Preview: NBL26 R1 Away v NZ Breakers

The Brisbane Bullets open the 2025/26 NBL season with the first three games on the road starting on Friday against the New Zealand Breakers in Auckland.

The Bullets begin NBL26 firstly against the Breakers this Friday evening before then being away to the Cairns Taipans in a Sunshine Stoush the following Friday, and then a Sunday afternoon clash away to the Adelaide 36ers.

The first home game at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre will take place on Saturday October 4 but before that and the opportunity presents for the Bullets to build plenty of momentum before playing in front of the home fans for the first time in NBL26.

For the season, the Bullets have retained last season's MVP Casey Prather, captain Mitch Norton, emerging big man Tyrell Harrison, the ever-reliable Tohi Smith-Milner and with Sam McDaniel back to full health after a shoulder injury only allowed him one appearance in NBL25.

Then there are the new faces at Brisbane for the upcoming season including new import pair Javon Freeman-Liberty and Jaylen Adams. Freeman-Liberty arrives in the league for the first time as an exciting pure scorer while Adams is a former NBL MVP from his time at the Sydney Kings.

The Bullets have also added Alex Ducas fresh off being part of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA championship winning squad along with Jack Purchase and Taine Murray with Cal Dalton in the line-up for the start of NBL26 while Jacob Holt is sidelined through injury.

The first task for the Bullets this season is playing the Breakers in Auckland on Friday night and it's also a decidedly new-look New Zealand outfit albeit with Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Carlin Davison, Karim Lopez, Max Darling, Sam Mennenga and Brisbane native Sean Bairstow returning.

The Breakers have also welcomed back former Bullets forward Reuben Te Rangi along with Rob Loe and Izayah Le'afa while signing up new import pair Izaiah Brockington and Rob Baker II.

New Bullets coach Stu Lash is looking at it as a positive to be starting the season on the road with the chance to build the chemistry within the group, and to celebrate some early wins together as a team.

"It's better to have it on the front end of the schedule but I've never been one to really fixate too much on the schedule, and we'll play anybody, anywhere, anytime," Lash said.

"We'll play outside, it doesn't matter so we're just grateful that we get to play professional basketball for a living but it does bring the group together as well with the time we'll have on the road.

"Being on the road is when the authenticity of the relationship building really happens so if we can weather that storm early and pick off a few really fun road wins, then I think it just builds the level of excitement for when we come home for our home stretch.

"We understand that nothing is more fun and enjoyable as a team than a road win just being on the road and having that time together after the win.

"When you're on the road, it's something that can be very powerful so if we can tap into that early and utilise it, it can really help us as go through the rest of the season."

GAME INFO

Who: Brisbane Bullets vs New Zealand Breakers

Tip off: 5:30pm (AEST), Friday 19 September, 2025

Where: Spark Arena, Auckland

Watch: ESPN via Foxtel, Disney+, Kayo and Fetch