Grand Final Game 2 Game Day Program

Grand Final Game 2 v Perth Wildcats // 10 March 2019
WE ARE ALL IN
GAMEDAY
GRAND
FINAL
FEVER
ISSUE 16
TODAY’S GAME
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GAME DAY
INFORMATION
SUNDAY 10th MARCH - 2.50pm tip off
V
DOORS OPEN
12.30pm - Members
12.45pm - Non-members
GETTING TO THE GAME
We recommend using public transport if possible.
Please plan ahead to get to the precinct on time &
avoid traffic.
FAN ZONES & ACTIVITIES
Be sure to explore the exterior & interior concourses
to make the most of our fan zones & activities!
TICKET COLLECTION
Ticket collection can be found to the left of the main
entrance of Melbourne Arena. The main entrance
to Melbourne Arena is on the West (city) sideof the
stadium.
GAME DAY SHOW
Get to your seats early to enjoy the whole show!
Pre-game entertainment commences at 2.20pm.
STAND TALL MELBOURNE
When the game begins, GET ON YOUR FEET & STAY
ON YOUR FEET until the opposition scores.
MERCHANDISE
Located in the arena foyer opposite the main
entrance you will find our Melbourne United Store.
Get kitted out in our brand new 2018-19 FINALS
RANGE! Members receive a 10% discount!
SILENT AUCTION
Place your bid before 3/4 time for your chance to
win a 2018-19 Signed Chris Goulding Jersey, size M.
Text 0417 792 404 your bid, name, email address &
D.O.B. Starting bid = $150
WIFI
Melbourne Arena has FREE WIFI!
FREE HUNGRY JACKS BURGER
If the opposition miss 2 free-throws in a row - YOU
WIN!
CELEBRATE WITH A MATE
If Melbourne United win you can celebrate with a
mate at Sandwich Chefs. For 48 hours after the
end of the game you can get 2 for 1 roast rolls at
any Sandwich Chefs location. Simply show your
ticket or membership to redeem.
REQUEST A SONG FROM THE DJ
Melbourne United’s in-stadium DJ will be playing
tunes throughout the game & you can request a
song! Jump on our Instagram page (@melbunited),
follow us & direct message your request!

Club Desk/Information
Indoor Fan Fun Zone
Main Merchandise Store
Club Ticket Collection Point
MU Bus & Jumping Castle
Arena Merchandise Store 1
Group Bookings Meeting Point
Member Enquiry & Sales Desk
Arena Merchandise Store 2
Half Court
Superhoodz Hip Hop Dancers
Toilets
Lifts
Ticketek & Online Ticket Collection Point

SCOUTING OUR
GRAND FINAL OPPONENT
In what is shaping up as a tantalising
best-of-five 2019 NBL Grand Final Series,
Melbourne United will undoubtedly have
their hands full with the Perth Wildcats.
The Wildcats have options aplenty on
offence and defence; players capable
of taking on a massive scoring load and
players with the ability to play lock-down
defence.
Today, we take a look at the Wildcats and
their key rotation guys - their top eight
players in minutes per game.
Bryce Cotton – averaging 22.5 points
(league-best), 3.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.8
turnovers and 1.2 steals in 34.7 minutes per
game.
The head of the Wildcats extremely deadly
snake is Bryce Cotton. Cotton, an explosive
guard who can take over games at will,
once again had a tremendous regular
season. After winning last season’s league
MVP, Cotton backed it up by leading the
NBL in scoring and producing night in,
night out to help his team finish the regular
season atop of the ladder.
Cotton has speed to burn and what he
lacks in height, he more than makes up for
it with his insane body control and ability
to play through contact. He leads the
Wildcats in free throw attempts per game
(5.8) and finished fourth league-wide in
that area. For reference, DJ Kennedy (4.1)
leads United.
His three-point shooting is a highlight and
he averages the most makes per game
(2.9) in the league, slightly in front of our
very own Casper Ware (2.8) and Chris
Goulding (2.7).
Ware did a tremendous job of guarding
Cotton in the final regular season game
of the year, and he will need to bring that
same intensity in the each of the Grand
Final games, because when Bryce Cotton
goes, so do the Perth Wildcats.
Terrico White – averaging 15.7 points, 3.9
rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.4 turnovers in 31.2
minutes per game.
Terrico White has building all season for the
Wildcats and the import looks to have truly
found his groove in the NBL at the right
time of the year.
Since the start of February, White is
averaging 19.6 points and 4 rebounds in
five outings and in the Wildcats sweep of
the Bullets, he went to work, scoring 19 and
24 points in Games 1 and 2, respectively.
With so much offensive attention going
to Cotton, White has the ability to be a
game-changer in this series. If he can be
that reliable second option that he has
proven he’s capable of in recent times,
Perth’s offence becomes that much harder
to stop.
Nick Kay – averaging 15.2 points (42%
from three), 8.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1 steal
in 30.8 minutes per game.

Nick Kay has been a man on mission in his
first season with the Wildcats and is a key
on both ends of the floor for Perth.
Named to the All-NBL First Team, Kay has
truly taken his game to another level after
making the switch from Illawarra. His ability
to rebound and play tough defence against
an array of positions makes him extremely
valuable on that end of the court, whilst his
improved three-point shot is the icing on
the cake.
Shooting an extremely healthy 42% from
deep, Kay is vital for the Wildcats spacing
on offence and if you give an inch of
space, he will knock down the long-range
bomb. At 3.1 assists per game, Kay is
Perth’s second-leading assist man, further
proving his worth to the team.
Mitch Norton – averaging 8.7 points, 2.8
assists, 2.2 rebounds in 21.3 minutes per
game.
Despite a late-season calf injury which
initially ruled Mitch Norton out for the
season, Perth Coach Trevor Gleeson said
yesterday that he expects Norton to play
in the Grand Final Series.
Having suited up for the Boomers on many
occasions, Norton is absolutely a threat on
both ends. Whilst his numbers don’t jump
out at you, he can score the ball when
called upon and loves nothing more than to
play tough defence,
With Norton and Damian Martin on the one
roster, United’s guards will be harassed
non-stop by two of the best defensive
guards in the league.
Clint Steindl – averaging 7.8 points (44%
from three), 2.2 rebounds in 14.6 minutes
per game.
Clint Steindl has found a home in Perth
after bouncing around for the last couple
of years. Known for his shooting ability,
Steindl has truly become that knock-down
shooter that every team needs and craves.
Shooting 44% from deep, he is one of the
best long-range shooters in the league and
if you miss a switch on defence and leave
him open on the wings, he will more make
you pay.
Whilst his shooting is deadly, Steindl can
be targeted on the other end of the court
as he can struggle at times to keep his
man in front of him.
Angus Brandt – averaging 7.6 points, 5.7
rebounds, 1.3 assists in 19.6 minutes per
game.
Another Australian Boomer, Brandt is
physical and a presence on both ends of
the court. The big man loves to battle in the
paint and the likes of Josh Boone and Alex
Pledger will be aiming to work Brandt over.
His statistics don’t jump out at you, but
Brandt is a player that demands your
respect and can disrupt opposition
offences.
Jesse Wagstaff – averaging 5.8 points, 2
rebounds in 14.9 minutes per game.
Jesse Wagstaff is a competitor. He’ll give
you 15 minutes a game of effort and hustle
and never backs down. The forward knows
what his role is on both ends of the court
and will do whatever is needed of him for
his team to get the win.
Wagstaff isn’t afraid to launch triples,
attempting 2.5 per game, but he is
connecting on only 30% of them this
season, so he is unlikely to kill you from out
there.

Damian Martin – averaging 5.2 points,
4 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 0.8
turnovers in 25.2 minutes per game.
There’s no doubt that Damian Martin is the
heart and soul of the Perth Wildcats, just
as he has been for what seems like forever.
The defensive dynamo simply doesn’t take
a possession off and will irritate opposing
guards all game long.
He knows every trick in the book and
whilst he isn’t known for his offensive
ability, he can make you pay on that end
of the court too. Leading the Wildcats in
assists, Martin understands each of his
teammates and delivers them the ball on
target.

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PROTECT OUR
HOME COURT
It’s finally here.
Melbourne United has been working all
season long for the shot at defending
their title and here we are; Game 2 of the
2019 NBL Grand Final Series.
Taking on the Perth Wildcats, a team that
has been the benchmark of the NBL for
longer than most United players have been
alive, is one of the toughest tasks in league.
Going to back-to-back demands two
seasons of greatness and United
superstar Casper Ware recognises that
whilst it’s a different squad to last year, the
same things need to happen.
“Everything is a little bit different; different
players, different kind of style we’ve got to
win the game with, but at the end of the
day it’s basketball and basketball players
have got to make plays in these type of
games,” Ware said on Tuesday.
“I think we’ve got the players to do that.”
Ware has risen to the occasion all season
long, including catching fire in the opening
quarter of both Semi-Final clashes against
Sydney. With the proof in the pudding, he
believes the squad is ready for the biggest
series in Australian basketball.
“I think we’re up for it, up for the challenge
and I think every team that’s in a Grand
Final will be; that’s why we’re in the Grand
Final, that’s why Perth is in the Grand
Final,” he said.
“You’ve got to win the big games to get
here – they did it and we did it, so now it’s
about who’s going to do it better in this
Grand Final.”
Josh Boone, who returned to Melbourne
this season with one goal and one goal
only – to win another ring – spoke about
how he doesn’t take competing in a Grand
Final series for granted.
At 34 years of age, he admitted he isn’t
sure how many more chances he will have
like this one.
“If anything, [the anticipation] goes up
a little bit more because you know that
there’s only going to be a certain number
of chances left to get this opportunity,”
Boone said.
“There’s no telling three, four years down
the road what my body is looking like and if
I’m still playing or not – I know I have to try
to take advantage while I can.”
Taking advantage of the opportunity has
been something Boone has done since
he arrived in Melbourne as an injury
replacement player midway through the
2016/17 season - just weeks after Ware
arrived in Melbourne too.
The pair have created a guard-big combo
that has torched opposition defences
so many times since. With Perth being
their current opponent, in what may be a
five-game series, Boone knows it won’t be

easy.
“Our goal this entire season has been to go
back-to-back; we knew what it took to get
it last year and it’s going to be even harder
this year and this is a really good Perth
team.” He said.
One guy who wasn’t a member of United’s
2018 Championship run is Mitch McCarron,
but he has fitted in seamlessly with the
squad and is excited for his first NBL Grand
Final Series.
“It’s huge - I wasn’t with the club last year,
so this is the first NBL Grand Final Series
for me and it’s just a tribute to everything
we’ve done this year,” McCarron said.
“We’ve put in the work and the club talked
about how this is where we want to be
and now we’ve got to finish the job.”
Finish the job is exactly what United hopes
to achieve in this series and with the
Melbourne United faithful behind them in
Game 2, a win at home will give them great
confidence for the rest of the series.

MELBOURNE
UNITED
Coach: Dean Vickerman
#
3
JOSH BOONE
#
7
PETER HOOLEY
#
9
CRAIG MOLLER
#
10
MITCH McCARRON
Height: 208cm
Position: Centre
DOB: 21 Nov 84
Height: 193cm
Position: Guard
DOB: 5 Feb 92
Height: 208cm
Position: Forward
DOB: 22 Aug 94
Height: 190cm
Position: Guard
DOB: 30 Jun 92
#
14
TOHI SMITH-MILNER
#
17
DJ KENNEDY
#
20
DAVID BARLOW
#
21
CASPER WARE JR.
Height: 206cm
Position: Forward
DOB: 6 Oct 95
Height: 198cm
Position: Forward
DOB: 5 Nov 89
Height: 205cm
Position: Forward
DOB: 22 Oct 83
Height: 178cm
Position: Guard
DOB: 17 Jan 90
#
35
ALEX PLEDGER
Height: 218cm
Position: Centre
DOB: 27 Mar 87
#
43
CHRIS GOULDING
Height: 193cm
Position: Guard
DOB: 24 Oct 88
#
55
VENKY JOIS
Height: 201cm
Position: Forward
DOB: 7 Jul 1993

PERTH
WILDCATS
Coach: Trevor Gleeson
#
3
NICK KAY
#
4
GREG HIRE
#
8
MITCH NORTON
#
11
BRYCE COTTON
Height: 206cm
Position: Forward
DOB: 3 Aug 92
Height: 201cm
Position: Forward
DOB: 19 Sep 87
Height: 187cm
Position: Guard
DOB: 1 Apr 93
Height: 186cm
Position: Guard
DOB: 11 Aug 92
#
12
ANGUS BRANDT
#
13
TOM JERVIS
#
23
TERRICO WHITE
#
24
JESSE WAGSTAFF
Height: 208cm
Position: Centre
DOB: 26 Oct 89
Height: 211cm
Position: Centre
DOB: 4 Feb 87
Height: 196cm
Position: Guard
DOB: 7 Mar 90
Height: 203cm
Position: Forward
DOB: 30 Apr 86
#
25
RHYS VAGUE
#
35
CLINT STEINDL
#
53
DAMIAN MARTIN
Height: 206cm
Position: Forward
DOB: 17 Jan 96
Height: 201cm
Position: Guard
DOB: 15 Mar 89
Height: 186cm
Position: Guard
DOB: 5 Sep 84

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MELBOURNE UNITED
2018-19 NBL SEASON FIXTURE
HOME
AWAY
ILLAWARRA HAWKS
PERTH WILDCATS
1 FRI 12 OCT 18 - 7.30PM
MON 17 DEC 18 - 7.30PM
9
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NZ BREAKERS
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1 SUN 14 OCT 18 - 2.30PM
SUN 23 DEC 18 - 2.30PM
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11
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SUN 6 JAN 19 - 2.30PM
12
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3 MON 29 OCT 18 - 7.30PM
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13
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4 SAT 3 NOV 18 - 7.30PM
SUN 20 JAN 19 - 3.00PM
14
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4 MON 5 NOV 18 - 7.30PM
WED 23 JAN 19 - 7.30PM
15
W
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5 THU 8 NOV 18 - 7.30PM
MON 28 JAN 19 - 7.30PM
15
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5 SUN 11 NOV 18 - 2.30PM
FRI 1 FEB 19 - 5.00PM
16
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6 SUN 3 FEB 19 - 5.00PM
16
FRI 16 NOV 18 - 5.30PM
iLT Stadium Southland
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SYDNEY KINGS
6 SUN 18 NOV 18 - 2.30PM
FRI 8 FEB 19 - 7.30PM
17
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7 SAT 24 NOV 18 - 2.30PM
SUN 10 FEB 19 - 5.00PM
17
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THU 14 FEB 19 - 7.30PM
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