I wonder who else committed in order to make signing there attractive. 36ers have arguably the least impressive roster compared to some of Mitch's likely other destinations.

Wow - huge signing. Guy is a winner! Great work.

That is disappointing the Jackjumpers missed out on him because he would of been great. Hopefully the Jackjumpers have some other big name signing lined up otherwise we will need to look overseas.

From title to Adelaide in under a week.
McCarron, 29 today is in his prime so this is good for Adelaide if they put a competitive team around him.

I reckon Humphries might be more inclined to stay now.

Sad to see him go, enjoyed watching him play.

All the best Mitch.

3 year deals are good for continuity, I'd prefer there were some incentives to stay with your existing team though instead of a free-for-all.

3 year deals are good for continuity, I'd prefer there were some incentives to stay with your existing team though instead of a free-for-all.

We'll said zodiac. The irony of someone supporting the highest spending club pissing and moaning about player retention due to spend.

Cop it.

Well done to whoever predicted this on another thread based on JvG being Moldovan's bitch. Imagine the overs the Sixers paid. Money makin' indeed.

Maybe he'd like the challenge of helping restore a once mighty club back to a power? Money would be a factor for sure. But you don’t know what else is in his decision making process?
Happy to have him. Hopefully a strong squad around him.

Poor bugger.

I hope his toughness and skills can turn the Sixers program around rather than the program burn him out.

It all comes down to JVG and some astute recruiting.

Massive signing! Go 36ers.

Clearly money made it happen - but that's what Adelaide need to do. If they can keep Humphries, then McCarron, Dech and Humphries is a decent defensive spine. Minimises DJ's issues. And have flexibility with imports, though I don't know why everyone is keen to keep Paul - he seemed disinterested to me.

Quick turnaround to go from grand final win to signing out of state. Suggests they paid up to get it done fast.

Olgun also reporting looking like Isaac Humphries will stay with the 36ers as well. Sign a few top imports and they should be making finals at the very least.

Paul was absolutely fantastic, first game, just off the plane.
Then didn't seem to fit with Conner's style.
(saw a bitta that Marty Clarke, here, before)

Wow good get! I didn't see that one coming.

I dont think they should retain Paul either but his disinterest was due to poor coaching/system. I reckon he would be great in a wildcats jersey.

I didn't rate Crocker but I’d still keep him as a third import before signing BPaul as an import- like Isaac said, didn’t look dialled in at all. Couldn’t get to the hoop as easily as I thought he would and was erratic from Long range. Has to be better options.
Excited if Isaac stays.

C Humphries/Sotto
F Johnson/Pinder
F Import/Crocker
G Dech/Shooter (Rags?)
G McCarron/Distributor

Keep an import slot up their sleeves

[That's probably what the Taipans said until Melbourne United came and offered him a 3 year deal.

The irony of someone supporting the highest spending club pissing and moaning about player retention due to spend.]

Who was pissing and moaning?

Calm down- I'm making a suggestion that'll help your teams.

I can't see Pinder coming back if required to take a significant pay cut. If true he was on $200k this season you would have to think a large chunk of that has gone towards signing McCarron (along with some McVeigh money), Obi Kyei types can be had for a fraction of Pinder's money.

The Money Makin Mitch McCarron signing would look very good if Humphries is coming back though.

Good start to free agency for Sixers! Definitely worried about losing Humphries though. There's a huge gulf in potential for the team between retaining Humphries and losing him!

I hope Pinders contract was incentive based if he was on $200k

Money?
Obviously these are professionals, so money is a huge part of everything. But that's not to imply that the guy is a total mercenary.

I don't know what role he prefers to play, or what MU's plans were for next season. Who knows, maybe they plan to go back to an import PG, and he would have been back on the bench?? That's not only a direct impact, but also impacts what a team is prepared to pay.
We only speculate that Brisbane and Tasmania made strong plays for him, but we don't know.

All the best to Mitch, will miss watching him in Melbourne. I reckon United will get import point guard but no idea who United will poach?

It's a good signing and everything but I am more concerned about who they put around him. He's not a guy that instantly makes the 36ers a contender so I hope they have some money left for some quality imports that are proven either in the NBL or a similar league.

I heard there may be a big name 4 coming to Adelaide in the realms of your Landales, Childresses, Kays, Motums, that level of player. Not saying it is any of those particular players but that's the stratosphere they're meant to be in, and this is coming from someone very close to JVG.

Personally, Thon Maker still isn't signed anywhere and needs to get playing some basketball soon. I don't think it is him but if it were that'd probably be the signing of the season.

I don't think it is him but if it were that'd probably be the signing of the season.

Adelaide..

McCarron, ?
Import, Dech
Import, McVeigh?
DJ, ? Pinder possibly Europe.
Humphries or Import, Sotto.

Still leaves an 11th spot.
DJ should really be on the bench but that's my opinion.

Will JvG sign any non-Moldovan local players?

This is huge.

This team makes the playoffs if the imports are decent.

McCarron / Import Combo
Dech /
Import 3 / Purchase
DJ / Import 4/5
Humphries /

But have our salary expenditure gone up that it compromises the ability to get top notch imports?

But I thought United paid overs for each and everyone of their players?! Looks like the gap in budget may not be as large as some would have you believe.

Great signing!

Surely Dech will start again. I think he was a real underrated signing last year.

JVG does seem to have a knack to attracting free agents. Remembering his early days in Sydney, he did manage to assemble an impressive roster but there was obviously something missing in their ability to take it further.

Getting Humphries was a surprise last year and i dare say that had a lot to do with JVG thinking outside the square a bit.

It's hard to say because how many NBL clubs really have dedicated GMs like you see in the NBA?

But he certainly seems good at attracting big names you wouldn't think Adelaide would have been in a position to get before he arrived. I don't know if that coincides with a larger cheque book than previously, but certainly has assembled good looking rosters on paper.

Certainly no judging him either way, because if he brings better players to town than he's doing his job, but if Adelaide are having a genuine crack this season, then alot might depend on his decision to hire Henry, who's first season i think was not great but not terrible.

Haha exactly JB, United does have a big budget but so do a few other teams and 1. It's difficult to say how much higher United's budget is than those other teams, if at all and 2. Having a big budget doesn't necessarily mean you overpay at all.

The critics of United will keep quiet on this one, just like they did the last time a United star was poached- Casper signed in Sydney for an offer reportedly too high for United to match, and became probably the highest paid player in the NBL. And of course Moller went to Sydney in the same off-season.

But I thought United paid overs for each and everyone of their players?! Looks like the gap in budget may not be as large as some would have you believe.

1. It's difficult to say how much higher United's budget is than those other teams, if at all

The critics of United will keep quiet on this one, just like they did the last time a United star was poached- Casper signed in Sydney for an offer reportedly too high for United to match, and became probably the highest paid player in the NBL.

JVG and 'astute recruiting' in the same sentence?

Do any of the not previously signed NBL1 Central players have a hope of a bench spot?

Great signing.

Back to the person who said a 4 man could be on the way. DJ a chance to leave for Japan?

" The critics of United will keep quiet on this one"

You're going to be deservedly lashed for the dumb logic applied.

It’s clear as day United are big spenders. That doesn’t mean they’re willing to out spend others on that particular player.

When they decided not to compete against the Kings for Casper, their decision could have easily been due to knowing they had Melo Trimble they could steal.

Who is to say they don’t have “better” plans for their PG position?

Disappointing outcome for United but understand that McCarron must have been given an offer he couldn't refuse from the 36’ers. I doubt United would have a "better plan" at the point, McCarron was the perfect fit for a team with ball dominant scorers in Goulding/Hopson/Landale. Certainly puts them in a difficult position for next season. Will need to sign a star import at the point you would think. Baba unlikely to return and White out long-term. Even if they replaced Landale with a Humphries the lineup certainly doesn’t look as dangerous.

Import / Ili
Goulding /
Hopson / McDaniel
Peatling / Barlow
Humphries / JLA

DJ to Japan seems to be gaining traction.

Wonder if it's a mutual thing where DJ isn’t keen on how 36ers are run/coached and 36ers aren’t flash with DJs year/feeling like the defence is too much of a liability these days.

I get the feeling the club are running hard at players but they don’t have a good culture in place and they’re not targeting good south aussies which is a stupid thing not to do in such a parochial state. Add that to not having as entertaining of a playing style, and being average in results, how do you engage and connect with your local market?

Where's this DJ to Japan rumour coming from? I highly doubt DJ would want to go play in Japan INSTEAD of the NBL. In his off-season maybe - he signed in Japan after the 2020 season finished last year - but I think he'd only leave if the club forced him out and that seems unlikely.

Boti is one peddling it

I think it's f..ing disgraceful that boti continues to support mitch

Thanks Ket, I see what you mean in Boti's article. I'd be pretty surprised if he's right though, based on what I've heard indirectly from someone who knows DJ over the last year.

DJ is happy enough with the new coach, has the captaincy and the team is clearly trying to build a winner around him, based on the signings of Humphries, Dech and the spend (but not results) on Sloan and Paul, plus the addition of McCarron this off-season.

So I don't think he'd want to leave. And why would the Sixers try to force out their club MVP when they'd have to pay out his contract?

It is but I think it's got more to do with having a go at the Sixers owner who banned all Sixers employees from speaking to him, Joey kept him in the loop though but he's gone now.

Boti bringing up the poor attendance of the United home game in Adelaide was poor form though, the Sixers got pretty good home crowds all season and that United home game wasn't a Sixers home game so it wasn't included in season memberships and no doubt United weren't interested in marketing the game, nor the Sixers I'm sure.

DJ's still got 2 years to go on his contract I can't see him walking away from that to go play in Japan but if he does so be it. Henry probably told him he needs to start playing some defence so likely just a dummy spit.

And why would the Sixers try to force out their club MVP when they'd have to pay out his contract?

Zodiac, u seem too know more then the average bear, like knowing about the Sixers owner "apparently" banning all employees from talking to Joey, do players count as employees, they talk to Joey still well some of them. You also tend to hate on the same people as someone who wrote a article tonight bagging the 36ers.... Interesting.

Boti, you idiot.

I'm laughing hard at the Casper Ware vs Trimble comment

United happily let an elite 2 way player go, borderline NBA and could pull out the chair from Russell Westbrook and make him look like a fool (literally did), for a young kid who couldn't defend a chair, off the back of one good NBL season by said kid

Haha

And yeah, United just won the title with McCarron playing most minutes on their roster and all NBL 2nd, but they have "better plans" so they're happy letting him go.

Unless United signs Delly then they didn't have better plans than Mitch McCarron at point guard

Tell me KET, which Aussie point guards are available for next season? I'm sure Vickerman would love to hear your suggestions

"I'm laughing hard at the Casper Ware vs Trimble comment"

The rest of the league was laughing hard because United spent many a year replicating Real Madrid's plan of stealing players, spending more than everyone else and failing hard due to lack of any chemistry.

Just because in hindsight United stuffed it doesn’t mean they didn’t pay him a very nice figure that Cairns could not possibly meet.

“ Tell me KET, which Aussie point guards are available for next season? I'm sure Vickerman would love to hear your suggestions”

Sorry, has United filled all their import slots already?

LV the fact you harp on about everyone giving United shit for spending more than most clubs is because they do exactly that.

Which makes it funny when they then can’t win a championship unless Cotton or Childress are injured!

Well Adelaide's last title was 2002, and that was with GOAT Gaze playing injured, so by your logic that makes the 36ers a crappy franchise then?

Imports are dime-a -dozen and you only need 3 of them, Aussies are a scarce resource.

This is why if you overpay anybody, you overpay a quality Aussie who has proven success in your system. Hence the fact United let Adelaide steal McCarron almost single handedly proves they're not the over spenders to the extent that the online peanut gallery assumes. Even more so than the Casper situation, eg their other championship winning point guard who was also stolen with an offer United couldn’t match!

Adelaide easily won in 2002, Melbourne didn't easily win in 2018. Ridiculous comparison

I won’t argue you on Melbourne’s historic incompetence at getting the right team together.

Just because they make crappy decisions doesn’t mean there isn’t a gulf between the likes of Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and other clubs, because there so clearly is

I agree there's a gulf but situations like the McCarron and Ware situations prove it's not as big as some people seem to think

Everybody knows you sign quality Aussies first then fill with imports, well United had 3 top shelf Aussies and will now almost certainly lose 2 of them, so we must assume United threw everything at McCarron and were outbid by a large margin, since he'd need some incentive to uproot his newborn baby and life in Melbourne for the sleepy hollow of South Aus.

Melbourne's had some poor seasons relative to talent throughout their history no doubt, but we've done a magnitude better than Sydney and actually, since having a decent coach the results have been good. Unlike Sydney who spend big and have nothing to show for it.

In the United era though 2015 is the only glaring bad season and that was 6 yrs ago. 2017 was disappointing but probably more about bad coaching in hindsight.

"so we must assume United threw everything at McCarron"

I wouldn't assume that to be honest.

I do agree that Adelaide would have paid some significant overs - like Tasmania will need to (but some on here from Tassie don't like to agree with that proposition).

Having to pay overs usually comes at the expense of other roster positions. Adelaide last year probably paid a huge amount for Humphries, and it probably cost them when it came to having to rely on Mud, Dillon, Teys etc. in their backup roles and the amount they could spend on imports (which lead to them failing to be genuinely competitive)

Outbidding a big club doesn't represent a diminishing gulf, so much as it represents the significant disadvantage a "not Mel/Syd/Per" club has in that they have to a) pay overs and b) be punished for it depth wise because that money isn't being spent over the cap so much as it's been funneled from being allocated to other positions.

I don't cry poor over Adelaide though - whilst they're clearly not in the Mel/Syd/Per realm, I do believe LK has provided significant assistance and will also ensure Tassie has the same capacity, like Adelaide, to have a red hot crack at top talent and a good amount of money to spend.

Hawks look to similarly be in that kind of position, and hopefully Bullets.

Cairns is probably the club right now which needs/deserves assistance to be able to make big plays in the Free Agency. Not to say they're struggling, just to say they don't have the financial capacity to splash much beyond Machado IMO.

Losing McCarron allows United to go for a PG who will be able to shut down Cotton, which is probably the most likely thing to derail a United repeat.

Perhaps that was United's intention all along, and Mitch knew he’d be backup PG.

Who knows what his thinking is, until he actually tells us.

Which makes it funny when they then can't win a championship unless Cotton or Childress are injured!

Have the Jackjumpers been given more money for the first season so they can be competitive straight away?

Agree KET, likely the spending comes at the expense of depth- putting extra pressure on Money makin Mitch to perform

Adelaide and other clubs also disadvantaged since they're smaller cities without the lifestyle benefits that would be a selling point for many free agents. Melbourne has led Australia in interstate migrations for many years (til Covid) for a reason. Most players have girlfriends or wives too, most of whom would rather move to Melbourne than Adelaide or Cairns.

Overall I think player spending varies year to year from club to club. Kind of like local footy now, and how the AFL was in the 60's.

For example, Sydney last year had a monstrously stacked roster. This year Perth seemed to lack their normal depth.

This year, Illawarra would’ve spent more than usual, with Bairstow’s injury and Adel being a bust it’s easy to forget. But it wouldn’t have been in the Cairns budget range, that’s for sure.

"And why would the Sixers try to force out their club MVP when they'd have to pay out his contract?


They wouldn't have to pay out anything if he chose to leave."

As I said, I don't think DJ wants to leave, nor do the Sixers want him to leave. I think its just Boti having a snipe at current Sixers ownership.

LOL 800k just to release Landale

Please tell, where exactly was this "well documented"?

Yeah righto, "negotiations to buy out deal" to "$800k to buy it out"

$100k I could believe. Maybe $150k.

The $800k figure in respect to Landale was his supposed salary at United this season not his buy out figure.

To much hate on United, they run a good organisation and spend, same as Sydney and to the shock of Perth supporters, same as cats. Sixers spend a fortune as well just buy duds for it.

Any perceived slight on club > fan base of said club react by equating it with someone hating their club > fan base then adds person to list to argue against on every point no matter how relevant/irrelevant > fan base becomes easily hated > self-fulfilling prophecy achieved

Well Adelaide's last title was 2002, and that was with GOAT Gaze playing injured

Adelaide easily won in 2002, Melbourne didn't easily win in 2018. Ridiculous comparison

Have the Jackjumpers been given more money for the first season so they can be competitive straight away?

It's not a relevant argument anyway, LV just wanted to throw in an inflammatory remark because of the Real Madrid reference of spending big and not getting the results and the occasions they did see the results, there was a bit of luck involved in the star player of the opposition being injured.

If someone's a pragmatic Melbourne fan, they'll say they spend big but haven't seen the type of success expected of it.

2018 & 2021 doesn't negate that, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

The comparison to Real Madrid was excellent. I bet it stung.

[Melbourne finished fourth, Adelaide finished third. The two sides did not meet in the playoffs. Adelaide knocked off Wollongong, the reigning champions, and Victoria, who had made five of the last six grand finals.

The Tigers missed the playoffs completely the year prior, and just scraped in before losing in the first round the year after, so it's not like they were a consistently successful team that had some claim to being the best team in the league.]

See this is the level of analysis we get from someone who was probably wearing nappies at the time, who's trawling historical records and trying to come up with an argument.

Compared to me, who actually attended most of the Tigers games in the 2001-02 season.

Titans were serial chokers. Tigers beat them in the first round, and probably would've gone on to win the title IF the GOAT had been healthy in the playoffs.

[If someone's a pragmatic Melbourne fan, they'll say they spend big but haven't seen the type of success expected of it.

2018 & 2021 doesn't negate that, even a broken clock is right twice a day.]

100% agree- 2017 and prior.

2015 was a sh!tstorm. 2016 acceptable given the obvious weaknesses in our roster and going against a battle hardened NZ team who exploited those weaknesses. 2017 we took on a cooked Cedric Jackson and had a terrible coach.

Since 2018 I think the results are pretty good.

4 seasons- 2 titles, 1 runner up against the great Perth juggernaut, and a 2 point defeat in Game 3 of the semi finals where the reffing absolutely decimated our chances. (And many neutral fans on this forum thought the same - go dig up the game thread).

Serial chokers? They'd made five of six grand finals, and the previous year had a number of injuries during the playoffs.

I really would like to see that Tigers-Titans playoff series. Disappointing none of the games made it to the NBL TV classics section or to NBL Rewind.

(2018 till now being the Vickerman era- the best coach United's had)

See this is the level of analysis we get from someone who was probably wearing nappies at the time, who's trawling historical records and trying to come up with an argument.

Well Adelaide's last title was 2002, and that was with GOAT Gaze playing injured, so by your logic that makes the 36ers a crappy franchise then?

[Serial chokers? They'd made five of six grand finals, and the previous year had a number of injuries during the playoffs.]

Remind me again how many titles the Titans won?

[I really would like to see that Tigers-Titans playoff series. Disappointing none of the games made it to the NBL TV classics section or to NBL Rewind.]

It was epic. Copes was amazing.

That season was cool- a 36 year old Copes winding back the clock and torching everybody in the absence of his sparring partner Drewy. A 33 year old Bradtke doing the same and winning MVP. Timmons back in Melbourne, reuniting the awesome foursome that won 16 games in a row in 1997, one of the greatest NBL teams of all time.

[You've just assumed with a fully fit Gaze and a 'choker' Titans the Tigers would have strolled all the way to the Championship.

Where as people here have pointed out Perth with all their injuries still gave United a damn good run]

You're getting your seasons confused. 2002 was the year Adelaide beat West Sydney 2-1 in the GF. After West Sydney defeated Melbourne 2-1 in the semi final with Gaze playing on one leg. He shouldn't have been playing, loved the club so much though. Legend.

Was that the year the Tigers and Wildcats had a massive brawl in Perth?

Don't remember this brawl? When was that?

[Where as people here have pointed out Perth with all their injuries still gave United a damn good run]

Oh yeah right- I read Titans for some reason

Yeah no doubt they gave United a good run, but United might've well beaten them anyway. United essentially in the GF did what they'd been doing all year- just enough to win, without putting their opponent away.

Don't remember this brawl? When was that?

Sounds epic.

That idea that Tigers would have strolled through is a complete disrespect to Maher! Let alone Farley & Smyth.

Back to the McCarron situation - People are going to criticise 36ers for "paying overs" at the same time saying 36ers had to have paid overs to steal from Melbourne at the same time saying paying overs is incompetent management.

If you don't pay overs you don’t get some of the top players and you can’t compete and people criticise that owner isn’t serious and won’t pay up.

I am confident in what I’m hearing that Adelaide are willing to had a red hot go. I think that’s just one factor - they need to get their culture right though, and they should still try to score talented locals. Guys like White, Rigoni would assist on this path.

A few strong stars (Humphries, DJ, McCarron), continuity for a few years - including imports that will last more than 1 year, and young SA guys with potential.

KET, I think that's certainly part of the disconnect now in regards to imports. Maybe Randle is the closest we've had to a Farley or Green for instance, and those were the players that Adelaide seemed to embrace. I've always said that the club was at its best with familiar fan favourite imports. But the good doesn't stay good forever and things inevitablely change. I think besides Cotton, hardly any team has really held on to anyone long enough to become a kind of cult hero? I think it has alot to do with the lesser teams these days focusing more on role playing imports obviously because there is more Australian talent to divide between everyone. But that's also not strictly true when you look at who's leading the league statistically each year. It's usually your imports still.

I don't think Adelaide has ever had an issue recruiting recently. When you think back to the years we played in finals and had guys like Sobey, Creek, DJ etc, it's not like Adelaide have had any really low budget rosters. I goes it depends how much the owner wants to open the cheque book each year, but certainly in the year were defeated by United in the grand final, i think we had the best roster on paper.

Not really supportive of Boti's pessimism either. I think people eventually have to get over the Creek disaster and move forward. It's never going to feel like the Sixers of the 90's or 2000's again.

And in regards to locals, I've never understood why this matters? So people want locals for the sake of locals? Someone better name me a team of local players that is better than what they currently have this early?

I remember the Tigers missing out in 2001. Really disappointing season. It stopped our playoff run.

If Tigers made finals in 2001 their streak would of extended to 21 consecutive finals appearances. Not to be sadly, it's sports.

Could of been like Perth’s run making consecutive finals appearances but 35 finals appearances in a row is crazy.

How could they have made their 21st playoff appearance in their 17th season in the league?

Tigers made finals from 1989 to 2000, 12 finals appearances.

Then from 2002 to 2009, 8 finals appearances.

Add 2001 then 12 + 8 + 1 = 21.

Tigers were very consistent making finals. But after 2009 the club had Financial difficulty and it all went downhill then. It sucked when we finally made finals in 2014 then Mr Larry had to have a say.

Tigers had plenty of support in 2013/14. Still a terrible decision to this day. The only mistake the Tigers made was having their junior clubs being involved in bigV and all. Which made the other local clubs hate the Tigers. If the Tigers just focused on the NBL, they would still be here today.

Now that Phoenix are here, even more of a shame Tigers are gone

It was really Anstey hip injury and Mckinnons various ailments that ended the Tigers as a true force after 09. The ridiculous 4 headed monster team (Helliwell, Burston, Nevill with Tragardh initially started at small fwd) then a few mediocre seasons was a disappointing end before the rebrand. Although CG provided some nice highlights from 2012-14 including the 50 point game I was at. He made up surprisingly competitive in 2014 making Game 3 of the semi. The last great Tiger, CG.

Don't forget David Barlow's perfect game. What a night that was.

It was! 37 points without a miss. I was there too.

Ah, memories.

2002 and 2014 remain probably my favourite non championship seasons of Melbourne Tigers/ United. 02 because I got to see Gaze still in somewhat near prime MVP Gaze before his injury, and 2014 as we had an unwieldy bunch who over achieved really, with a young Chris Goulding option 1, 2 and 3 in the offence and beautiful to watch. Reminiscent of Copeland. Never saw a shot he didn't like, but when he was hot, he was hot (eg 50 point night)

(or was that when they were still good?)

Well actually in 2002 it was the Big 3- Gaze, Copes Bradtke all in prime like levels- at diff stages of season. Bradtke all year, Gaze early then Copes took over and torched everyone after the injury

Barlow was 08 or 09, he only played 2 seasons in Melbourne before going to Europe

How good was 2002

Barlow's last season with Sydney was 2006/07. Then he moved to Melbourne in 2007/08.

Once Phoenix joined I knew it was the end of the Tigers era. It’s just the NBL owners trying to get rid of the past Victorian history. Another Perth team would of been ideal or West Sydney Razorbacks?

Having two Melbourne teams wrecks what Melbourne United means?

Its interesting when you follow a team for 20 years, looking back at the seasons of over and underachieving

Over

2014- that Tigers roster with its limitations did very well to push a more talented Adelaide to game 3 of the semi final, and were pretty competitive in that game despite copping some home cooking

Under

2005- Coaching- Had a roster that should've challenged for the title but Lindsay Gaze went on one season too long. Very frustrating. I love you Lindsay, but your time was up. Rotations, minute allocations, defensive variations. All contributed to the malaise and we saw what happened after Westover took over the next year. It wasn't just Anstey, the change of coach was a huge factor.

2010- Ansteys injury

2015- A range of reasons

2017- Poor import selection and poor coaching.

[Having two Melbourne teams wrecks what Melbourne United means?]

United are MELBOURNE. They're just the Tigers with a new name. Which makes it a bit ridiculous to be taking on all the history

Wikipedia correctly records them as Tigers/ United, but their Twitter account says "2 time champions" and they refuse to retire 10,21 and 50. Its all a bit of a schmozzle when, with Phoenix there, they're seen as the continuation of the Tigers which is exactly what they are.

It's very confusing. That’s where the frustration is with Melbourne United. Just honour what the Gaze’s did for basketball and stop letting the players wear Tigers retire numbers.

I have seen Melbourne United merchandise with 1984 when the Melbourne Tigers joined. It’s all confusing.

I do agree many years the Tigers had a chance. Crazy if they won 5 championships there's no chance Larry K would of even thought of changing their identity. Many seasons could of been.

Tigers finished on top in 1994 and 1996. 1996 they were so close against Magic. Even 2007 we had a chance if they won game 1. Game 1 is on NBL classics. Tigers had a great lead but the Bullets were tremendous all season.

2007 Bullets were the best all year. One of the greatest NBL teams ever. No shame in losing to them, we were underdogs. I was at game 3 in Brisbane. Got smashed.

Just looked at the scores, I'd forgotten how close the other losses were!

2005 hurts me cos we had one of the greatest rosters in NBL history even to this day, and didn't even make the semis. Due to Lindsay's coaching, I hate to say. Drewy's last year.

Although 2006 made us all feel much better at least.

08 was absolutely epic, beating the 27-3 Kings. I was at game 3 that year too. Lampley!!!!! 08 one of the greatest Grand final series ever, probably the 2nd best ever of the 5 game series, after Kings vs Razorbacks in 04.

Was the Barlow game televised? I don't think I have a copy of that one either.

Yes it was.

2009? If it was 2008 I'm sure I'd have kept it but I started to drift away by 2009.

2007-08.

https://websites.sportstg.com/round_info.cgi?action=MATCH&fixture=500766636&client=0-189-12322-125701-369917

Ebi Ere had a massive game around that time too. 51 points. 10-16 from 3. Brisbane won 155-107.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/believe-it-ebis-in-the-zone-20080120-ge9kq4.html

Very interesting but is this the thread for Tigers/MU and games from history? Hard to follow!

This thread is called, "re: Adelaide 36ers sign Mitch McCarron for three years".

Lol the discussion has changed a bit. Nothing bad about talking about the Melbourne Tigers. ;)

"Nothing bad about talking about the Melbourne Tigers. ;)", agreed, and well worth it. I, too, remember Barlow's perfect game.

Deserves it's own thread, is all.

Damn, no idea how I missed that Barlow game then.

Yeah, I thought you would have uploaded it.

Old tracker reference. ;)