Phoenix rising but it's United remains in 'Power'

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• Melbourne United move to 9–0 after edging Adelaide. while SEM Phoenix surge into third with twin blowouts.
• Tasmania JackJumpers out-grind Sydney in Round 6 thriller
• Perth split week as Illawarra snatch vital road win as Kings drop to sixth after two tight losses.

Will, not when, Melbourne United get beaten in NBL26 is the question. The best team in Australian basketball survived a last second long-range three by Dejan Vasiljević that hit the front of the rim but a win is a win.

They are 9-0 to start the season and get the Kings on a two-game losing streak in Round 7.

Defending champion Illawarra Hawks road win against Perth has lifted them off the bottom of the Power Rankings while wounded Cairns sink from nine to 10.

Every round basketball.com.au will adjust the NBL26 Power Rankings. Look for ➡️ ⬆️ ⬇️ ➡️ ↘️ ↗️ next to each name to quickly see how teams are moving.

NBL Power Rankings — After Round 6

➡️ 1. Melbourne United

Record: 9–0 │ Streak: W–W–W–W–W–W–W–W–W │ Avg Pts For / Against / Diff: 97.9 / 80.3 / +17.6 │ Last Week: 1
Why They’re Here: Still unbeaten. They handled Cairns and then survived Adelaide 81–80 to stay perfect and sit two games clear on top.
Trending Up: Dash Daniels ability to defend the ball. His stocks, not just NBL Next Star stocks but NBA Draft potential rise with every minute he's on the floor.
Outlook: Kings on Monday, November 3. If they get to 10–0, the conversation shifts from “best team right now” to “best start in years.”

⬆️ 2. Adelaide 36ers

Record: 5–2 │ Streak: W–W–W–L–W–W–L │ Avg Pts For / Against / Diff: 90.4 / 84.1 / +6.3 │ Last Week: 2
Why They’re Here: Went toe-to-toe with Melbourne and lost by a single point. That’s enough to stay in the top two mix.
Trending Up: Dejan Vasiljević continues to hit big perimeter shots to take pressure off Bryce Cotton.
Outlook: Home vs Illawarra on Sunday, November 2. They need to bank that before a tougher stretch.

⬆️ 3. South East Melbourne Phoenix

Record: 5–2 │ Streak: L–W–L–W–W–L–W │ Avg Pts For / Against / Diff: 98.9 / 86.6 / +12.3 │ Last Week: 3
Why They’re Here: Two convincing Round 6 wins — 112–95 over Sydney and 109–86 over Brisbane — and the offense is humming.
Trending Up: Nathan Sobey dropped 62 points in Round 6 in 57 minutes.
Outlook: Wildcats at home on Sunday, November 2. Win that and they’re officially chasing United, not just hanging around.

↗️ 4. Tasmania JackJumpers

Record: 5–3 │ Streak: L–W–L–W–L–W–L–W │ Avg Pts For / Against / Diff: 83.0 / 83.4 / –0.4 │ Last Week: 4
Why They’re Here: Closed Round 6 with a 90–89 road win over Sydney. Typical Scott Roth basketball: physical, composed, stubborn.
Trending Up: Point guard Tyger Campbell is a legit floor leader. He's averaging 9.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists and just ONE turnover.
Outlook: Host Perth on Wednesday, October 29, then Cairns on Saturday, November 1. There’s a real path to 7–3.

⬆️ 5. Perth Wildcats

Record: 4–4 │ Streak: L–W–W–W–L–L–W–L │ Avg Pts For / Against / Diff: 86.5 / 85.1 / +1.4 │ Last Week: 6
Why They’re Here: Smashed Cairns 110–78, then lost 85–84 at home to Illawarra. When they’re good, they’re very good — but still too uneven.
Trending Up: The arrival of new import David Duke Jr might be the silver lining on a cloudy afternoon they need.
Outlook: Road game at Tasmania (Wednesday, October 29) then Phoenix (Sunday, November 2). Hardest Round 7 slate of any team in the top six.

⬇️ 6. Sydney Kings

Record: 3–5 │ Streak: L–W–L–W–L–W–L–L │ Avg Pts For / Against / Diff: 89.4 / 87.3 / +2.1 │ Last Week: 5
Why They’re Here: Went 0–2 in Round 6 (112–95 to Phoenix, 90–89 to Tasmania) and have now dropped three straight.
Trending Up: Frustration. The Kings had the JackJumpers on the ropes but turned the ball over on a baseline inbounds play.
Outlook: Brisbane away (Saturday, November 1) and then Melbourne away (Monday, November 3). This is a season-pivot weekend.

↗️ 7. Brisbane Bullets

Record: 3–6 │ Streak: W–L–L–L–L–W–L–W–L │ Avg Pts For / Against / Diff: 89.2 / 93.9 / –4.7 │ Last Week: 7
Why They’re Here: Won in New Zealand 84–83, then were handled 109–86 by Phoenix. They’re competitive, but not for four quarters.
Trending Up: Casey Prather continues to be the heartbeat on both ends.
Outlook: Home to Cairns (Thursday, Oct 30) and Sydney (Saturday, November 1). Massive two-game opportunity to stabilise.

⬆️ 8. Illawarra Hawks

Record: 2–4 │ Streak: L–L–L–W–L–W │ Avg Pts For / Against / Diff: 89.2 / 98.2 / –9.0 │ Last Week: 10
Why They’re Here: Beat Perth 85–84 at RAC Arena — that’s a result they absolutely needed.
Trending Up: Interior toughness and JaVale McGee, helped by size and activity on the glass.
Outlook: Breakers at home (Friday, October 31) then Adelaide away (Sunday, November 2). A split keeps them in touch.

⬇️ 9. New Zealand Breakers

Record: 2–7 │ Streak: L–L–L–L–W–L–W–L–L │ Avg Pts For / Against / Diff: 86.8 / 92.4 / –5.6 │ Last Week: 8
Why They’re Here: Lost 84–83 to Brisbane at home. They’re in (some) games but not closing them.
Trending Up: 👀
Outlook: Travel to Illawarra on Friday, October 31 in a “must, actually must” spot.

⬇️ 10. Cairns Taipans

Record: 2–7 │ Streak: L–W–W–L–L–L–L–L–L │ Avg Pts For / Against / Diff: 76.0 / 94.4 / –18.4 │ Last Week: 9
Why They’re Here: Outscored 110–78 by Perth and 94–67 by Melbourne. That’s -59 across two games.
Trending Up: As every day passes they are one day closer to getting Jack McVeigh and Sam Waardenburg back.
Outlook: Brisbane (Thursday, October 30) and Tasmania (Saturday, November 1), both on the road. It’s a brutal ask for a short-handed group.

NBL Power Rankings — After Round 5

➡️ 1. Melbourne United I ➡️ 2. Adelaide 36ers I ⬆️ 3.South East Melbourne Phoenix I ↗️ 4. Tasmania JackJumpers I ↘️ 5. Sydney Kings I ⬇️ 6. Perth Wildcats I ↗️ 7. Brisbane Bullets I ↗️ 8. New Zealand Breakers I ↗️ 9. Cairns Taipans I ⬇️ 10. Illawarra Hawks

NBL26 Power Rankings — After Round 4

NBL26 Power Rankings — After Round 3

basketball.com.au NBL26 Power Rankings — After Round 2

basketball.com.au NBL26 Power Rankings — After Round 1

⬆️ 1. Melbourne United  ⬇️ 2. Adelaide 36ers ⬇️ 3. Illawarra Hawks ➡️ 4. Sydney Kings ➡️ 5. Perth Wildcats ➡️ 6. Tasmania JackJumpers ⬆️ 7. Brisbane Bullets ⬆️ 8. South East Melbourne Phoenix ⬇️ 9. Cairns Taipans ⬇️ 10. New Zealand Breakers

basketball.com.au NBL26 Power Rankings — Pre-Season

1. Adelaide 36ers

Record: 0–0
Streak: n/a
Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Roster Snapshot:

• Potential Starting 5: Bryce Cotton; DJ Vasiljevic; Zylan Cheatham; Montrezl Harrell; and Isaac Humphries
• Key Bench: Flynn Cameron; Michael Harris; Isaac White; and Blake Jones (IRP)
• Injuries/Absences: Ben Griscti (fractured neck).

Why They’re Here: The blockbuster signing of Cotton and re-signing of Harrell instantly elevate Adelaide to contender. Vasiljevic adds shooting, and Cameron brings versatility and toughness. Depth is much improved from NBL25 and the now revealed locker room disruption between Sydney Kings guard Kendric Davis and the whole team is replaced by a five-time NBL MVP. Zylan Cheatham averaged 15 points and seven rebounds for the New Zealand Breakers in 2023-24 and suited up for the Brooklyn Nets at the 2024 Summer League.

Trending Players:

• Stock Rising: Flynn Cameron.
• Stock Falling: —

Coach’s Corner: Mike Wells has the tools for an uptempo, high-spacing offense. His challenge will be chemistry and the ability for his team to defend for 40 minutes.

Outlook: The 36ers are STACKED! Expectations are sky high.

2. Illawarra Hawks

Record: 0–0
Streak: n/a
Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Roster Snapshot:

• Potential Starting 5: Tyler Harvey; JaQuori McLaughlin; William "Davo" Hickey; Wani Swaka Lo Buluk; and JaVale McGee
• Key Bench: Todd Blanchfield; Mason Peatling; Harry Froling (IRP); and Dan Grida
• Injuries/Absences: Sam Froling (injured)

Why They’re Here: The reigning champions deserve absolute respect. Harvey remains an elite scorer, McGee brings NBA championship veteran rim protection. But the absence of Sam Froling is significant, and imports must settle quickly. The loss of Trey Kell III is a challenge but the Hawks can get up and down as well as any team in the history of the league.

Trending Players:

• Stock Rising: William "Davo" Hickey — emerging as an elite two-way guard who will make an even bigger impact in NBL26 ater a break-out championship contribution and gold medal at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.
• Stock Falling: Todd Blanchfield — age waits for no man but the NBL1 East Men's MVP is still elite. How Justin Tatum manages Blanchfield before Christmas could and should set up another title run.

Coach’s Corner: NBL25 Coach of the Year Tatum’s high-tempo offense powered them to a title, and the core identity remains, except Trey Kell III.

Outlook: They’ll fight to defend their crown and a key is how the 6'4" JaQuori McLaughlin works to fill the gap left by one of the smoothest offensive players in NBL history. Expect William "Davo" Hickey to have a break-out season on the back of the confidence he built in the NBL25 Grand Final Series and 2025 NBA Summer League.

↗️ 3. Melbourne United

Record: 1–0
Streak: W
Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Roster Snapshot:

• Potential Starting 5: Tyson Walker; Chris Goulding; Milton Doyle; Finn Delany; and Jesse Edwards
• Key Bench: Shea Ili, Dash Daniels (Next Star), Kyle Bowen
• Injuries/Absences: n/a

Why They’re Here: basketball.com.au columnist Jason Cadee says: "(United has the) most balanced roster in the competition." United secured Doyle and added Minnesota Timberwolves two-way centre Jesse Edwards in the off-season, while Goulding remains one of the best, if not the best shooter in the league. Depth and coaching are strong, but chemistry with multiple new pieces needs time. United are perennial NBL title contenders and the 2025-26 season will be no different.

Trending Players:

• Stock Rising: Jesse Edwards — young Dutch big with upside.
• Stock Falling: Chris Goulding — age waits for now man. Goulding is 36, soon to be 37, but minutes must be managed.

Coach’s Corner: Dean Vickerman is one of the best coaches in the league and always a candidate for Coach of the Year. His defensive discipline ensures consistency.

Outlook: Immediate contender status, with early fixtures a useful barometer.

4. Sydney Kings

Record: 0–0
Streak: n/a
Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Roster Snapshot:

• Potential Starting 5: Matthew Dellavedova; Kendric Davis; Bul Kuol; Xavier Cooks; and Tim Soares
• Key Bench: Jaylin Galloway; Kouat Noi; and Shaun Bruce
• Injuries/Absences: Keli Leaupepe (ACL – season)

Why They’re Here: Delly makes any team he plays for better and is paired with Davis, alongside Cooks and Kuol. The frontline is a little thinner than last season, but perimeter talent is elite. Can Davis settle in Sydney?

Trending Players:

• Stock Rising: Jaylin Galloway — strong growth curve continues. Galloway's MVP performance for the Boomers at the 2025 Asia Cup is just a sign of things to come.
• Stock Falling: Shaun Bruce — reduced role behind Delly.

Coach’s Corner: Brian Goorjian thrives with defensive wings and structured half-court play. He struggled with the Kings backcourt make-up last year but now has one of the best leaders in Australian basketball history — Delly — and one of the most explosive guards going around — Davis. How Goorjian will handle Davis will play out but the Kings putting the All-NBL First Teamer on a media ban after the blow-up with Montrezl Harrell is a clear indicator.

Outlook: Plenty of talent; the question is depth and chemistry and Davis.

5. Perth Wildcats

Record: 0–1
Streak: L
Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Roster Snapshot:

• Potential Starting 5: Mason Jones; Sunday Dech; Dylan Windler; Kristian Doolittle; and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr.
• Key Bench: Elijah Pepper, Ben Henshall, and Lat Mayen
• Injuries/Absences: —

Why They’re Here: Post-Cotton era begins, but Mason Jones, JoLAC and Windler provide a strong spine. basketball.com.au editor Brayden Heslehurst has the Wildcats winning the NBL26 championship against Melbourne United 3-2. Perth's roster balance is good, though "known" star power is slightly down compared to Adelaide and Sydney. How Jones starts the season — he's legit, folks — is one of the most interesting storylines of 2025-26.

Trending Players:

• Stock Rising: Mason Jones — volume scorer, natural fit as go-to guy.
• Stock Falling: Jesse Wagstaff — leadership intact but age waits for no man.

Coach’s Corner: Rillie leans on versatility and pace, with JoLAC anchoring.

Outlook: They’ll be competitive — question is whether the ceiling is still title level.

6. Tasmania JackJumpers

Record: 1–1
Streak: L-W
Last Week’s Rank: —

Roster Snapshot:

• Starting 5: Tyger Campbell; Bryce Hamilton; David Johnson; Josh Bannan; and Will Magnay
• Key Bench: Ben Ayre; Anthony Drmic; and Nick Marshall
• Injuries/Absences: Sean Macdonald (injured)

Why They’re Here: Just four players (Magnay, Drmic, Deng and Macdonald) remain from the 2023 NBL championship roster and only three will play after Macdonald torn his ACL on Boomers duty in late July. Tasmania move into the post-Doyle era with Campbell and new imports Hamilton/Johnson. Magnay’s health is crucial, and Bannan is ready for a big role. Until we see how the JackJumpers play, it's tough to predict. We'll know more by Round 4.

Trending Players:

• Stock Rising: Josh Bannan — polished two-way forward.
• Stock Falling: Anthony Drmic — at 33 may lose minutes to younger wings.

Coach’s Corner: Scott Roth’s culture ensures high effort and buy-in.

Outlook: Playoff contender, but ceiling depends on import production. The loss of Macdonald is significant.

↘️ 7. Cairns Taipans

Record: 0–1
Streak: L
Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Roster Snapshot:

• Starting 5: Andrew Andrews; Reyne Smith; Admiral Schofield; Jack McVeigh; and Marcus Lee.
• Key Bench: Kyle Adnam; and Kyrin Galloway,
• Injuries/Absences: Sam Waardenburg (ankle).

Why They’re Here: The Taipans have two of the best three-ball shooters in the league — McVeigh and Smith. Smith is almost automatic from either corner. The starting five is completely revamped and with Marcus Lee, one of the league's nicest guys, in the middle and shooting for days, they are dangerous. There's been plenty of turnover but upside exists. Andrews and Schofield are unknowns. Their record when Waardenburg returns will determine how they enter 2026.

Trending Players:

• Stock Rising: Sam Waardenburg — versatile big with room to grow.
• Stock Falling: Kyle Adnam — rotation role under pressure.

Coach’s Corner: Adam Forde thrives with pace and disruptive defense. He left the club after NBL25, coached the Australian 3x3 team, which reignited his passion for coaching and returned to the Taipans. I have Forde winning coach of the year after he steers the Far North Queensland club back into the playoffs.

Outlook: How Cairns copes with the loss of point guard Taran Armstrong will be key. The Taipans are the potential surprise packet of NBL26, but may need time to gel and more luck than last year.

8. New Zealand Breakers

Record: 0–1
Streak: L
Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Roster Snapshot:

• Starting 5: Parker Jackson-Cartwright; Izaiah Brockington; Karim Lopez; Rob Baker II; and Sam Mennenga
• Key Bench: Reuben Te Rangi; Rob Loe; and Sean Bairstow
• Injuries/Absences: —

Why They’re Here: New imports and a Next Star in Lopez make them intriguing but unproven. PJC runs the offense, Mennenga offers inside presence, but chemistry is unknown. Jackson-Cartwright was an early season MVP candidate in 2024-25 until his season derailed in Tasmania, pushing a referee and getting himself suspended. It was the first domino in a lost season for the Breakers, who ended being sold in the off-season. But they've reloaded and have talent to make a deep playoff run.

Trending Players:

• Stock Rising: Sam Mennenga — chance to anchor the frontcourt.
• Stock Falling: Izayah Le’Afa — role reduced.

Coach’s Corner: Petteri Koponen begins his second full season — system still taking shape. At 37, Koponen is one of the best emerging head coaches in basketball.

Outlook: Tough early schedule will reveal their baseline quickly.

↗️ 9. Brisbane Bullets

Record: 1–0
Streak: W
Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Roster Snapshot:

• Starting 5: Jaylen Adams; Javon Freeman-Liberty; Alex Ducas; Casey Prather; and Tyrell Harrison
• Key Bench: Mitch Norton; Taine Murray; and Sam McDaniel
• Injuries/Absences: —

Why They’re Here: Former MVP Adams and NBA champion Ducas are quality additions, but frontcourt depth is thin and Freeman-Liberty must adjust fast. Adams' quality as either primary facilitator of scorer is proven. How Ducas shows out after his two-way stint with the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder will be fun to watch. More minutes and in the spotlight, Ducas is one of the more exciting prospects in NBL26 (from an Aussie player and Boomers perspective).

Trending Players:

• Stock Rising: Alex Ducas — NBA experience, polished skill set.
• Stock Falling: Tyrell Harrison — needs to prove consistency.

Coach’s Corner: Stu Lash still building a clear identity. Lash has gone from the front office to front and centre on the sidelines. He's a watching brief.

Outlook: Potentially volatile — could climb quickly or sink.

↗️ 10. South East Melbourne Phoenix

Record: 1–0
Streak: W
Last Week’s Rank: n/a

Roster Snapshot:

• Starting 5: Hunter Maldonado; Nathan Sobey; John Brown III; DJ Mitchell; and Jordan Hunter
• Key Bench: Angus Glover; Gorjok Gak; and Akech Aliir
• Injuries/Absences: PF rotation unsettled

Why They’re Here: Sobey remains a reliable engine, Brown brings defensive chops, but roster depth and frontcourt are concerns. Moving on from import Vrenz Bleijenbergh just days before the season starts is a tough outcome for the Phoenix.

Trending Players:

• Stock Rising: John Brown III — EuroLeague calibre stopper.
• Stock Falling: —

Coach’s Corner: Josh King will rely heavily on Sobey to stabilise the offense and is now on the hunt for a replacement for Bleijenbergh. King is in his first full season at the Phoenix and is undoubtedly an exceptional coach.

Outlook: Plenty of upside, but look less complete than other squads, especially after parting ways with import Bleijenbergh. NBL26 is stacked with talent and they'll need to move quickly to fill out their roster with a quality import.