Preview | R4 Away v Cairns

It's a first Sunshine Stoush of NBL27 on Thursday night as the Brisbane Bullets take on the Cairns Taipans at the Cairns Convention Centre, attempting to get back on the winner's list.

The two Queensland rivals resume hostilities for the first time this NBL season when the Bullets take on the Taipans in Far North Queensland on Thursday night with the game tipping off at 6:30pm.

It's the fifth game now of the season for the Bullets with them sitting on a 2-2 record as they take on the 2-3 Taipans.

It's shaping as a fascinating early season test for both teams too with Brisbane trying to avoid a third consecutive defeat and with Cairns trying to back up their impressive win on Saturday night against Melbourne United to wrap up their three-game road trip.

The Bullets opened the season with home victories over the New Zealand Breakers and Illawarra Hawks before losing on the road to the Sydney Kings, then back home on Saturday in overtime in a terrific contest with the Tasmania JackJumpers.

Meanwhile, the Taipans lost their first three games on the road this season by a total of 58 points against the Kings, Adelaide 36ers and New Zealand Breakers in between a home victory against the JackJumpers.

But Cairns hit back impressively on Saturday, beating United in Melbourne 107-95, with Keanu Pinder (27 points), Reyne Smith (21), Jaylon Brown (20) and Jack McVeigh (20) all particularly impressive.

That has the Snakes looking to keep that momentum going when they host the Bullets on Thursday night in an attempt to remain undefeated on their home floor so far in NBL27.

The Bullets might have lost their past two games, but there's been plenty to like at the same time including a 34-point first quarter against the defending champion Kings and then still leading at half-time against a Sydney team yet to lose to start NBL27.

Then against the JackJumpers on Saturday at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, the Bullets led by as much as 14 points along the way and in a game decided in overtime, it was a contest that certainly could have gone either way.

Bullets coach Will Weaver is confident that his team is building nicely early in the season and they are heading in the right direction, but he knows continued hard work will be the only way they get to where they hope.

"Am I confident? Yes, but it's not going to happen on its own and we've gotta put in the hard work to where everyone is seeing it the same way and talking it the same way," Weaver said.

"I'd say we're way ahead of schedule, we're four games in now and that group over there in Hobart has been talking the same language and building things for a long time.

"We go to Cairns next and Fordey's been there for a while getting his group together so we have to appreciate that we're playing catch up.

"That's everybody including me learning how the game flows and how to intervene and help as much as I can, but I have to be better on challenges.

"I need to understand what is a kick out turnover three and not because that ends up being a pivotal play in the game so I could have saved my challenge for that.

"All of us are building and improving, and relentlessly studying what we're doing so that's what gives me the confidence that we are going to end up actually humming."

There were four Sunshine Stoush matchups last season in what was a challenging campaign for both Queensland teams, with the pair finishing at the bottom of the standings with a combined 15-51 record.

The Taipans won the first matchup 83-82 in Cairns before the Bullets responded emphatically in Brisbane on October 30, winning 113-85 behind Tyrell Harrison's 21 points and eight rebounds.

The Snakes returned to Cairns and claimed an 88-83 win before also winning the final meeting 81-72 on February 8 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

GAME INFO

Who: Brisbane Bullets vs Cairns Taipans

Tip off: 6:30pm (AEST), Thursday 8 October, 2026

Where: Cairns Convention Centre

Watch: ESPN via Foxtel, Kayo and Disney+