Hawks, the surprise package of the season for me. It'll be reasonably comfortable, by eight.

Never know what you get with Cairns....but damn they are undermanned.

Hoping for a good game, expecting the Hawks fairytale to continue but sorta hoping for Cairns win to keep them in the race.

What Scout said.

Hawks by 6.

Hawks by 14

Blanchfield defended his own player there better he defends opposition. Taipans would be reasonably happy being this close at quarter time

DJV would have to be one of the worst commentators I've ever heard. He sounds like he has absolutely no interest in the game when he’s talking.

I'm not a fan of McCall but he’s certainly playing well.

I see mayberry has already got bol out of the game, why he is allowed to ref Taipans games is beyond me

And to nobody's surprise really, Cairns by 4 at the half.

Hawks getting out hustled is the main reason they’re behind.

Kuol fouls a lot, scrags, got away with it last season but this season refs are onto it probably because opposition coaches were asking the question.
Been a good game for the taipans, playing very well. Hawks got tell Robinson to play and stop complaining about every call. Hawks will have to lift or they are gone.

I'm not certain why current players get to commentate .

Dunkman - agreed on DJV. Really droll dude to listen to.

McCall hitting the court a lot without flop warnings, as usual.

Hawks getting smashed on the boards and still no Olbrich.

Cairns are a very good flopping team. Playing well though

Robinson been woeful, five free throws in a row missed by hawks.

Froling is horrible in the post. When he has to stop and think about what move he'll attempt, the possession is toast. Might be the most overrated player in the league.

So, The refs will now foul taipans out of the game. to be expected.
Has happened all year.

Certainly one of them Ben, agree totally. McCall playing great. The fouls are there.

Clarke on one leg has kept hawks in this.

Josh Roberts has been pretty effective tonight in his 20-ish minutes.

Why has he previously been copping DNPs or small amounts of run?

He was injured for a time there then on restricted minutes I think. Just waiting for refs to end this game

GTFO

Jesus, what a finish.

Cairns looked the better team 95% of the game. Hawks seemed to have stolen. Buzzer beater at the death coming from a fortuitous rebound.

Outside of the final minute, meh game though. At least it was close. Disappointing W for the Hawkies at home against an under strength visitor.

so, Refs could not get the Hawks over the line. check the number of fouls against the Tiapans and the number of Free throws given to the Hawks in the last Quarter.
So maybe there is a basketball God.

Beautiful looking shot. Bang - game!

Overall a very good game, Cairns were probably the one point better team. It's annoying watching Cairns complain about every decision. Hawks got learn to box out and if that is the best Robinson can bench him, -18 in game that close is woeful. While Froling can be good, against players his size or larger he’s to soft.

Forde really having a go at refs with backhanded comments, I think he'd be better telling his players to keep their hash out and stop grabbing jerseys. I’m first to complain about soft fouls but Cairns really push the limits. If anything they could have called more.

Not sure what to think of Forde - pulls together disparate players for his teams and makes it work, but think there are times he drinks his own bath water.....as do a lot of the coaches.

Being humble and reflective does not seem part of the criteria, could spend a bit more time getting them to play better D, saying that great win by the Taipans with 3/4 of their core out of the game.

lets look at the facts . Taipans attacked the rim more than the hawks, got more offensive rebounds, usually a pointer to more fouls and free throws.
But the actual count was that lopsided to be nearly statically impossible.
Foul Count - 28 -16. Free throw count - 32-11.
I don't know what you blokes are drinking or what glasses you are wearing, but i think you all need a change.
The refs only Reffed one end of the court, the only reason the hawks lost is that they only shot 20 of their 32 Free throws.
cairns are one of the best defensive sides in the competition (again, that is a statically fact, not a thought bubble).
They had 3 players fouled out, and still managed to defend the Hawks out of the game. in spite to the refs (un)concious Bias.

I'm the first person to complain about home cooking, that didn’t happen last night, the fouls were as lob sided against Cairns in Cairns against Sixers, Forde is going the old Goorg style, refs will call fouls but they won’t call them all. I’ve got nothing against Cairns, but they flop, head throws, reach in, wrap arms around players scrag more than any other side, then complain like butter would not melt in their mouth.

When Forde first started coaching Cairns, I jumped on their bandwagon as underdogs and battlers, and for a few seasons they looked 'classy' and were positive role models.

Perhaps I didn’t look closely enough at the time.

Nowadays, apart from a few players, I just don’t feel that they’re ‘classy’ or positive role models any more, and they’re losing my support and interest. JJs leave them for dead imho.

ever watched a melbourne or Sydney game game Dunkman
Please spare me the "i am the first to complain about Home Cooking"

I am but it's your prerogative to disagree but I’ll stick with my opinion.