Brisbane won 97-89.

After dominating the Big V competition, the Rangers moved to the SEABL last year but struggled because of injuries to key players. Although lacking the depth to adequately cover their losses, they missed the play-offs by only a game and a half.

Coach Warren Dawson, in his 11th season, said height was an important ingredient for a tilt at the championships and set about super-sizing his Rangers line-up.

"We are definitely bigger, more physical and athletic across the board this year. With the standard of the SEABL, the reality is if you want to be a play-off team or contender, you've got to have a minimum five or six 200-centimetre athletes.

"'I knew we were going to face bigger and better challenges on a more consistent basis in the SEABL. We needed to play well on a regular basis and have our best line-up on court on a consistent basis to make the play-offs, but our two best players, Vince Inglima and Dusty Jura, missed most of the season through injury."

Inglima will suit up again this season. The Rangers will be without Jura, who has stayed home to complete a two-year university degree but has told Dawson he intends to return after completing his studies.

Dawson said a decision to reduce games from 48 minutes to 40 would alter the way he handled his line-up.

"It will change the dynamics of how the game will be played and in terms of managing foul counts and the like. It also changes how coaches run their rotations during games this season."