Perth still playoff material.

Cats by 9.

Their solution to cotton "getting too many callls" according to Gibson "be more physical and put him on his arse". What could possibly go wrong with that strategy... maybe they should try not grabbing him, and learn to set a legal screen.

@ Jack Toft, fantastic, you have special talent.

Phoenix will need two creeksters to win this. Gibson needed to play like he was five years younger to keep them in it, that not happening again. Cotton stays healthy it's cats by 17.

Bravo Jack

I expect Phoenix to be better in general this game. I think a few players have a lot of room to step up. Sykes should be better, and have to assume Creek be much more competitive. Like to to Steindl contribute more. Wildcats need perimeter threats and productive role players in general.

Don't think a team with Cotton will miss the top 4

I guess its ok to target a player after you say you will... some of the softest and 1s I've ever seen yet some obvious actual fouls that cause a loss of possession let go...

Simon Mitchell is a shit coach, there I said it. Run the O through Creek. Leave Gliddon on the bench!!

Mitchell is doing a good job with the squad he's got, there you have it I’ve said it. Gleeson is a gun, Perth are not missing finals.

Why only 7000 when they all sit next to one another.

"Remember that year we came 7th in an eleven team league to qualify? Nope.

Cam Luke is horrendous. Please nbl, just letting do his show, he gets players mixed up, says they should have called a time out, for fucks sake it's not the nba, the ball has to be out to call. Santa and Gaze are fine.

Love Gaze commentating on the plays and coaching when between SEABL and the NBL he didn't have a clue.

Phoenix have no one to tape Creek. Idiots. More importantly he wasn't taped. #Idiot

Santa is shitting me tonight too. Wagstaff landed before he hit it off Moore then. Refs are so shit in Perth

Cough.

Double cough. #Whatbouncebackability.

Bunny of the year

Lol, Wagstaff, got pay back, he's a pro but he gets away with so much shit. Enjoyable game.

Suck it perth

Perth World = troll

"Instead of retiring they made him captain. Sometimes the game will tell you itself it's time. He missed a shot. If he made it he would be a hero. Way to put Wagstaff down. #tokensupporter

Wagstaff was huge all game so everyone saying he should retire have no idea what they're watching. Yes terrible miss be he hits that 99/100 times

Perthworld said "Instead of retiring they made him captain." So now you say this?
#tokensupporter #Ficklefan.

Always nice to see the cats lose. In this fashion has an extra nice feel to it.

The cats are so weak in the guard position. Norton played crap and Cotton was spent towards the end with turnovers as he was chasing Sykes and Adnam. Played way too many minutes against a team that themselves will struggle to make the finals

White plays 2-3 minutes, Brit did not play so other than Norton and Cotton who do they have as reliable ball carriers and play makers If some how that miracle citizenship comes along a point guard import might really be what they need.

Poor execution / team balance assembling this squad.

Yes I'd think Gleeson would be very happy with the hawks duo. Mooney is good though, looking forward to him and Landale clash. Cotton best player in country by a country mile though.

Perf supporters be like "he was distracted by all of the banners hanging up in the rafters".

This might be an omen for 2 reasons: Perf missing the playoffs and Wagstaff needs to retire.

Citizenship happened on the 26th of this month didn't it? The rest of your comments are spot on but no Perf fan will agree with you there. 2x cough.

Perf supporters pinning all their hopes on Cotton's citizenship.

The rule should be if they haven't got their citizenship by the time the season starts, they are still an import for that season.

^5.

Cotton and Mooney need to be studs. The Aussie content at Perth is garbage.

More specifically the bench is rubbish.
Did Steindl play?

"Perf supporters pinning all their hopes on Cotton's citizenship"

If your best Aussie players were Blanchfield, Norton and Steindl you would be pinning your hopes on Cotton getting his citizenship too.

Disappointed to lose but dazz making an ass of himself takes away a lot of the hurt. Things could be a lot worse. I could be like him.

That citizenship rule if not by start of the season it shouldn't count is ludicrous.
As long as they play enough games to qualify for the playoffs.

Early days though... if Perth won by a point then opposition supporters would stroke themselves less tonight.

Perth are sure to win the spoon.

Watched the game and I believe this is possibly the worst Wildcats roster ever. Agree with some of the other comments that many of this season's signings were really strange... it’s almost like they had a budget in mind (due to COVID) and because they still had to pay Cotton full tote, they went budget level elsewhere. Could there be any truth in this theory?

For example, Majok goes down... sign Jarred Bairstow who is providing zero. Why wouldn’t they sign Pledger who is clearly more experienced and provides legitimate size? They signed Kevin White, a 33 year designated stopper, but wait... he can’t stop anybody! He was washed up three years ago but I’d argue he was never good enough even in his best years.
It’s Lo Buluk has come through as a DP but why was he promoted to the full roster if he’s not good enough to contribute? This is a professional league, you don’t promote players just because they’ve done the hard yards as a DP. They have to produce and he’s not giving anything yet.

Too many roster spots are being filled by non-producers. While it’s clear there aren’t a wide amount of experienced players available (especially guards), surely there would have been some (like Pledger) that would have been better options.
Know it’s another topic, but makes me think how on earth Tasmania are going to build their roster for next season.

Wagstaff actually played well, minus the last two seconds. Lot off over reaction due to cats loss, yes there squad isn't as strong but they will still make finals. It was there second game, Gleeson will get the pieces right.

"The rule should be if they haven't got their citizenship by the time the season starts, they are still an import for that season.
Why should it?"

Because it is fair for everyone.

Wagstaff is my most disliked player in the league, can't stand the guy and he gets away with so much.
But he played very well last night (as well as game 1), and just had a very unfortunate miss. Anyone saying he should have retired and/or doesn’t deserve to be captain has zero clue, he still contributes a lot to the team.

Agree Wagstaff is still contributing.
Jervis still ok after time away from the game.
White, Bairstow and Lo Buluk clearly benchwarmers. Steindl needs to fire up.
Cotton and Mooney need help they can't do it all themselves.
Is it too late for a next star?

Yes let's report back. Because no "system" is going to take those players to the post season in 2021. Everyone can see that.

I'm a Perth fan but I am also a realist.
Yes 2 games isn't a huge sample size but anyone with a brain can see Perth aren't deep or talented beyond Cotton and Mooney.

I look forward to 2021 off season.
Missing the playoffs for the first time in years will help lead to a roster clean out.

It just shows when you spend less you get less quality, Perth on a budget gets it back to where most teams are except United. They will still play finals imo.

If owners want to keep the crowds coming in they need wins and a talented roster. I was going to buy tickets for the sunday game but seeing last nights game struggle against a bottom team and showing woefuldepth I figured Ill keep my $350+ in my pocket.

At those prices you have to win.

Wagstaff played well. Perthworld is an idiot who plays local league and comments from the sideline to pump up his fragile ego. If Wagstaff were younger, it would be some other critique.... but when players are "older," some people take the opportunity to use it as the reason for everything - "they can't make free throws because they are old," "they can't be captain because of their age," bla bla bla.

The fact is, anyone can miss a bunny like that. He's as reliable as it gets and he's human. People are seriously over-reacting.

I doubt Perthworld even plays for any league.
Wagstaff still playing well would take him over Trist or Pinder.

Creek had a great game but very lucky on that last play, Wagstaff felt sorry for him.