Alex Starling's revenge game

Feature image via: Dan Cowley

This is a game everyone should have pencilled in this season.

After leading his Panthers to the Grand Final, winning the Woollacott medal (MVP) and Best Defensive Player, former Finals MVP Alex Starling was told by South Adelaide that they didn’t want him back. 

This sent shockwaves through South Australian basketball, as Starling was forced out and signed with the defending champion Forestville Eagles for 2025 – the team he lost to by two points months before.

Related: "I wanted to stay", why the Central MVP had to change teams

“I can’t necessarily say what made me want to play for Forestville. I’ll put this out there, I actually wanted to stay at South Adelaide and the new head coach (Paul Bell) had different plans,” he told NBL1 Media back in January. 

“So I reached out to Andy over at Forestville and then obviously the playing group, they know how to win.” 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NBL1 (@nbl1)

Heading into this weekend, Starling said this about the match-up. 

"A calm mind is the greatest weapon against any challenge," he said to NBL1 Media. 

This will be the first time Starling has faced his old side and back on his old home floor. Plenty of bad blood will come into this clash, and with the Eagles and Panthers sitting first and third on the ladder respectively, this is the one to watch.