How to watch & talking points: Illawarra v Cairns

11 Oct 2026

illawarra hawks

cairns taipans

The desperate Illawarra Hawks host the in-form Cairns Taipans in a Sunday showdown in Wollongong.

By

NBL.com.au

Illawarra Hawks v Cairns Taipans
Sunday, October 11, 5pm AEDT
WIN Entertainment Centre

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How to watch

Watch every NBL27 game live on ESPN.

>> How to watch ESPN

Tickets

>> Ticketing information

How to follow & live scores

Live scores, stats, breaking news and game highlights are available via the free NBL App.

>> Visit Game Centre | Download the free NBL App

Rosters

Illawarra

Expected depth chart:
PG: M.Doyle (IP) / Hickey / Adnam (NRP)
SG: Harvey / Narkle
SF: Swaka Lo Buluk / Grida / Blanchfield (out) / Patterson (IP/NRP)
PF: Martin (IP) / Peatling (out) / A.Doyle (DP) / McGregor (DP)
C: Froling / Maker / Macdonald (DP)

Cairns

Expected depth chart:
PG: J.Brown (IP) / Paul (NS) / Bruce / Nunn (DP)
SG: J.Galloway (out) / Smith / L.McVeigh (DP)
SF: Lewis (IP) / Dech (out) / W.Brown
PF: J.McVeigh / K.Galloway / Williamson (NRP)
C: Pinder / Bolden / Yates (DP)

Missing in action

Illawarra

Todd Blanchfield - Hand - TBC
Mason Peatling - Foot - Season

Cairns

Sunday Dech - Hamstring - Round 8
Jaylin Galloway - Shoulder - Round 6

>> View full injury list

Talking points

Desperate times

At 1-5, the Illawarra Hawks are unfortunately already in a big hole for the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season.

With the season slipping away fast, it’s crucial that the Hawks come to play for the full 40 against a re-energised Taipans side, fresh off back-to-back wins.

Part of that is finding easier shots for the likes of Tyler Harvey (who is averaging a career-low 11.5 points a game) and improving on the defensive end.

As it stands, the Hawks are sitting 10th in defensive rating (132.2), opponents’ points per possession (1.32), opponents’ effective field goal percentage (57.8), opponents’ true shooting percentage (62.3) and opponents’ bench points (36.8).