NBL27 SuperCoach Round 3 Injury Report: Humphries, Knight, JLA & Selection Watch

NBL27 SuperCoach Round 3 Injury Report: Humphries, Knight, JLA & Selection Watch

Round 3 begins Wednesday, and with eight teams playing twice, availability matters even more than usual.

The latest official NBL injury list now gives us much firmer Perth clarity: Jo Lual-Acuil Jr is out against South East Melbourne, Brandon Knight is targeting a Round 4 debut, and Jaron Rillie has been cleared to make his season debut on Friday.

For SuperCoach coaches, the goal is not to predict medical outcomes. It is to understand which injuries materially change minutes, roles and trade decisions before lockout.

Buckets call: Isaac Humphries is the most important injury for Round 3 trading because his status directly affects Nick Rakocevic. Brandon Knight and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr matter too, but Perth plays only once, giving coaches much less reason to take a risk.

Round 3 injury and selection board

Isaac Humphries — knee, TBC; setback worse than expected

This has become the most important injury development on the Round 3 trade board.

The official NBL injury list still has Humphries at TBC, but the league reported on 1 October that his knee issue is worse than initially expected and that Adelaide is seeking another medical opinion. Multiple return pathways are reportedly being considered, including surgery, but there is no confirmed return date and no basis to assume the most severe scenario will eventuate.

Adelaide's own update says Humphries will continue to rehab the injury, with Development Player Deonte Williams continuing to suit up in his absence. That materially changes the fantasy read: this no longer looks like a simple week-to-week absence that coaches should assume is about to resolve.

Nick Rakocevic has already made the opportunity impossible to ignore. He produced 20 points and eight rebounds against Perth, then 21 points and 12 rebounds against Cairns, playing more than 32 minutes on Sunday. He finished Round 2 with 79 SuperCoach points and is priced at $188,400.

Adelaide plays twice again in Round 3 and Round 4. If Humphries remains sidelined, Rakocevic has both the fixture and the role to keep returning value — and the latest medical reporting makes that role look more secure than it did earlier in the week.

SuperCoach call: Rakocevic is a BUY. The Humphries setback strengthens the acquisition case because the expanded centre role may persist beyond Round 3. Do not price in a season-long absence, but the risk of Humphries immediately reclaiming those minutes has clearly reduced.

Source: NBL report — 36ers weighing up options for injured star.

Flynn Cameron — ankle, Round 5

Cameron remains listed TBC after missing Adelaide's home win over Cairns.

The direct fantasy effect is less dramatic than Humphries because Adelaide still has substantial perimeter creation through Bryce Cotton and its other guards, but Cameron's absence keeps the rotation slightly more concentrated.

It also reinforces Cotton's enormous responsibility after he led Round 2 with 94 SuperCoach points.

SuperCoach call: Monitor rather than trade around Cameron specifically.

Brandon Knight — unavailable, targeting Round 4

Knight is now expected to make his Wildcats debut in Round 4, taking him completely out of the Round 3 SuperCoach equation.

Perth has survived without him by sharing creation between Elijah Pepper, Dylan Windler, Kristian Doolittle and Anthony Dell'Orso. That committee has now won consecutive games.

Pepper has scored 19, 25 and 25 through three games. Dell'Orso rebounded from a scoreless opener to score 75 SuperCoach points across Round 2.

Knight is expected in Australia, but arrival is not the same thing as being cleared to play. Medical and administrative steps still matter.

More importantly for SuperCoach, Perth has only one game in Round 3.

SuperCoach call: Do not speculate on Knight this week. Use the single-game round to watch his arrival and eventual role.

For the full rotation analysis, read Brandon Knight to Perth: NBL27 SuperCoach & Fantasy Draft Impact.

Jo Lual-Acuil Jr — calf, OUT Round 3

JLA left Perth's 97–93 win over New Zealand in the first quarter with a calf injury and did not return.

John Rillie confirmed the calf issue after the game but said Perth would need scans before knowing the severity.

That makes this a genuine injury watch even though JLA was not yet included on the NBL's Sunday afternoon injury-list update.

Perth plays South East Melbourne on Friday and only plays once for the round.

SuperCoach call: JLA is unavailable for Round 3. Owners should now treat this as a confirmed absence rather than a watch, and non-owners should not consider buying until his return timeline is clearer.

Jaron Rillie — CLEARED for season debut

Rillie has been cleared to return from his lower-leg injury and is set to make his season debut against South East Melbourne on Friday.

His return gives Perth another ball-handler before Knight enters the rotation in Round 4. That is more relevant to draft managers and minutes projections than to a one-game SuperCoach acquisition play this week.

SuperCoach call: Watch the role rather than buy. Rillie is coming back into a rotation that will change again when Knight debuts.

Melbourne — Goulding out, Ili back

Shea Ili was cleared to return from his hamstring injury on 3 October and re-entered Melbourne’s rotation against Cairns. Chris Goulding remains out until Round 5.

Ili’s return gives United another proven ball-handler and defender, but it does not change Cole Anthony’s premium fantasy ceiling. It does slightly reduce the need to project every available guard minute through Anthony alone.

SuperCoach call: Anthony remains a BUY/HOLD premium. Ili is back; treat that as a rotation-context change rather than a reason to panic.

Illawarra frontcourt — Peatling and Blanchfield TBC

Illawarra is 0–3 and already moved on from Darius Days.

Now the Hawks enter a Round 3 double with Mason Peatling (foot) and Todd Blanchfield (hand) both still listed TBC.

That has left the frontcourt particularly thin and adds context to Sam Froling's importance.

Illawarra faces Adelaide on Friday and South East Melbourne on Sunday.

SuperCoach call: Froling's opportunity is attractive, but wait for the Hawks' team update before assuming exactly how the minutes will be distributed.

For the roster context, see Darius Days Leaves Illawarra: What It Means for NBL27 Fantasy.

Tasmania — several moving pieces

Tasmania has one of the busiest injury lists entering its Round 3 double.

Majok Deng will miss four to six weeks after scans confirmed a hairline fibula fracture alongside a corked calf. Josh Bannan is a game-time decision against Melbourne with his rib issue. Ben Ayre is listed around a Round 3 return from his hip flexor injury, while Anthony Drmic (back) and Bryce Hamilton (ACL) remain unavailable.

The JackJumpers play Melbourne on Thursday and Brisbane on Saturday.

Bannan is now the immediate selection swing. With Deng ruled out for at least a month, a Bannan absence would leave Tasmania especially thin up front and could concentrate minutes for Will Magnay, Taran Armstrong, David Johnson and the remaining available rotation.

SuperCoach call: Magnay and Armstrong gain some structural appeal from the thinner rotation, but wait for Bannan's game-time call before making a fringe Tasmania trade.

Cairns — Luke Paul potentially back, Galloway still out

Luke Paul failed a fitness test on 3 October and is now expected back in Round 4, while Jaylin Galloway remains out until Round 6 with a shoulder issue. Shaun Bruce also failed a fitness test and is expected back in Round 4.

Cairns opens the Ignite Cup against New Zealand on Wednesday before facing Melbourne on Saturday.

The bigger SuperCoach question remains whether Keanu Pinder and the Taipans' established options can capitalise on the double after a poor offensive showing against Adelaide.

SuperCoach call: Pinder is a HOLD. He answered the Adelaide disappointment with 27 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals on 10-of-14 shooting against Melbourne. That response removes the stale sell case; reassess him for Round 4.

Round 3 double-game teams

Eight clubs play twice:

• Adelaide: at Illawarra, vs New Zealand
• Brisbane: at Sydney, vs Tasmania
• Cairns: at New Zealand, at Melbourne
• Illawarra: vs Adelaide, at South East Melbourne
• Melbourne: at Tasmania, vs Cairns
• New Zealand: vs Cairns, at Adelaide
• South East Melbourne: at Perth, vs Illawarra
• Tasmania: vs Melbourne, at Brisbane

Perth and Sydney play once.

The first games arrive Wednesday with New Zealand v Cairns and Sydney v Brisbane, so coaches using Bullets or Taipans need to resolve those selections first.

What this means for Round 3 trades

The injury report reinforces three of our existing trade calls.

Nick Rakocevic remains one of the best value buys while Humphries is out.

Max Mackinnon and Arnas Velička avoid the major injury uncertainty and have Brisbane's double.

And Perth players are easier to wait on. Knight's arrival and JLA's calf create genuine uncertainty, but the Wildcats only play once. There is no need to solve that rotation before we have better information.

See the full board in NBL27 SuperCoach Round 3 Trade Targets: Buy, Hold & Sell.

Frequently asked questions

Is Isaac Humphries playing in Round 3?

No. Humphries missed Adelaide's final Round 3 game against New Zealand and his return remains TBC. Nick Rakocevic responded with 29 points and 16 rebounds, reinforcing the fantasy value created by Humphries' absence.

Is Jo Lual-Acuil Jr injured?

Yes. JLA left Perth's game against New Zealand with a calf injury. John Rillie confirmed the injury and said scans were required to determine the severity.

Is Brandon Knight playing this week?

No. Knight is unavailable for Round 3 and Perth is targeting Round 4. His eventual debut remains important for the Wildcats’ guard rotation, but there is no Round 3 SuperCoach acquisition case.

Is Nick Rakocevic a buy?

Yes while Humphries remains out. He scored 79 SuperCoach points across Round 2 and Adelaide has another double. His value should be reassessed if Humphries is cleared.

Which Round 3 teams play first?

New Zealand and Cairns open the round on Wednesday, followed by Sydney and Brisbane later that night. Any trades involving Breakers, Taipans or Bullets should therefore be resolved before those players lock.

Should I trade Jo Lual-Acuil Jr?

JLA was ruled out for Round 3 with the calf injury. Owners should treat it as a confirmed absence and wait for the next return update before considering him again.

Last updated: 4 October 2026 after Adelaide's final Round 3 game and the latest NBL injury update. Round 3 is now underway and this article will continue to be refreshed as clubs confirm availability.

Continue planning with the Round 3 Trade Targets, NBL27 Fixture Guide and Max Mackinnon Round 3 analysis.