Game day program Semi Final 1

Semi Final Game 1 vs New Zealand Breakers • 3 March 2018 

MARCH INTO MARCH 

gameday 

Game preview, 

team line ups 

and more!

MELBOURNE READY 

FOR THE FIGHT 

Melbourne United know what needs 

to be done. 

It has been a season of growth and 

development for United – a newfound 

belief in one another, the system and 

playing the game the right way. The team 

has building to this moment all season. 

Because of this growth, with clubs first Finals 

game in two years about to tip-off and what 

could be United’s first ever Finals game win, 

there is a sense of calm heading into Game 

One against New Zealand. 

This isn’t because of cockiness, it’s because of 

the body of work the group has done this season 

and the belief that their defence will stand up 

when push comes to shove – as it has done 

all season long. 

Achieving something the club has never done 

before is exactly what newly crowned 2018 NBL 

Coach of the Year, Dean Vickerman and is team 

is focused on. 

“We understand that it’s the next step for us. We 

haven’t won a Playoff game yet, so that’s the total 

focus of this group – how we can get a win and 

how we can build our strategy over the week.” 

Vickerman said. 

Asked about the struggles Melbourne have 

endured against New Zealand in recent years, 

Vickerman brushed aside any concerns about 

the Breakers having the edge over his team. 

“We don’t really worry about what has happened 

in the past. Right now, we are trying to stay in the 

present – what this group has done this year 

and what this group is capable of doing,” 

Vickerman continued. 

“We know that they’ve been a quality Finals team 

over the years and there’s a lot of experience 

there… We expect nothing but an unbelievably 

competitive game with them.” 

Superstar Casey Prather – whose Perth team 

defeated New Zealand in the Grand Final series 

in 2016 – talked about what it is that makes 

New Zealand such a threatening prospect. 

“Their experience alone is very dangerous,” Prather 

continued. “Anytime you have a team that has put 

themselves in a position over and over again, they 

kind of have a bit of an advantage.” Prather said. 

“Also, they’re really physical, they’re a great team 

and organisation where the coaching staff and 

the players, they all buy-in to the system. 

When you mix those things together, that’s 

pretty dangerous.” 

Stifling the likes of Edgar Sosa, Mika Vukona DJ 

Newbill, Tom Abercrombie and Kirk Penney is 

going to demand a team effort and a defensive 

intensity that is second to none. 

“It’s going to be the defence – it’s been the defence 

all year.” United big man Josh Boone said. 

“Our defence is what has gotten us to this point... 

Ultimately, our defence is what is going to 

hopefully win this Championship.” 

2 Game Day Program

There’s no doubt that Game One at Hisense Arena 

is the key to the series. Boone is hoping, with help 

from the Melbourne crowd, to put New Zealand 

on the backfoot early. 

“[Game One] is hugely key. We lose that game, 

we lose home-court advantage and then we 

have to win there just to bring the series back 

to here.” Boone said. 

“We’re thankful that we can play the first game 

here, in front of what I’m sure is going to be a 

great crowd as it has been all year. That’s going 

to hopefully propel us and keep the home-court 

advantage so that we can finish it over there.” 

The FIBA World Cup Qualifying window has 

allowed Melbourne to focus on their physicality, 

through tough practice and wrestling sessions, 

all in hopes of matching the signature New 

Zealand intensity and thirst for the contest. 

Having matched that physicality on their way to 

back-to-back late season wins over the Breakers, 

Boone talked about the work the team has done 

in preparations for New Zealand. 

“Last week was a very tough week of practice and 

it started off tough again this week but we got 

through it and we’re fixing some things that we 

knew needed to be fixed.” Boone said. 

With even more on the line on Saturday night, 

expect plenty of fireworks from two competitors 

looking to stamp their authority on the 

series early. 

Tai Wesley and Mika Vukona are two big men 

that provide so much for their respective teams. 

Wesley has been a man possessed this season 

for Melbourne and Vukona has done as he has 

for so many years – effort plays and a constant 

threat on the boards. 

In February, Ware talked about what Wesley does 

for the team. 

“Tai [Wesley] is like a point forward for us and I can 

just give it up to him and he makes plays happen.” 

Ware said. 

“During games we close out with [Wesley] – 

go straight to the post and he makes the right 

decision for us. Just to have that added dynamic 

on our team is great.” 

New Zealand will be looking to play Wesley 

extremely physically, to try to disrupt his flow – 

something that Vukona loves to do and is very 

effect at. Wesley’s ability to make the right play 

at the right time will be key to the outcome of 

the series. 

“We’ve been overly physical for this entire period, 

so I’m hoping that it’s going to translate. That’s 

what we need and Dean does a great job of 

giving us what we need at the time we need it.” 

The last time Casper Ware and Edgar Sosa went 

head-to-head at Hisense Arena, it’s fair to 

say things got fiery. 

The two points guards didn’t take a backwards 

step as Sosa got off to a hot start, but Ware got 

the last laugh as he led Melbourne home down 

the stretch to a crucial late season win. 


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MELBOURNE UNITED 

HEAD COACH 

Dean Vickerman 

ASSISTANT COACHES 

Mike Kelly and Simon Mitchell 

# 

3 

JOSH BOONE 

# 

7 

PETER HOOLEY 

# 

8 

KYLE ADNAM 

# 

9 

CRAIG MOLLER 

Height: 208cm 

Position: Centre 

DOB: 21 Nov 84 

Height: 193cm 

Position: Guard 

DOB: 5 Feb 92 

Height: 185cm 



Height: 202cm 

Position: Forward 

DOB: 22 Aug 94 

# 

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DAVE ANDERSEN 

# 

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DAVID BARLOW 

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CASPER WARE 

# 

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MAJOK MAJOK 

Height: 211cm 


DOB: 23 Jun 80 

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DOB: 10 Dec 92 

# 

23 

CASEY PRATHER 

Height: 198cm 


DOB: 29 May 91 

# 

42 

TAI WESLEY 

Height: 201cm 



# 

43 

CHRIS GOULDING 

Height: 192cm 


DOB: 24 Oct 88 


NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 

HEAD COACH 

Paul Henare 

# 

3 

FINN DELANY 

# 

4 

EDGAR SOSA 

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SHEA ILI 

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KIRK PENNEY 

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TOM ABERCROMBIE 

# 

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JAMES HUNTER 

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MIKA VUKONA 

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JORDAN NGATAI 

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DOB: 27 Mar 87 


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DEAN VICKERMAN HAS 

TRULY UNITED MELBOURNE 

In a squad with many big names, there is 

one man that has been at the forefront of 

Melbourne United’s charge to the Finals. 

Dean Vickerman, in his first season as head coach, 

has created an environment of competitiveness 

and honesty in Melbourne. 

Melbourne forward Tai Wesley, who won the 

2015 NBL Championship with Vickerman in 

New Zealand, credited his coach for the team’s 

turnaround from winning 13 games and finishing 

sixth in 2017 season to winning 20 games 

this season. 

“I think he’s the reason why the culture is starting 

to be formed and we’re starting to get a bit of an 

identity – I credit a lot of that to him. He’s come 

in and from the start, put in what he wants – 

he wants to be a defensive team.” Wesley said. 

The identity is one that, no matter the obstacles 

– be it injury, travel or anything else thrown their 

way – the team will fight hard and never give up. 

It wasn’t just developed overnight though, it has 

been forged and improved on, from the moment 

Vickerman took over the team. 

After being appointed as coach in March last year, 

Vickerman got straight to work. Realising that a 

cultural change was needed, Vickerman went 

about creating an environment that challenges 

his players to be better and take ownership of 

their actions. 

Vickerman turned to leadership consultant 

Trent Hotton to come in and work with himself 

and the playing group. 

“He does a good job of having the players really 

buy into what they believe are going to be the 

things that are most important to the team. He 

did a great job of that, but then following up with 

how we communicate as a group and how we 

hold each other accountable to the things that 

we said we were going to do.” Vickerman said. 

“We came up with our own little trademark; 

S.H.A.R.E – I can’t tell you what all those letters 

mean but I think it’s quite fitting. When you’ve 

got so much talent, the ability to share 

the basketball and share the load has been 

important for this group.” 

Vickerman describes Hotton as the team’s 

‘mechanic’. 

“He got us going early on and then comes in and 

services us when we him to, to keep the car 

running smoothly.” 

With the actions and identity that the team 

wanted to live by in place, a ruthless defensive 

mentality was the next progression. 

“I’m a great believer that the better defensive 

teams are going to have a better opportunity 

to win the Championship.” Vickerman said. 

“There’s been a good buy-in and we’ve had 

our ebbs and flows about how we’ve gone but 

generally when we’re focused and locked in, we’re 

one of the better defensive teams in the league.” 

With Vickerman leading the charge, the 

leadership of Chris Goulding has ensured the 

playing group’s commitment to the processes and 

honesty with one another has never wavered. 


Vickerman spoke about his Captain and the 

leadership he has provided this season. 

“What I thought, the biggest growth from him, 

is that he’s just saying what needs to be said 

right now without the consequences of worrying 

about friendship or anything. He’s just got a total 

win mentality now and he’s going to be direct 

with all of his teammates.” 

“I really think it has [filtered through the rest of the 

team]. Because if you get that honesty from your 

captain and you accept it, you’re going to give that 

honesty to someone else. I thought Casper was 

the next one in line who has really stepped up in 

that area, but there’s been a real growth in the 

entire group.” 

As injuries took their toll – there was rarely a time 

throughout the regular season when Vickerman 

had his full squad at his disposal – shuffling lineups 

to find the right mix wasn’t the hardest part, 

as Vickerman explains. 

“I think what I’ve found this year is that’s actually 

the easier part of coaching - when someone goes 

down, the next player steps up.” Vickerman said. 

“The harder part of coaching is when people return 

from injury and how to integrate them – I’ve learnt 

some lessons this year. When Chris [Goulding] 

first came back maybe we could’ve done that a 

better way, how we re-introduced Casey and DA 

[Dave Andersen] and all these guys coming back, 

they’ve been some good lessons for me this year.” 

Vickerman admits the only thing he is concerned 

with after finishing on top of the ladder and 

claiming the Minor Premiership is home-court 

advantage. 

“The only thing that the Minor Premiership means 

to me is that we’ve got home-court advantage 

- there is no trophy or banner for a Minor 

Premiership. We get to reward our fans by having 

the most possible games at home and at a place 

we love to play.” Vickerman said. 

“To have a 20-win season, you’ve got to do 

some things really well and it was nice to stay 

consistent in the second half of the season.” 

Looking to win their first Finals series as United, it 

is fitting that Dean Vickerman – a born and bred 

Victorian – is spearheading Melbourne’s campaign. 


“Dean Vickerman has 

truly United Melbourne”

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Game day program Semi Final 1

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