NBL27 Preview - Round 6 Game 1 vs Perth Wildcats

Melbourne United will be taking on the Perth Wildcats as the away side in a blockbuster matchup inside RAC arena this Friday. The game is the first in a double-header for Round 6 and is an opportunity to upset a home crowd again for a win this season. 

With each side coming off a loss, both teams will be desperate for a win in what is Perth’s second annual Multicultural Game. 

WHAT’S THE WORD?

Following practice, Head Coach Jacob Chance commented on his schematic plan for the contest, as well as his playing group’s attitude in anticipation of taking the floor.

“It's going to come back to the basics,” Chance explained. 

“Can we sit down and keep the ball in front of us? How good are we off the ball, supporting each other?

“The biggest [factor] over there in Perth for a long time has been can you finish possessions and make sure you keep it to one really contested shot? If it goes in, get it in quick.

and if it doesn't, can you be the first team to get your hands on it? 

“If we do a good job of that, consistently enough over 40 minutes,we'll give ourselves a really good chance.” 

In what will be his first time playing in front of his hometown crowd since 2023, former Wildcat Luke Travers spoke to the atmosphere inside RAC, and how himself and his United teammates have responded following last Sunday’s Contest. 

“[RAC arena] is always fun, this league is full of so many fun environments and this is right there at the top,” Travers said.

“Urgency kind of dropped off a little bit in that second quarter [against Illawarra] and I think the results, you kind of can see it.We let up a lot of points and a lot of points in the paint, which is what we want to fix up. I think that's probably the biggest thing that we learned from that [game].”

WHO’S HOT? WHO’S NOT?

Despite coming away with the loss against the Hawks last Sunday, Melbourne United put together their third straight game where three players scored 15 points or more, a (mostly) winning recipe in NBL27 for the side. Offensive versatility has been able to keep Melbourne in every one of their games this year, and will be a key ingredient should United get the W. 

Joe Ingles, as a creator off the bench, was elite against the Hawks, dropping 15 points without missing a shot from the field. As the primary ball handler for Melbourne’s second unit, Ingles has led the team in assists per game this season, proving that father time can’t do much to slow down a world class basketball IQ.  

In United's attempt to unlock the Wildcats’ defensive scheme this Friday, Ingles may very well be the key. 

Defensively, United were great against the Hawks, a team that has a wide range of players who can bring in big scoring hauls. Similarly, the Wildcats have three players who average over 15 points per game thus far this season. To defuse Perth’s dynamism, Melbourne will have to be alert from all points of attack, as they have been for much of the year. 

Elijah Pepper, before his last game, was on an obscene scoring run. The third-year guard had put together four straight games with exactly 25 points, and won every game in the process. Pepper, along with NBL26 All-NBL First Team forward Kristian Doolittle provide a menacing offensive core that have been damaging to every side they’ve faced this year. 

If United wants to fly back home with a win, they’re going to have to do more than a little to cool down the Wildcats’ starpower. 

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DETAILS 

Who: Melbourne United @ Perth Wildcats

Tip-off: 9:30pm AEST, Friday October 23, 2026

Where: RAC Arena, Perth

Watch: ESPN via Disney+ and Kayo

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