Can't see the Phoenix anywhere near competitive in this one, to many weak defenders, imo Gak has not been as good as Pineau who warms bench for breakers. Moller also covered a lot holes in defence. Perth just keep rolling, Kenyon will try stopping Cotton, maybe be Ayre if he’s on his game, been very cold more than hot. Sauce been good when fit, tough ask on Pinder who is just starting to find his better form. Creek on Harris could be closer than it should be, Harris been very good recently. Vague at home playing his 100th could get streaky and help. Tia Webster also been very good recently. Just can’t see where cats lose this.

Why would you open the roof in 41 degrees. Madness!

It's going to be a stinker. Stinking hot

It did get to 41, but has already plummeted to 37.3

Should be fine for the players. It's just the block of seats that cop direct sunlight in the 1st quarter that I feel for.

Aww... no open roof anyway due to threat of a thunderstorm.

Kelly starting with defensive unit

Are maybe not Terangi

Horrible call on sauce, offensive player should not be allowed in the offensive cylinders.

Wagstaff falling over as usual.
When are the refs ever going to realise that he flops for a hobby?

Creek might be the Aussie in nbl, but certainly not defending

It only got to 39.8.

Left out best re Creek.

Looking ominous for Phoenix, cats are a machine, far better commentary.

Would goorg do a better job with SEM than Kelly with this side, I doubt it.

Game over, Simon Mitchell said when moller got hurt he was irreplaceable, his D just held them together with Kenyon.

It's an outrage that Cotton won’t get to play for Australia, if he made mistakes in his application, they should be rectified long ago, you get better luck if you’re a French au pair, they get in on a phone call.

It’s been an ok game all things considered, SEM having a go but just so undermanned.

Get Cotton citizenship now.

Foxwell out of his depth here

Watching Doolittle play through concussion for ten minutes was not fun.

Agreed, Hooley right on the money in commentary re getting Doolittle off, it was dangerous.

SEM showing great fight, Kenyon on Cotton been excellent. Creek really lifted, like Sixers got some good bones just need a few more players.

The Doolittle sub took way too long with all the eyes on the game eg Replay Centre etc

Agree.
Definitely should've called a ref's timeout for Doolittle.

Nice dunk there by Pinder - almost a full 360 without the pre-rotatiin that most do.

Doolittle only came off after he asked to come off.

We don't have to take our roof off
to have a good time, oh no

Rillie has done a superb job, even Usher has improved immensely, Pinder now fitting in, imo if the stay healthy they are equal favourites, united got game on now. Cats just don't have a weakness. Their stars are great and their glue guys excellent led by Doolittle and Harris and of course Wagstaff . The start of the season seems so long ago re cats.

Likewise I believe Kelly has done very well under very, very difficult circumstances, they made a fight of it. Creek was excellent, to be a bit picky he has room to improve his D and box outs but in that form still great. Kenyon again total glue guy, love what he brings, Gak showed something today that hasn’t been there all season, injuries maybe held him back. Sauce Williams also got game, again injury curtailed him this season. Ayre can play but just so inconsistent in the same game, got kerb when and when not to shoot. Rest bench not great. Needs two new imports as well sauce.

Williams seemed to be constantly arguing whether with the refs or his coaches.

Williams does come across as very emotional, to be fair he has copped a lot bad calls throughout the season on both offence and defence. He very good for the league though

Game over, Simon Mitchell said when moller got hurt he was irreplaceable, his D just held them together

I'm with you PW, hopefully he can get a run on soon. Him and Kenyon together would have been great. Harris and Doolittle at Perth, you just can’t win without these guys.

I don't understand why they insist on having the open air game on a Saturday. Last year, when they did actually open the roof, it was still mostly closed for the first half because of the sun.

Agreed Koberulz, why they cant do it earlier in the season when its not going to be stinking hot is beyond me, or at least do it when the Cats have a 6:30PM start so the sun doesnt blind people. Personally im against it to begin with, its not Semi-Pro where they need a gimmick every round to put bums on seats.

Reason the open air game is scheduled when it is because of the tennis.
Having the roof open for the tennis at RAC requires the jumbotron and relevant infrastructure to be dismantled, which isn't a small job and takes a couple of days, so it isn’t feasible to do it as a one-off event.

BigD, then dont do it at all hey? Basketball is an indoor sport regardless. Again, dont need gimmicks to sell tickets, if they do they should get John Rillie to fight a bear at half time...

FWIW that was the highest attended cats home game this season

Reality is that these 'gimmicks' sell tickets. They wouldn’t be doing it otherwise, the marketing and execs have the data that says all these ‘gimmicks’ and different rounds and jerseys boosts profile and revenue.

You might not like it, but the league is in the business of providing an entertainment service (same for every professional league of any sport).
No professional league is running their service to appease the die hard fans (eg - the people on here) , they’ll support the sport regardless, it’s the casual viewer that is where the money is.

The Jumbotron is already dismantled so if they're going to re-do the open air game, Friday night would be perfect. 6:30 start and low 30’s forecast with no rain

Last year watching part of the crowd be slowly cooked by a huge rectangular death-ray as the sun went down was worth the entry fee