Goulding: "The work doesn't stop"

Melbourne United is approaching the NBL25 season with a number of key players on contract from their most recent campaign, which is a far cry from how the roster was looking 12 months ago.

This time last year only Chris Goulding and Shea Ili were under contract, but now Matthew Dellavedova, Tanner Krebs, Luke Travers, Kyle Bowen and Flynn Cameron are all set to return to Melbourne next season at this stage alongside Goulding and Ili.

United had to fully rebuild their roster ahead of their NBL24 title-tilt, but Goulding says having so many players set to return after their Game 5 heartbreak against Tasmania can lay the bedrock of another championship challenge.

“It’s a foundation,” Goulding told MU Media. “For a lot of the group coming into next year when we talk about motivation we won’t have to go searching for anything. There’s going to be a hunger and pain there from losing in the way we did.

“So many of the guys we have on contract are off to ply their trade somewhere to get better, and we’ve already spoken about that, the work doesn’t stop.

“You need to take your time, you need to rest, but the work has got to continue for the guys that are in this club and the work will continue for everyone until we can go and raise that trophy.

“I think the fans should be excited about the young guys we have in our club and under contract, because although they showed a lot it was just a glimpse into what they can do, and I look forward to seeing them grow and develop into really key parts of the playing style and the team going forward.”

Goulding himself pulled together one of the best individual seasons of his career in NBL24, despite finishing the campaign at the age of 35.

The sharpshooter has already agreed to a contract extension with the club which will take him through to the end of NBL27.

He finished second in the competition’s MVP voting behind eventual winner Bryce Cotton, and was named to the All-NBL First Team for the first time since 2016.

While the three-time champion starred on an individual level, he says he never wavered from the overall team goal.

“For me, personally, the goal remains the same – how can I help the team win?” Goulding said.

“Through different stages of the season we had injuries to key guys and I happened to be the one to have a little bit more load put upon me.

“The main goal is ‘how do we win?’. I think for the most part of the year until right at the end we were able to figure that out.”