At this stage I think the Buccs are the team to beat. They have two quality imports in Stewart and Coleman, both with excellent resumes at NBL1 level. Then there's Muo, who is getting on a bit, but he's still a veteran leader who can give them 15ppg.

But the key here for the Buccs are the bits-and-pieces players - Meunier, Blanchett, Klasztorny, Wundenberg and Hunt. There's some serious size there, and experience. Particularly as Hunt should get better and better as the season progresses.

The only three concerns for the Buccs...
(1) Backcourt depth. If Stewart goes down, that will hurt them.
(2) The form of Blanchett. A high profile recruit who is only giving them 2.7ppg, a fraction of his output at the Suns.
(3) Their schedule strength to-date has been light, against teams missing significant players. Even last week's win over the Cougars was against a team missing their best player (Field).

Their next three games (Giants, Flames, Magic) will probably tell us how good they are.

Cougars poach Dawkins from BWA. Tigers take Robbins.

Two staff one week, not a good look for head office

game of the round for me is the buccs v giants

will be a barn burner up there in gero

i do agree with bagley that the run for gero so far has been a bit light on. will be a solid test for them against a talented giants group

POWER RANKINGS anyone? Woj bomb and boomer had some great insight last month

MENS POWER RANKINGS
Have worked out that to win a championship this year, you need players who could win a game off their own back, particularly in crunch time. These rankings have factored that in....

1. Buccaneers
Easy schedule to start with, but have proved themselves in the past two weeks with wins over two other quality teams (Cougars & Giants). Stewart, Coleman and Muo are a deadly trio.

2. Flames
There is no better scoring pairing in the league at the moment than Walker and Nelson. Their only loss (to the Giants) was when Walker and Jervis did not play.

3. Senators
Michaels and Davis are a great 1-2 punch, and they have some quality support behind them, including three players with NBL experience (Zunic, Ellis, Wroe).

4. Magic
Finally have got it together after an indifferent start. A new coach is also refreshing. Only issue is their aging, injury-prone starters.

5. Hawks
Solid start to the season but lack that 'crunch time game winner' to be a top-4 team.

6. Wolves
Not as good as their 4-1 record might indicate. And troubling signs when their two leading rebounders are their two starting guards.

7. Giants
Saturday's loss to the Buccs was the first time they had all players available. Ghee is the best PG in the league at the moment.

8. Redbacks
Seem to have a different line-up each week, and their form will mirror the availability of Timms. They are big which could hurt them.

9. Cougars
A good starting-5 but fall away after that. Have shown how fragile they are when Field is missing.

10. Tigers
Hayes-Brown helps in the big-man department, but outside of Scott, their back-court is a little suspect, particularly at the PG position.

11. Eagles
The Eagles are only ranked this high due to Justin King. If it wasn't for him, they would be 14th. The addition of Roberts may push them higher.

12. Lightning
Now that he is finally playing, Taliaferro will be a marked man for opposition teams, so he will need to bring more scoring versatility otherwise Lakeside are in for a long season.

13. Slammers
Only ranked above the Suns because of Tuach. They will get a few wins here and there.

14. Eastern Suns
Okay yes, they have won a game, which is one more than the Slammers or Lightning. But it was against an Eagles team missing Roberts, Johnson, Donlagic and Anastasio - four potential starters. So let's not make too much of it.

Rumour is RAND@M is back west side, hopefully we get his insights again!

WOMENS Power Ranking

1. Wolves- 5-0 and looking very good with addition of Robbie Ryan, a combo guard who can create her own shot and feed Morrell inside, teams are struggling to contain Williams from range. Big matchup coming up v Magic in 2 weeks.

2. Cougars 4-1, cracking game v Magic where Edwards stamped her to claim to the MDB status dominating magic frontline to 37 points, Hartmann is yet another athletic shooter to add to TT's spread offense. Team is rolling right now.

3. Tigers 4-1, how can the defending champs be sleepers but they just go about and do what they do, same core as last year with the underrated addition of Hepburn. Gandini in career best form.

4. Magic 4-1, bringing in the final piece in Hannah Little this week, team has depth which has been the issue in previous years. Milo 19ppg is leading from the front, Toeano looks good, had a great first game with 25p off the plane.

5. Hawks, 3-2, winning the games they are supposed to win. Will push the top 6 this year with only one import. Tigers this week will test their small frontline.

6. Senators 3-2, team on the climb, rumours of Sam Roscoe making an appearance prior to their import coming in. Big frontline come end of season.

7. Flames 3-3, a little underwhelming with two imports, Boag and Ortlepp. They really miss Burrows. Kracker looks decent.

8. Eagles, 3-3, pushed Magic last week, BlazeJewski and Smith high scoring duo but they need more help up front. Need more than 4ppg out of Dewit.

9. Lightning 2-3, got pantsed by the wolves last week, missing any front court size which is killing them at the moment, Two legit bigs coming in shortly, but how many losses can they take until then.

10. Redbacks 2-4, lost to EP last week in game they would of fancied getting, again Dyer is playing a lone hand, import Lee is struggling.


11 Suns 1-6, a fun team to watch with 3 undersized pgs just jacking it each night in trans, Willo junior Shannon Johnson give some size now upfront. Long season for them, Magic's massive frontline this week.

12. Gaints 1-6, Congrats on their first ever wiin, team is trying hard, Klastourney in great form as she leads this young team, they will get a few more by end of season.


13. Slammers 6-0, Cibba back in the league is great for them as she starts to find a strong 1-2 punch with Tylinn carter, finally the kids have someone that can take the pressure off them. They won't win a game but will be vastly more competitive pushing Rocko in the 4th last week.

Don't underestimate the difference a new coach will make at Mandurah. NBL level coach who will demand more from the likes of Turner and hold everyone accountable.

Hawks a little high on Bagleys list for mine. The league is stronger than last year and they are worse.

Expect the tigers will start to click once Hayes B is a regular starter. If they reclaim their top 4 form from last year and add in HB, they'll be solid.

From the bottom its either Lakeside or Redbacks that could make it back to the 8. Redbacks need to figure out how to play all their talent across the full game. And Lakeside adding another import and Shervil but might be too late.

Giants women have only played 4 games so 1-6 is incorrect. Give it a couple more week's baha

Dont disagree with Bagley really. I think its pretty accurate

My power rankings/thoughts following round 5

1. Buccs are definitely one of the top teams in this league. Are the best in the league? that still remains to be seen.
To me, they still lack a bit of depth in their bigs and was evident on the weekend when Wundenberg got in foul trouble against the Giants. Coleman, Muo and Stewart are tough. It will be interesting to see how they go against other teams with dominant inside presence.

2. Flames have not only the best 1-2 scoring punch in the league, they have 2 NBL championship bigs in Hire and Jervis to anchor them. Add in Beard and Godfrey and they have all the makings of a championship roster. Will add young shooter Redhead after returning from college. If the old boys stay healthy its hard to go past them as favourites.

3. Magic with new head coach o'laughlin seem to be re-energised. if he finds a way to get turner, bowie and armour firing on all cylinders this is a team that you wouldnt want to face come playoffs. Riley Parker is playing the best basketball of his career and just gives them another dimension. Abrom is handy. Jurlina and Rickwood-Pitt will play a key part of their success also.

4. Senators were very lucky to get out of jail against a well coached tigers side who are still not at full strength. They have a heck of a back court with Wroe, Zunic and Michaels. Ellis and Davis are two of the more experienced and talented front court combos in the league. When firing on all cylinders they are exceptionally tough to beat. They have been patchy to date but they still find a way to win.

5. Wolves beat Lakeside fairly easily. But then again so has everyone else. Taliaferro was back in the lineup but clearly not enough to close the gap. Turnage and Wade are the backbone of this team and will be their key to success.

6. Hawks. Did what was expected. Nothing more nothing less. I really like the look of Thoseby. If the NBL1 did give a 6th man of the year award he would be a clear frontrunner. Ferguson, Purser, Cassir, Smith. These guys just all do their jobs week in week out. Spurs of the NBL1.

7. Tigers. Although they didnt come up with a win this weekend, they definitely proved a point they can take any of the top teams right to the wire. Nener knows how to get the most out of his teams and is well underrated as a coach in my view. Big Ollie didnt play this weekend for some reason but had he been in there you would probably argue Tigers get the W against Senators. Still awaiting the return of Williams at PG who will make a big difference.

8. Giants. It was a tough matchup to get out to Gero and push the undefeated buccs on their home floor. It was a low scoring first half for both sides. New import Smith had his first nbl1 minutes and looks to have a bit of acclimating still to do. Ghee continues to show he is one of the best guards in the league. Manylok Malek is tough as hell and competes on every possession. The Giants were without their head coach for the buccs game which also is another factor. although they went down, they showed they are a tough and talented side.

9. Cougars. Without Field they arent a serious contender. Love Chukwu. Hunt had a nice poster dunk. that was about it for them this weekend.

10. Redbacks. Losing to a highly undermanned east perth eagles whilst being at full strength themselves is a big slide for them. They have the makings of a good roster but need to find a way to play together. Im sure CJ will figure that out but they need to do it quick

11. Eagles
Need roberts immediately. Beating redbacks one night, losing to suns the next. Have to give them the edge on the suns in the power rankings because they beat redbacks and hopefully have help on the way soon.

12. Suns had their first win on the weekend against an undermanned eagles. its going to be a very long year.

13. Lightning
Cant go off potential or history anymore. these guys are still winless. Hopefully Taliaferro can start to really light it up and the lightning get in some additional guys.

14. Slammers appear to be more competitive recently but still winless.

WOMENS POWER RANKINGS - HEADING INTO ROUND 6

1. Wolves- 5-0: With Slammers to come this week, it's a bright start for coach Wong. Test will be Magic before the bye, and Cougars twice in a month straight after. Surprise packets, would think top 4.

2. Cougars 4-1: Now this is a well rounded group. Zaya Black not even back yet and going at nearly 100 points a game. Edwards making an early claim for MVP status. Will rue the loss to Willo where they led almost the whole game. Long way to go, but could be the first top 4 team for the Cougs in a loooong time.

3. Tigers 4-1: Culture a big part of this. Weirdly constructed line up being so top heavy, but they just know how to win. Need to beat Hawks tonight to show this is still last year's champions. The championship still runs through Gandini and Sharp.

4. Magic 4-1: Almost an entirely new group, with Hannah Little in this week. Really weak at the point guard spot, but otherwise long and athletic enough to bother most teams. And how good is Milo? Unbelieveable.

5. Hawks, 3-2: Surprise packets. Will sit 5-6 and could be outside change for the 4. Import looks okay, will be very reliant on Clarke all year.

6. Senators 3-2: Will be a season of two halves for this group. Import and maybe Roscoe in makes them top heavy, but tough. Will get better all year.

7. Flames 3-3: Don't sleep on them, but shaky start. Match up well against the Cougars for the round 7 derby, that'll be the test. Drop that, and well, Knowles could be heading to the bye under .500. We know what happened to Reynolds last time that happened..

8. Eagles, 3-3: Blazejewski makes this group fun. With the Lightning group unlikely to peak until late in the year, could be a battle with them for 8th spot.. and they play eachother twice (including tonight).. H2H could be important.

9. Gaints 1-3: Better than their record suggests. Will win games and bother top 8 teams. Wayman is an issue, had they got that spot right, they may be in the 8 for their inaugural year.

10. Lightning 2-3: Crying out for Davis and Isenbarger to get back. The latter won't be here until the last third of the season. Outside Jones, they just don't have the scoring punch. Benn is same old, Priestly is just getting older. Danger game against EP tonight.

11 Suns 1-6: A team that's fun to watch and will get better as the season goes on. Have been depleted at different stages and still have an import to come.

12. Redbacks 2-4: Better hope Pirini is back this week, the Cougars are waiting them at home. Could get ugly this week, this is a team in trouble.

13. Slammers 0-6: New coach Vogel takes the reigns this weekend against the undefeated Wolves. You don't want to be the team that helps them break their duck. It won't be this week. But mark your calendars, May 21, this team are a chance to roll the Eagles.

A bit of pain in the womens games tonight. Few teams looking shaky already.

Kat Tudor 7/12 3PT tonight and 26/58 (45%) on the year.

Cougars have a Whitcomb-esque shooter at their disposal. May just eclipse Barr as best shooter in the league

Fun to have imports back

If you're 7/12 from three, you're not getting enough shots up.

Something has to be done about the standard of commentary at some venues. Neutral supporter watching the Geraldton / Rockingham game tonight and had to turn it off prior to half time due to the extremely biased pro-buccs commentating. It was so bad that the special comments guy even had a crack at the refs in the fourth (I saw it got close on love stats so gave them a second chance, history will show that was a very poor decision) when they called fouls against Geraldton he didn't agree with. Morley last night wasn't much better and the same can be said for Random and Whopper in Rockingham last week. It's supposed to be a professional League as part of a much larger national product, yet on multiple occasions the D-grade community commentary department continue to make it look like the Bush League alot of the rear of the country still see it as. Fix it up Mr Bowler or BWA need to find someone who will

Where exactly do you expect them to find quality commentators for every game?

"If you're 7/12 from three, you're not getting enough shots up"


Played 19 minutes I think. Redbacks had like 5 players out, 3 starters.

Wasn't even a game.

Yeah Redbacks had a bunch out, but still, highlights their major depth issues.

No one on Cougars played more than 20 mins by the look of it.

29 points off 7/12 in 19 mins is tough.

Yeah Redbacks had a bunch out, but still, highlights their major depth issues.

7? think that's a stretch.

Of those, how many are actually going to influence the outcome? Mak, Jakens and import the only real difference makers. And even import being impactful is a stretch.

Ashworth
Charlton
Dyer
Jakens
Lee
Motroni
Thompson

That team still goes down by 30 to top 4 sides

Have to throw Hartree in there as well, but she would have been the only one out there last night who would expect to play significant minutes I would think.

Whether there's an overall lack of talent or not, taking that big a hit to your roster is going to hurt regardless of how deep you are.

^And Pirini.

MENS POWER RANKINGS after Round 6

1. Buccaneers (7-0) - Last week's ranking: 1st
Beat a visiting Flames team missing Jervis and the two Beard brothers. But you can only play who is put in front of you. Another big test at home this week against the Magic.

2. Flames (5-2) - Last week's ranking: 2nd
Their only two losses this year have been on the road in Kalgoorlie and Geraldton. And they were missing Jervis, Walker and J.Beard against the Giants, and Jervis, J.Beard and C.Beard against the Buccs. One slip-up by the Buccs and the Flames will move to top of the rankings.

3. Wolves (5-1) - Last week's ranking: 6th
The big movers this week. Their 50+ point win over the Slammers was without Wade, but the addition of Maris Colton gives them that extra size they have been missing. No lack of scoring options on this team and they will need them against another high scoring team in the Giants in Kalgoorlie this Saturday.

4. Magic (5-2) - Last week's ranking: 4th
Overcame a pesky Eastern Suns team but had almost 100 points scored on them. And their 5 wins this year have been against teams with a combined record of 11-25. Jury is still out, and their performance up in Gero this week will determine whether they move up or down the rankings.

5. Senators (4-2) - Last week's ranking: 3rd
Dropped a tough one in Kalgoorlie but were missing their two biggest players in Davis & Littrick. When Cody Ellis is your only 'inside' presence and your leading rebounder, you are going to struggle. With another big team (Hawks) in front of them this week, they better hope those two are back.

6. Giants (4-2) - Last week's ranking: 7th
Last two home games have seen them get wins over the Flames and Senators, and have another tough home assignment this week against the Wolves. Have shown they can score without a problem, but can they defend another high-scoring team?

7. Hawks (4-2) - Last week's ranking: 5th
Their leading scorer (Ferguson) is 32nd is the league in scoring, and if you ranked each team's leading scorer, the Hawks are 14th out of 14 teams. Could only manage 69 points against a Tigers team who defensively, are ranked middle-of-the-road. Tough double against the Senators and Redbacks this week.

8. Redbacks (4-3) - Last week's ranking: 8th
In Timms, Gattorna and Smith, they have the best big man line-up in the league. If their backcourt of Grace, Jackson and Wagner can also come to the party constantly each week, they will start moving up the rankings. Will move above the Hawks if they can beat them this week at Bendat.

9. Tigers (3-4) - Last week's ranking: 10th
When they can get all five of them on the court in the same game, their starting-5 is solid. They do fall away on the bench though, and this could hurt them against the deeper teams further up the standings. Their match-up against the Lightning this week will tell us if they are worthy of being called a top-8 team.

10. Cougars (4-3) - Last week's ranking: 9th
Started the season on fire with 4 straight wins, but that 4-0 record is deceiving as 3 of those wins were against teams outside of the top-8. Since then they have lost 3 in a row, all against top-8 teams. Bench depth is a problem, and if either Field or Skaggs are having an off-night, they struggle for scorers. Tough this week on the road to the Flames.

11. Lightning (1-6) - Last week's ranking: 12th
Just got over the line against the Eagles, but need more from Taliaferro if they are going to break away from this group of 4 teams sitting at the bottom of the standings. Reath is a good addition but he is not going to win them games off his back. Intriguing match-up against the Tigers this week.

12. Eagles (1-6) - Last week's ranking: 11th
Justin King leads this team in scoring, rebounds and assists, and the Eagles only have 2 players scoring more than 7 points per game. Home game against the Slammers this week will tell us how good (or bad) they are. If King plays, they should be okay.

13. Eastern Suns (1-7) - Last week's ranking: 14th
Pushed the Magic and they will certainly be an annoyance for a lot of teams this year. But they are old, lack scorers and lack impact players. And they're now up against a Senators team who wouldn't be happy losing to the Giants on the weekend.

14. Slammers (0-8) - Last week's ranking: 13th
The Slammers rely on Buay Tuach just as much as the Eagles rely on Justin King. And not having Tuach last week hurt them greatly in their 50+ loss to the Wolves. If he plays this week against a Justin King-led Eagles team, it will actually be a good contest.

Lightning get their first win of the season against an erratic eagles team. Eagles nearly pulling off a stunning game tying 4 point play after Filpo was fouled shooting a hail mary which went in off the glass. He unfortunately missed the free throw to tie the game up. Lightning with a tough game this week against a resurgent Tigers.

Buccs with a solid win up in Gero against the Flames who took it right down to the wire. Flames have not had Jervis in the lineup on any of the long road trips so were again not at full strength. Walker going 7-15 from 3 helps with scoring though. Nelson did not seem himself in this game only dropping 17. Well under his high 20's average. One of the things yet to be talked about with these buccs is they play defense. they hold opposition to around 70 pts a game. Very tough to win games with that level of scoring production. Will have their work cut out for them this week facing an inform magic.

Giants with a cruisy win against the Senators who were also missing their starting 5 man in Davis as well as back up big in Litterick. Its a tough place to win when your not at full strength. Zunic, Ellis and Michaels all did their utmost to keep the scoreboard ticking over but wasnt enough. Ghee again proving he is the best PG in the NBL1 West. He was a nightmare for the Senators to deal with. Import Smith with a few nice dunks and looked more comfortable than his debut last week.

Magic accounted for suns easily and seem to have a good balance of scoring under new coach O'Loughlin. Bowie, Turner and Abrom combining for 64 points. Solid performances from Parker, Armour and Pearson. Surely Suns were not anticipating being so far off the mark this year? They have a good amount of talent in that roster but just havent gotten things together yet. Magic with a big test this weekend going up to Gero to face undefeated Buccs. Lets hope they can get their full roster available for the clash, which will be game of the week in my book if its the case.

Tigers handling Hawks fairly easily this weekend was probably not expected by many. But the signs have been there and if they continue to get good production out of young guys like Gerovich and Collins in addition to their usual suspects in Vigor and Scott they will continue to suprise teams. Once they are at full strength they are definitely a playoff calibre team. With the southern suburbs derby coming up with Lakeside this week, they will be looking to get another w.

Redbacks bounced back from an embarrassing loss to east perth last week to take down the cougars. Grace taking out player of the week honours. Cougars started the season red hot but seem to be petering out a little. So much of their success is reliant on Field being in MVP candidate form. If he is down in production they really struggle. This week with Field only garnering 8 points on 2-8 shooting goes to show this is vital to their success. Both teams with tough games this weekend with the redbacks facing the hawks coming off a loss and the cougars taking on the flames down in rocko also fresh off a loss. these two teams rarely lose 2 in a row.

Wolves absolutely pounded Slammers on the weekend but will have a tough opponent this coming week having to travel out to the goldfields to take on a deep tough Giants side. This should be a ripper game with the backcourt of Wade and Turnage facing Ghee and Daow. Daow has been dynamite this year. The Wolves may have the talent to go with the Giants in the backcourt but they are thin inside. Giants are tall, long and athletic in their bigs and they are deep. I expect that the Giants will have their way in the paint this week and it will really test the wolves who currently sit in 2nd place in the standings.

Senators back at home to face the Hawks on Friday night and then the Suns on the Saturday away. They will be looking for 2 wins after a tough loss to Giants this past weekend. Provided Davis and Litterick are back in the lineup I anticipate they will get both w's.

Suns Eagles and Slammers fans are in for another rough week ahead.

Woj BOMB where are you at?

NBL 1 Women Power Rankings Round 7

1. Wolves 6-0- again taking care of business with a big win over slammers, everyone getting a run. Morrell unstoppable, Giants this week should be an easy W rolling into a blockbuster game v Magic.

2 Tigers 5-1. Moving up into 2nd with a solid win over Hawks without Lubke. Ayliffe stepping into the starting role. Should take care of lightning this week. Gandini to run havoc over the young lakeside guards.

3. Cougars 5-1, highest scoring team in the league, dropping 118 on a very undermanned Redbacks, still they can only beat who is on the court. Very impressive v Magic and have a decent test v Rocko. Boag v edwards, Ortlepp v Tudor good match ups.

4. Magic 5-1, impressive early on v Suns, new import Little mobile and good on the glass, A formidable frontline of Boag, Wittenger, Toeana and Little best in the league. Wolves will show if they are contenders or not.

5. Senators 4-2, Stacey Barr show is on dropping another 34p on the giants, possibly the best 1-2 guard combo in the league with Forster.

6. Hawks 3-3, finding it tough now to compete against big frontlines, Emma Clarke in career best form and MVP candidate at 23ppg 11.5rpg. Sentors and Redbacks this week, opportunity to sneak 2 wins.

7. Lightning 3-3, moving up with a really good win over eagles, Caitie Jones leading with 24p, young Jacobs showing her national junior level ability. Still have no frontline. Import hamblin coming in soon, any win is a bonus. Slammers this week.

8. Flames 3-3, bye last week and heading into cougars, tigers. Ortlep 19ppg leading the team.

9. Eagles 3-4, Blazejewski doing everything to have this team in games, Smith a handy 20ppg which would be her career high. Slammers this week could be a danger game. Drop this the team may miss finals. 9 wins will get you there.

10. Redbacks 2-5, forget last game, no one is competitive with both imports out. Talk is that Tea Charlton has headed home, do they replace her in time.

11. Giants 1-4, still not getting blown out in games, tough at home just missing experience to get the wins. Mcrae had a break out game last week with 24p. Wolves this week.

12. Suns, 1-7, apparently an import to come, hopefully she is a big, Magic frontline scored at will. Senators this week.

13. Slammers 0-7, opportunity to get a W coming up with Eagles, Cibba needs to drop 30.

A massive WTF at Rockingham for their lack of a broadcast last night for the games between the Flames & Cougars. No explanation given on their social media or even from BWA on the NBL1 West pages. Extremely poor form from a club which is trying to lose the 'unprofessional, bogan' tag.

MENS POWER RANKINGS after Round 7

1. Buccaneers (8-0) - Last week's ranking: 1st
Made a statement against the visiting Magic. Buccs were without 4 of their best nine players, against a Mandurah team at full strength. This tells us either the Buccs are very very good, or the Magic are overrated. Or maybe both? Should have it easy against the bottom-ranked Eastern Suns this weekend.

2. Flames (6-2) - Last week's ranking: 2nd
In the end an easy win over the Cougars, and once the Beard brothers return, they will be at full strength. They are the likely team to challenge the Buccs for top-spot in the rankings, and should get the better of Willetton this week in what should be an interesting match-up.

3. Senators (6-2) - Last week's ranking: 5th
Big movers in the standings after a solid win against the Hawks on Friday, followed by a thumping of the Eastern Suns on Saturday night. Their only two losses (Hawks, Giants) were when they were missing key players, and have another easy game ahead against the Slammers this Saturday.

4. Wolves (5-2) - Last week's ranking: 3rd
Lost a slugfest against the Giants in a game that could have gone either way. By giving up just 72ppg, they have the best defensive record in the league. That defensive record will be put to the test this week against a Magic team keen to prove the doubters wrong.

5. Giants (5-2) - Last week's ranking: 6th
No team has had a tougher month of May. Their last 4 games have been against the four teams above them, and they have passed the test by going 3-1. Their only loss being to the undefeated Buccs in Geraldton. Have a Lightning/Hawks double-header on the road this week where they should at least get a split.

6. Magic (5-3) - Last week's ranking: 4th
Would be giving the punters a migraine. Have only lost to the Flames and Buccs (twice), which on paper seems fair. But they should have won both of those Buccs' games, and their 5 wins this year have been against teams with a combined record of 11-30. Need to be better otherwise possibly a long night against the Wolves this week.

7. Hawks (5-3) - Last week's ranking: 7th
Took it right up to a deeper Senators team on Friday before going down in a close one. Backed up by then thrashing the Redbacks behind 30pts from highly touted recruit Adam Thoseby. They have lacked a constant scorer this year, and Thoseby needs to repeat his solid college career by being that player.

8. Tigers (4-4) - Last week's ranking: 9th
Didn't have it all to their liking against an undermanned Lakeside team, but got the win nevertheless. Vigor and Hayes-Brown combining for 40 points and 25 rebounds per game, but only had both play in the same game twice this year. Depth is what will prevent them from joining the big boys in the top-half of the ladder. Tough match-up against the Flames this week.

9. Redbacks (4-4) - Last week's ranking: 8th
In Timms, Gattorna and Smith, they have the best big man line-up in the league, but have still lost 3 of their last five games. What is more concerning is that they are 0-3 against teams in the top-8, and have had a very soft schedule to date. Have an Eagles/Cougars double-header this week, but then it becomes tough - Giants, Wolves, Flames and Buccs (twice). Could find themselves 6-9 after that stretch of games.

10. Cougars (4-4) - Last week's ranking: 10th
Over their past 4 games they are averaging a league-low 69 points per game, and 4 losses to boot. Import Skaggs has taken 86 of his 109 shots from outside 3-point land, so teams have worked him out pretty quickly. With veteran Gavin Field on the backend of his career, Skaggs needed to be the Cougars' go-to scorer this year. So far it has not eventuated and is unlikely to.

11. Lightning (1-7) - Last week's ranking: 11th
What was written about Skaggs (above) could almost apply to Lakeside import Landon Taliaferro. The problem for Lakeside though is that Taliaferro has only played 2 games to date, averaging 16ppg at 37%. The Lightning's season is slipping away quickly and they need Taliaferro back alongside Corey Shervill. This weekend's tough match-up against the Giants could be make-or-break.

12. Eagles (1-7) - Last week's ranking: 12th
Two 1-point losses in a row has hurt them big time. Particularly as they were against two other cellar dwellers in the Lightning and Slammers. Would have normally had them ranked below the Slammers but they do have Lee Roberts to come into the line-up.

13. Slammers (1-8) - Last week's ranking: 14th
Broke through to their first win of the season with a buzzer beater against the Eagles. But that's where the euphoria will end though as it will be a lot tougher against the Senators this weekend.

14. Eastern Suns (1-8) - Last week's ranking: 13th
Got thrashed by the Senators, and now have to head up to Gero for a 1st vs 14th clash. Good luck!!

Womens Power Rankings

1. Wolves 7-0. Their dominance on the scoreboard continues with a 31p win up in Kal, First half has literally near perfection as Morrell didn't miss. Pulled the throttle to close out a solid win. Robbie Ryan could be the best ball handler ever in the league! Their big 3 each averaging over 20p and claims to the MVP title. Huge game coming v Magic who are the best defensive team in the league. Boag v Morrell, Wittenger v Williams, Milo v Ryan, are Magic real contenders?

2. Tiger 6-1. had a scare v Lakeside on the weekend down in the 4th they were able to pull out a win. Des Kelly huge with 26p the difference. 4 wins in a row now. Rocko this week should be a great match.

3. Senators 6-2 Two dominant wins last weekend with a 45p win over Hawks and a 45p win over Suns. The addition of Roscoe gives them yet another decent big and depth on the bench. Forster making a play for MIP.

4. Magic 5-1. Had the bye, prepping for wolves in Joondalup this week.

5. Cougars 5-2. Loss to Rocko, Edwards foul trouble lead to Flames Brossman dominating with 41p. Able to get back on winners list with Redbacks this week.

6. Flames 4-3. 3 wins in a row now, starting to show some form, big win over a top 4 Cockburn team, now have another chance v Tigers this week. Gandini to wreck havoc over the young flames guards.

7. Hawks 4-4. Unexpected margin in the loss to Warwick, coach Mansfield wouldnt be happy. Got the bounce back win over Redbacks. Satie needs to lift to provide a second scorer to Clarke. Giants this week at Bendat should get them back on the win list.

8. Lightning 3-4. Where is Ruth Hamblin? the 6'7 Canadian international is expected to arrive soon. Otherwise the team continues to struggle in the middle. Dickey a nice import addition. Giants this week at home, Giants 2nd game of a back to back road trip, they need this W to stay in the hunt for the playoffs.

9. Eagles 3-5. Handed Slammers their first win last round, outside of Blazejewski and Smith they have very little scoring support. What is going on with Dewit, injured? Opportunity v Redbacks this week.

10. Redbacks 2-6 Disappointing season so far. They have to beat Eagles to start to right the ship.

11. Slammers 1-7. SLAMMERS WIN! I believe first time since 2019, team played great. Tylinn Carter kept Blazejewski to only 3 baskets which kept them in the contest, Cibba making big plays down the stretch. Will be competitive against suns, Giants, Redbcks and Eagles. Senators this week.

12. Giants 1-5. road double this week with Hawks and Lightning. Match up well with Lightning, Mcray needs to do more to support Klastourney upfront. Young Gatti dropped 19.

13. Suns 1-8. 5 losses now in a row. Got the bye.

Love the power rankings Bagley

Good insight

Although I think you are kinder to some teams than I would be haha

My Power Rankings below:

1. Buccaneers
They are playing some great basketball right now. Granted they have had a run of games at home all in a row of late after starting the season on the road they have still not lost a game. Blanchett finally showing why the Buccs recruited him with a breakout game. Narkle is also showing his talent and ability giving them great minutes. Absolutely destroyed the Magic this weekend.

2. Flames
Handled Cougars easily. Walker is making a strong case for the MVP of the League. Redhead dropping an easy 16pts off the bench fresh off his return from college.

3. Senators
Solid W against Hawks. Still got room to improve too. They have a great core of Aussie guys that are still figuring out their identity as a team for 2022. New head coach, new additions in Zunic and Michaels. Wroe although has been on the roster for a few seasons hasnt actually played a lot due to injury. Loss of Elliott. Once they really click this is a team that will be very hard to beat come playoff time.

4. Giants
Another team that is still finding themselves this season but they continue to find ways to win. Have knocked off Senators and Wolves in the last 2 weeks. Ghee is the best PG in the League and continues to lead the Giants team. Someone who has not got much mention or credit for how well he has played for the Giants so far is Daow. He consistently defends the oppositions best player and contributes points at the offensive end. Ford and Malek are relentless in how they play. I really like the length and athleticism of this team. Still trying to find a place for Smith in the rotation by the looks of it.

5. Hawks
Yes they fell to Senators by 9 but they were still right there with them most of the way. What they did to Redbacks was a sight to see. It was surgical. They exposed every weakness in the Redbacks defense and exploited it. Thoseby was feasting. There was a lot of finger pointing going on defensively for the reds and they could not make the adjustments or pull together to slow the hawks down. Was a training run for the hawks in the end. This performance by the Hawks cannot be discounted given the talent level Redbacks had on the floor.

6. Wolves
Gave Giants a good run for their money on the road. To be honest I thought Turnage would be giving them more scoring production than his 19ppg. Wade and Pesava were solid again but just wasnt enough. Colton looks like a handy pickup for the Wolves. Will be interesting to see how they go against the Magic this weekend.

7. Magic
Is it a 1 off or is it a sign of ongoing cohesion issues. Have the talent to be top 4 if firing on all cyclinders. Could be a bust if they cant gel. To me its a big slide in the power rankings with the performance they put up against an undermanned Buccs whilst they are at full strength.

8. Tigers
Quietly gaining momentum in the background. Hayes and Vigor will be a tough front line to deal with if they can all stay healthy. Cruised in against Lakeside who never really looked to be in the game.

9. Cougars
Got pounded by Flames and had their full roster on hand. If they dont shoot the 3 well and Bobby Bones isnt playing at MVP level they arent competitive with the top teams.

10. Redbacks
Got talent but clearly not gelled yet. Got pumped by Hawks. Was a no contest. Grace was a non factor. Jackson was quiet. Timms and Gattorna got their numbers. But they lost by 30. For their talent level and now being at full strength they should at least compete with a team like Hawks.

11. Lightning
Ravaged by the exodus of Boweie, Armour, Isenbarger and Prue they are still trying to find themselves. Whilst being weaker on talent and experience they play hard and play for each other.

12. Slammers
Bigtime comeback against the Eagles. Started to show signs of being competitive over last few weeks and finally broke through. They showed great composure to execute the way they did down the stretch at both ends of the floor.

13. Eagles
Ouch. Imploded down the stretch. Up by 4 they managed to give up an offensive rebound that lead to a wide open 3 by Hill from Slammers which he knocked down. They called timeout and advanced the ball only to turn it over on the inbounds pass and gave up an And 1 foul to Vogel who finished on the fast break to seal the game. Choked. Everyone keeps asking, when is Roberts coming?

14 Suns
Basket case right now. Non event against Warwick. They have more talent and experience on paper than Eagles, Slammers and Lightning but are so far off the mark at the moment.

Men's Predictions:

Redbacks v Eagles @ Belmont
Interesting stat that after the Eagles beat the Redbacks in a shock upset 4 rounds ago, the Eagles have since lost to Suns, Lightning and Slammers all of which were winless at the time. They now face the Redbacks on their home floor coming off a hiding from Perry Lakes. Redbacks to hand the Eagles their 4th straight loss by a handy 15 points.

Buccs v Suns @ Active West
Simply put this will be a landslide victory to the Buccs to keep their undefeated streak going another week longer. Buccs by 30.

Joondalup v Magic @ HBF
Both clubs coming off losses out in the country. Wolves narrowly falling short to the Giants and the Magic getting pasted by the Buccs. Wolves probably have just a bit more depth than the Magic which could be the difference. Wolves to get back in the W column with a close fought victory on their home floor winning by 5.

Slammers v Senators @ Eaton
Slammers coming off their first win of the season will be up and about early but will not have the depth to handle the array of weapons the Senators have. Expect Michaels to have a big one in this game. Senators to cruise in with a 25 point victory.

Cougars v Redbacks @ Wally Hagan
Both teams have not been in great form recently. Redbacks will be on the back end of a double header here with the Cougars fresh. If Chuckwu can stay out of foul trouble and Skaggs shoots a decent clip it will take the pressure off Field. Picking Cougars in this one on their home floor to get up by 8.

Lightning v Giants @ Lakeside
Lightning welcoming a new import to the team will be a boost. Will it be enough? In short no. The Giants are proving they are a serious contender this year with their length and athleticism. Ghee and Daow will be too much for young Paleschi, Lee, Patterson and Malseed. Davey and Jackson with their work cut out for them contending with Malek, Ford and Smith. Giants to win by 15

Flames v Tigers @ Mike Barnett
This will be a great game to watch as both teams match up really well. Hayes Brown and Vigor to battle it out with Jervis and Hire. Walker and Nelson will be interesting matchup with Clarke and Scott. Redhead was nice for the Flames in his 22 debut with a quick 16 off the bench last week. Add guys like Godfrey, Durnin and Beard and they are just a little deeper than Willo. Its hard to go past the Flames on their home floor. Flames by 7.

Hawks v Giants @ Bendat
Hawks coming off a big margin victory against Redbacks will be full of confidence on their home floor. Giants in the backend of a double header will need to be sharp to get this one. Thoseby is a problem and coming off a 30pt game. Purser in vintage form. Smith and Leary shooting well. Ferguson anchoring them inside. Should be a good game to watch. Giants being a tad deeper to get up by 5.

Why are the Redbacks so bad

@Bored = culture. Nepotism 101 does not lead to a successful program. When the head coach sits half way up the grandstand stairs midway through the third, only to get up to complain when something is seemingly "hard done" to his boys, what does the rest of the group take from that. I feel for Wagner, heart and sole and being sold short.

NBL1 Men Power Rankings Round 8

1. Buccs (Round 7 ranking: 1) - they just keep winning. Undefeated. Nothing more needs to be said.

2. Flames (Round 7 ranking: 2) - Handled Willetton easily. Putting a nice win streak together since their loss to Giants on the road in round 4

3. Senators (Round 7 ranking: 3) - 35 point victory against Slammers. 2nd on ladder by %.

4. Wolves (Round 7 ranking: 6) - tough matchup in Magic and got the job done by 8 on their home floor. Were down at half time and then owned the Magic in the 3rd. This was the difference in the game. Pesava had a night out going off for 34.

5. Giants (Round 7 ranking: 4) - split their road trip dropping a game to the Lightning and bouncing back to take down the hawks. Most probably expected that if they were to split it would be the other way around. The Hawks game was interesting as they were down by 7 at half time and then held the Hawks to 6 points in the 3rd. Giants really did a job on Purser and Thomas holding them to 6 points collectively.

6. Hawks (Round 7 ranking: 5) - going down to the Giants was not what most expected but they are a quality side none the less and despite a horrible 3rd quarter were still in the mix to win the game down the stretch. Thoseby continues to be a shining light for the Hawks. Ferguson was handy but they didnt get enough contribution from their other guys. Smith going 0-4 from 3 is unlike him. Purser and Thomas going 1-9 and 1-8 respectively.

7. Cougars (Round 7 ranking: 9) - emphatic win over the Redbacks. Expected this one to be closer. Cougars had contribution coming from everywhere. Every single player scored on their roster. Skaggs going ballistic from outside shooting 9/13 from 3. Pond having a big game off the bench going for 18.

8. Magic (Round 7 ranking: 7) - after they won their first couple of games post the change which can often be the case they have now lost 2 in a row. Have to start turning the corner soon. Getting decent scoring out of their starters but seem to be struggling defensively. Since the coaching change Armour and Parkers scoring seems to have dropped. Turner and Bowie scoring more. It may speak to a different style of play and how O'Laughnlin uses his PG's.

9. Tigers (Round 7 ranking: 8) - couldnt put points on the board in this game against flames. desperately need williams back. they have a lot of the pieces to be a playoff team but need that speed and creativity in the PG spot to round it out.

10. Lightning (Round 7 ranking: 11) - moving up a spot this week after a tagging a big scalp over the weekend taking down the Giants in a hard fought battle. New import Vaughn had an instant impact for them. Taliaferro and Reath top scoring for the Lightning. At full strength this team can beat anyone on their given night.

11. Redbacks (Round 7 ranking: 10) - they had an easy win against Eagles on Friday night which was to be expected but then got blown apart by the Cougars on Saturday. This is the second blowout against a team that they would expect to compete with. There appears to be big problems with the teams chemistry right now. With the talent they have on paper these massive losses are well below their potential. Even though Gattorna didnt play in the Cougars game you would think with players like Timms, Wagner, Smith, Grace and Jackson there is still enough there to compete.

12. Slammers (Round 7 ranking: 12) - these guys play hard and are probably punching about where you would expect them to be with their roster. Had no chance of beating Senators but they won the 2nd quarter which you don't do unless your fighting as hard as you can.

13. Eagles (Round 7 ranking: 13) - Were up by 3 going into the 4th quarter and then got absolutely blasted in the 4th going down by 28. They at least have pieces to be competing/winning these types of games but to roll over like they did in that last quarter cant justify moving them up.

14 Suns (Round 7 ranking: 14) - scored 22 points in the first half. ouch. won the 3rd quarter putting up 24 points and then bombed in the 4th. What doesn't make sense is this team actually has talent and experience on their roster and are just not even close to reaching that potential.

You're very kind to the Hawks, Boomer. Pretty significant drop off for them this year. Sitting 8th on the ladder and dropping games last year they'd have won at home like at home vs Giants.

Woj bomb?

NBL 1 Women Power Rankings, Bye week.

1. Wolves 8-0 Survived a major scare at home v Magic who exposed their lack of depth up front. An epic contest but Wolves had the Robbie Ryan composure to close out the game. Phillips in her break out game. Possibly two of the top 3 MVP candidates on Ryan and Morrell. Hawks next up.

2. Tigers 7-1 they just keep on rolling with a W over flames again without Lubke which is concerning for the Tigers and the rest of the league, her return will be massive, Hepburn covering her spot ATM with 21 in the win. Behind at the half they go to the Sharp show in the 4th to pull them out. Slammers next. Magic coming up the next test.

3. Senators 7-2, its tight up the top this year, Senators have the fire power to make a championship run. Barr firming is clear MVP at this stage dropping another 29 on the weekend, Import coming in to replace Roscoe who heads to another league. Eagles next.

4. Cougars 6-2, great bounce back win over redbacks with big contributions from Edwards 32p and Tudor 28p. Again this team is only as good as Jessie and she is very good but do they have the depth that other teams have above them.

5. Magic 5-2, losses to Cougars and Wolves, coach Alava would be happy with the performance v Wolves but need to get back on the win sheet to stay in touch with the top 4. Team is a defensive force and deep with Little, Pettit and Halleen on the pine. June will make or break them with Tigers, Senators, Hawks, lakeside.

6. Hawks 5-4, winning the games they are supposed to and get a W over Giants, Emma Clarke continuing her form with 20 and 10. Magic coming up will be a tough test. They need 4 more wins to lock in the 8.

7. Flames 4-4 missed a big opportunity to take a top 4 scalp in Tigers. Kraker finding nice form with 29. They need to start beating top 4 teams. Suns next with their new import wont be an easy W.

8. Lightning 4-4, coach Srdarev would be happy to get 4 Ws without a frontline, and in comes Big Ruth 6'7 Canadian international who dominated the Giants front court with 24p 18 rebounds. The talk of Isenberger possibly not returning this team looks to be complete. Mia Jacobs providing good bench scoring. Expect a few more wins now as they lock up a top 6 spot.

9. Eagles 3-6 missed an opportunity at home v Redbacks, Blazejewski the lone hand, Ironmonger joins the team for her first game. Gives a vet inside presence. Can they bring in a second import to replace underperforming Dewit.

10. Redbacks 3-7, new import Esary replaces Charlton with immediate effect dropping 25p and 15 rebounds on the eagles to get the Win, she is very much needed. Giants in Kal the next big test, but should be an opportunity for a W.


11. Giants 1-7, losing margins are starting to creep out with losses to hawks and lightning on the road. They have to win at home v Redbacks. Can they swing an import change?

12. Suns, new 6'4 import joining the team which has been desperately needed. This gives Pangalos someone to work with as an inside target.

13. Slammers 1-8, big loss to Senators, Willo to come.

Massive rumour that Perth have fired Men's Head Coach CJ Jackson. The Redbacks have largely underperformed this season it must be said but at the same time, this could have huge ramifications on their playing list? Tevin and Denzel would leave in support of their dad, then a huge question mark on whether Grace stays. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out

Obviously untrue about CJ and the Redbacks, there would've been an announcement by now. If it is true they’ve made a huge mistake. He took that team to the final 4 last season and I wouldn’t be so quick to write them off for this season.

That team is in a much better place today than it was when he took the job.

The team has an identity crisis atm and can’t decide what is their real style of play. They will get much better sooner rather than later.

Please, its just an issue of not constructing the team right. There isn't enough ball for them all to get theirs.

Obviously untrue about CJ and the Redbacks

"It is with a heavy heart that today I announce I will be stepping aside as Head Coach of our Men's NBL1 team.

Our NBL1 group comprising Senior Management, Players, Coaches and Support Staff have clear expectations of one another. At this point of the season, we feel that, as a collective, we are not meeting those expectations.

Following a period of reflection over the past few weeks and in consultation with Club Senior Management, we have ultimately decided it is in the best interest of all parties that I depart from the role of Head Coach.

This decision now enables me to prioritise the development of our emerging junior basketballers through my SKYPLAY Academy, school programs and community basketball, as I have done for the past 30 years.

I would like to thank all of the Redbacks family for your love and support over my NBL1 coaching journey.

This club holds a special place in my heart and I will continue as a strong supporter of our boys' and girls' junior programs right through to our NBL1 teams.

Take care and I will see you all soon.
CJ"

Obviously I was wrong lol

So who is the replacement?

Bored.. so he just constructed the team into 4th last season? I get the feeling he might have been pushed into this, the original poster was on the money obviously, despite my initial misforgivings.

Ok let's be honest here. Defensively they suck, probably due to players too concerned about their offense and that’s on all the players as individuals. Blaming the coach for a lack of effort.. "please" as you would say.

They have fallen in love with the quick jump shot when personnel wise they are more of a deliberate setup half court style of team. Think of them being more similar to a San Antonio Spurs type of lineup rather than a Golden State as an analogy.

Someone said in an earlier post about Nepotism.. well “please” Tevin is an ex NBL player and you cannot deny him playing big minutes and Denzil should be playing more. Truth be told Denzil is the ONLY player who showed any hustle and willingness to do the dirty work.

Ben Smith was once a great player, today he is a shadow of his former self (it’s age no fault of his) and is a liability on defensive switches.

Grace has been a great pickup but that has lessened Wagner’s role (whom I respect greatly) as he and Gattorna are their only true threats from 3 pt land. Don’t misunderstand me, guys like Timms and Tevin can shoot the 3 but they keep the D honest rather than present a serious threat like Grace and Gattorna do.

So how much you wanna pin this on CJ if you really want to be honest?

So both teams top four last year and now both not there?.....

So sack him mid season???
Go back and look at history. Every CJ coached team since Moses wore short pants took their lickings early on but ALWAYS came on strong at the tail end of the season.
Go on.. look at his history at Cockburn, Swans and Redbacks previously.. I dare.. I double date you!

Don't forget this team HAS NO IMPORTS!

Apart from Perry Lakes (and shout out to Parsons who is doing a great job as always) who else can boast that?

I rest my case!!!!!!

Next please.. bring it on you armchair critics

If they fire CJ, what about Michelle?

JT - yes they have no imports. And they are outside the 8

Comes down to culture.
CJ has always been great in this aspect but if your players don't get it want to buy into it it just won't work.

Too many players these days talk the talk say they will do anything to win except make individual sacrifice for the team to make it work

Talent is one thing but culture cannot be underestimated.

My sources tell me none other than Nik Lakovic will coach out the remainder of the season.

JT - Senators and Tigers also have no imports on their roster. Senators are 2nd on the ladder and seem to be doing just fine. Tigers are one spot below the Redbacks with 4 wins and 5 losses to Redbacks 5 wins and 5 losses.

Hawks who you mentioned previously as another team without imports are in equal 7th by wins and losses, 8th by %.

Out of the teams that dont have imports i would put the Redbacks roster as the 2nd most talented. Senators being first. Hawks 3rd and Tigers 4th.

lets not sugar coat it, imports or no imports, that roster is better than 5-5 and to not even be competitive with Hawks or Cougars says there is a heck of a lot wrong.

will be interesting to see where they go from here

Any other coaches that are in the hot seat?

Ettridge would have to be surely. Brings in a heap of non locals and stunk it up alot more than CJ did at Perth. Is it fair to say now for the years they didn't choke up at Wolves, the key to their success was actually Luke Brennan and not Ettridge, who no doubt would make you believe otherwise. Brennan's coaching stocks continuing to rise as an assistant under ScoMo with the Cats whilst Ettridge's name is about as stable as cryptocurrency.

All ave first team:
Pg: Kerl aylert
Sg: Coopa hamerton
Sf: Melusi mayonaise
Pf: Michael garbpoloni
C: loui timms

Who's the coach?

@Perthworld - Parsons surely.