CG40carry replaces CG40flop

Why is vickerman not leaving Lee on the floor. It's just not loe's night so just hand the minutes over

Now this is a quality game, two good teams, two excellent coaches and very well reffed.

Hickey is a serious player on both ends and major athlete.

Hickey incredible.

Also didn't see Flynn Cameron having a big outing.

Why is Delly out?

This is a great game. Ebbs and flows. Lots of good contributions on both ends. Loving watching young foxwell get an opportunity. But ultimately it's coming down to the marquee players showing their skills

Clark says goodnight Hawks

Goulding, wtf

and now Tatum given the Tech, most hectic end to a game in a while!

This is some finish.

Wow, it's turned woeful but interesting!

cracking game, crazy final minutes, ggs Melbourne

Solid af win without Delly and Ili.

Hawks crowd amazing. Most boisterous I've heard them since Snakepit days.

Lol the ref's, the review center what a joke this league is becoming. I never want to see Perth cooking again, its absolutely dead. Especially when this is how Cg43 gets officiated, rewarded for acting and allowed to make dirty plays that cross the line... yet BC is out with a non basketball injury due to the physical treatment he cops... hawks robbed. That tech at the end... what a better demonstration of a ref not having any feel for the game

Perth x Melbourne chefing?

Cotton never got touched you whinging little...

What a game! Five games of that in March please!

Magnificent game at both ends by both teams, both coaches. Vickerman got the chocolate tonight. White magnificent, Hickey as well. Love him or hate him Goulding is a gun and winner. Congratulations to the refs as well, they have been very, very good all season. Basketball at its purest. :::))))))

Refs struggling this year IMO, consistency out the window, but agree they did a very solid job tonight. Agree with the players listed above, also Flynn Cameron outstanding on a big stage.

Not imo , the refs have let it flow a lot more, more fiba type reffing. Anyway just great game.

Heart and soul by United. They don't lose two in a row very often.

Hawks were robbed. Goulding flop and Tatum technical were the most pathetic things I've seen in a while. Hawks just couldn’t get a call all game. It was awful. Dreadful reffing.

Worried about Kell. If he’s out for a long time, the Hawks’ challenge is in tatters. He looked dejected on the bench. Did they say anything about the injury on TV? It looked pretty bad live.

Loved what Hickey and Cameron brought. Both teams showcasing their depth amidst adversity.

Jack White with 19 rebounds, equal 3rd best in the 40 minute era behind Charles Jackson with 26 in 2016 and Julian Khazzough with 21 in 2011. Childress also got 19 for Sydney.

Goulding is such a prick though. I actually hate him. Dellavadova no better. They just seem like terrible people. I think I hate Melbourne.

Tatum best press conference ever referees pathetic Goulding is a flopper technical was a joke one ref was a rookie with no idea all facts Goulding should be suspended lol his son will pay the fine I think he signed a $3 million contract

Days was terrible. Turning into a massive disappointment after a surprisingly good start to the season. Hawks probably win that with Clark.

And if you watch back the play Goulding doesn't flop, he tries to change direction as the defender goes across in front and hyperextends his left knee. I’m sure all you tough guys would just continue running with your same gate! You actually have to watch the game with both eyes open

"Tatum best press conference ever"

What did he say? It's frustrating that basketball is such a minor sport here that it’s impossible to find this stuff readily anywhere.

not looking hard its on nbl socials

On youtube, NBL has its own channel. He is getting a massive fine or suspension for sure :) Respect what he said though.

Tatum is gonna cop a massive fine

He'll deserve it too.

Massive respect for Tatum. He was absolutely right. The refereeing was outrageous. Just a ridiculous level of bias. Not just the shameful flop and the disgraceful tech, but the whole game. The refs were openly willing Melbourne home.

What a rivalry these two clubs are building. Highly emotional game and some big plays down the stretch. White was a monster on the boards, just willed United over the line. Cameron showing the talent and toughness he has, he's long, an excellent defender and can shoot, just needs more opportunities.

Didn't think Goulding flopped, was an unfortunate play and it got brought back anyway due to the shot clock not starting so not sure why there are complaints.

Anyone that dislikes Delly doesn't know Australian basketball.

Great to see what a player Hickey is becoming, has a complete game.

Delly was a good player, but a massive dick. Melbourne seems to attract those types. Him and Goulding are the most arrogant, unsympathetic players around. No humility or sportsmanship at all.

As Australians, we don't look upon flopping favourably.
We hate that the Spanish flopped against us in both the olympics and WC
We deplored the blatant flop in the penalty square by the Italians in the soccer world cup, and flopping is scorened upon in the AFL.

And yet in the NBL, one of the greatest of all time is tarnishing his legacy with serial flopping.

- The SEM owner called out Goulding for flopping
- The Illawarra owner called out Goulding for flopping.
- Justin Tatum called out Goulding for flopping.
- Lanard Copeland called out Goulding for flopping
NBL fans throughout the country (including some United fans) regularly call out Goulding for flopping...
......and yet the refs are still falling for it, and he's not getting flop warnings or fines??

It's looking more and more likely that the LK influence (and some could say conflict of interest), as well as veteran privilege is creating a blatant double standard which allowing CG to get away with a tactic that is unsportsmanlike at best and cheating at worst.

There's not another single player in the league who could get away with the overt theatrics that Goulding carries in with season after season.

What will it take for the refs to apply some principle and do something about it?
If it takes more coaches and owners speaking up, then more power to them.
The NBL surely can't fine all of them.

Tonight illustrated why CG and White are United's most important players by far

They bring unique skills into the mix, that no one else on the squad brings at anything like their level.

CG and delly are superstars, I haven't watched the press conference yet but I will, it’s exactly what Buford did in his time at the kings, pressure the refs. He got out coached, I’m a neutral, hawks were not the best side. On the tech foul, he better look at the score bench, it had nothing to do with Goulding flopping, and if they reviewed it, he was fouled, even if it was so soft, but the bench never started the clock, refs to ball back to baseline and started it. He should have just concentrated on coaching instead of berating the refs.

Well said JT , exposing the blatant cheating from the officials all night

LV.

Sure Tatum deserves a fine because it's against the behaviour rules to criticise BUT there is much truth in what he said. The double standards are glaring. Do you think what he said is not on face value reasonably correct.

Goulding on this occasion landed very awkwardly but part of the reason he did do was he was throwing his head back to overemphasise any potential contact at that time.

Has he been T'd for any if his theatrics yet this season. If the league is really trying to clean up their image (which is the reasoning behind the fine fir criticism is it not) then calling out Goulding in particular and other serial floppers and reining in Rillie, Goorj, Vickerman etc fir their almost constant attempted pressure on the officials would go a lot further toward a betterimage than a fine for Tatum who generally behaves reasonably.

"And if you watch back the play Goulding doesn't flop, he tries to change direction as the defender goes across in front and hyperextends his left knee."

and yet he was perfectly fine the rest of the game. What a Christmas miracle before Christmas! Please let us know where we can send flowers. He clearly exaggerated it as he has done all his career. That is called flopping, champ!

I am not talking about any injury I am talking about the mechanism for the fall you muppet. It's the natural reaction to a hyperextension. Cooks did the same thing at the Blitz game and played it out. And I am no Goulding fan

[Do you think what he said is not on face value reasonably correct.]

he made loads of comments over a 5 minute period, depends what specifically.

On the flopping, he did throw his head back- but was it a reaction to the ankle/leg rolling as Sebastian suggests? I'm not sure

"And if you watch back the play Goulding doesn't flop, he tries to change direction as the defender goes across in front and hyperextends his left knee."

Let's say for the sake of argument, that what you say is correct. We could even say also/instead that there was a foul there. The problem is he then threw himself to the floor and clutched his ankle. It's that behaviour which people don't like and the behaviour that he doesn't get called out on enough.

Since big money has been in sports, all sports, flopping and holding, and every millimeter of gain you can get is used, including ripping into refs, again in all sports. Goulding like Cotton, PJC and others be targeted off the ball constantly, Cotton kicks his legs out because he knows he can get that call to give him some advantage for the grabbing, bumping he gets. I've been critical of the refs the last two seasons but this season they have been very good, it’s not an easy job, and don’t forget, no refs no game. Again on the night the best team won. Fine Tatum and move on.

In my view the whole flopping rule should be scrapped because it is so inconsistent. If a player is going to fall to the ground weather they are on defense or offense & nothing is called it becomes a 5 on 4 game. The referees are letting it go a bit more this year so the chance of a foul being called is marginal. Players will soon work it out & stay on their feet

Exactly 101 annon, just call play on and it'll soon stop.

Jack White with 19 rebounds, equal 3rd best in the 40 minute era

I'm loving having him back in the NBL.

I'm surprised you didn't bite on the second sentence.

who were you referring to?

Not me? I'm a massive fan of White, always have been

Goulding's head went back before hus leg hit the floor. Unless he us psychic it can't be a reaction to what happened to his leg.

Yeah CG flops regularly, he's a serial offender.

So do plenty of others and so have plenty of others, but he's one of the worst for sure

But, there's ways to raise these things. Tatum's comments come in the context of booming junior basketball participation and attempts to correspondingly boost referee numbers. A strong penalty to send a strong message will be appropriate

A strong penalty to send a strong message will be appropriate.


A strong message would be to crack down on the regular Rillie, Vickerman, Goorj sideline histrionics in the first place. Refs are intimidated and put off by coaches constantly complaining not by something said in a press conference.

Player and coach behaviour is influenced somewhat by what they see as acceptable during the game not what's said at the presser.

Fair point- they should do both

These behaviours are easy to police. AFL footy players have stopped carrying on since the crackdown a couple of years ago.

The boys on NBL Now did a great job breaking down the chaos from last night

"Tatum's comments come in the context of booming junior basketball participation and attempts to correspondingly boost referee numbers. A strong penalty to send a strong message will be appropriate"

I agree LV, although on that hasis, Goulding should've faced similar discipline for his outburst directly in the ref's face in the previous game.

Two of the recent premiership coaches and good ones were on the refs backs continuously. Gleeson and Buford. Both Vickerman and Goorj are good st as well. As bad as it is flopping is part all sports, review it and fine the floppers or three strikes and miss a game.

It was a magnificent game and to be fair the best side on the night won.

All the talk about the flop is irrelevant to the contest. The contact occurred before the flop, whether it warranted a foul or not doesn't matter because it was waved off.

Tatum pushed the line all night and should take ownership that he cost his team in a crucial moment. Melbourne too good without Delly and Ili, a very impressive performance in what was a great contest.

Yep, MU deserved the w due to White all round game, Goulding's shooting and emergence of Cameron as a player - respect.

Have no problem with what Tatum said in the Press Conference - watch it in totality.

If Tatum gets a fine so do a lot of others and that is his point, this does not occur in isolation - the behaviour of CG (have a look at him yelling at the ref after getting tangled up with Hunter for about 10 minutes) and others diminishes what they do on the court.

To quote Tatum Vickerman was standing next to him in his coaching box yelling at the ref there with no repercussions; there is no consistency.

Yep Melbourne played a great game and deserved the win that does not preclude Tatum having the right in the heat of the moment to express himself.

Eloquently if you actually listen to all of the press conference.

Tatum was out of his box at half-court in a ref's face and got no punishment. His post-game comments were poor IMO, take it on the chin and don't just give a token we didn't lose because of the refs and then go back to talking about the refs. He's a great leader of men who is doing a great job, but losing control and getting a tech in a key moment and the post-game comments were not his best moments. Showed a lack of class.

Have no problem with your angle Anonymightmouse - should this be applied to others as well?

Which part of his press conference do you have a problem with?

Should Vickerman not comment on other teams and concentrate on MU?

Without wanting to point out the large grey pachyderm in the room
- Goulding is one of the "faces of the NBL"
- Goulding is captain of MU
- MU needs Goulding on court if they want to make finals
- Vickerman is coach of MU
- MU needs Vickerman coaching if they want to make finals
- LK owns the NBL
- MU is LK's team

You’d be a brave ref to take that one on.

(Note that “faces” only has one “e”, although a case could be made for 2 e’s when talking about Goulding. LOL)

"I don't want to talk to Melbourne about Melbourne" - Joey Wright

Just watched the Tatum comments, couldn't even classify it as a real big rant based on emotion. He was pissed but not out of control. Going to get a "massive" fine (hey son, can you send some pocket change to Australia), and likely a couple game suspended sentence.
At the heart of it is that different coaches and players get preferential treatment. Fair enough players, that's what we all want to watch, and I'll get to that later. But he's absolutely correct that the same words that came out of his mouth are ignored, especially in that situation. NBL really need to come out hard and stamp it out. No more of heat of the moment, experienced coaches that have runs on the board. If a coach says it a bad f#*king call, automatic tech. Want to go on with it, throw them out. Unfortunately it happens in every league, all the way to juniors. How are things supposed to change at grass roots when supposed role model coaches lose their shit all the time. All for communication and a bit of banter between officials and coaches, but it's always unfair when a loudmouth gets away with a lot more than a coach who keeps their mouth shut 99% of the time, then gets a warning for one comment when the opposition does it for the whole game.
I hope it really is a point of emphasis for rest of season, get the coaches into line and stop influencing games by intimidation. Don't want the refs going on a power trip, just be consistent.
Back to players, it was a flop. Now they're up there now with charges having to make a split second call, but hyperextension my arse. Nearly needs a separate challenge for them now. Penalty, no warning and automatic tech and add an extra foul to really make it count. Always have liked Goulding to an extent but his behaviour last week against SEM was ridiculous. Total overreaction when his arm got tangled up with Hunter I think and him claiming it's how careers are ended. Then the other week when Ili got some contact and he goes off about how the opposition need to be careful because of his concussion history. Neither had any ill intent, Goulding just acting as a prima Donna. We are here to watch stars, but we don't want over the top fake stuff every possession. Aussie/New Zealanders are praised on their toughness, I'll call it, this flopping is un Australian! The only time players flop is when there are officials, imagine doing that in pickup, would get laughed off the court.
So Tatum should get his fine or even suspension, but the NBL should step up and accept that criticism and adjust accordingly, because what was said in that press conference was absolutely true. I think most fans are sick of coaches behaviour.

who were you referring to?

Not me? I'm a massive fan of White, always have been

Ah fair enough! My memory must suck, genuinely don't recall

Ironically, in this game, that "flop" by Goulding wasn't actually a flop. It looked like a genuine slip.

However, despite the fact that the NBL would deny that Goulding is protected, the referee called a foul. People in other places have tried to argue that the ref didn't call a foul. But the video clearly shows that the ref did call it. Fist in the air. And he wasn't pumped up about the play. The fact that no foul was recorded was down to the fact that the clock hadn't started and they took the ball back to Melbourne's inbound on the baseline. After giving Melbourne a FT for the tech. As a result of a foul call. That wasn't.

Perhaps the Hawks should put togehter a package of all the other coaches and their language and who haven't been teched by the refs. Probably wouldn't affect the outcome (JT will get fined) but it would highlight the hypocrisy.