Prather needs to play for the cats to win. Cotton can score but needs Prather to take some heat.
Anyone know if Worthington is back?

From last week's press conference it almost sounded like Cairns might choose one game in the double for Wortho if his back hasn't improved.

You've got a (red) army, but we've got a Stephen Weigh.

Perth have been horrible at home lately. It's unacceptable for them to lose this game. Cairns have been a thorn in the side of the cats in recent years and as much as I'd love to see Perth blow the snakes out of the stadium - I can see this game going to the wire.

If we don't win this game then I'd say Gleeson should go home and start packing his bags.
Because our next game is in NZ on Sunday.

"A cryptic tweet by teammate Jameel McKay on Thursday night poured doubt on Prather's situation despite the coach’s hope."

https://thewest.com.au/sport/basketball/prather-trains-with-wildcats-but-doubts-remain-going-into-cairns-clash-ng-b88359737z

Think the west might be reading too much into McKay's tweet. Some of his tweets are a bit out there.

http://www.taipans.com/featured-news/cquniversity-cairns-taipans-sign-tony-mitchell/

Not sure if he is playing

Season on the line is just the kind of thing the complacent Cats need to fire them up.

Can't see them losing this one

Anyone know how many tickets are sold?

Cairns usually don't draw a big crowd. We know there will be at least 10,093 :P

Haha yes but that won't necessarily equal that many bums on seats

If the Cats can figure out how not to lose a lead.. might win.

IF the Ginger Flog can channel his concentration on the game and not the refs they maybe a chance. His antics get the players focus on the refs too instead of the next play.

Wildcats need to go wild if they want to win.

Prather has to shirt up - he is the missing link.

‏@PerthWildcats
Word from the locker room is that Casey Prather WILL play tonight against the Cairns Taipans! #RedArmy

I'm looking forward to Gleeson hitting the high octaves.

It's worth one more encore :p

Meh is right so far

This is 2012/13 era stuff. Christ, will somebody DO SOMETHING..

Jawow

Jawai with a pair of back to back mid range shots. Love it.

Damo gonna Damo

at home and no offense..

Matty is shit. Drew is shit.

Brisbane were 29 points down at 3qt on Thursday and had scored as much as Perth have.

what the hell did I just watch

moving screen on Nate , $8.50 special, order at the bar. Collect your own utensils.

Cairns will win brad robbins- the difference is uncontested shots.
Cairns gets a lot more of them than Perth do especially at the 3 point line on late clock.
That's why cairns will more than likely win. Perth are relying on Cotton to beat his defender with individual brilliance.

Brad Robbins, "Matty can guard 1 through 3 at any particular time." {barf}

I agree that Rucker was a great commentator.

1 through 3?

That first one was a clear foul. Jawai then get the and 1!

Great move by Knight - bunny hop two foot stop then lift one foot to fake a shot and draw a foul. jawai goes for it because its a travel if knight does not shoot.

Pls collect your complimentary desert from the reserve official on your way out.

Let's bring it home refs I mean cats

loving this offensive clinic that Perth and Cairns are putting on! Not sure if Perth are going to much in the finals if they struggle to even get to 60pts...

OK, Brad Robbins... Memo... there are two teams playing that you are commentating... The second one is the non Perth team. Can't believe he has an orgasm every time Damian Martin or Matt Knight makes a half decent play. He needs to understand that 6 foot 9 players can actually move their feet.. He makes it sound like it's the most spectacular thing since sliced bread...

LOL

Tries to miss. (smart) fails

Deserve to lose again..

OMG what a joke

lolololololololololol

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

What a game.

Thank goodness some time semblance of karma prevails

ooooooooooooooooh

*tiny

Medic medic - is the a PTSD specialist in the house ?

head chef choked and has burnt themselves with still 5 minutes of order to get through

Cairns are lucky right now.But tough as nail game

<(0_0)>

Where was Travis Trice in the last 2 minutes. Could it be that Fearne saw enough when MATTIE KNIGHT forced Trice to shoot a step back 20 footer that went 10 feet. OT! How could Cairns snatch defeat from the jaws of victory?

Was no foul. Overtime brought to you by the Cats saviours the refs.

Cotton is Prather's kryptonite

Perth win

Shitty call on the flop tech there, too.

And why did Gleeson get a time out when Cairns had already inbounded the ball?

Perfect flop call there actually

Absolutely disgraceful. Cairns robbed of a game they'd won. Dreading the thought of this level of officiating during the finals.

Trice is injured I assume? Only played 13 mins. And Mitchell only played 8.

Why is anyone surprised with the mystifying calls, happens every game against all teams.

That call was almost as disgusting as this one (by the some ref too). Cairns must love Tim Mills:

AngusH butthurt again, what a surprise!

Not butthurt you tosser, just a shitty finish to an NBL game thanks to awful officiating down the stretch. Cairns didn't do themselves any favours in that OT, though.

Why did Knight not play any of the OT?

well.

Hahahaha nerd rage amuses me. Cats just know how to win games, your whinging means nothing.

Cairns were robbed!

The three bandits out there just wanted to even it up from last game.

Cairns have themselves to blame, how hard was it for Mcarron to miss that free throw?? If he did wildcats would have had to rebound and get shot up in 2.2 seconds.

Yeah they sure do with a call like that to end regulation. Some interesting perspectives on that foul call on Twitter from other NBL players/personalities.

Creamy mushroom risotto?

Simple, healthy Mediterranean stir fry?

Whatever ingredients are around, thrown together last minute? Sweet potato mashed up alongside some rice, puffy thanks to being cooked with some butter, finished off with grilled chicken and asparagus?

Or how about just good ol meat and 3 veg?

How do you like your home cooking, Perth fans? Bryce Cotton style, it seems.

Deciding a game with a foul call against Gliddon, that would see Martin fouled off by quarter time if they called it on him? You are kidding!!! Big bash is a much better spectacle than this.

It's at the stage where I'm reluctant to watch games in Perth due to the BS calls they always get at the end of tight games.

If that Matty Knight flop on Randle earlier this season wasn't bad enough the refs then invent a foul on Gliddon to give Perth the opportunity to win it.

It's like watching WWE wrestling or something.

More like suckered in the refs!

Ansett nailed it on twitter- unfair, incompetent and embarrassing.

Anstey*

No wonder Perth have a 30 year streak...

I'm just disgusted.

Anstey is extinct

If you want a laugh, look at the ref change his mind on the charge/tech in OT:

https://twitter.com/MGBrick/status/822425403033690113

What an absolute disgrace. Just awful......

the refereeing ranks are a kakistocracy, plain and simple.

Not sure how anyone can argue Gliddon did not foul Cotton. The only bad call was the flop which it clearly was not. Not sure you can blame the refs.

Can't see that Gliddon foul being called if it were Martin instead. What a shoddy finish.

If you're Cairns and you've thrown everything into a last charge for finals, you're leading in Perth at the death, and that happens - must be gutting.

Lots of current/former NBL players seem to disagree, and that clip is pretty damning on the charge/flop IMO.

Replayed the Cotton 3pt foul a couple of times, yep it should have been a no call. Cotton initiated the contact fending with his elbow to push off Gliddon lightly. Very crafty play that can easily sucker the refs but there is video replay available so they need to explain that post-game I suppose, typical...

"That call potentially kills a small market team's game, season and even future. Unfair, incompetent and embarrassing for the @NBL" - Chris Anstey

He's not happy Jan.

I am wondering whether Perth would be capable of distinguishing between basketball and WWE.

Judging on the way the team plays and their fans view of how the game should be umpired, i'm almost certain the answer is no.

but will they explain it?

Computer says no.

Good call, bad call, right, wrong...get over it. Perth didn't deserve the last game as we put ourselves in a 12 point hole then put it all on a whistle, Cairns had 17 turn overs early in the 4th and could have iced it at the line.

Some of you call it 'home cooking' which is the crowd influencing the calls...you want it? Get a crowd!

Chris Anstey, no wonder he doesn't coach, always had a grudge against Perth and who cares about the small market so what, let's give cairns the win as they have small market. Please!!!!

"Let's bring it home refs I mean cats"

Not like that though. Not like THAT!!
Yikes.
I feel bad for ya, Taipans.

so crowds influencing refs to make bad calls is ok?

Cool.

#ShitPerthFansSay

Doesn't make it right...just a fact

TimberBall, read Isaac's last post - in the post-mortem of such an emotionally charged match I think fans, particularly Cairns' have a right to vent a little.

If I was a Cairns fan, i'd be gutted.

It's also a bit rich for a Perth fan to say 'get over it' when we've had - literally - for the past week a myriad of Perth fans throwing tantrums because of the refs.

haha 'just a fact'

Note: 'just a fact' is the most commonly used phrase by people who have no facts...

This kind of redding ain't good for the league. Get some professionalism ffs

hahaha still butt hurt Anonymous? Hang in there kid.

Call in Cairns was correct. Call is Perth was not correct.

Hey I agree with them KET, they should be pissed. But have a read of the responses to Cats fans complaints last game.

such thin skins you denizens of Perth. It's a public health issue that needs to be addressed.

Out of interest - are there actually many Cairns fans on here?

I came for the basketball, i stayed to antagonise Wildcat fans.

I usually just assume there are only Cats fans and people who hate the Cats.

> so crowds influencing refs to make bad calls is ok?

Absolutely it's ok. You think all crowds don't influence refs to some degree?
It's up to the refs to not make shockers. You can't blame fans for that. That's weak.

The funny thing is, if McCarron had just deliberately missed the free throw, they would never have given us a final chance (besides jacking up a prayer). We've seen this situation many times, I don't know why players find it so hard to deliberately miss. Surely that would've been the smarter tactical option.

He tried and failed, hence the large amount of glass

Luuuc - that was my point exactly.

Yeah when you try to miss, you usually get it in. He was hoping for the iron mostly but ended up with irony instead.

Isaac should form of a survey on here to see what the distribution is, this site used to be dominated by 36ers fans but maybe that stopped when Adelaide had its financial/management/oncourt struggles.

Here's a thought: Discussion of this game should occur in this game thread.

And world peace would be wonderful too Luuuc - which is more likely? ;)

Gleeson + Brandt post-game presser

I give it one more Perth match before Dazz gets banned

Jawai and Cairns were Robbed Tonight

I am as one-eyed as the next Cats fan, and I desperately want to see them make the finals.

But that was just SHIT.

Overall Cats played poorly, our starting 5 looked asleep for the first few minutes, and Gleeson managed to coach them into a hole. We should have won, but we didn't. (except thanks to the refs)

Jawai still can't get a fair go from the refs. He was mugged, and Cairns were robbed.
It's not the Cotton call. The refs called ticky-touchwood fouls like that all night.
Jawai was the dominant big-man out there tonight, and the refs ripped him off. No way he deserved to foul out.
They were probably trying to make up for a couple of the soft calls on McKay, but FMD why can't they just call the game properly?

Brandt has improved noticeably in the new year. It was very evident from around 6 games ago. He's a genuine go-to guy in the post, which Perth definitely needs. Still has some things to work out defensively but hopefully that will come with his increased minutes.
Came up with a couple of big, saved-our-arses swats tonight as well.

The mining boom may be over in WA but the whining boom has just started.

See what I did there Cats fans?

Brandt was outstanding on both ends. Sydney erred greatly when they let him go.

We complain when the refs rob us ... we complain when the refs gift us ... so, yeah, fair call there CT ;)

Possibly the best I've seen Brandt play tonight, wasn't just putting in good quality minute off the bench, but he was being a legit go to guy inside. Great having someone like him when needed to throw his weight/size around and bang bodies when we come up against guys like Jawai,

This is the Brandt we had been hoping for

Tissues anyone ?

No thanks, I've got a towel handy.

Wait, what did you mean?

What else would you use tissues for hehe

Brandt is worthy of starting 5. He is s totally different player than McKay but his strength, muscle and back to basket play needs to be recognised.
McKay would suit well as an energy off the bench player.

I admit it, the n-sync video was too much for me.

Or was it backstreet boys? Either way, the hyper-sexuality of greg hire over those 2 minutes has made me question my sexual preferences on a fundamental level.

@CT Hahahaha I got nothing to respond to that :P you win

Prob because Trice took a contested 20ft fadeaway jumper over Knight... on an ISO...

Cats got out of jail tonight! The Cotton controversy wasn't a foul in my opinion, but I thought Prather was fouled late in the fourth. Cairns do have a right to feel robbed. One positive tonight was Brandt's game. He's starting to reach his potential and I'm loving the confidence he has at the moment. Prather looked injured out there tonight. He even did a lay up on a play where he'd normally dunk it. It's going to be tough playing NZ now. Don't know who does the scheduling but def not a Perth fan!

Whining boom lol

Brandt turning into a legit starter is handy with Knight seemingly winding down now

I don't understand the benching of Trice if it were solely because that J which Knight blocked. You have to trust your superstars. That lack of trust and constant negativity and slamming of his players wears very thin -- you can see it in their body language.

In saying that I don't understand, I completely understand. Because Fearne is incompetent. Let a star player be a star player ffs. I swear I could coach better than the dude.

What do star players have to do with Travis Trice?

In no universe is this ever a foul, even before taking into consideration that refs tend to swallow their whistles down the stretch.



And if you're fooled enough to get halfway through calling a charge before changing your mind, how can you possibly deem it worthy of a technical?


Did Cairns have a warning? I'm not aware of one. Regardless, DiConza should be fired immediately. That is just atrocious.

Brandt really shined....I see a vast improvement in his game.

Against Breakers, I hope he plays just as well.

If that was a Randal or Ware in a full house at home, what do you people think would have happened? Foul no foul, every team this year has been robbed at some stage.

It's Perth and it happened at the arena it's different? I bet if Randal had that shot at home and they never called that you guys, especially the boti nagy dude would have had a stroke.

I'd personally just like to watch a wildcats game where it *didn't* happen. That'd be quite a novelty. I want it that way, you might even say.

Can only hope there's a big L for Perth when they play NZ in Sunday.

How could Glidden leave it in the refs hands?
1 He standing in the wrong place(on side) to use the straight up defence argument.
2 Any contact is going to get called, Glidden must know that.
3 Cotton's shot was was going to be a brick.
4 How does Glidden end up marking Cotton? Weeks had been chasing him around all game.
If that was the NBA, Cotton would not have got the call because "you had your chance and got the shot off". Cotton sold "contact" on that play. Refs bought it. Cairns didn't deserve that.

Perth are playing shit all season! Other than 6ers, every team has been up and down through injuries.

Always say if it happened to any one else it wouldn't be as bigger deal than it is.

Perth find a way, it's been 30 years, not like it just happened a few seasons.

"Prather was being held WWE style all game on his off ball movements so it wasn't all one way"

WWE style? So you're saying he was just acting?
Dude, refs don't give you calls for dodgy acting, even if you're a star like Prather or Cotton.
Well ... Prather anyway.

just watched replay of foul call on Gliddon. The contact seems to come from Cotton moving his right arm. Gliddon standing upright shuffling across with arms in the air. No foul in my opinion.
Cotton got himself in an awful position by dribbling to tightly into Gliddon, going left and then having to try and twist to get back on his right hand for the shot. Cotton was playing for it just like a defender does when they go down.

Did Wortho mention anything about his travel on that spin move when he hopped on one foot in his whinge after the game?

Its on previous post re "Last play of game...". The ball just crazes the bottom of the net. I didn't really look like a shot. Bit of a heave.

The last few posts illustrate perfectly why people think the refs are shit. Leisurely review of multiple slow motion replays from multiple angles people can't agree if it's a vowel or not. The refs have to do it in real time and from one angle.

I thought it was a no call at the game, and the replay showed it was even more of a no call.

It was an odd call too - they had appeared to put the whistles away .....Prather's previous drive had plenty of contact.

Feel for Cairns but hey you got take it out of the Refs hands ..... turnovers cost the game.

Don't bail the refs out.
Refs are human. They have the game on the line. That trail ref has found an excuse to make a call.
Cam Glidden gave him a reason to get involved and that was a poor play on his part but Cotton sold the contact. I don't need a slow mo replay and multiple angles to see that and make that call in my own mind.

The other telling factor for me is that that was not a shot like any other Cotton has shot in Australia. He actually throws the ball towards the hoop.
Cotton finds Glidden's body to wriggle up beside for a shot. It's an ugly play and the ref reacts penalising Glidden and pretty much deciding the game (should have made all 3 and finished Cairns off in reg.).

Glidden was wrong footed by Ware a few weeks back on a buzzer beater.
Wrong footed by Cotton and refs last night!!!!!!

Watch the video of last shot with CC on its hilarious.

"Boycott try train the guys doing man"

"Hate and now had a chance to win"

"Some pretty tearing food and then"

Anonymous troll is angry. What's wrong buddy, jetski broken down? Backstreet boys not your thing?

.37-.40 second mark of the video, right hip turns towards cotton and makes contact. Foul was there.

Wortho is a twat. He does what he wants, plays like a thug, then whinges. On one play, he tried to hip & shoulder the ball carrier out of court, then whinged when he got called for the foul.

As I said above, Cairns were robbed, but I wouldn't focus on the Cotton call. The refs were calling soft shooting fouls like that all night. Besides Cairns played it wrong. They had the time-out, they had their instructions, and they did the one thing they shouldn't.

On the flop call, it was definitely a flop, but I don't understand why the rule is the way it is. Either there's a charge, a blocking foul, or immaterial contact. So either call the foul, or let play continue, and the flopper is disadvantaged by being on his back. If he's impeded the player with the ball, then call a blocking foul. Allowing the other team to put their best shooter on the stripe, then retain possession, is a big penalty.

@977
I wasn't referring to Gliddon making contact with his arms. It was Cotton who makes contact when moving his right arm. The contact seems to be his right arm on Gliddons hips.

I wasn't referring to Gliddon making contact with his arms. It was Cotton who makes contact when moving his right arm. The contact seems to be his right arm on Gliddons hips.

A player shall not ... impede the progress of an opponent by extending his hand, arm, elbow, shoulder, hip, leg, knee or foot, nor by bending his body into an 'abnormal' position

"Yes, some of those fouls were soft, but they were called all night."

Bullshit, Dazz. Two things. If that had have been Marto instead of Gliddon, there is no way it would have been called a foul, and to say those fouls had been called all night is just complete and utter crap.

Perth are famous for their ability to get away with monstering the ball carrier, Martin especially, and if you watch the game back, there are plenty of examples of contact which had much greater impact on the shooter or ball carrier, which were not called.

Yeah, a definite case of colour blindness there I think. Those fouls were most certainly not called the same way all night. A clue to that is the nation-wide uproar after that one was! If that was just one of many then people wouldn't be focussing on it.

Another thing that wasn't called consistently is that action being a shooting foul. It's extremely rare in today's NBL for a guy to be dribbling on the perimeter, get contact, chuck it in the direction of the basket, and be rewarded with a shooting foul when he clearly was not in the act of shooting at the time. (Totally different story when a guy is driving to the basket at least looking like a threat to score).
So not only was it not a foul, but if they decided that it was one (and granted the refs don't have the benefit of multiple angles and slo mo replays) I don't get why they gave him 3 FTs for it. At the game I was very relieved when he missed the 3rd one, because it would have been even more of a joke if the Cats had won it before OT. If there was a "ball don't lie" moment in that game, it was that free throw.

Damo probably gets away with more hand checks and hold, on and off the ball, than any other player in the NBL.

His reputation allows him to get away with many plays that other guys routinely get called for.

Good on him, he plays to the whistle, but to say otherwise reeks of red coloured glasses.