Surely Perth play better and certainly defend better. It will be interesting to see how the fouls are called, if it's like the last time SEM were reffed in Perth, united might run out troops, hopefully it’ll be like last nights game and they let it flow. I think cats get this because of home court, should be a beauty though, maybe even a belter or cracker.

I reckon there's even a slight chance of it being ripper.

Not sure if this is the case this season, but often the same refs are allocated to all games in a series, so everyone should know what to expect.

Guess we'll find out shortly :)

Pinder and Doolittle stepped up last game, Cotton wasn't in god mode, which he needs to be.
The biggest question is how Perth changes their defence. Twice Goulding has gone nuts, sometimes he's just unstoppable, didn't see the last game but comments alluded to he got wide open looks. If I'm Perth I'm doubling, switching, box and one, triangle and 2, anything to stop him from being the game winner. Clarke is really the only other one that can really get red hot, I'd be running the risk and seeing if Delly, Ili and White can dominate, especially from the outside.
But who do they go with against CG? Doolittle may have size, but can he or Windler chase him around all night. That's where someone like Foxwell can just be that pawn to just stick to him. But even then he's too small if CG does get the ball and rises up. JR should try and get Henshall into a frenzy defensively and put an ultimate challenge to him. Would be a good thing to put on resume for scouts.
United is probably the biggest winner of the break, able to give older guys the rest they needed. And that will help with the travel as well.
Vickerman will probably be happy if only 2 out of Pinder, Doolittle and Windler have scores in the 20s if they can concentrate on limiting Cotton to around 30. And Melbourne have the luxury of throwing multiple excellent defensive guards against him all night.
Still, Perth are tough at home and if Cotton gets going anything can happen. But Windler really needs to hit some shots, otherwise Jr will blow a blood vessel. And if CG hits 10 threes again it really does come down to game preparation and buck stops with him.

Surely Perth... defend better.

Good point above

If this is reffed like Perth vs SEM, the way United defends they'll need 15 players in uniform to get through the game.

Red army roaring, plus we've seen this script before. I won't be surprised if Pinder and Cotton combine for 25 free throw attempts.

Still feeling optimistic given United's strangely good record at RAC.

The reason that CG got so many open shots was because MU played as a team, setting multiple screens and decoy actions to get him open. Actually shutting down CG is going to take a defensive scheme such as MU run against Cotton.
Will be interesting to see what tweaks are added tonight, Rillie is not as bad as folks make out, damn they in the semi, however IMHO Vickerman the better coach, however think Perth got teh better athletes
I'm not making predictions it’s going to be a belter for sure, maybe a cracker and certainly entertaining.

The queues outside RAC with 10mins to tipoff have ticketek fail written all over the....standard!

This is huge.

The two true heavyweight clubs of the NBL.

All-time greats. Cotton. Goulding. Vickerman.

Bring it.

Cats struggling early, can't hit the side of a barn

This could likely be the last time we see BC in the NBL.

Come at me if you want but I hope the Cats continue to get smashed.

We will continue to go around in a pointless circle until a change of coach.

Completely agree PW.

"Overall we were happy with our performance"

No way would Roth or Vickerman or Tatum or Goorjian say that, after losing by bouble digits, with the oppositions best scorer going off - with some poor defensive breakdowns along the way.

I'm not convinced this game is over.

Does Pinder ever finish a possession standing up?

Well, if United wins this, I've happily got egg on my face

At the start of this season I was very resolute in my opinion they wouldn't make another GF this year

Give Rillie another extension I say

Perth fans should walk out at half time. Send a message.

I'm not convinced this game is over.

Seriously, had there been a less prepared looking playoff team??

Did Henshall actually say he's a lottery pick?

F'n Marto calling better coaches plays from the commentary box than Rillie.
Perth will need a miracle or they'll be a riot out west.

Delly on triple double watch, when was the last time someone had 10 dimes in a half

Anyone fancy a pint?

how does Pinder not get a tech for throwing the ball down the court?
and then swears at Allen and still nothing???

Henshall did say that. 33% v 53% shooting, it's only 14 points though. Perth don’t deserve to win it but stranger things happen. Cats just don’t understand defence, Doolittle has an idea, Cotton as well but the rest not much of an idea. Defence is a team working together but it’s not in this team. Cats play like bully’s until it’s given back to them. Still in it though.

Anyone fancy a pint?

Wildcats going out embarrassing.

#Rillieout

Can Cotton win it, they don't deserve it but it’s 11 only

United should still hold on from here

Wow, windler was in his landing space, does the block shot over rule that?

Wildcats talent keeps it close, coaching loses the game

I may have to retract my previous comment

This a performance for the ages by Windler.

WTF are United doing?

Eventually cats were going to make shots and United were going to miss. Much better defensive team with Pinder on the bench.

United are even missing free throws though.

United may have saved Rillie's job. Condolences Perth fans.

Nicely said. Solid troll by United.

Dylan Windler is playing out of his mind

Windler always had it in him, rillie always struggled to get him involved all the time

I said it wasn't over, it just never felt that United could keep it at that pace.

What's happened to Doolittle, to scared to shoot

How good is it to hear the jungle so loud again

Weird call, just leave it a no call miss

Yep.

Dylan Windlers game is just as amazing as CG43's in game 1. Different method but same impact. What an absolute game by him.

Best defense I've seen henshall play

Have to give credit to Rillie. Went small and sat Pinder which clearly worked.

From 14 up to 7 down in 9 and a half minutes. Sets up a beauty game 3

Entertaining, I still think Rillie sucks but I think we're stuck with him

Melbourne to finish them off at home

Hard to give credit for sitting pinder.

Pinder made it an easy decision for him.

Jack Whites foul shooting, my god!
Short, then flat, then long, then short again !!

Massive case of the yips

Geez Pinder showing again why you can't trust him as a star player on your team. Would love to see the Cats with a C that can play great defense.

I said they needed a miracle and Windler delivered at both ends. Still don't trust Perths defence but who doesn't like a G3!!!

This ain't no cupcake league!*





*Jack White aside. I'd expect better from the local under-8s

Wagstaff at old age pension can still play better D than half the team. In the end it was a cracker and United could never keep up that early pace. White missing those free throws didn't help but the side that scores most wins. The jungle probably helped with the free throw discrepancy. I can see cats go on with this, Cotton is going to cut lose you would think. White and Pinder, big money players would be a disappointment to both coaches you would think.

Not sure what I enoyed more. Seeing one of the great Wildcats playoff wins or the laughs had at the clown show in this thread.

Expect Melbourne to take game 3 at home, they are one tough unit, but a few in here need to go have a good hard look at yourselves.

Only took 5 quarters into the series, but good to see the Wildcats play some aggressive D

Shout out to Ben Henshall...could almost have been player of the game with his D on Goulding. Holding him to 2 points after quarter time was an amazing effort

Not a huge surprise.

United 53 points after quarter time but they've been having scoring droughts all year. They've only got one elite scorer.

Fundamentally this is reminiscent of last year. I think United gave up double digit leads in all 3 losing grand final games. Vickerman should stick to what works for him- playing 10 guys. The problem could be as simple as older guys tiring late in games.

We've only got 1 player under 30 in tonight's core rotation. Playing 48 hours later off a long flight. It doesn't make sense to relegate Bowen, Cameron and Krebs to the bench after they've played valuable roles all year. All 3 of them played under 9 minutes. I doubt that happened in any previous game this season.

Windler huge game.

Jack White ouch.

Vickerman has always done that in finals, I agree Bowen and Krebs were very good in limited minutes. Henshall did do a good job on Goulding but you can see when you work that hard you can struggle offensively as he did, just got get to the Cotton, Delly fitness levels. I thought Vickerman also didn't have a plan B, they led by 19 at one stage and kept going at full pace, slow it down, run a play, eat the clock up, they just kept running and looked totally out gas in the fourth.

Someone check John Rillie's mobile phone log, I reckon he made a call to the Chiba Jets coaching department.

I have never seen John Rillie make adjustments to counter the opposition.

Predicted a wilcat Sixer GF series. Still half way hanging in to getting Cats to the dig dance. Break slow Wildcats down and now back on the straight path. One game at a time. Now it's that game. In JR it's crunch time to get the cookies into the jar.