Thought it was just about the seedings. Based on the strength of the conference from a formula they developed. Then the 3 winners + best "loser" for final 4?

Thought that was the only change to the formula ?

A straight 8 team National Final would be easier, but I'm not sure how they get there. Last years winner + the 5 conference winners, could we see the NZBL champion get a bid as well, make it 7, then figure a way to add a worthy 8th ?

No Glover and Foxwell, will be tough for cats.

some talk of Blanch and White missing for Mackay also ...

Hearing Rumours that Nicole Munger is overseas as well

The top three NBL1 North Women's teams have withdrawn also, citing injuries and unavailability of players

NBL1 Central Women's Winner Central District will be without the GF MVP Tayla Levy as well due to AFLW committments. Unfortunately it wont be a true reflection of a 'National' final with so many players mising, and teams choosing not to compete.

I'm surprised with the 'alignment' of NBL & NBL1 there isn't more flexibility when it comes to the Nationals. Or is it name only ?

It's only one extra week and one weekend, for a handful of players.

NBL and AFLW are only in pre-season. Surely one extra week shouldn't matter ?

As for player interest, find that one strange too. Surely you'd like to cap off your season with a National Championship instead of 'only' a conference championship ?

Has anyone pulled out of Forestville's team? I would imagine they would be in trouble if a Mays or DJ pulled out.

Same things happened the past two years...

Thought it was just about the seedings. Based on the strength of the conference from a formula they developed. Then the 3 winners + best "loser" for final 4?

Thought that was the only change to the formula ?

Check out the NBL1 release for this year's playoff format. It’s convoluted af.

Another year, another third rate Nationals. Time to put it to sleep.

I can't read it because the website won't load anything other than the home page.

So teams are only guaranteed one game, by the sound of it?

kobe, see if this works for you - https://api.nbl1.com.au/nbl1/assets/lvkbvtb6h1sccow0

Has the finals system + rosters.

Not up to speed on women, but the men's side is rather depleted and embarrassing.

Ridiculous that we've gone from three guaranteed games to one guaranteed game. It's like they don't want anyone to travel over.

I don't think Joel Murray will resign with Mandurah- heard he was only paid $350 per game! Man they are really underpaid these imports!

He hadn't played in 2-3 years before they signed him, so they no doubt got a good deal, but there's no way he was signing anywhere for NBL1 money after this year...

How do they calculate the best loser? Two eight-point margins on the women's side of the draw, and currently an eight-point margin in the third game...

Points differential then Percentage.
Rockingham currently through. Newcastle would need to lose by less than 8 or score more than 81 if the margin is 8

If it's percentage, then surely Southern Districts are through, not Rockingham?

Commentators keep saying the loser of Mandurah vs Mackay needs to keep it under 8, but Forestville only lost by 6?

This court surface is beyond a joke.

If it's tied on points difference, then the higher ranked team goes through... hence southern districts missing semi finals due to being the lowest ranked team - in women’s side. (Finished 3rd in conference)

so they say DJ will play today ?

I can see why NBL teams wouldn't want their players playing on those dangerous slippery courts.

Can only laugh at the shambles.

First day of games split between venues 30 mins apart. If we're being honest, women should’ve been at Maroochydore, men at USC.

Caloundra hosted the men last night. A stadium that is notorious for becoming slippery and unsafe following decent rainfall. Of course, steady rain all week until the day before.

Only the Sixers could trump the joke the Nationals currently is :)

Generally NBL teams don't want their players playing potentially 3 games in 3 days. All to do with load management.
NBL clubs will let player’s finish their season if they make finals in NBL1 , but generally all teams start their pre season in early August & they want to be in control of players

*replay clearly shows Bec Cole inside the no charge arc* "We can see on the replay here that Cole was definitely outside the no charge arc..."

(Robbi Ryan was still on the ground so the no charge arc wasn't even relevant to the play.)

Joel Murray not playing for Mandurah after injuring himself on a horrendously unsafe playing surface last night, in case anyone thought there was any way we could convince NBL players to participate.

South has the women's tournament locked up already. Yawn.

The concept of this is good but the timing is hopeless.

Very few WNBL players and less NBL Players make it a bit of a shambles. Maybe a mid-season All Star Weekend type of event maybe better. North v South or East Vs West.

Not a good look when the QLD womens champions withdraw, the second and third and fourth teams are not interested, and the team knocked out in the qtr finals represents the North.

Even more confusing is how Bendigo by virtue of winning last year finish 9th in the league are invited and are now in the final.

Hope they win it all to complete the farce.

Got to think this whole idea has the same future as break dancing at the Olympics.

I think Bendigo was missing their best player with a 3 month injury for Megan McKay so thats why they finished 9th. Hey first game back was in the Finals- correct me if I'm wrong?

McKay wasn't injured. Took a break due to mental health. Was unknown if she would return

These NBL1 national finals are definitely geared towards South teams winning it all. Which makes sense since NBL1 is run from Victoria.

Considering year 1 WA won both the Men's and the Women's divisions so what a stupid comment.

Finals geared up for south, you have to be kidding.
Both men's & women’s NBL 1 south leagues are the hardest leagues in NBL 1 . No disrespect to Knox in the men but they were knocked out in the first week off the playoffs & probably the top 6 teams in the men had a good chance of winning the south title & probably what I saw would’ve beaten any other NBL 1 league winner at the finals
The same goes for the women in NBL 1 south. The whole NBL 1 Australian finals is comical with the better players not going due to NBL pre season training & you would think between the 2 leagues they would get in bed with each to work it out to get the better players there & the way the games are played, everyone should play each other at least to determine who is the best

Hey, seems that availability, or non-avail... was a major problem due to other commitments from several players. Understandable but regrettable.

What if.. end of season, each conference chooses an all-star team to represent their conference. Same player rules as reg season, ie 2 imports etc. Play in conference champion's uniforms. Obviously, only available players, form across the conf, to be chosen.

What you think?