with men. So true.

I can't remain optimistic on this one - Cairns will struggle to make the playoffs. The biggest concern to me (though they could all be related) is not the loss of Wilbekin or Downer or the injuries or the FG%, it's that Fearne appears to have retreated back to his old coaching habits of 2013/14.

retreated back into his old coaching habits?

Poor substitutions (they seem based on pre-scheduled game plan instead of taking into account the game flow), not calling a timeout when the run of play begs for it, body language on and off the court (more tense/pressured instead of relaxed and calm).

To his credit he adapted last year after being called out on it by the players. Maybe Gliddon needs to have a word to him.

I can understand tense body language on the court when we're 1/14 and players keep missing d assignments. Some of the people complaining about his subbing patterns were the same people complaining about his subbing patterns last year even while we were on a winning streak. like Taylor Swift said, 'subbing pattern haters gonna hate regardless'. Note: i'm not suggesting that you're a subbing hater or a taylor swift fan Wilson. I don't see any difference in his subbing/TO tactics this season - with the exception of the Breakers game where Torey and Weigh's subbing were different when they were trying to get TC rolling.

Things always look worse and get over analyzed when shots aren't dropping and the L's rack up. It's also a lot easier to stay loose when you start the season with a 6 game winning streak.

(btw the whole 'the players/management told Fearne to pull his head in at the start of last season' in some kind of coaching intervention is an urban myth.... It's no doubt he changed his approach on a few things, as he should of, but Dr Phil and Maury Povich weren't involved. I've not seen or heard anything off court that suggests he's 'reverted' back to anything.)

But I think it's well established that we view the world through different coloured glasses Comrade Sting :)

Podge, are you still doing your column for the Cairns Post?

Only for home games Touch.

I do interpretive dance for away games.

Tits, there goes there season.

At least it's an excuse for a few boozy mid-week nights out. Although I'll be skulling beers in the car park after the second quarter rather than pay Convention Centre prices.

hahaha pack a couple extra for me.

I'm well aware what was reported and what happened Anon.

I think one of Fearne's weaknesses has always been his tendency to point the finger outwards when things go wrong, rather than perhaps being more introspective as the team's leader to work through problems.

It was the miracle of "oops I don't have contract next year" that made the coach be civil to his players for once last year. Now he's banked the 3 year deal its business as usual of blaming the players for everything & missing finals again.

hahaha alright then....

Yeah I'm not buying the conspiracy. Fearne's done a great job with that franchise but he's not flawless.

How bout cats release Prather and get scotty, play Damo off the bench.......YES

spot on snooch.

(he'd be the first to admit that too.)

Someone else was saying that Cairns is missing a bit of stardust this year and I'm inclined to agree. I've been looking at that team and trying to find an MVP but I'm really struggling to work out who it could be. There are potentially maybe 6 people who are going to get up to around 12-15 points on good night, you get 4 of those guys firing, Burston and Bruce put in a few and you're going to win a lot of your games, but there's nobody leading them. I'm going to stick my neck out and suggest that maybe Cam Gliddon isn't the guy they need as captain right now. I think maybe he got away with it last year because they didn't really ever get challenged enough, and until the finals they didn't get challenged that much.

What they need is someone who can drag the rest of the team out of a bad patch, or get everyone fired up when the other team fires it up a notch. Gliddon's been too inconsistent with his shooting to do that, Starks looks lost and low on confidence and Wortho's the new guy.

Not sure what the answer is beyond everyone digging a whole lot deeper and hoping they turn a corner.

So you didn't watch the NZ game then?

So you didn't watch the NZ game then?

He was good, but he also looked really frustrated at times. I think Fearne needs to bite the bullet and start him for 2-3 games and give him some really strong minutes.

"I think one of Fearne's weaknesses has always been his tendency to point the finger outwards when things go wrong, rather than perhaps being more introspective as the team's leader to work through problems."

Fearny was on radio during the week and when asked about why the losing streak, he said "It's on me. I've got to sit in front of a mirror and figure out what I'm doing wrong."

No pointing fingers at anyone, no laying the blame anywhere else, taking it on himself.

And at what Scottie's agent started talking, no wonder he's gone to Europe and we were not interested. Starks took it to Adelaide tonight, he'll get there. We still run on a shoe-string up here, but at least we make a profit doing it.