Senior League Finals Previews - 13/14 August

Another bumper round of Big V Finals action is upon us! Who will impress and earn their spots in next week's Grand Final Series? We've had a deep dive and talked to the coaches to see who will surge ahead from this weekend's semi-finals.

Championship Women's Semi-Final Previews

Bulleen Boomers vs Sunbury Jets

Game 2 – Saturday 13^th August 7.00pm East Doncaster Secondary College

Game 3 (if required) – Sunday 14^th August 1.00pm East Doncaster Secondary College

It was a fast and high-scoring first quarter that got the crowd excited for Game 1 at Boardman Stadium. Both teams were exchanging baskets, but it was Bulleen who appeared to find their success easier than Sunbury. Olivia Bontempelli was particularly impressive getting whatever she liked from the midrange as the Jets threw double teams at Louella Tomlinson.

As the game developed, this continued to be the trend as Sunbury’s scoring dried up against Bulleen’s zone in the second and third quarter. Maria Jespersen and Emily Conn did their best to keep the scoreboard ticking over for the Jets, however, they were having significant difficulties find any space. In the last quarter, Sunbury’s home crowd started to become factor in the game as the Jets picked up the pace of the game with a full court man to man that generated several turnovers and some easier scoring opportunities. It was too little, too late, for the Jets as Bulleen cruised to a 9-point win in the end.

Will Sunbury find an answer for the Bulleen zone? Will Sunbury play more small ball and pick up the pace of the game? Head down to East Doncaster Secondary College this weekend to check this one out!

Bulleen Coach Michael Brookens had this to say:

“Overall, we were fortunate with the win but not satisfied with the performance. Defensively we had too many mental mistakes. Offensively we relied too much on our talent to bail us out.  I felt we allowed them to speed us up late which caused turnovers. We will need to do a better job of taking care of the ball if we want to have a chance to win this series.  We definitely feel fortunate to have another opportunity to put together a complete performance. This weekend’s double we expect to get their best shot with their backs against the wall.  We expect them to have things figured out against the Bulleen team that showed up last Sunday.  Hopefully, the real Bulleen team shows up this weekend to match their resolve and we can find a way to win. With that said, we know it will be a daunting task because they have some very talented players on their team. We are looking forward to the challenge and expect a really hard-fought high IQ game.”

Sunbury Coach Ben Draper had this to say:

“It was a hard-fought game and Bulleen are a tough team with a lot of talent and depth, unfortunately we were unable to come away with the win at home. We will be expecting the same consistent tough performance from Bulleen this weekend, but hopefully we can make some adjustments and come away with a couple of wins."   

Game 1 Leaders
Sunbury			Bulleen
Maria Jespersen	24	Points	Olivia Bontempelli	23
Nicole Cameron	9	Rebounds	Louella Tomlinson	16
Ellen Barkeley	5	Assists	Olivia Bontempelli	6
Felicity Theodore	+4	Best +/-	Emily Maltezos	+11

 

Wyndham Basketball vs McKinnon Cougars

Game 2 – Saturday 13^th August 6.30pm Eagle Stadium

Game 3 – Sunday 14^th August 1.00pm Eagle Stadium

Game 1 was an extremely tough contest with McKinnon having control for much of the first half despite very little success from the 3-point line. Jacinta Vandenberg had her fingerprints all over this game with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists as she used her experience to steer her team to a 1-point victory and the first time the Cougars have been able to get on top of Wyndham this season.

When analysing this tight battle, McKinnon had the ability to get to thfree throw line more regularly than Wyndham, getting there 21 times and capitalising by shooting at 86% for the game. Whilst Wyndham had a number of contributors on the floor, they’ll be looking for some more efficient scoring output from star player Amanda Paschal who was restricted to 7 points on 30% shooting. Whilst Paschal did serious damage with her 9 assists and 9 rebounds, she will be hoping that she is able to get herself going to help her team put more points on the board this week.

There will be a rowdy crowd at Eagle Stadium this weekend, will it be enough to get Wyndham back on top in this series? Will the shared scoring load of Dyani Ananiev, Lauren Jones, Holly Dolny and Amanda Pascal be too much for the Cougars to handle two weeks in a row? Or will it be the experience of Jacinta Vandenberg, Morgan Ili and Rosie Fadljevic that carries McKinnon through to a shot at the championship? Get down to Eagle Stadium for this one, there is one guarantee, it’ll be an incredibly close battle!

Wyndham Coach Billy Akalo had this to say:

“Our expectation for this series was every game was going to be physical, tough and a battle of fatigue, and that the team who had enforced their tempo would put themselves in a commanding position to be successful. Our game against McKinnon last Saturday was tough with how it ended, and from our reviews, our application of our tempo was sub-par and is something we are looking to rectify as we head to Saturday night. With any finals game, it comes down to exerting your will over the opposition longer than they can. With a raucous Wyndham crowd awaiting for us on Saturday night, we are looking forward to our girls bouncing back and establishing our style of play for 40 minutes.”

McKinnon Coach Chris Anstey had this to say:

“We were able to get out first win against Wyndham for the season in Game 1 last weekend. The tightness of all four contests continues to remind us that we need to be competitive for the entire game. A couple of short lapses against a team with the talent and scoring power of Wyndham have the potential to cost us putting ourselves in a position to win. Wyndham, like us, had a couple of key exclusions last week, and I expect them to be at full strength this weekend. We need to match their aggressiveness, limit their uncontested looks and do our best to win the battle on the boards. Wyndham finished on top of the ladder and are championship favourites for a reason- we are going to need to be at our absolute best to beat them on their home floor."

Game 1 Leaders
Wyndham			McKinnon
Jones, Dolny	17	Points	Emily Suckling	18
Dyani Ananiev	10	Rebounds	Jacinta Vandenberg	14
Amanda Paschal	9	Assists	Jacinta Vandenberg	5
Lyndsey Hoogenhout	+10	Best +/-	Ili, Fadljevic	+4

Championship Men's Semi-Final Previews

Sunbury Jets vs Hume City Broncos

Game 2 - Saturday 13^th August 7.00PM at Boardman Stadium

Game 3 (if required) – Sunday 14^th August 1.00PM at Boardman Stadium

Sunbury came out of the blocks hard in Game 1 to open a 12-point lead by quarter time on the back of a 15-point run. Whilst Hume tried to adjust their game style to the ball inside more during the second quarter, their 18 points in the paint helped them get the margin back to 7 by the half.

It was the third quarter where Max Barkeley and the Jets headed to the 3-point line to do their damage. Asa team they were able to shoot 83% from 3-point land over the quarter. Barkeley and Sanders’ with 32 and 24 points respectively as they combined for 12 triples, did all the damage to the Broncos who could simply not contain them. Makuei Puondak and Corey Fiddes did all they could to try and help the Broncos come away with a better result but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.

As the series moves over to Sunbury, the question will be asked, have Hume found an answer for Sunbury’s splash brothers? Will Chris Elder and Anthony Dell’Orso be able to come out of this battle on top? Head down to Boardman Stadium this Saturday night to find out.

Sunbury Coach John White had this to say:

"We were pleased with our attention to detail in defence last week, although there is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of finishing off possessions. We dealt well with Gerald Blackshear's early foul trouble, and I was particularly happy with our defence towards the end of the first quarter, we got a few stops and we were able to transition nicely into some more free flowing offense which created a little bit of scoreboard pressure. Hume brought a lot of physicality to the game last week and came out with an aggressive mindset which took us a little bit of time to adjust to. They put a lot of effort into keeping the pressure on our guards, but it was pleasing to see us adjust throughout the course of the game. Ish Sanders dealt with the extra physical attention well and put up good numbers considering. Max Barkeley was huge on the offensive end, his confidence to attack the game on his terms really set a great foundation for us. Trevon Clayton and Jeremy Wragg really clamped down defensively and had a huge impact on the game which wasn't necessarily reflected in the stat sheet. We're not resting on the fact that we're 1-0 up, we come into Game 2 knowing we need to step it up again and are expecting the same from Hume."

Hume Coach Matthew Foster had this to say:

“First game of series was always going to be tough against a Sunbury team that has been in dominant form all year. And it was as expected. They have a fantastic core playing group with role players that come in and do their job. They have been shooting the ball well all year and continued to do so. Unfortunately, we missed some shots that really hurt us and had a couple breakdowns on D, which you can’t do against teams like Sunbury. We are really looking forward to the game on Saturday and hopefully will be able to keep the series alive.”

Game 1 Leaders
Sunbury			Hume
Maxwell Barkeley	32	Points	Puondak, Dell’Orso	14
Trevon Clayton	16	Rebounds	Puondak, Fiddes	12
Nathan Marshall	4	Assists	Chris Elder	4
Trevon Clayton	+16	Best +/-	E. Saifaleupolu	+7

 

Wyndham Basketball vs McKinnon Cougars

Game 2 - Saturday 13^th August 8.30PM at Eagle Stadium

Game 3 (if required) – Sunday 14^th August 3.00PM at Eagle Stadium

The match up between Wyndham and McKinnon is every fan dream. In Game 1 this was evident with several lead changes and so many highlight plays, particularly down the stretch. It was a strong Wyndham side that was able to stagnate the McKinnon offence to create stops, whilst then playing a free-flowing offence the other way. It was youngster Aaron Dolny who made two huge 3-point shots late to give his team the lead and turned out to be the hero on the night.

Across the night the McKinnon defence had no answer for Wyndham star Manel Ayol who finished with 31 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Coach Walsh is going to have to search for a suitable match-up for Ayol who can do damage from inside and out. As we have seen all season, if you slow Ayol down, then it’ll be Maurice Howard, Kavione Green or Keenan Gorski who does the damage. Could McKinnon utilise a zone with big Jordan Vandenberg patrolling the paint to slow down the fast-paced Wyndham offence?

For McKinnon, they have a number of threats of their own, with Nathan Davis leading the charge last weekend with 32 points on 70% shooting from deep. They’ll be wanting league MVP contender Sharif Black to have a more efficient night from the field, unable to get himself going from the 3-point line. The McKinnon team will take a lot of confidence in knowing that there is still a lot of room for improvement for them heading into game 2 and game 3. Tune into this one, in what will be another cracker!

Wyndham Coach Lucas Allen had this to say:

“Game 1 proved to be as we expected, McKinnon were tough, they challenged us defensively and had good control of the game for a large portion of the night.  I was happy that we were able to rely on our grit defensively, especially in key moments, to secure important stops.  These stops, along with timely shot making from several of our guys was the difference in the game, it was a 5-minute stretch, at the right time that ultimately got us the win.  We will need to do a far better job with consistently executing at both ends of the floor if we want to get the win in Game 2 as well”.

McKinnon Coach Adam Walsh had this to say:

“Game 1 was a back-and-forth contest played at a very high level by both sides. Unfortunately, a few lapses on both ends of the court hurt us and Wyndham were good enough to take advantage of them & get the win. Going into game 2 & 3 the group still has an extremely high level of confidence and belief of who we are and what we do - and we fully expect to play 2 games this weekend out west in what we expect to be an electric atmosphere.”

Game 1 Leaders
Wyndham			McKinnon
Manel Ayol	31	Points	Nathan Davis	32
Maurice Howard	9	Rebounds	Sharif Black	14
Howard, Ayol	5	Assists	Black, Barry	3
Ayol, Dolny	+12	Best +/-	Jordan Vandenberg	+11

 

Division 1 Men Finals Previews

Shepparton Gators vs Keysborough Cougars

Game 1 - Saturday 13^th August 7.00PM at Shepparton Sports Stadium

These are two teams that are not unfamiliar with finals basketball, they have played all season for this very moment. Shepparton are an extremely deep team who can and will play a fast-paced game. Last week, Garrett Jefferson took control against RMIT on his way to 28 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, whilst the rest of his teammates just played their role, with every member of the team scoring in the game. To beat Keysborough this week, they are going to need to score more than the 70 points they scored last week. This responsibility may come down to young star Dylan Wilkie, whilst he scored 8 last week, he will be needing to get more on the board to stretch out the Keysborough defence.

For Keysborough, they have a range of veterans who can step up on any given night. Starting with Ivan Platenik who is averaging 13.54 points and 9.92 rebounds a game, he is somebody who will absolutely thrive in finals basketball as he has in the past. Gerrard Newby will also be looking to cause some trouble for the Gators, his 20.81 points a game this season has been instrumental to the Cougars success. Keysborough simply have so many options to go to that it is sure to create a few headaches for the Shepparton defence.

Will the Shepparton home crowd get them over the line in game 1? Are Keysborough going to enter the finals series with a bang? Get to Shepparton this Saturday night to find out!

Statistical Leaders
Shepparton			Keysborough
Garrett Jefferson	18.95ppg	Points Per Game	Gerrard Newby	20.81ppg
Matt Andronicos	7.1rpg	Rebounds Per Game	Ivan Platenik	9.92rpg
Matthew Bartlett	4.28apg	Assists Per Game	Naoum Lazis	3.71apg

 

Bellarine Storm vs Melbourne University Black Angels

Game 1 - Saturday 13^th August 7.00PM at Bellarine Sports Centre

This series is going to be massive. 2 teams that have several scoring options and 2 teams who love to let the 3-ball fly. Last week it was Varley, Reardon and Saffin who combined for 13 3-point makes combined, Coach Shawn King will no doubt have these guys on his scouting report to limit their shot attempts.

We expect Melbourne University leader, Xavier Evans, to get the defensive assignment on Bellarine star Lewis Varley to try and stop him from getting himself going like he did last week against Corio Bay. Varley has been averaging 15.8 points per game, to go with his 5.7 rebounds and 4 assists a game, if he is allowed to get what he wants, then it could create the upset against first placed Melbourne University.

Bellarine also must be concerned about Melbourne University’s scoring power, with the likes of Joel Rimes, Joe Furphy and Nicholas Masunda all averaging over 13.5 points per game. Last time these teams met, it was Joel Rimes who did whatever he wanted on his way to 30 points, including 7 of 9 from the 3-point line, to go with his 4 assists and 2 steals.

Who will win this 3-point shootout? Will the experienced duo of Reardon and Varley be too much firepower for Melbourne University or maybe Joe Furphy will dominate the paint and lead the Black Angels to victory? Take the drive down to the Bellarine Peninsula to see how this one ends up.

Statistical Leaders
Bellarine			Melbourne University
Lewis Varley	15.8ppg	Points Per Game	Joel Rimes	16.64ppg
Jason Reardon	8.84rpg	Rebounds Per Game	Nicholas Patel	6.81rpg
Jason Reardon	4.47apg	Assists Per Game	Joel Rimes	3.55apg

 

Division 1 Women Finals Previews

Sherbrooke Suns vs Warrnambool Mermaids

Saturday 13^th August – 6.00pm Bell Real Estate Stadium (Upwey High School)

These two teams have faced off twice this season with the top of the table Sherbrooke winning both. In round 5 it was a close battle at Warrnambool with the Suns only getting up by 5 points, before meeting again in round 9 in Sherbrooke where the Suns came out victors by an easy 19 points. However, a lot of basketball has been played since then and Warrnambool are heating up as they enter the business end of the year.

When these two teams played last, it was the usual suspects who did the damage for Warrnambool with Ariel Hearn dropping 20 points, pulling in 7 boards and dishing out 4 assists, whilst Alicia Carline (16 points, 7 rebounds) and Sophie Agorakis (18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists) also did their thing. For the Mermaids, it was Matilda Sewell (18 points, 10 rebounds), Katie O’Keefe (16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks) who were the only ones who kept the scoreboard ticking over, unfortunately, it simply wasn’t enough.

Last week, the Mermaids took care of the Camberwell Dragons and it was the addition of Amy Wormald who added to their structure as she contributed 15 points and 8 rebounds. Wormald didn’t play in their last encounter against the Suns, is she going to be the secret weapon to knock off first place and book a spot in the finals? Will Ariel Hearn be too much for the Mermaids to handle? Find out Saturday night at Bell Real Estate Stadium.

Statistical Leaders
Sherbrooke			Warrnambool
Ariel Hearn	26.43	Points Per Game	Katie O’Keefe	14.53
Alicia Carline	14.67	Rebounds Per Game	Olivia Fuller	10.82
Ariel Hearn	4	Assists Per Game	Katie O’Keefe	3.4

 

Camberwell Dragons vs Western Port Steelers

Sunday 14^th August – 12.00pm Balwyn High School

This Sunday the Camberwell Dragons welcome the Western Port Steelers who are coming off doing the near impossible, beating the Mildura Heat at the Hothouse. Whilst the Dragons finished the season 2^nd on the ladder and Western Port finished 5^th, this game is going to be a lot closer than that suggests. The Dragons haven’t finished the season exactly how they would’ve liked with an inconsistent run of form over the last month whilst Western Port have had some big scalps, including that of the Dragons on their home deck by 16 points.

In that round 17 clash it was an absolute demolition of the Dragons in the second quarter that did majority of the damage, with the Steelers only allowing the Dragons 3 points for the quarter. Samantha Keltos was instrumental off the bench in that one with 21 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks, she was well supported by Emily Ferrier (17 points, 8 rebounds) and Rachel Winters (13 points, 5 steals) to get the big win.

The Dragons are going to need their star scorers Gemma Fyffe and Marnie Houghton to lead from the front if they are going to win this one. Whenever one of them is quiet, the Dragons struggle to accumulate winning scores. They know they are going to get plenty of energy and effort from young guards Andrea Belmonte and Georgia McBean, but what adjustments has Coach Dimmatina made since round 17 that’ll help the girls reverse the result. Get down to Balwyn High to watch this blockbuster!

Statistical Leaders
Camberwell			Western Port
Gemma Fyffe	15.06	Points Per Game	Samantha Keltos	16.71
Andrea Belmonte	7.56	Rebounds Per Game	Samantha Keltos	10.94
Andrea Belmonte	4	Assists Per Game	Rachel Winters	2.88

Division Two Men Semi Finals

Wallan vs Gippsland United

Saturday 13th August 6:00PM at RB Robson Stadium

Finishing on top of the ladder, Gippsland United awarded themselves last week off. Now coming up against the 6^th placed in regular season Wallan after a big win against Sherbrooke over the weekend. This 3 game series will be a great battle, first beginning at RB Robson Stadium, the home of the Panthers.

Arcaim Lallemand had the Panthers on his back, clawing past Sherbrooke last weekend finishing with a monster of a game with 34 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks and shooting just under 50% from the field. Coach Tim Annett has done a great job to motivate and find the right rotations to give these athletes a run at the chip. Back in round 16, Wallan fell just short after being up at the half to the top seed Gippsland United. Young Tyler Best contributed 16 points and 7 rebounds to the occasion with Lallemand putting together 32 points and 9 rebounds. In what was a very close hit out back in the regular season, the Panthers will need to be a force on the defensive end, keeping this high scoring United uniform to a minimum whilst assisting Lallemand down the other end. With game 1 being at home for the Panthers, can they utilise this and come out 1 game ahead early in this series?

It was an amazing effort by Gippsland United to finish the regular season with a 20-2 record, but moving into the post season, everything’s different. Brandon Armstrong has been their go to man throughout the year averaging 20.05ppg, throwing out almost 5 assists a game in just under 30 minutes. As the highest scoring team on average for the year with 95ppg, United have become a force in this league and will look to move on swiftly into the big dance. With Jordan Gooiker coming off the bench, averaging over 10ppg and exploding for 18 against the Panther in round 16, United’s depth and great culture will be tough to beat. Coach Scott McKenzie has done a great job with this group and has not intention of stopping now. Can Armstrong do enough to motivate his United army and get the quick win before heading home to the Gippsland? 

Altona vs Pakenham

Saturday 13th August 7:30PM at Altona Sports Centre

Second of our Semi-finals for the Division Two Men we see Altona Gators take on the well-rested Pakenham Warriors. After earning themselves the week off by finishing second, the Warriors must travel to Altona Sports Centre hosted by a well cultured Gator outfit. The Warriors hosted the Gators in around 16 and came up short, falling by 5 points.

It was the Gators 34 point 2^nd quarter in round 16 which sparked light into their halftime discussions. Coming out again in the 3^rd to win the quarter by 5 and hold onto a charging Warriors squad. Tyson Burton finished with a 29-point 10-rebound double double whilst Tyrone Remy shot 54% from the land of plenty, knocking down 6 from 11 3pt attempts. Yet it seems like free throws were the decider as Altona shot and made 19 of 28 from the line. With a very consistent group, player and coach Jordan Lino will look to produce more of his team first principles in this series. With 5 players averaging over 10ppg, and all notching 1 or more assists, the Gators have shown that team basketball produces finals opportunities and possible Grand final hopes!

After a well-earned rest last week, the Warriors will look make quick work of this Gators unit and get back to their home court advantage the following week. With dominant Joe Davis at the helm averaging 25.14ppg in the regular season, we look to see him go to work early and constantly in this series.  Shooting 32.1% from the land of plenty for the season, this Warriors unit have been able to stretch the floor, dragging the defence out and create high percentage shots from almost everywhere. With quick and agile athletes coming from left and right, this Warriors group will look to play with good pace and cause confusion for the Gators in the defensive end. Holding teams to a mere 72.5, second best in the league, coach Rob Roberts has this team communicating and working well together generating stops and forcing turnovers. Can they continue this into the post season and find themselves up 1 game before heading home the following weekend?      

Division Two Women Semi Finals

Mornington vs Altona

Saturday 13th August 6:30PM at Mornington Basketball Stadium

Fighting for a place straight into the grand final, we see the top seed Mornington Breakers take on the Altona Gators in what hopes to be a great match up. Finishing 1^st and 2^nd in the regular season, this Saturday night blockbuster will be one to keep an eye on. Back in round 13, it was the Breakers who took it out, closing the game out by 12 points.

Mornington’s strong core group pathed the way for the Breakers as Inez Lie finished with a game high 21 points alongside Caragh Doria with the 11-point 12-rebound double double. With the 3^rd highest points per game average with 71.7, the Breakers did struggle to create high percentage opportunities, credit to Altona.  Looking to make the change in this match up, coach Brett Spicer will be looking to Her veterans Sarah Parsons, Inez Lie and Caragh Doria again to produce big numbers. Doria, who had an off shooting night in the last hit out against Altona will be sure to have her eye in early, one to watch out for. Dominating on the defensive end, the Breakers will continue to cause havoc for Altona as they have all season long, holding teams to a mere 55.1 points per game. Some do say defence wins games, can the Breakers continue this trend and move onto the big dance?

The Gators are coming off a very comfortable win over RMIT, running away with a 27 point win. Sharna Appleby was firing on all cylinders finishing with 24 points shooting an efficient 56% from the field. Jessica Rarity compiled a very respectful 21-point 13-rebound double double going 2 from 2 from the land of plenty.  Averaging the highest points per game, this Altona unit are an aggressive and fast passed squad. Their ability to play quickly and with purpose gets them to the free throw line constantly. Shooting 23 from 29 from the free throw line last week, the Gators have been able to get their easies week in and week out. Coach Cameron Wilkosz will be ensuring this is a key objective against Mornington, getting players into foul trouble and being efficient at the line.

RMIT vs Gippsland United

Saturday 13th August 7:00PM at RMIT Sports Centre Bundoora

An enticing game on our hands with the RMIT Redbacks taking on Gippsland United in a win or go home hit out at the RMIT Sports Centre. RMIT coming off a tough loss to Altona and Gippsland United knocking out Wallan to progress through, this game will be very challenging for both sides. The last time they came across one another back in round 15, it was RMIT who came out on top winning by a close 4 points.

If it was anyone’s day in round 15, it was Samantha Labros’s. With a whopping 41 point game shooting 50% from the field pouring 7 from 13 from the arc, Labros couldn’t have been stopped. In what seemed to have been her best game of the year, Labros will have here eye in and looking to make up for their disappointing loss last week. A group who knows how to hit the scoreboard hard, the Redbacks are going to have to prove themselves in this match up and come out with a fresh mind set after last weekend. Struggling to get it done on both ends of the floor, the Redbacks will be egar to show they can bounce back and creep closer to the finals. An aggressive and handys team notching a league high 13.4 steals per game, their guards will pester and remain active all game long, a key to their ability to score in transition.

A new Gippsland United squad, continuing to prove themselves as a team to be reconned with. Coming out with the win over Wallan by 22 points, their defensive intensity in the 2^nd quarter holding the Panthers to a quiet 8 points was the big separator. Dominating the rebound count last week and in the season, this United unit go a great job of finishing plays and limiting second chance opportunities. Chloe Hogg has been impressive all year round, dominating the league whilst still eligible for Youth League, Hogg will be a key piece to their success and progression in the next round of finals. Are United able to keep shocking the league in their first year and move past RMIT?