How to watch & talking points: Perth v South East Melbourne

02 Oct 2026

Knight waits and Lual-Acuil Jr sits as Perth host a Phoenix side backing their shooting to bounce back.

By

NBL.com.au

Perth Wildcats v South East Melbourne Phoenix
Friday, October 2, 9.30pm AEST
RAC Arena

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Tickets

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Rosters

Perth

Expected depth chart:
PG: Knight (IP) (out) / Rillie (DP) / Sam (DP) / Whitt (NRP)
SG: Pepper / Dell'Orso / Kopa (DP)
SF: Windler (IP) / Huefner / Nielsen (DP) (out)
PF: Doolittle (IP) / Higgins-Titsha / Wagstaff
C: Lual-Acuil Jr. (out) / Brandt

South East Melbourne

Expected depth chart:
PG: Mays (IP) / Daniels (NS) / Davidson
SG: Sobey / Glover / Ryan (DP)
SF: Schwartz (IP) / Krebs / Foster (out)
PF: Morin (IP) / Goodrick
C: Hunter / Aliir / Biggar (DP)

Missing in action

Perth

Brandon Knight - Unavailable - Round 4
Blake Nielsen - ACL - Season
Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. - Calf - TBC

South East Melbourne

Daniel Foster - Back - TBC

>> View full injury list

Talking points

Knight on hold, Rillie returns

The Wildcats are 2-1 and have won their last two, but will be without Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (calf), while Brandon Knight's debut is on hold as he completes his medicals and gets a full week of training under him.

There is good news, with Jaron Rillie cleared to return from a long injury lay-off, giving Perth a genuine point guard option and a shot at revenge after their Round 1 loss to the Phoenix.

No Plan B?

The Phoenix went 4/41 from three in their 25-point Throwdown loss to Melbourne United, but they aren't changing course. "Water always finds its level" is the mantra, with Angus Glover saying most of those looks were open and "I don't think we need to reinvent the wheel at all."

Josh King believes a dose of adversity will reveal his team's true character, and RAC Arena, where they opened their season with a win, is the place to prove it.