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How Melbourne has managed undefeated start
Nicholas Quinlan • October 30th, 2025 5:47 pm
Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman has given some insight into how his side has managed to start the season on fire.
Following their heart breaking loss in last year’s finals series to the Illawarra Hawks, United have been the pace setters in the league, having remained unbeaten after nine games.
This has been their best start to an NBL season since the 1998/99 season, when they were known as the Melbourne Tigers and sees them sit comfortably on top of the ladder.
Reflecting on their start to the season, Vickerman admitted that he had been surprised by how well his side had started considering the injuries to star guards Chris Goulding and Shea Ili.
“I think the injuries to Chris to start with and Shea still kind of being out, it was a hopefully we’re going to be good enough to win games through this period,” he told SEN’s The Run Home with Andy and Gazey.
“There’s been a little bit of a surprise element in having everybody step up, the cohesion of the group and how we’ve just moved the basketball.
“And I think when we went away or when Delly went to Sydney, it’s like, ‘What do we do with this group?’ and you know, let’s play a bit different.
“Let’s just move the ball quicker if we can, and that’s resulted in us shooting the three ball pretty well, other than the last two games.
“But certainly, the movement has allowed us to really get to the foul line.”
United will look to equal the feats of the 98/99 Tigers when they take on the Sydney Kings on Monday, starting 10-0.
Tip-off takes place at 7:30pm AEDT at John Cain Arena.
