If I could wave a magic wand to make instant changes, my targets would be cricket, tennis, and golf.
Cricket
Abandon the Argus report, and revert to three national selectors – John Inverarity, Rod Marsh and Andy Bichel – all full-time.
Scrap the rotation policy, with every cricketer in contention responsible for his own fitness report, signing a statutory declaration he’s fully fit to be eligible for selection.
That signature would cover any potential litigation that looms from such former fast bowlers as Nathan Bracken, who contends he was forced to play when unfit, a decision he reckons shortened his career.
And reassess Pat Howard’s newly created role as director of team performance. What has that position proved, if anything?
Finally, find a manufacturer who can produce a ball that swings. I refuse to believe the current crop of fast bowlers around the world are incapable of making the ball move in the air. My belief is the seam is far too flat and the shine doesn’t last as long as it did 25-40 years ago.
Tennis
Get the sport moving by banning the time-wasting tactics.
Strictly police the 20 seconds rule between points. Rafael Nadal is a serial offender with his illegal gamesmanship to slow down play to his own liking, regularly taking over 30 seconds to serve or receive.
Limit selection of balls to serve to just three. Many players take as many as six to decide, which is rubbish.
Limit bouncing the ball before serving to four max – Novak Djokovic bounces up to 32 times before his first serve, and 16 before his second.
And allow coaches to sit on the side-line bench with their charges, as Davis Cup captains do. What’s the point of spending hundreds of hours on the practice court together, only to be told coaches must zip it in the player’s box on competition days?
In the bad old days of amateur rep rugby, coaches weren’t allowed on the field at the half-time huddle. Thankfully that archaic rule went by the boards and if rugby can change, tennis can.
Golf
And my pet hate. Golfers should be allowed to repair sprig marks between their ball and the hole.
Obviously the best-performed golfers in any tournament are at the tail of the field at the weekend, the all-important money rounds. Yet they have to negotiate a minefield of sprig marks, giving an unfair advantage to those playing earlier in the day.
Administrators eventually out-lawed the stymie where a golfer could leave his ball between an opponent’s ball and the hole. It was a two-stroke penalty if you struck an opponent’s ball that stymied you.
Sprig marks are a similar hurdle to overcome. Give that rule the long overdue flick to make it an even playing field.
Happy New Year Roarers, the wand is back in its holster.
deano
Guest
Boxing is an individual sport with the coach by their side, why can't tennis?
neily_b
Roar Rookie
As much as I agree with almost all of the points in this article, I hate the idea of tennis players being allowed to have their coaches courtside. The use of this in the WTA is ridiculous in my opinion. It also annoys me the whenever this topic is raised, it is always compared with a team sport, in this case rugby. Tennis is an individual sport (obviously not including doubles) which should be played in this manner. If a player cannot execute a plan worked out during their practice sessions it should be on them to adapt and find something else that will work. We don't see coaches running beside athletes on the track or swimming in the next lane in the pool.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
"And allow coaches to sit on the side-line bench with their charges, as Davis Cup captains do. What’s the point of spending hundreds of hours on the practice court together, only to be told coaches must zip it in the player’s box on competition days? In the bad old days of amateur rep rugby, coaches weren’t allowed on the field at the half-time huddle. Thankfully that archaic rule went by the boards and if rugby can change, tennis can." I love that rule. Tennis is a game that is played between the individuals (or pairs), and not between coaches. You can't compare tennis to rugby, they are completely different games. One of the joys of tennis is seeing whether or not a particular player is able to change his strategy or whether he decides to stick it out in the hope that it will eventually see him prevail. A coach would ruin that. This so-called archaic rule has served tennis well, and there is no reason to change it. BTW, that you ask what the point of spending hundreds of hours on practice court together, only for the coach not to be able to say anything on the day; that's like people asking what politicians do when they aren't in parliament. A great coach will have helped his charge in the massive amount of time they spent together so that when his charge is unable to communicate to him, the charge doesn't need to.
Brendo
Guest
Has anyone told Jeronimo?
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Agreed Crashy, on the flying **** factor meter, it barely registers. It's a hit & giggle novelty whereby nobody quite knows who is representing their team (franchise?). Hence, nobody really cares if they win or lose, just so long as the crowd gets to see plenty of sixes hit. Having said that, it will probably be here to stay. It's a bid sad.
Steggz
Guest
It needs both. Swing is an aerodynamic process by which the shinier side moves through the air quicker than the rough side. The seam is helpful in differentiating the halves.
Neuen
Roar Rookie
The ball doesn't need shine to swing. It needs a seem
Crashy
Guest
agree mahonjt . I cannot watch this 20/20 phenomenon. Ths bad techniques, the desire for a 6 every ball - its the worst form of cricket you'll ever see and panders to the short attention spans of the masses. The ICC ruined 1 Day cricket beacause they milked it dry by holding far too many games for anyone to really care any more. Test cricket and 1 day cricket has a future. I actually liked the 20/20 when it was the state based comp between NSW and VIC or TAS vs QLD. I still dont know who any of these teams are - Scortches, sixers, heat. Its no wonder that crowds and ratings have collapsed - the honeymoon is over.
wisey_9
Roar Guru
THIS. Although getting FIFA to change any rules is going to be like blood from a stone...
mahonjt
Guest
Take out the BBL and stick it in the bin. It is sportig trash writ large.
David Lord
Guest
Roarers, before we go any further, the head shot of Lleyton Hewitt in this column does not suggest, for one second, he is part of the sporting rubbish to get rid of in 2013.
Paul
Guest
"Soccer Significant penalties for diving/staging. A video review system to be used." Dear Fred, that already exists. Thank you for your concern. http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/181826,ffa-come-down-hard-on-divers.aspx
Steggz
Guest
Bird won't be rested. Starc comes back into the side as he deserves to be in the top 3 pace bowlers as it currently stands.
Steggz
Guest
+1 to your football recommendation, Frustrates the life out of me, plus I get emails and sms's from my dad complaining about it!
The Kebab Connoisseur
Guest
Cricket - get rid of the franchise teams, which are a massive failure and go back to the state sides. Test championship for the top division of 6 test sides for serious money. Say a million bonus for a series win, overal 10 million. 50 over a side should be qualifiers for the top 10 to 14 sides. Do not really care, but in the three years leading up to a World Cup a series should be considered a qualifier. Only the top 6 teams make World cups from now on. None of this minnow rubbish. NRL - allow contested scrums back in and get rid of the farce that is the current norm. The game is supposed to a contest, not the WWF! AFL - all teams play each other twice over a season. That could require a reduction in game time. Who knows, but the current situation is ridiculous. Tennis - Get Nick Bolliterri to set up his camp in Melbourne. Whatever we have been doing is not working to produce players with all the resources, the facilities we have now. Head's need to roll at Tennis Oz if need be. Golf - Ban the belly putter, get an Aussie event on the US PGA tour. Possibly the Master's in Melbourne. The game needs a big local event to get attention back on it. The lousy government throws 100s of millions at tennis, but the game most of us play gets bupkuss. Soccer - Looks to finally be on it's way. Just qualify! Rugby union - Improve the state comps in Victoria and WA to be similar level to Sydney and Brisbane. Get super and test rugby on free to air tv in all markets. Rebel matches on Vic tv, Force games on WA tele.
Oracle
Guest
Tennis Australia need to bring in a wildcard for someone like Sam Stosur, so as when she is "bundled out" in the first round, that in the event of an injury, Stosur can return and take the place (Sub) of the injured player, hence ensuring she will get past the first round. Tennis need to ban "date picking" followed by a sniff of the fingers after a certain Spaniard has bounced the ball 15 times in 29 seconds before serving. Would get the match over in half the time.
BennO
Guest
+1 to all this, except for the support for DL's ball bounce limits. Silly idea.
Steve
Guest
Good suggestions Prof, but couldn't we keep golf, but swap the balls for cane toads, and replace the hole with a brick wall or big sheet of reinforced plexi-glass at the end of the course?
Farmerj
Guest
Tennis. All your proposed changes along with the woman play best of 5 sets in grand slams and any Serena Williams type abuse of the umpires results in an automatic disqualification from the tournament. League. Make the Brent Tate around the ankles tackle a dominant tackle. If you want to make the game safer, give more reward to the safer tackling technique. Also, less substitutions,maybe 4 or 5. Bring fatigue back into the game and we will see more attacking football in the closing minutes. Bring in a draft for high school players Rugby. Play the Rugby Championship every 4 years between the RWC and bring back tours. Cricket. Either do away with the toss and allow touring teams automatic choice as to first use of the pitch OR allow teams to name their playing 12 after the toss. Increase the margin for leg side wides when batsman are moving all over the place. In test matches, allow unlimited bouncers to a batsman batting in the top 6. Bring back reserve days so that games dont get ruined by duckworth lewis.
langou
Roar Guru
Agree with that Also any player who gets taken off on a stetcher or needs medical attention on the field should be off for 5 minutes in order for the doctor to fuly diagnose them.