Gleeson came out today and said he'll be trying to get some rest into guys like Cotton and Mooney, probably Blanchfield as well, by playing them less minutes when possible. Can see this being one of those games unless Taipans are on fire.

Perth by less than 5 due to player rotations.
Expecting 20+ minutes from Magnay.

Cairns still playing? Need to change all the player except jawai and mechado

@KB I reckon Ngatai would have to be a good cheaper option? I reckon he's proven himself enough.

I reckon Noi should definitely be given the boot

@ beegee bring some shooter and play defense player and not stat padding...

There is a big drop off in talent in the first 5 and the bench for Perth.

I cannot see a team winning where Kevin White, Client Steindl and Tom Jervis are playing extended minutes even against trash like Cairns.

Normal lineup is starting.

Buckets aplenty

Mooney looks a bit worried that Jawai might eat him.

There goes any rest.

Machado & Jawai are the ones getting the rest atm.
Weak quarter from the cats.

I remember thinking earlier in the season that Cairns had made a big mistake giving Jawai a 2 year deal in the offseason but since around the NBL Cup he's really stepped up his play and had a very good season given his age and experience.

I enjoy Nate having big games - even when it's against us. Legend.

Yeah he was bad in the 4th after being excellent until then

Lovely. Half a game behind United now.

Err make that a whole game.

Loving our final quarters lately, we're completely dominant after the 3QT break.

35 straight!!! No boast

Five games in 15 days or whatever our ridiculous schedule is at the moment, plus having to criss-cross the nation to do it, yet in the last two games the team has gone BEAST MODE in the fourth quarter outscoring opponents +16 and +11.

Five games in 15 days or whatever our ridiculous schedule is at the moment

Where is this version of Nate Jawai since the season started?

Turns up when the season is done.

What a waste.

6 games in 11 days

No just talking stats

Norton - 22 mins
Cotton - 29 mins
Mooney - 30 mins
Blanchfield - 25 mins

Lower than usual minutes, and Cats never looked like they got out of second gear all night, turned it on when it mattered and got the win... starters got less minutes than usual, given the schedule this type of win was to be expected.

~30 minutes is still way too much for Cotton and Mooney at this stage of the season.

Travers has really stepped up since his early season form. Still makes a few turnovers when he holds the ball for too long, but his length and speed make him very solid in the paint on both ends.

Kobe, its a 40 minute game and they are young, fit athletes... in my opinion they can handle that type of workload. In all honesty this stage of the season they should be maintaining as much of a normal workload as they prepare for the finals, this is also not to mention the inclusion of Magnay and wanting him to be comfortable with the 1st and 2nd options on offence.

Also if you break it down, they would normally play 35-36 minutes per game right? so they were rested around half a qtr of basketball that they normally would play, this sounds about right to me for how much you would rest them. I think expecting 15-20 minutes out of them is not realistic in the NBL and don't think any team would take this route (especially when top spot in up for grabs)

Kobe, its a 40 minute game and they are young, fit athletes... in my opinion they can handle that type of workload.

Also if you break it down, they would normally play 35-36 minutes per game right? so they were rested around half a qtr of basketball that they normally would play, this sounds about right to me for how much you would rest them. I think expecting 15-20 minutes out of them is not realistic in the NBL and don't think any team would take this route (especially when top spot in up for grabs)

Kobe, 6 games in 11 days is tough, but if a 30+ year old Steph Curry can do it over the span of 72 games playing more than 30 minutes a night I am sure a 23 year old John Mooney and a 28 year old Bryce Cotton can do it. Again they played less than their usual minutes and I think that was always going to be the plan.

if a 30+ year old Steph Curry can do it over the span of 72 games playing more than 30 minutes a night

82 games, even.

Sorry for late reply Kobe, I wasnt saying one persons fitness against another, what I am saying is the volume NBL players play as opposed to an NBA player I am sure they can handle 35 minutes a game.

But they're not playing against NBA players. JFC.

They need to be fit compared to the players they're playing against.

Correct Kobe, and they are fit compared to the players they are playing against. Playing 35-37 minutes per night isnt going to wear them down to the point they are playing a game fatigued. Its a minutes level they can handle due to their fitness...

Do you think all the other teams' players, who are playing less minutes on a lighter schedule, are completely out of shape or something?

I think the minutes say Cotton/Mooney play compared to other NBL players, with consideration of the amount of games they play isnt enough to fatigue a player in an upcoming game. Sure they will fatigue over the course of a game much like the players on the other team will... but after a game, rest up, light training or no training at all, your fitness levels recover for the following game. You dont enter it feeling fatigued.

Just my opinion, different to yours of course, I can see what you are saying though.