Round 5 gives Sydney, New Zealand, Tasmania and South East Melbourne two games each, but the fixture advantage only matters when a player is available to take the court. Sydney have ruled Matthew Dellavedova out of both fixtures, and the league now lists Round 7 as his estimated return. New Zealand are without Parker Jackson-Cartwright for Wednesday's opener, while Brisbane have confirmed a long absence for Arnas Velička. The latest injury register sharpens the outlook for several players whose listed return rounds should not be mistaken for clearances.
Availability checked: 14 October 2026, approximately 1pm Adelaide time. The official NBL27 injury register lists its latest update as 13 October, 6pm AEDT. The 14 October Sydney–New Zealand preview provides more specific game-day context. Club announcements take precedence when they supply confirmed selection decisions. Final match-day selections may change, so treat estimated return rounds as guidance rather than medical clearances.
Round 5: the four double-game clubs
The NBL27 fixture schedules seven games between Wednesday 14 October and Sunday 18 October. Sydney host New Zealand on Wednesday and Perth on Saturday; New Zealand visit Sydney and Tasmania; Tasmania host Adelaide and New Zealand; and South East Melbourne visit Brisbane before hosting Cairns. The other six clubs have one game each.
| Double-game team | Fixtures | Main fantasy consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney Kings | New Zealand (Wed), Perth (Sat) | Dellavedova out for both; increased creation responsibility for healthy guards, without a guaranteed minutes redistribution |
| New Zealand Breakers | Sydney (Wed), Tasmania (Sun) | Jackson-Cartwright's lower-leg absence threatens the value of the double |
| Tasmania JackJumpers | Adelaide (Fri), New Zealand (Sun) | Two home games; monitor selection and established minutes |
| South East Melbourne Phoenix | Brisbane (Thu), Cairns (Sat) | Strong fixture volume, but no automatic role increase for reserves |
The distinction is simple: two scheduled games are not two guaranteed appearances. Check the actual SuperCoach lockout and substitution rules before relying on a player with uncertain availability.
Parker Jackson-Cartwright: treat the double as high risk
The Breakers' injury announcement says Jackson-Cartwright will miss a number of weeks with a lower-leg injury. The club is taking a cautious approach, while the 13 October league register still gives his return as TBC. The NBL's 14 October match preview explicitly describes him as sidelined for Wednesday's meeting with Sydney; his Sunday appearance at Tasmania has not been separately confirmed by a final team sheet. The Round 4 SuperCoach recap previously anticipated he could miss both Round 5 road games.
Wednesday's absence is now backed by the league's game preview, and the multi-week injury outlook is strong evidence against trading him in to exploit the double. However, there is no separately verified final team sheet for Sunday's game. Owners should plan for the possibility of zero appearances and only revise that plan after a definitive club update. A teammate may gain more ball-handling responsibility, but no verified source establishes exactly who will absorb his minutes or assists.
New Zealand's Josiah-Jordan James is listed with a hamstring issue and a Round 5–7 return estimate; Preston Le Gassick remains TBC with a neck issue. The 13 October register also lists new signing Nelson Weidemann as unavailable, return TBC, and the 14 October match preview says he has not yet joined the group. None of those players should be pencilled into Wednesday's rotation. The sensible draft and SuperCoach approach is to separate a genuine opportunity from an unconfirmed replacement.
Arnas Velička: the long absence is now club-confirmed
The key change since the original report is that Brisbane have moved beyond an early media estimate. In a 12 October club statement reported by the NBL, the Bullets confirmed Velička has been ruled out with a lower-limb injury and is expected to return at the start of December. The 13 October injury register now lists Rounds 11–12 as the return window.
This is an expected window, not a guaranteed match date. The club said another update would follow the relevant waiver approvals. Velička was averaging 13.8 points and a league-leading 10.2 assists per game when the injury was confirmed, so his absence is a major structural issue for Brisbane's offence. The Bullets have only one Round 5 fixture, against South East Melbourne on Thursday.
SuperCoach call: Velička is not a short-term hold for managers who need immediate points, unless squad structure or trade limitations create a specific reason to wait. Fantasy Draft call: long-term value depends on league depth and injury-list rules, but he should not be treated as a usable Round 5 starter. Avoid declaring an unconfirmed replacement guard the automatic beneficiary. Buckets has separately covered the original Velička injury and Mawot Mag development.
Sydney: Dellavedova ruled out twice, with Round 7 now listed
The Sydney Kings' 13 October injury announcement carried by the NBL confirms that Matthew Dellavedova will miss both Round 5 games, against New Zealand on Wednesday and Perth on Saturday, with a calf injury. Sydney said he would be re-evaluated next week. The league's 13 October injury register now lists Round 7 as his estimated return, and the 14 October game preview repeats that Round 7 outlook. A listed return round is not medical clearance; the club's re-evaluation remains the next decision point.
Dellavedova was averaging 6 points, 5.3 assists and 1.8 rebounds this season, according to the NBL's 13 October report. The club has named Lachlan Bofinger as his replacement in the squad for both matches. That is a selection replacement, not evidence that Bofinger will inherit Dellavedova's playmaking role or minutes. The 14 October league preview instead identifies Kendric Davis as carrying more of the ball-handling burden, with Will Johnston expected to step up behind him.
SuperCoach decision: Do not roster Dellavedova for Round 5 expecting even one appearance. Davis has a clearer path to additional creation opportunities, but more responsibility does not guarantee a particular score; assess his existing role and the two-game fixture. Fantasy Draft decision: managers needing this week's guard minutes should look at their own eligible waiver pool rather than assuming Bofinger is a universal add. For a separate explanation of Sydney's roster changes, see Buckets' Round 5 guard shake-up analysis.
Adelaide: Cameron's register label conflicts with the more specific club timeline
The injury register still lists Flynn Cameron's ankle return as Round 5, but Adelaide's 7 October basketball operations update said he faced approximately another four to six weeks on the sidelines. A generic return-round label is not a clearance, and the more specific club assessment makes Cameron a risky selection for Friday's single game at Tasmania.
Isaac Humphries remains TBC with a knee issue. The same Adelaide update said he would not require surgery but needed a gradual reduction and rebuilding of his workload; it supplied no confirmed match return. Bul Kuol also remains sidelined following an ACL injury. Nick Rakocevic's substantial role while Humphries is unavailable has been visible in completed games, but Adelaide only play once in Round 5, so compare that opportunity with fit double-game alternatives rather than making an automatic trade.
Other Round 5 availability checkpoints
The 13 October NBL27 injury list, last updated at 6pm AEDT, provides the following estimates, not final game-day teams. Sydney's Dellavedova and New Zealand's Jackson-Cartwright and Weidemann are discussed separately above:
| Club | Player | Listed status | Selection implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne United | Chris Goulding | Calf — Round 5 | Potential return, not a confirmed appearance against Illawarra |
| Perth Wildcats | Jo Lual-Acuil Jr | Calf — TBC | Do not assume he returns for Saturday's single game |
| Brisbane Bullets | Taine Murray | Lower limb — Rounds 5–6 | Check team selection; window spans more than one round |
| Brisbane Bullets | Sam McDaniel | Lower leg — Round 10 | Long-term absence, not an immediate backcourt fix |
| Cairns Taipans | Jaylin Galloway | Shoulder — Round 6 | Not a Round 5 return expectation |
| Illawarra Hawks | Mason Peatling | Foot — season | Season-long absence changes frontcourt depth |
| South East Melbourne | Hunter Goodrick | Knee — TBC | No confirmed return for the Phoenix double |
| Tasmania JackJumpers | Ben Ayre | Hip flexor — test | Requires a late availability check before Tasmania's two games |
| Tasmania JackJumpers | Majok Deng | Lower leg — Rounds 8–10 | Not a short-term Round 5 option |
Tasmania's Anthony Drmic is retired, not a pending injury return. The club's retirement announcement reported by the NBL confirmed on 12 October that ongoing back problems had ended his career. He has accordingly disappeared from the latest league injury register; do not keep him on an active return watchlist.
The practical Round 5 decision
Start with verified availability, then match count, then demonstrated minutes and role. Healthy established players from Sydney, Tasmania and South East Melbourne have a fixture advantage, but that is not a reason to overrate fringe players. New Zealand's double is attractive for fit players who actually hold meaningful roles; Jackson-Cartwright's injury does not prove that any particular reserve will become a high-volume creator.
The major confirmed absences are Velička's early-December expectation (Rounds 11–12 on the league register) and Dellavedova missing both Round 5 games (Round 7 listed, pending club re-evaluation). The key unresolved decision is Jackson-Cartwright's Sunday status after Wednesday's confirmed absence. Flynn Cameron's conflicting published return estimates also demand caution. Review the official injury register and final club team sheets before lockout, and confirm any prices, breakevens or eligibility directly inside the fantasy game rather than relying on invented figures.
For a separate assessment of roster decisions, see Buckets' Round 5 Buy, Hold & Sell and Round 5 Fantasy Draft Waiver Wire. Those are distinct editorial series; this updated report deals with who can realistically play.
Is Jackson-Cartwright confirmed out of both Round 5 games?
The Breakers have confirmed a multi-week lower-leg absence, and the NBL's 14 October preview treats him as out for Wednesday against Sydney. Sunday's team sheet against Tasmania remains unverified; do not assume a second Round 5 appearance.
When could Matthew Dellavedova return?
Sydney have ruled him out of both Round 5 games and said he will be re-evaluated next week. The NBL's 13 October injury register and 14 October match preview list Round 7 as the estimated return. That is not a guaranteed selection date.
When is Arnas Velička expected back?
Brisbane have confirmed an early-December expectation; the league register lists Rounds 11–12. Neither is a guaranteed clearance date.
Which teams play twice in Round 5?
Sydney, New Zealand, Tasmania and South East Melbourne. Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Illawarra, Melbourne and Perth play once each.
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