Crosscourt: Melbourne tap into Richmond success, CG43’s big ‘24, Apple Isle to bite back and much more
Melbourne United have crossed codes to learn some more about how to overcome the adversity they are anticipating in Tasmania, Chris Goulding’s potentially huge year, extra cash for hoops and more discussed in Crosscourt.
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Melbourne United has used learnings from Richmond’s pulsating 2020 preliminary final win in front of 25,000 parochial Port Adelaide fans to help it combat the hostile crowd in Tasmania.
And, if the Ant Army does target United coach Dean Vickerman over his recent ‘little island’ comments, then the master mentor hopes they bring the humour.
After a season ravaged by Covid where the Tigers played games with no crowds or at neutral venues, the prospect of a one-sided home crowd was daunting.
But mindset coach Ben Crowe helped the Tigers embrace the hate and, thanks to two first-quarter goals from Brownlow Medal champion Dustin Martin, they dulled the early noise and held on for a four-point win.
MyState Bank Arena holds about 4500, but it can feel like 25,000 for visiting teams.
“We spoke to a few people about different crowds around the AFL ... Richmond and just how they embraced the opportunity to try to quieten the crowd up at different points in the game by your play, embrace the noise and enjoy the atmosphere,” Vickerman said.
“We’ve been working with Ben Crowe a little bit and that was his experience with Richmond and how they approached it.
“(We’ve) played well on the road all year, there’s fantastic crowds in this league everywhere you go, they’re all going to give you something a little different, so we’ll just go in and enjoy the atmosphere and enjoy the privilege of being part of the grand final.”
Vickerman caused a rumble down south when he said “(Tasmania coach) Scotty’s (Roth) gonna talk about defending his little island as much as he wants to” and he said he’s happy to incur the wrath of fans in the Apple Isle.
“I guess if they’re focused on me and not the team but, if they do (target him), I hope they come up with something really witty,” he said.
United enters the clash with what it says a clean bill of health — star guard Matthew Dellavedova played down an ankle tweak that has limited him in practice this week.
“I’m feeling good. Could have come back into the game but the boys did a good job closing it out. Went through all the training today and feel good.
Vickerman added: “He’ll be fine by game time, he got through what we needed him to get through today, he’ll just pick it up and make sure that he’s perfect by game time.”
Roth welcomes AFL to the Island with one big hoops proviso
Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth has no problems sharing the Apple Isle with the new AFL franchise — he just hopes basketball receives its equal share of funding.
Tassie is abuzz following the announcement of the AFL’s 19th team – the Devils – which will play its first game in 2028. The league has pledged to spend $360 million on the new club, with state and Federal pledges of over $500 million combined for a controversial new stadium.
Ahead of Saturday’s election, Roth urged the leaders not to forget about basketball, especially given the JackJumpers’ wildly successful expansion, where they have played finals in all three seasons and made the grand final twice.
Asked if hoops should receive its slice of the money pie, Roth said: “We’re hoping so.
“I’m not a political person and there are health and schools issues, but, from my understanding, the money we’re asking for is not really significant compared to what the AFL is going to be needing.
“Hopefully we can get ahead of that and get some of the things that we’ve been hoping for across the line sooner rather than later.”
Roth confirmed the JackJumpers were close to beginning a high performance centre — one that has been delayed for some time — while the club is also calling for upgrades to basketball facilities across the state.
“That (high performance centre) will be the home of basketball here and hopefully that is something that is done before I leave here in three years and be on the books,” he said.
“There is also an opportunity to improve all of the facilities around the state, which are quite outdated and make investments in the way of floors, lighting, baskets and hopefully adding a few courts here and there to continue to grow the game.
“While (participation in) the sport is up 40 per cent, it’s hard for kids to get out on courts throughout the state.”
Roth respects the national power and popularity of the AFL, but he insists the JackJumpers can work with the Devils to hopefully achieve sporting nirvana in the state.
“The biggest thing is that we are not competing against each other due to the time frame,” he said.
“One thing that has been evident to me in the last three years is that the growth of basketball has gone up over 40 per cent across the state, which is a huge number.
“It will only grow even more and, with the AFL coming in over the next few years, the Island could be one hell of a sports place to be.
“That’s a fantastic way of tourism, getting people down here and really igniting the fan base to have something in their community to rally around.
“I think we can work hand-in-hand and I don’t think there is going to be an issue.
“It will only put the national spotlight on Tasmania and it will only help.”
Goulding eyes double success
Melbourne United star Chris Goulding is close to achieving the two career goals at the top of his list right now — an NBL championship and a Paris Olympic jersey.
Crosscourt understands Goulding is close to a lock for Paris, as his United needs just two more wins over Tasmania to win the NBL title — which would be his fourth individual ring.
Goulding, 35 and in his 17th campaign, has taken his game to another level after Boomers coach Brian Goorjian laid down the gauntlet, post Australia’s World Cup.
The guard, whose three-point shooting is unrivalled in Australia, responded with an MVP-calibre effort in leading United to top of the table and the grand final.
It has him firmly in the frame for the Boomers’ 12-man Paris squad — and an expanded role after an ankle injury stunted his World Cup campaign.
“I’m selecting him, for sure,” United coach Dean Vickerman said.
“He wasn’t as healthy as he wanted to be last time and I felt he could have given them a lot more (at the World Cup).
“You get injured early and then you’re just behind the eight ball, other people get to play those minutes and, if they do well, it’s hard to get them back.
“In his individual performance plan, it was one of the top priorities — try win a championship here and get to the Olympics.
“He’s been healthy all year and to have what is going to be his highest number of threes made in a season and being the top-two in MVP voting, he’s put himself in a position to have the best opportunity to be selected.
“You always need shooting but even more on the international stage than you do in the NBL, so I think that master skill gets him there.
“I’m really proud of him.”
Goulding’s standout form has prompted former Boomers captain, coach and four-time Olympian Phil Smyth to join the growing chorus for Goulding to be on the plane to Paris.
“I would definitely take Goulding as a specialist shooter,” Smyth said about Goulding, who has moved up to sixth in the NBL’s all-time three-pointers made list with 1174 in 440 games.
“As a number 11 or 12 on the roster and as a specific role player he is the perfect great team guy who would understand his role and be a huge support for the team.
“He would bring instant scoring and could ignite the team if it’s struggling from outside.
“You need that over a tournament like the Olympics because you don’t have time for players to find form.”
After excelling for the bronze medal winning Boomers at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Goulding only played 10 minutes off the bench at last year’s World Cup.
The Boomers lacked shooting during the failed 2023 campaign and Goulding is viewed as the specialist three-point exponent the Australians need to succeed at this year’s Paris Olympics.
The little island ready to bite back
Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman’s ‘little island’ comment about NBL grand final opponent Tasmania plays perfectly into the club — and state’s — ‘Defend the Island’ rallying cry as the JackJumpers head home down 1-0 in the best-of-five series.
That’s the view of chief operating officer Darren Smith, a Victorian who, in 1994, made the move south to join the Hobart Devils.
“I did see those comments and I think Tasmanians will be very interested — this is exactly what Scott and the club talks about, that kind of attitude,” Smith told Crosscourt.
“We kind of feel that attitude anyway, just through behaviours and just bits and pieces through the league and the fact he’s (Vickerman) come out and said it probably just reinforces what the boys feel.
“That’s OK, defending the island is a mantra for a reason and that sort of thing helps us cement that and create more of a chip on the shoulder.”
The United mentor’s ESPN comments — “Scotty’s gonna talk about defending his little island as much as he wants to” — added spice and an additional psychological layer to the championship series.
Smith, who was questioned when he joined the Devils as a 19-year-old, says the mainland’s superiority complex is a mindset as old as Tasmania.
“I remember when I first moved down there, I was 19 years old, went down to play with the Devils and literally everyone I spoke to in Melbourne, my home town at the time, was asking me “why are you doing that, why would you go there?”.
“Just questioning my decision and it’s probably the best decision I made in my life. You got an opportunity to play a lot of minutes and I met my wife there.
“That attitude, and it’s disappointing, but that hasn’t really changed a lot from then.”
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