Lowery backs Rillie self-belief

Former NBL champion Damon Lowery has called on the Perth Wildcats to figure out the hierarchy of their team, if they want to turn around their dismal run of form.

Wildcats owner Craig Hutchison publicly backed head coach John Rillie on Monday across various media outlets, including Code Sports, where he labelled him a “great leader who has a vision for where he wants this team to go”, and reiterated the “full faith” ownership has in Rillie.

Perth has dropped to eighth place in the standings with a 2-5 record, and was leapfrogged by Adelaide following Round 5 defeat to a severely undermanned Brisbane Bullets.

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The Wildcats opened the game on the wrong side of a 17-3 run against the Bullets, but clawed back to lose the game by five points.

“The John Rillie I know and that I played with is one of the most confident humans around – he does not lack self-belief. He’s that one guy that when they turn this thing around, if they turn this thing around, he’ll have his chest poked out so far,” Lowery said on NBL Now.

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“I like why ‘Hutchy’ did, he came out and threw his support behind him, because the Army over there is just yap, yap, yapping, so he had to let John know he has his back.

“I think there’s too many different guys playing in different directions. There should be a hierarchy in the team, and that is Bryce Cotton, then everybody else.

“Everybody else can play and can contribute, but if they don’t get Bryce on board they can only go so far, and Bryce has to take it upon himself to stop shooting so many bricks.

“It’s a collective decision direction this team needs to go in offensively, and it would help if they play some defence so they can get out in transition, get some easier points. They’re doing it too hard right now on the offensive end.”

Wildcats legend Damian Martin was courtside during the Wildcats’ defeat to Brisbane, as part of the NBL’s broadcast team for the game, and said the feeling around RAC Arena was “the most flat” he’s ever seen.

Martin won six titles in 11 seasons as a member of the Wildcats, and was also named the league’s Best Defensive Player a record-breaking six times.

While Martin says he was unaware of any booing during the game due to the headset he was wearing for broadcast, he says he hopes the players can respond to the fans’ displeasure.

“That would hurt,” Martin said on SEN. “Players love the Red Army, they love RAC, and knowing they’re getting booed by those who make it so special – that would cut them to the core.

“Hopefully they respond.”

Perth’s next game return to RAC Arena to take on the Adelaide 36ers.