Cats on the prowl: Perth targets road wins

The next month will go a long way towards deciding whether the Perth Wildcats are serious championship contenders, with a stretch of seven straight games on the road. 

That’s 42 days without a game at RAC Arena, and while it looms as a defining period for John Rillie and his team, it’s one they’ll embrace. 

“It’s a good stretch for us to see who we really are as a team,” Rillie said on Thursday.

“I preach about if you want to win championships and Playoff games, you’ve got to go on the road and win. 

“This stretch really allows us to figure out how we can travel, how we need to prep for teams on the road and in a hostile environment. 

“Let’s lock in, let’s get the job done. No excuses.” 

That task will be made slightly easier with the return of Keanu Pinder, after a bout of tonsillitis, but countered by the loss of Kristian Doolittle, sidelined for two to three weeks with a groin issue. 

“He’s come back very well. He’s had a great week,” Rillie said. 

“The way we’ve been playing allows him to just slowly ease back into it, with Izan (Almansa) and Dave Okwera with his minutes, so he can just give us what he can right now.”

Rillie said the Wildcats would lean on Todd Withers in the absence of Doolittle, as well as veteran Jesse Wagstaff. 

Perth takes on Cairns on Saturday night in enemy territory, and despite 11 straight losses, Adam Forde's team can’t be underestimated.

“If we just purely look at their record, we’ll be in for a dogfight of a game,” Rillie added. 

“We’re going to have full respect for who they are.” 

Perth sits fourth on the NBL standings, with a 9-8 record.