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Paul

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Joined October 2017

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Paul
Roar Guru
Paul
Roar Guru

Australia’s next Test XI

Cast your minds back, for those old enough, to the summer of 1994-95 when ODI cricket was at its peak and the Australian Cricket Board decided to spice up the series featuring England and Zimbabwe by including a developmental Australian A side.

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Australia’s next Test XI
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Nah, they don’t have a mortgage on stupid.

I had another look at the high tackle from Momirovksi on Deardon and of course there was the stupidity from Kaufusi on Matterson a few rounds ago. Pretty stupid considering they’re playing for Clubs likely to play for the Premiership

You’re right, stupid is as stupid does, it’s just shared around.

Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker need to clean up their games

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The issue Mary raised is top quality players, playing for finals-bound teams, doing stupid things.

The issue you raised is another matter entirely. Clearly a real problem in the game at present, but not the same.

Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker need to clean up their games

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I’m trying to work out whether Roar regulars are being deliberately obtuse or are missing a very simple point.

She has highlighted two players who are in great form, playing for a team that’s just about a lock to play finals football, committing acts of sheer stupidity on other players for no apparent reason. Where is there an issue?

She could have named any one of a dozen players from the first 6 rounds this year who are playing for teams and have done something that registers highly on the Stupid Scale. Only last week, many were up in arms about what Crighton and others were doing after scoring tries. Granted they weren’t foul play, but they were still silly and unnecessary.

These guys are way too good to be sitting out matches, but they’re also way too good to be doing the stupid things that got them time away from playing. Mary made the comment Mitchell is a shoo-in to play for NSW. Given how easily they find ways to cost their teams, if I was Freddy, I wouldn’t be touching either of them till they learn some discipline.

Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker need to clean up their games

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I vividly remember that hundred he scored against a gun Windies attack on an MCG minefield. He looked so assured when every other batsman was trying to survive. When he was on, it’s hard to think of a more pleasing batsman to watch.

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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Chappell made it clear he didn’t want to play if Hughes was captain. He also made it well known who was the best bat in the side and which batsman didn’t deserve his spot

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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I actually think it’s an easy decision Jeff. India is the last tour and the other sides are not exactly top 3 Test nations. They’ll certainly present challenges but there won’t be anywhere near the interest if we were playing the Poms or India. It’s also in our winter, so most attention will be on the footy, both from fans and the media.

I reckon it’s a good time for someone to take over, as long as who ever is the new skipper is given a fair go and isn’t whiteanted.

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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I think the air was stress. Really good captains look like they’re enjoying their job most of the time, but even when he was giving the Poms a hiding, Smith looked completely stressed in the field.

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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aided and abetted by one G Chappell and one R Marsh

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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Totally agree about the panic from the Board. Inverarity would have been a terrific captain.

In farness to Simpson though, I thought he did a fair job considering the position he was put in, but it would have been better all round if Inverarity had been given the job

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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I thought Smith was okay, but not close to Michael Clarke tactically. I think following such a good tactical leader has made Smith seem worse than he was. Okay, but not great.

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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Smith was chosen as South Africa’s captain after 9 Tests, Gibbo. If Green plays all Tests in the next Ashes, that puts him on the same number. I agree he needs to earn the respect of the public, but his entry into cricket and the way he’s carried himself, has gone along way to doing that already.

I’m assuming he will have a similar season in 21/22 as he did this summer just finished. That to me would be enough to offer him the captains job. Again, if he can’t cut it, lets look at other options, but I think he’s got the makings and shouldn’t have to worry about his spot in the team, as Head does,or his fitness as Puckovski does.

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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It’s not often you hear of a cricketer being described as peculiar – but it strangely fits!

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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I think he and Steve Smith both have that fruit loop thing going Matt. They are so wrapped up in batting but also in simply playing cricket, I don’t think they’ve got enough left to captain a team. Michael Slater had the same thing to a degree, I reckon.

My choice would be Green. I only mentioned Puckovski because if I didn’t someone, would remark on that. 😊

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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Ditto with Prithvi Shaw.

I’m also pretty sure Jason Roy had played no County cricket for well over 12 months, prior to being chosen in the last Ashes series in England. That didn’t work out too well.

The Sheffield Shield final's success proves there is room to reshape the domestic calendar

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I’d love to see either given a chance James. As I’ve said previously, if they don’t cut it, no problem, we look for other options but as you say, they might turn out to be inspired choices

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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Becoming more and more irrelevant with each passing day.

Gus delivers some strong words on NRL suspensions and HIA rules

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hello John, England certainly are when it comes to Test players getting involved in County Cricket.

Joe Root for example, played one County game in the 2019 English season and I seem to recall James Anderson doing something similar, ie 1 or 2 games only.

I’m sure Indian cricket followers could tell us how many Ranji Trophy games their Test players have played in recent times. I reckon it won’t be many

The Sheffield Shield final's success proves there is room to reshape the domestic calendar

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No argument but I’m not suggesting changing after 6 rounds. I’m suggesting changing at the end of the season for 2022, if Barrett doesn’t get any improvement out of the squad.

Are the Dogs now the elephant in the room?

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what about John Morris? I reckon he could be just what the Doggies need, though it would likely cost them plenty to pay out Barrett.

Are the Dogs now the elephant in the room?

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The only way to fix this rorting your describing is to have a tough “one size, fits all” approach to any contact with the head or neck.

Any player who gets hit high and the ref deems it illegal contact, has to go off for a minimum of 10 minutes and have a proper HIA completed by an independent doctor. That would stop players getting a fair tap on the cheek, going to ground as if shot.

While the player is off the field, the Bunker can also decide whether they should be charged with bringing the game into disrepute, by taking a dive. If they are, they should be placed on report and should get at least a match suspension if found guilty

A plea to coaches: Stop rorting the HIA system

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Has Barrett reached the “full support of the Board” stage yet, Tony? 😊

I think you’ve nailed it when you said the silence from Belmore is deafening. All Clubs have to have a plan – so what is the Doggies plan, both for this year and the next few years?

I’ve also said many times before there are so many parts that need to be spot on, for a Club to be successful. Recruitment & retention, a decent coach, a decent squad, injuries, a strong and well led Board, are all factors. Right now, I’d guess the Dogs are failing all of these, which may explain why there’s silence. Pretty hard to come up with a plan, when there’s so many areas that need attention.

Are the Dogs now the elephant in the room?

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It’s tough to know exactly what the Board expected from Morris, both before this season and at present. I’d have thought with all the issues the Sharks had to deal with, making the finals would have been a pass.

What I don’t get is why they did what they did only 5 rounds into the new season? It’s as though the Board doesn’t care about the results this year and their complete focus is on getting Fitzgibbon, then being competitive in the finals in 2023.

That might be okay for the Sharks Board, but what about the fans & sponsors? Right now, the Club appears to be in disarray – again. I guess these people don’t count in the Board’s eyes, well not this year anyway.

Hard-working, loyal and decent – of course the Sharks sacked John Morris

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Good to see another author wading into the Test captaincy debate. It’s interesting you’ve focused almost entirely on what happens on the cricket field.

There’s no doubt that’s a critical part of being a captain, but so are all the background things a captain does to bring a group of players together, eg helping lift players spirits when they’re down on themselves, bringing new players into the group and making them feel part of the twam, all the press stuff, all the glad-handing of sponsors, etc. These are all just as important as deciding who’s going to bowl the next over.

On that basis, Steve Smith is a no-go. He and Marnus as so wrapped up in their own batting world, they are not good off-field leaders. Both are keen students of the game, so you’d listen to them when discussing bowling & fielding plans, but making them captain – I don’t think so.

Cummins could be an option if he was given a decent chance but cricket fans and the media. The “Bobby Simpson” option to me is a desperation move and I don’t think we’re at that stage, as we were in the late ’70’s.

I still like the 4th option – give a complete novice, who’s going to be in the team for a decade, the captaincy, just as South Africa did with Graeme Smith. Green or Puckovski could take over the reins and with the experience in the team, they’d find plenty of support I’m sure.

Who should be the next captain of the Australian cricket team?

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In years gone by I’d have agreed with you Lachlan, but the argument for guys to be playing Shield cricket during the Test part of the summer is harder to justify now, simply because the Tests are squeezed so close together .

In the 2017/18 Ashes for example, the First Test started on 23rd of November and the last Test finished on the 8th of January. Sure you could schedule a couple of rounds in December, but this would probably only benefit guys standing by as replacements. A player out of form would have virtually no chance of dropping out of the Test side, regaining form, then being picked again, unless something seriously bad happened.

At the least, I’d like to see a couple of 3-day games in the first few weeks of December. Perhaps the touring side allows some of it’s squad to play as well. That would certainly be a good advertising point, especially if the games were held mid week, in between Tests.

The Sheffield Shield final's success proves there is room to reshape the domestic calendar

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You’re boys will come good. There’s way too many good players already in the squad for that not to happen.

I was obviously having a (little) dig about Barrett, but seriously, I reckon Morris could be just the bloke the Doggies need. I thought he did a real good job at the Sharks, so he’d be a handy option if Barrett doesn’t work out.

Bulldogs question controversial send-off

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