NBL27 Preview - Round 5 vs Illawarra Hawks

With round five of the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season in full swing, the boys in blue have their eyes on getting their record in the positive for the first time this season, and will come up against an Illawarra Hawks side who are hungry for a win of their own. 

In the club’s annual Grassroots Game, United will attempt to defend their home floor in what will be a hotly contested affair inside John Cain Arena.

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WHAT’S THE WORD?

Following practice, United Head Coach Jacob Chance spoke on this week's preparation in anticipation of Illawarra, along with some of the schematic adjustments that the matchup requires from his squad. 

 “They're a team that won a championship less than 18 months ago, they know what it takes to do that… we’re going to have to be at our best,” Chance explained.

“Their transition game, they’ve got threats all over the floor. You talk about [William] Hickey and [Milton] Doyle who are able to push the ball and Tyler [Harvey] has been a threat in transition with his ability to shoot.

“We want to continue to play fast. We want to continue to control the tempo of the game, and certainly with Illawarra, you have to be on point in your defensive transition.”

Ahead of another Grassroots Game, Melbourne local and United guard Tom Wilson spoke on how he’s looking to impact the game in what could be as fast paced as any matchup the boys have faced this year.

“I’m looking forward to the Illawarra game…they’re the number one team for pace in the comp. So we’ve got to be ready for that ,” Wilson said.

“My role as a guard and as a perimeter player is to try and match their energy and just try to be that spark and give us a bit of energy boost when we need it.”

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WHO’S HOT? WHO’S NOT?

Melbourne are coming off of back-to-back wins for the first time in NBL27. In the contests against the Adelaide 36ers and the South East Melbourne Phoenix, United demonstrated their ability to win in starkly different ways. 

In Adelaide, Melbourne only won the first quarter, but their 10 point advantage in the period proved enough to take the game, as they warded off a valiant comeback attempt from the 36ers. 

United’s bench excelled in that game, outsourcing the 36ers backups 30-10. Veterans Kyle Bowen and Tom Wilson were especially impactful, combining for 15 points in 25 total minutes of action. Wilson, whose great play was huge in Melbourne’s comeback against the Phoenix, had a team leading +13 plus/minus in Adelaide. 

In another Throwdown win, the in-form Josh Oduro and Luke Travers were dominant on both sides of the ball. The former had one of the best performances by a big-man in NBL27, dropping a 22 point double-double whilst being a menace on defence. The import  had four blocks and four steals in the game, leading the way for United’s 8 blocks and 13 steals; the most of either statistic for a team in a game this season.  

However, the Hawks are not short of players who can break down a defence. Despite having a 1-6 record to start the year, Illawarra are one of the league’s most prolific offences, averaging a hair under 100 points per game for the second-best average in the competition. 

Their offence is not heliocentric either, which is an adjustment from their previous two games, notably against the 36ers. Six players on the Hawks roster average double-digits in scoring; the only team to do so in the NBL this year. United’s defensive unit is going to have to be cohesive on all fronts to stop them. 

The Hawks apply pressure at the ring at all costs, and lead the league in points in the paint. United, who have left a bit to be desired when securing defensive rebounds this year, will need to be on their A-game on the glass to combat the Hawks interior presence, and get the win.

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DETAILS 

Who: Melbourne United vs Illawarra Hawks

Tip-off: 5:00pm AEST, Sunday October 18, 2026

Where: John Cain Arena, Melbourne

Watch: ESPN via Disney+ and Kayo

Tickets: via AXS - click here.

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