If Melbourne are in cruise mode Perth have a chance.
Losing Wagstaff hurts the offence and puts even more pressure on Cotton and Tokoto.
I doubt Adelaide would lose to Brisbane so Melb and Adelaide could only meet in grand final.

Can't see Melb taking this game too seriously.

Given that they've just knocked off the breakers twice in a weekend I'm sure having cats finish 3rd for them to face NZ in semis wouldn't be the worst thing.

Cats need this game, Melb dont. Cats SHOULD win, and if they don't the chance of a 3peat looks more and more less likely if they do, well they'll still be in a reasonable position to go all the way.

Prather is in!

http://nbl.com.au/news/article/40241-prather-to-return-against-perth

Why do the Cats need this game?
Clearly we need our form to improve in general if we want to compete in the playoffs, but personally I don't think it matters at all if we finish 4th instead of 3rd. Either way we have no home court advantage in the playoffs, and either way we likely have to knock off the same 2 teams to win a title.
My hope is that not caring so much about the result will make us play more freely.

Andersen is also back for United

Wildcats finished 3rd last year and got home-court in the GF. If NZ and Perth happen to win the SFs, I'm sure the Cats would like to have finished 3rd.

I think 3rd does matter as it does keep some hope of a home advantage in GF if there is a 1 vs 4 upset (see last year)

In theory you're correct of course.
But to me the factors at play for the Cats are a lot different this season. I don't know our true health situation though, so I shouldn't assume. (But if it is what I assume then I'd be in tank mode this weekend, with 100% of full tanking tonight and a strong chance of at least partial tanking on Sunday depending on other results and how everyone pulls up tomorrow)

Playing into form is the key, it's how they play and I would prefer to play Melbourne in the semis.

Then the pressure is on Melbourne in front of 10 000 + fan's expecting to win.

"If I were in the Cats lineup, I'd be doing my best to avoid Melbourne in the first round. How anyone would think otherwise is beyond me. I'd much rather face Adelaide"

Exactly...this is why Cats need 3rd, more likely to win in Adelaide then Melb , also would take a 20% chance of a home GF vs a 0% Chance.

Prather back in you think would work in the Cats favour.

Melbourne won't be taking it easy - they want to keep their momentum going - goulding was interviewed about it - they finished top a couple of seasons ago and rested players in their final 2 games (which they lost to NZ) - then went out in 2 games in semi to NZ. Melb love beating Perth and I’m expecting a finals atmospheres tonight - I will be there - Go United!

This will be interesting to see what Perth does. Either way the top 4 are clearly now the top 4 and anyone can get the W in any venue

Finals atmosphere from the 5 people who wont be at AFLX tonight at Etihad.

I like the fact that Felix and Patton will stay with the squad for the rest of the season. Felix has been a big part of Melbourne's Surge and if they do end up winning it all he should be there to celebrate with his team mates.

The chances of tanking are high. United should cream this one in IMO.

Wagstaff out hurts Perth more than they realise. United have locked in top spot so mentally will be not thinking "this is a must win". It could actually be quite a scrappy game.

Pressure in on the Floppycats to win. They get my kiss of death

Should of been a tech against Wesley.

Didn't take Casey long to slot back in

God the cats are garbage shooters

Trev wants to use Steindl more, but he's just so average

Perths bench is bad. They have no depth at all.

Best I've seen walker play in a while

if adelaide lose and peryh wins both and maintatin there points percentage sure. highly unlikely

Vickerman's substitution decisions are good right now

Worst defensive team since 2009. They are garbage

Cats defensive team

Cats defensive team

That little knee/hip when guarding Casper at the halfway line was just so Damian Martin...

Peak Damo

Steindl is so shit, ffs

Hack a Boone could be tactic used in the playoffs

This right here is the lineup they need Prather in.

No Ware or Wesley. Need Prather alongside CG

Brandt is so useless. Coocke Jr deserves to be getting alot of his minutes but Gleeson is an idiot

Casper .. what a shot

Great shooter but casper is only good enough for this league.

There's a decent gap between Carrick and Casey's defence.

Carrick is the best wing defender the league has seen in many many years

feck off Ware

Cooke can't finish otherwise he'll be rocking.

I agree with who said those long balls in the playoffs is not a wining strategy.

Too many O boards for Perth! Melbourne have got to step it up!

Perth's defence is really average something past Cats teams prided themselves on..

I get that umpires make a lot of mistakes but seriously a tech the wrong way, and 2 three pt shooting fouls that wernt there l.

That's 7 points.makes it impossible to win

Yeah the two three fouls thatvwerent there really hurt. Then again so does leaving wesley wide open time and time again

garbage basketball from cats, cant shoot for shit

If people are thinking all United does is shoot threes, then they're sorely mistaken. That has been the difference between the United of the first half of the season and the United of now. Using all of the floor

That was not over the back come on

United using all of the net. Cats using a lot of the rim.

Gleeson was/is average coach who got ba gig of a lifetime when he got a prime Cats team.

Steindl has turned into Blanchfield, just shoots it every time he gets it, open or not.

This is pure therapy for United tonight. Vibin'

LOL Vickerman ... perfect view of that too

+1, anon

You know what I want to see more of? Gleeson arguing with refs

Casper blowing by Damo just confirms it for me. He ain't right / ain't the same. Age, probably

Cottom gets hit like that all the time, thats just a bad call

Goddamn this is a good team

Funny how Goulding cries 2 minutes after getting hit. Slow brain.

Perth are TRASH

Adelaide is clearly favourites. This Melbourne stunt is nothing special..

Hahahaha Vague trying to guard Prather

Boss. Moves.

Vague is a waste of a roster spot...actually, he's a waste of oxygen

"the standard set by the Wildcats has eroded in the space of a month. Major shakeup in players, coaches and upper management is needed. Clean them all out." great isn't it.

Surely it's the refs fault?

Apart from all the tanking talk, that was all sadly predictable.

"Vague is a waste of a roster spot"
Vague is a DP, and pretty much the pick of the bunch.

Not sure why he didn't go to College, might have been better for him than Enid Blighton.

And Yes, Damo is playing injured, has been for weeks.

I don't get it either. I've been saying all week that our title chances - as small as they are - would benefit more from giving up on this game and resting hurt players than putting them through a home-away double.

Melbourne are a class above. I don't see any team making it against them - Adelaide might seem the most likely but United absolutely smash the Sixers.

United played 6ers 3 times in the first 2 weeks of the season. Adelaide only had 2 imports and lots of injuries then. Shorter also went home due to the hurricane. Be interesting to see them match up now with 6ers fit and in form.

That was the role I'd hoped to see Prather playing.

Good to see new things tried- More time for Hooley, inc PG. Prather off the bench, 11 players used properly and it all fitted together reasonably well.

United has the look of a championship team about them.

Then again, it can all change in one game.

Btw who the hell were those refs? One of the worst reffed games I've seen

Yeah I think Perth have suffered greatly from Knight 's retirement. Needed more- or something different- from Cooke's position

If JP or Cotton really get going they could still win it, but it's looking unlikely without home court advantage.

I guess you go out each season to do your best and try to win. But given all the hype about a 3-peat, I expected better from Perth.

Aside from personally wanting to witness a few more home wins, I'm personally not fussed. Streak is alive, and Cats have been too dominate in recent years.
3-peat idea was presumably hyped by marketing, but I don't think they really went for it.
Lucky to have gotten what they did from Walker, and Cooke is just a spud.

I only said it would be interesting to see them match up now. Sorry that seems like such a horrible, offensive comment....

My pick is still Melbourne. They finally look good this year. About time all that financial outlay payed off anyway.

Brandt in good form at the moment, Wildcats looking a little ominous, will be a great series against Adelaide if things turn out as expected.

In fact, if we get Melbourne v NZ and Adelaide v Perth that's about as good as you could ask for in the SFs.

Yep, been hoping to get Adelaide back in Perth since the Teys/DKD thing, and NZ smacking a first-placed Melbourne in the semis again would be good fun.