Brisbane Bullets set for two tough matches in Round 1 of their return to the NBL

PODCAST: One of the most anticipated seasons in NBL history has arrived with the return of the Brisbane Bullets to tip-off Round 1.

Brisbane Bullets big man Daniel Kickert Picture: Mark Cranitch.

TIP-OFF is finally here.

One of the most anticipated seasons in the history of the National Basketball League has arrived with eight teams starting their campaign for a championship.

Brisbane Bullets training at Carina, ahead of tomorrows round 1 game against Perth. Cameron Bairstow and Daniel Kickert. Pic Jono Searle.

And there is no better way to get the 2016/17 season started then the return of the Brisbane Bullets, who take on the defending champion Perth Wildcats in their first game since 2008.

More than 7500 people are expected at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre tonight as the Bullets make the comeback so many have been waiting so long for.

But Andrej Lemanis’ side may be missing star recruit and former Chicago Bulls NBA forward Cameron Bairstow, who is still recovering from a dislocated shoulder he suffered at the Rio Olympics.

Bairstow is expected to sit out Round 1, including Saturday’s game against the Kings. But apart from the obvious disappointment as a fan not seeing the Brisbane product take the court in the first game, I believe it is the best move for the Bullets.

It’s a long season - you would not want to risk any further injury with Bairstow, a usually physical player, and face more weeks on the sidelines.

Tom Jervis at Brisbane Bullets training at Carina. Pic Mark Cranitch.

I don’t even believe it means much for the clash with the Wildcats. Even with Bairstow out, I think the home side still have an advantage in the big men department with the likes of Tom Jervis, Daniel Kickert, Anthony Petrie and Mitchell Young to clash against US import Jameel McKay, Angus Brandt, Shawn Redhage and Lucas Walker.

With Wildcats fan favourite Matthew Knight out with injury, I believe Perth will struggle to contain the frontcout of the Bullets.

Look for Kickert to be more aggressive on the offensive end then he has in the preseason and look for Jervis to continue the form he has produced during the trial games.

The battle for Brisbane will be dealing with the defensive pest from the Wildcats that is Damian Martin as well as containing star imports Casey Prather and Jaron Johnson.

In Brisbane’s second match of the round, they travel south to renew and old rivalry and face last year’s MVP Kevin Lisch and the Sydney Kings.

This will be a tougher test for the Bullets after a game just two days earlier and Sydney coming in fresh but Brisbane will take some confident out of their comeback victory over the Kings at the recent Australian Basketball Challenge.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Jermaine Beal of the Bullets takes the ball up during the Australian Basketball Challenge match between Brisbane Bullets and Cairns Taipans at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centreon September 26, 2016 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

On top of Lisch, Sydney feature several stars such as Olympians Brad Newley and Alex Maric as well as imports Greg Whittington and Michael Bryson and three-point competition winner Jason Cadee.

Even without Bairstow, Reuben Te Rangi and Matt Kenyon, the depth advantage still goes to the Bullets and if Brisbane can somewhat contain the stars of the Kings, they could finish the first round with two wins.

Bullets import guard Jermaine Beal renewing his battle with Lisch will be a match-up to watch against the Kings along with Brisbane’s Torrey Craig against Newley.

There are tickets still available for tonight’s game, which starts at 6.30pm, but all games area also televised on Fox Sports.

■ Since 2011, Brayden Heslehurst has been a sports journalist for Quest Community News and has been the company’s primary basketball reporter. He was also a member of the Brisbane Spartans South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) squad from 2011-2014. In the past two seasons, he has been an assistant coach of the Brisbane Spartans under current Brisbane Bullets assistant and six-time NBL champion CJ Bruton.