This Season presents a VERY SHAKY GROUND on the Standing of the NBL,an 8 team competition,a season launching which many interpreted as a CONFERENCE in a PHONEBOOTH,No DEFENDING CHAMPIONS,A CHAMPION CLUB whose Future was in TATTERS untill the very last moments and several of the 8 Still STRUGGLING to raise BADLY NEEDED SPONSORSHIP.

PERTH,with owner JACK BENDAT,sending CLEAR SMOKE SIGNALS that he can’t keep POURING Money into the Club and won’t be around forever,have their own Future Put into question.Only so long,a succession of Good years can keep their Heads Just above the water,instead of THRIVING.A BAD season could place it in JEOPARDY,when many perceive them to be a chance to win the STUNTED Competition.

Onfield at least,no one could accuse the WILDCATS of not providing EXCITEMENT,Win or Lose,Home game Entertainment,Home crowd PASSION.The season’s started out that way with the 1st 2 games(on the road)have come down to BUZZER BEATERS.

One SHOT RIMS OUT for a CRUEL LOSS,the other LANDS PERFECTLY for a PERFECT STEAL.A Great WIN and IMPORTANT One to ensure,they don’t start the 5 coming Home Games 0 - 3.The Potential with New Coach in ROB BEVERIDGE, is there,but is the CONSISTENCY that is required to LAST Many games and Finals going to finally MELD into CHAMPIONSHIP MATERIAL?

Will follow the WILDCATS Games and that of the NBL’s Standing in the AUSTRALIAN SPORTING EYE with UTMOST INTEREST.Should keep us going until guess what,......?The start of the FOOTY SEASON PROPER.

Well,it’s been a few weeks or so down the track and they sit atop the NBL with a 7 - 3 record.

Virtually UNSTOPPABLE at Home,but with some Work to do on the Road.GOLD COAST coming up AWAY and HOME,whcih gives them a chance to CONSOLIDATE their position with 2 wins and turn to DECEMBER 9 - 3.

Some work to do On The Road INDEED.Been this way with the WILDCATS for years now.

HOME COURT BULLIES

ROAD WIMPS

Grassy, i think you will find most teams have struggled away.
Redhage put it right in the Sunday Times where he said the back court of most teams is a lot stronger due to the loss of a few teams in the off season.

This makes home games so vital to win.
I mean who would have thought Melbourne would be bottom of the ladder.

As long as they keep winning at home, they can really work on the away games.
Pretty happy with how they are going so far, title is still a chance if they keep a fit roster

I just hope that kind of Loss in being 18 points up at Half - time,doesn’t come back to BITE ‘EM IN THE ARSE,Rocksolid.

They Have To Do the Job on Gold Coast this week.For 4 Quarters,not 2.

It was a very disappointing second half on Saturday.

I’ve now twice watched on Foxtel at the Casino the Wildcats be overrun by the Blaze - on Sat and Australia Day 2008. It was also the televised game on a Wednesday in February 2008 but I remember it was a very hot day here and I was too tired from work to watch it - we won that one!

Another Loss to GOLD COAST this time at Home,followed by a Win over current chief rivals in TOWNSVILLE leave the WILDCATS at 8 - 5 and on Top of the NBL Ladder in a Tight Competition.

The Following have proved themselves Right Popular with the WILDCATS Fans from the Opposition -

JAMES HARVEY,CHRIS GOULDING and COREY"HOMICIDE"WILLIAMS.

I wonder why?

GREAT Come from Behind Win over the Breakers AWAY(most important)on Thursday to take the WILDCATS to 9 - 5 at the Halfway mark of the season.Won 106 - 100.

Things looked HOPELESS when we were 16 points down and heading for Yet Another AWAY Loss.But up stepped WILDCATS Old Boy MARTIN CATTALLINI who played like a man POSSESSED and led the charge to VICTORY,with an INSPIRATIONAL BURST to lead the way with JESSE WAGSTAFFE and KEVIN LISCH providing Admirable support along the way.

Tonight we play WOLLONGONG for TOP Spot at The Gong.The team is starting to Work as a Good Unit and a win here would send us on our way for a Top season.Lose and we’re Back to the Pack,where 7th place has won 7 games.I like the workload being shared anongst the boys,but if ever SEAN REDHAGE is due for a BIG HAUL.Tonight’s the Night.

MELBOURNE TIGERS of all Teams are LANGUISHING in BOTTOM Place on 4 - 8.Only halfway through,but when’s the last time that happened?

Tonight’s Game in WOLLONGONG Starts 7.30PM(Eastern Summer Time),meaning of course 4.30PM Our Time and Hopefully we hear it on 91.3 Sport FM or Maybe see it Fox Sports 3(?)at your local Pub.

Gone from Contenders to FRAUDS in the space of 1 week.

Got PANTSED by the Hawks and then Dis-robed by the 36ers who must have recorded a Drought breaking Win last night.I can’t remember the last time they beat the WILDCATS in PERTH.

CRISIS Time for ROB BEVERIDGE and the team.

1st up was a Re-Match with the 36ers and Won 94 - 73.

From BOILED LOLLIES to Chocolates?

BETTER though.MUCH BETTER!Don’t let the Standard Slip Fellas!

On Top of the NBL with a 10 - 7 record.Anyone pick that sort of Win/Loss Ratio to do that?

CRUCIAL game(and more to come) against the TOWNSVILLE CROCS Tonight on the Road,which may determine where the Season is heading.

Don’t know if it’s covered on Sport FM tonight,but looking up the NBL Site sees the WILDCATS lead 22 - 20 at 1/4 time.

WOLLONGONG Celebrated NEW YEARS’ early with a Win over the 36ers,whilst MELBOURNE are Tied up with the TAIPANS 55 apiece at 3/4 time.

Catch you in a day or so folks.HAPPY NEW YEAR.

CAAARRRNNN THE WILDCATS!

PATHETIC Last quarter against the Crocs to BLOW a CRUCIAL Road Win SKY HIGH!

What effort will we turn in tonight against an Injury Hit Hawks?

Season’s a Hard one to read,though perhaps with Key Player in TYWAIN McKEE out,it wasn’t surprising to see the HAWKS struggle.Though most thought they’d struggle just to win,they stuggled just to get on the Board and near the WILDCATS.

And BEVERIDGE wasn’t backward in sending a couple of starters to the Bench to send a message,especially to LUKE SCHENSCHER.Lift your Games lads was Simple enough.Now the next word in the Coach’s Vocabulary is CONSISTENCY.

Another CRUCNH Game coming up at Home against the BREAKERS,then the 36ers again on the Road.Win those 2 and they go to 13 - 8.Not entirely convincing,but it may go some way to playing another Finals Series.And hopefully,a LOT Further than previous years past.

Well,they did it.Won the 2 and you could say,they came out of the Weekend with FLYING COLOURS.Possibly lucky with their Win on Friday,it was still the BURGER KING(Can you believe it?)NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS who BLINKED 1st when the scores were Tied 72 apiece.

And of all the players to miss a Layup to take the lead from there,it was THE BEAR,ex Popular WILDCAT in TONY RONALDSON who missed when the Breakers needed it most.BAD LUCK BEAR.

Good luck STEPHEN WEIGH who seems to be the WILDCATS’ Form Player,these past few matches.He got the Crucial Go ahead points with an Unbelievable shot(by all accounts)and contributed further in the WILDCATS’ 84 - 72 Road win at a Packed Dome in ADELAIDE.It was the 36ers 300th Home Game there and 5 600+ were there to Cheer their Team to a Much needed Win.Wasn’t to be and the 36ers are now 9 - 11.

Still work for the WILDCATS to do.Whilst looking good for now and a Possible Romp against the TAIPANS imminent,it’s only the beginning.Despite coming up against the Bottom placed TIGERS Next,it may well be the TOUGHEST 2 matches a NATIONAL COMP Team can get against a Bottom side.

MELBOURNE after a TERRIBLE Start and Injury list to the season,are 7 - 12 and striking a Good Veign of Form.WILDCATS have their Work Cut out to Win Both on Jan 20(Away)and 23rd(Home).

LUKE SCHENSCHER continues to show his Abilities when Challenged,with a 16 point,10 Rebound DOUBLE,DOUBLE Effort against his Old side.Just need to be MORE CONSISTENT Luke.

The Good sign at the moment is the Form shown,that doesn’t require a BIG RETURN from SHAWN REDHAGE.He’ll have some BIG ones in him and when it’s REALLY Needed.But the Work rate seems to be Shared around more for the WILDCTAS which is a Promising sign for the Vital Weeks ahead.

CAAARRRNNN WILDCATS!

Now 15 - 9 after a Easy Win against the TAIPANS,who went home Grumbling Revenge after complaining about the WILDCATS’ Physicality.

Then the WILDCATS get done by MELBOURNE 86 - 100 who were STRIKING a RICH VEIGN of Form and advanced to 10 -12,with JULIUS HODGE leading the way with MARK WORTHINGTON Ever Determined to put a SPOKE in the WILDCATS’ Wheels.And didn’t HODGE let us Know about it on Wednesday,with his HISTRIONICS.

Only thing is,if you do that,play the same Opposition away 3 days later and can’t back it up again,it tends to come back and BITE YOU ON THE ARSE.Which it did last night,with HODGE involved in all sorts of Funny business and in general having a DIRTY NIGHT.And WORTHINGTON wasn’t far behind,getting into early FOUL Trouble which limited AL WESTOVER’s use of him throughout the Night.

THE WILDCATS Bounced back and did the BUSO winning 94 - 78.A game and a Half Clear now,with the CROCS and GOLD COAST STUMBLING of late.Now the CRUNCH leading up to the Finals comes.3 Games on the next Road Trip(after a week’s rest)includes a Return to the SNAKEPIT,the GOLD COAST and MELBOURNE.

The WILDCATS have been Good at Home,but ROAD WIMPS WITH 4 - 7.To AFFIRM TRUE CHAMPIONSHIP Potential,they MUST ADDRESS that Problem NOW before the Finals,to HARDEN their RESOLVE when they’re the ones UNDER THE PUMP and then SHORE UP their Position On top to have the Home Court Advantage right though the Finals.

Final Game is at Home against the CROCS and GUESS WHO.If JULIUS HODGE got a FIERCE RECEPETION from THE JUNGLE(and a SENDING OFF when he tried to SNEAK OUT after the game Un-noticed),wait until HOMICIDE gets here.WHOOOOOAAAAAHHHHHH!