Hawks found some form and might make things closer than last time.

But, refs will no doubt ping them with a bunch of unwarranted foul calls, meanwhile allowing the Cats to get away with some rough play at the other end.

Hawks ultimately won't be able to overcome the challenge of quality opposition combined with the typical home cooking.

Cats by 6.

Statement gaming incoming from the Cats.

After not showing up to their game in Cairns, expect to see a fired up Wildcats team.

Relentless D will get the cats mojo back.

Cooke Jr to bully AJ.

FWIW, in 2016-17 regular NBL season, Perth averaged almost exactly the same number of fouls at home as away (actually had 0.1 more fouls per game called on them at home than away). In terms of this measure of 'home cooking', they were second last in the NBL. On the same measure, Adelaide were first (3.4 fewer fouls per game at home than away).

Perth were:
- first on this measure in 2015-16 (2.6 fewer fouls per game at home than away)
- second in 2014-15 (1.9 fewer at home than away)
- fifth in 2013-14 (1.6 fewer at home than away)
- first in 2012-13 (5.1 fewer at home than away)

These results are based on the NBL player stats and so any fouls not attributed to a player would be excluded. That should have immaterial impact on the results.

The stats show that from 2012-13 to 2015-16, Perth were the the team who received the most home cooking over the 4 year period.

That's exactly what I would've predicted.

2016-17 seems to have reversed this, but we're yet to see if this a sign of improved reffing, or simply an aberration, with things soon to return to the long term trend where the refs give the Cats loads of help.

Based on last Friday it looks like the latter.

So you're ok with the way the game was called in cairns lv? No ft to cats in a half and even boti a known vatvhater thought the fracas was called incorrectly.

I love ref bashing, but get over it

I didn't watch the game, so I have no comment.

But Cairns won by 21 points, so it'd be fairly hard to argue that the reffing changed the outcome.

On the other hand, Perth beat United by 5 points.

I'm no fan of ref bashing either.

But sometimes the reffing is so bad that it's completely unacceptable.

Like when the Boomers got robbed in Rio (unlike Ryan Lochte).

Or the West Coast vs North prelim in 2015.

Or, most of the Perth Wildcats home games I've watched through the years....

"The Dribble" Podcast
(Chris Robinson of PerthNow, and Greg Hire)

Sorry I just fell asleep a couple words into the Redhage half-time cross.

Did he say anything special?

Some nice aggressive plays from Norton so far. Hawks need more of that.

I reckon the travel plays a big part in Perth home games. The visiting team doesn't play with as much energy. Yes, Perth plays with more intent, but I reckon it goes the other way too. More than people probably think

Hawks need to embrace effective motivation.

Effective motivation is not a one off talk by a high powered speaker.

It is not the promise of a present or gift or bag of money.

It is not a single temporary burst of emotion.

Effective Motivation is a lifestyle. Motivated people live a lifestyle where they are motivated to achieve excellence in everything they do. Every task, every activity, every challenge is an opportunity to set a goal, to try something new and to achieve.

Illawarra are simply missing too many shots.

The perth blokes are making a lot of shots on the other hand

AJ about to check in to help Perth push the lead out a little more before halftime.

Many athletes suffer from "nerves" - being anxious and nervous on the day of competition.

This is because 90% of all STRESS comes from not doing things when they were supposed to be done!

One of the great challenges coaches and athletes face is allowing training to be completed at a standard lower than their expected competition performance.

Many athletes muddle through training doing the minimum standard of effort and application only to find that their competition performances are also lack lustre.

Why? In training they have let it happen – they have allowed training to become a place where sub standard skills and poor habits become acceptable practices. Then when they go to the competition and try to make it happen (i.e. force a successful performance to occur) they find they lack the skills, fitness and abilities to produce a winning effort.

On court performances of the Hawks are like a less expensive version of the Kings,
erratic player decisions, unstructured offence, lack of competitiveness against pressure, poor rebounding, etc

Hawks are awful!

But still not as bad as Ogilvy the most overrated player in NBL history

How good was that dunk by Conger, crossing over Martin and driving down the middle

I don't buy the travel argument manu

When did Hawks fly in? When United came to Perth they flew in 2 days before. 4 hr flight instead of 1-2 to other places. They're pro athletes. That's no excuse

AJ gets beaten mentally before the game even begins. If he knows he's going up against a physical team, he shrinks. If he feels like he has a size advantage, suddenly he's all over the court and finishing strong.

Thing about the Hawks though is that they are likely to just suddenly peel off a 5 game win streak with no roster adjustments. They aren't as bad as they are looking to start the year, but they just can't have AJ and Clarke both have quiet nights.

Lachy Reid is just irritating as a commentator. Im really enjoying Homocides colorful take on the games and the league in general

Homicide is working well this year because the other commentators are sticking it to him. It's good fun, and the banter is spilling onto social media and between broadcasts. It's like the Marvel movie universe or something, with the continuing Fantasy basketball storylines and "top 5 PG" lists.

Officiating Cotton's jumpers is a difficult one. He jumps a fair way forward on some of them and kicks his legs forward as well. That kick is more part of the shooting motion, like Kobe used to do.

I don't think Cotton should have fouls called for him on the ones he blatantly jumps forward on

It's not an unnatural motion, he has a right to landing space, do your scout and don't get under the shooter when u close out

Fair points.

The game is about using techniques to exploit opposition players, referees etc.

His jumper is just another example. However, he does kick out on occasion. Those should be offensive fouls, rather than three shots.

LV - Hawks arrived at 4:30pm WST yesterday.

Arrived, yes. Still waiting for them to show up though.

Wish I had the spare time to splice together a clip of Ogilvy "D'oh!" moments from Perth Arena over the last 2 years or so.

Having all five bench players on at the same time was a bad idea, and it took him way too long to figure it out.

Derek Cooke Jr continues to be utterly useless, managing just four possessions until garbage time.

Sydney next week, should be more of the same. I'm having flashbacks to 2012.

I reckon the travel plays a big part in Perth home games. The visiting team doesn't play with as much energy. Yes, Perth plays with more intent, but I reckon it goes the other way too. More than people probably think

Yeah my point exactly. Perth drop a bunch of intensity on the road all the time.

At times Perth actually arrive back in Perth after their opposition. Please do not imply living in Perth is an easier travel schedule. It makes you sound deluded.