NBL 2024-25: Melbourne’s Rob Loe has been one of United best, and he retired 18 months ago

Melbourne’s big man Rob Loe is in career best form and is about to play his 200th NBL game. It would be hard to believe that he officially retired 18 months ago.

Melbourne United big man Rob Loe is playing the best basketball of his career, yet 18 months ago he was ready to give it all away.

Ahead of his 200th NBL game this Sunday, Loe, 33, revealed that if it wasn’t for United coach Dean Vickerman blowing up his phone, he wouldn’t have even thought about making a comeback.

“Throughout that month (after he announced his retirement), Deano (Dean Vickerman) hit me up three or four times and asked if I wanted to come for a short stint,” Loe told Code Sports.

“I said no a few times and then he finally twisted my arm a little bit and I ended up here.”

Loe retired in June of 2023 for family reasons after seven NBL seasons- six of them for his home team the New Zealand Breakers- yet by late July the powerful center was pulling on the United colours and relocating to Melbourne.

Rob Loe has been huge for United. Picture: Josh Chadwick/Getty Images

The bond simply too strong to say no to between the two former Breakers, who “go quite far back.”

“It wasn’t too much of a pitch, I’ve got a pretty good relationship with him (Vickerman) ever since he was with the Breakers and I was a young guy training with them when I was in high school,” Loe said.

Originally, his Melbourne vacation wasn’t meant to stick, he was only signed for a handful of games as a replacement player, with the plan to return home to New Zealand.

But in seven of the eight games he played last season, United took the dub.

Then as the off-season rolled around earlier this year, the phone started buzzing once again, timing lined up and Loe was locked in full time.

“Yeah I went home, I had a great time last year, had some wins, obviously the team didn’t go that one extra step, but it was a really positive time for me and my family to come here and experience the club and what they’re all about,” the United big man said.

“Then Nick (Nick Truelson, United CEO) and Dean hit me up after the season.

“I still play in the New Zealand league and I was planning to do that until I couldn’t walk anymore.

“But my daughter was born, the timing was perfect, and with my wife on maternity leave, so it worked out.”

Putting up career best numbers in a side that have been touted as title favourites all season, Loe’s contribution has exceeded expectations, lining up for all 18 games so far.

“The body is going pretty well, touch wood,” Loe said.

“I’ve had a lot of time with the strength and conditioning team just getting it to this point, it’s just consistency and it’s paying off a little bit.”

In Friday night’s loss against the in-form side of the competition, Illawarra Hawks, Loe’s sharpshooting had him attacking the scoreboard and stacking the stat sheet.

He even had Hawks star forward Sam Froling nervous.

“He’s the best shooting big man in the league,” Froling told Code Sports post game.

“He’s a tough cover, he had 12 in that first quarter, I was starting to s*** myself a little.”

Loe says both the city and the team have welcomed his young family with open arms, making it an easy decision to return.

“We love the people around the club, the fans, the city is cool but the team and club that makes us feel like we’re at home,” the 200 gamer said.

“I feel like I always have a good relationship with the bigs on the team cause we talk to each other every day at practice, we elbow each other but we also give each other tips.”

“Through that we’ve become friends, Jack (White) actually drives me pretty much every day to practice.

“We have good coffee and good banter.”

Melbourne United will take on city rivals South East Melbourne Phoenix at John Cain Arena on Sunday at 2:30pm AEDT for Throwdown 27.

Bad blood, fiery fans: Everything up for grabs in top-of-table clash

Illawarra coach Justin Tatum is “looking forward” to a fiery reception from the Melbourne crowd when his Hawks attempt to take down the ladder leaders in an NBL epic.

And his rival United coach Dean Vickerman agrees, saying he expects the clash of one versus two on the ladder to be one of the most intense games of the season.

Recent history between these two teams has stirred up bad blood.

United has been dominant, winning 12 of the past 16 meetings, including a 2-1 semi-final series victory to eliminate the Hawks from last season’s playoffs.

In a close October loss on their home floor, Hawks’ owner Jared Novelly fuelled flopping claims against United star Chris Goulding and Tatum ended up $3000 lighter in the pocket after he slammed the referees.

READ MORE: Goulding breaks silence on flopping claims

Can Justin Tatum orchestrate a take down of the NBL’s No.1 team? Picture: Getty Images

The coach has reeled it in on the refs, but he’s sure the United faithful at a packed John Cain Arena won’t have forgotten.

“I’m looking forward to it and I’m ready for it,” Tatum told Code Sports.

“End of the day, it’s competitive, and I hope they see it the same way.

“I’ll take it, as long as it’s respectful, everything will be fine.

“Melbourne is a great test for us and it will let us know where we’re at as a group.”

United’s weekend loss to Brisbane snapped a five-game winning streak and brought to a head a lack of accountability at the defensive end that has been a bedrock of Vickerman teams.

United’s defence has slipped from the top two to fourth in the league and he’s vowed to deploy his toughest possible starting defensive unit to combat a Hawks’ offence that yields 122.9 points per 100 possessions – No.1 in the NBL.

Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman is expecting a big response from his squad. Picture: Getty Images

“Our defence, we’ve been talking about it a fair bit, we just haven’t had that identity for a while,” Vickerman, whose side is the No. 2 offensive team at 119 points per 100, said.

“We probably haven’t held ourselves accountable enough at the defensive end, so we’ll put the best defensive team we can on the floor to start this game and really just get back to our identity.

“I’m expecting them to be fired up and us to try to bounce back. It’s going to be probably one of the most intense games of the year so far.”

Will Hickey and the Hawks are plotting Melbourne United’s downfall. Picture: Getty Images

Spider-like Melbourne tall Marcus Lee might get the nod over in-form sharpshooter Rob Loe at centre, while no-fuss Kyle Bowen is a chance to go head-to-head with the man he replaced at United in former championship power forward Mason Peatling if Vickerman rings the defensive changes.

Jack White might shift over to the three but there’s no doubt defensive junkyard dogs Matthew Dellavedova and Shea Ili will occupy the guard roles.

Goulding, sidelined with a calf injury, won’t be there for the rematch.

Chris Goulding was the architect of the Hawks downfall in Wollongong, but he won’t be there for their visit to Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images

Tatum’s putting nothing into the absence of the sharpshooter, though, who splashed 25 on the Hawks earlier this season, given both Dellavedova and Ili missed that contest.

The Hawks’ mentor hopes the Bullets ending a 12-game losing streak against United was an omen, rather than a curse, given Melbourne hasn’t lost a regular season back-to-back in over two years.

“When you’re at the top like they are and have had so much consistency in winning, you’re going to get everybody’s best shot,” he said.

“We know that they’re missing if not their best player, but we always want teams to be fully loaded when we go against them and we’ll push them like that.”

Originally published as NBL 2024-25: Melbourne’s Rob Loe has been one of United best, and he retired 18 months ago