This is what I've said in the past but have been proven wrong.

They're only an average offensive team but its their D that makes them great.

Knowing Perth, they will sign someone who helps them from here. Steindl obviously gives good scoring help. Brandt and Cooke the only real options at 5 but if those 2 are healthy depth won't be an issue.

Or they might go like for like. If Khazzouh is healthy he ticks the "extra big" box and the scoring box at the same time

Perth lost by 4 points to the in form team on their home deck...I don't think they need additional scoring power - they are fine as they are.

Perth lost! The sky is falling!

Agree with Tornado, This is a RELAX moment. We have never played well in NZ and to only go down by 4 is a good effort.
Perth has always been built around defence and once Tokoto finds his feet, He, Cotton, and Brandt with Wagstaff off the bench will carry the scoring load.

Other fans accept their team losing an away game to the most in form team in the league by 4 points.

Wildcats fans demand better.

It's a standard thing most fans of other NBL teams wouldn’t understand.

The wildcats and fans are held to a different standard.

It’s why we are generally better than your favourite team.

^ Haha so that means making knee jerk reactions to one loss?? Ok

Perth have always lacked scoring power particularly from the perimeter but have still managed to play the game to their strengths. However this year they lack a little more scoring as prather was more of an accumulator than tokoto.
I do agree with the general view that if Steindl is available he would be a handy pick up and provide some extra scoring. Cooke is more of a project and not what they need right now. Im certain they will be replacing him mid season with the right type of player.
Would be very nice if it was the return of the Dunigan. As i recall he was replacing Knight last time he was here

Wildcats lost by 4 but the margin wasn't a total reflection of the game. The last quarter and a half saw NZ is total control and they virtually cruised to the line, they were up by 10 with a few minutes left but NZ took the pedal off and cruised to a victory. It was never in doubt.

Perth has what it needs to win, the team is good enough, but it's all mental, they need to mentally adjust to games played away from home. They are a totally different team in Perth than the one playing away. Too many passengers, or perhaps they mentally rely on the crowd (Red Army). Why the Red Army helps the team it should not ever come to that when playing basketball.

An away victory is counted as a win and a half. Get the job done in NZ against NZ is massive, it closes the gap between the teams and makes the march towards finals so much easier.

Now the Wildcats face a must win game on Sunday because if they lose that then NZ creates a mini-break from them and the rest of the competition and Perth loses at home.

Massive, must win game on Sunday in Perth.

I don't think those guys mention would do much for Perth. They just need someone with the balls to stand up away from home, someone with the passion, the heart, and the will to perform at their best possession after possession in away games.

I think calling it a four point loss is flattering for them. It was a double digit lead until the last minute. Yes NZ are the form team and on their own deck but there's no point in not looking for ways to improve. Sometimes that means replacing players

Don't get me wrong - by all means I hope Perth start the import merry-go-round again this year, especially if it's off the back off a not-so-terrible loss on the road. What's Jaron Johnson up to, he could boost that bench.

I don't think it's a knee-jerk reaction to one loss. The bench looks that much weaker with Knight gone from it. He's a guy you could rely on at both ends, and offensively he was not the liability that Cooke Jr is so far.
I don't think the sky is falling, but I'm sure the Cats will be monitoring the bench production pretty closely over the next few games.
Our starters work well together but we're swimming against the tide whenever a couple of them have to sit.

+1 on Greg Hire

The bench unit needs time to adjust there systems without knight before anything drastic happens. We missed knights board work and pick and roll defence more than anything, wow the p and r d was bad. Had we hot a few calls in the last we probably deserved, that big lead likely doesn't eventuate, 4pts is about right for the margin. Cooke, I would like to see steindl take hires mins, hire looks to have lost a step, he struggled to stay in front of Penney!

Gotta be honest, whilst a win is always better than a loss,
to go down fighting, by 4 points, to a flying NZ in Auckland, is a pretty fair effort.

Similarly, scoring 29 points, in a 10-minute 4th quarter, in Auckland against the Breakers, does not speak to a lack of firepower.

With Waxy in such good form, I'd say they are better offensively than they have been for a while.

Now having said all that, obviously they need to find another player, plus need to resolve the DC question.

Whether it is Cooke getting his game on, or a replacement, I would prefer they target rim-protection and rebounding.

But for the replacement player, yes, I think a scorer like Steindl would be ideal.

Steindl put up some good numbers in Townsville, which was a pretty bad team, with few decent contributors. He put up some decent numbers in the NBL pre-season in a Wildcats jersey. They had as much opportunity to sign him as anyone else. They didn't.

He went to Europe, and played three games, producing 4.67 points (0/6 2p, 3/11 3p) and 1.33 rebounds in 23 minutes per game. That's 0% from inside the arc. 27% from outside. 14 points in 69 minutes of basketball. He doesn't rebound, and we all know he's an open gate on defence.

Perth should definitely sign him. LMFAO.

Luuuc summed up my views nicely. The bench production is off. When the starters take a break, there's nobody really with a scorer's mentality (or at least a scorer's capability!).

The bench needs a gunner - an irrational confidence guy. At the moment the bench is full of meat and potatoes dudes, all working hard to make cuts, set screens, etc. but nobody is there to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

Wagstaff's ego writes checks that his body can't cash.

We're blessed to have Wagstaff coming off the bench, but he's not really an aggressive scorer. (Which isn't to say that he doesn't get points, but it's usually at the end of good work by others)
Would be nice to have someone playing the 2010 Cattalini role, or the 2017 Penney role.
Steindl has the potential to be that guy.

Short term we need Steindl to join Wagstaff in giving us scoring punch from the bench.
Hire and Kenny won't keep the scoreboard ticking over.
DKD has potential but isn't getting opportunity and it won't surprise me to see him go after the season.

Two players the Wildcats should target is Jervis and Johnson, both from WA, Kalgoorlie and Bunbury.

So now we have mid season trading in the NBL?

Will be interesting to see who is available at seasons end.
Could Hire and Kenny be replaced by Bragg and Vague?
Resigning Brandt should be a priority.

Any real source?

Hire's playing time should be downgraded

"DJ isn't from Bunbury."

I wish he was.

Would have saved me growing up getting flogged by Willetton whenever we matched up with them in districts and high school league. No other team had anyone that big.

Nice. Channel 10 news with the $100,000 exclusive. All the best Clint.

Should've signed him when Townsville folded also Norton could've taken over d Martin.

Totally agree with Kenny, he was in really good form in pre season but already I've completely forgotten that and wondering when he gets injured so we can see more Mason Bragg as he actually attacks the rim.

Watching Perth @ NZ it was obvious just how much better Ili is today than Kenny and I think it's almost time we send him out to pasture along with Hire of whom used to be an exceptional offensive rebounder but you just don't see that as part of his game anymore (I mean when he was playing for a contract and court time he used to hustle everything down but now that isn't there.

DKD feels like a lost cause, I can see so much talent in him but he lacks confidence and a killer instinct and he won't reach any great heights in the NBL unless that changes.

I think the Wildcats will be fine but walker and Brandt didn't give us much and Cotton seemed more interested in drawing contact and getting the foul than putting the ball in the bucket.

Steindl will be an interesting addition.

I like the analysis on Tokoto and reminds me of AJ Ogilvy in terms of not liking that physicality but there is a reason he isn't in the NBA and that's to work on his flaws and hopefully that is something that can be worked on

Kenny frustrates me at times. He needs to be aggressive, when he does he is quite a good finisher and has a decent jump shot.

Cooke providers rim protection and rebound.

His ground defense and off-ball defense is his weakness.