The BBL's rules are okay
Rule changes are all the rage in sport these days, which I think is all to the good. If a sport does not grow…
Join The Roar
Become a member to join in Australia's biggest sporting debate, submit articles, receive updates straight to your inbox and keep up with your favourite teams and authors.
Oops! You must provide an email address to create a Roar account
When using Facebook to create or log in to an account, you need to grant The Roar permission to see your email address
By joining The Roar you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions
Login and get Roaring
Oops! You must provide an email address to create a Roar account
When using Facebook to create or log in to an account, you need to grant The Roar permission to see your email address
Expert
Joined August 2011
777k
Views
321
Published
472
Comments
Ben Pobjie is a writer and comedian whose promising rugby career was tragically cut short the day he stopped playing rugby and had a pizza instead. The most he has ever cried was the day Balmain lost the 1989 grand final. Today he enjoys the frolics of Wallabies, Swans, baggy greens, and Storm.
Published
Comments
Rule changes are all the rage in sport these days, which I think is all to the good. If a sport does not grow…
Ah, so the Wallabies won! Wonderful. And against the All Blacks! Excellent. Displaying grit and passion and stirring spirit. Marvellous. We cannot help but…
The Roar welcomes guest columnist Phil Gould to bring his unique take on the grand final. How does a team rise to the occasion,…
The 1968 Olympics in Mexico City were quite an event, even by Olympic standards. These were the Games that saw the Olympic debut of…
Nothing frustrates me more than ignorance, especially when it comes to sporting matters. So it pains me when I see commentators, pundits and fans…
Sport in 2020 has been, not to put too fine a point on it, weird. Cancelled comps, postponed comps, comps run in eerily empty…
Well, we had the long of it, now for the short of it. After this team's been named we can truly answer the question…
'Tis the season, it seems, for naming all-time greatest themed cricket teams, which makes it a perfect time to finally settle the question of…
I got a familiar sensation when I was reading the article by esteemed colleague Gazbo titled "The Broncos' decline is no laughing matter". That…
Ah, the Mankad. Has any single sporting action ever caused so much furious debate? Certainly there has never been any issue that so divided…
After Stacey Livingstone declared that if you stop Tayla Harris in the air, she's "useless", the AFL media set to work immediately on answering…
I have always been a big fan of George Bailey, and always thought he could add a lot to the field of selection. From…
God knows I was willing to give Tim Paine a chance. When he was made captain I had my doubts, but as a proud…
I knew a girl in high school who was a serious Christian, from a serious Christian family. So seriously Christian were they that at…
I don't know who the new Wallabies coach will be, and I don't know who it should be. Maybe it will be this guy…
We have to talk about referees. By which I don't mean that I want to talk about referees, or that we haven't already talked…
There's no use pussyfooting around: rugby league has become soft. In stark contrast to the good old days, when every weekend you could depend…
The celebrations had barely even begun at Old Trafford when a sobering note was struck. Across the media, and especially on social media, wise…
As I watched Steve Smith hit his third century of the current Ashes series, I was struck by the similarities between this brilliant modern…
Yes yes, very good innings. Yes yes, revived the Ashes. Yes, one of the greatest Tests of all time, what Test cricket is all…
Ian Chappell’s average is irrelevant as he wasn’t claiming to be a legend himself: only that Langer wasn’t.
There’s no set definition of “legend” of course, so the argument is fairly moot. Langer was an important part of a great team, but certainly not as great a player as McGrath, Warne, Gilchrist or Waugh.
He was not as good a batter as Matt Hayden, though both Hayden and Langer benefited from their peak years being in an era with little great new-ball bowling: the partnership plundered many mediocre pacemen. This is why I rank Mark Taylor as a better bat than Langer and at least equal to Hayden: his whole career was spent in the age of great pace bowlers; he had to face Ambrose, Walsh, Donald, Wasim and Waqar in their prime. Langer and Hayden were both unable to nail down a place in the team in those years. David Boon’s average is well below Langer’s too, but I rate Boon as better than JL.
I should conclude by saying I don’t want to denigrate Langer, who was a very very good cricketer. But Chappell has a point: in that great early-2000s team, he was not in the highest bracket.
'Not in their category': Ian Chappell takes brutal swipe at 'legend' Langer comments
I wonder if Michael Vaughan has ever, even for one second, considered whether his advice is wanted?
'Don't do it at a pub': Vaughan lifts lid on Cummins' secret summit in days before Langer's downfall
Don’t know who you are, Prince Symbol, but I like the cut of your jib.
The toxic, cancerous culture of Australian cricket
It was very humble of him to apologise for being too wonderful a person.
'Going out on a high': 'Grateful' Langer reveals resignation letter, explains why he walked away
I accept your apology.
Put down the pitchforks and everyone calm down about Justin Langer
Well I was disappointed
Put down the pitchforks and everyone calm down about Justin Langer
Very possibly – but his playing experience still isn’t relevant to that.
‘Disgraceful he’s had to put up with this bulls--t’: Ex-skipper and Healy rip into CA over Langer saga
Kim was a test captain before there was such a thing as a national coach. So his experience is irrelevant.
‘Disgraceful he’s had to put up with this bulls--t’: Ex-skipper and Healy rip into CA over Langer saga
And the coach definitely should NOT be a selector.
‘Disgraceful he’s had to put up with this bulls--t’: Ex-skipper and Healy rip into CA over Langer saga
Cummins and Finch aren’t underlings. In cricket the captain outranks the coach.
‘Disgraceful he’s had to put up with this bulls--t’: Ex-skipper and Healy rip into CA over Langer saga
Kim Hughes may not think the views of the captain are important, but they matter a hell of a lot more than what Langer’s besties reckon.
‘Disgraceful he’s had to put up with this bulls--t’: Ex-skipper and Healy rip into CA over Langer saga
No Diablo. I’m not saying anything. I’m asking a question: why do you reckon there are different competitions for men and women in football? You most certainly have not answered it. And it’s a pretty simple question. Currently in football there are separate competitions for men and women. I would like to know why, in your opinion, that separation exists. That’s all.
Muslim AFLW player stands down from GWS game after refusing to wear pride jersey on religious grounds
I have no idea why anyone would think this was not in the spirit of the game. People just like feeling angry.
'Absolute dog move' or 'very smart'? Cricket world reacts to Sixers' controversial final-over ploy
Diablo, it is perfectly fine for you to say you don’t want to answer the question. Why do you reckon there are different competitions for men and women in football?
Muslim AFLW player stands down from GWS game after refusing to wear pride jersey on religious grounds
Why do you reckon there are different competitions for men and women in football?
Muslim AFLW player stands down from GWS game after refusing to wear pride jersey on religious grounds
Why do you reckon there are different competitions for men and women in football?
Muslim AFLW player stands down from GWS game after refusing to wear pride jersey on religious grounds
Obviously
UK View: 'He must resign' - Root wants to carry on but knives are out after 'ghastly', 'pathetic' surrender
Bless you PaineWarne
UK View: 'He must resign' - Root wants to carry on but knives are out after 'ghastly', 'pathetic' surrender
“The Hundred has been a success” isn’t much of a retort. Root wasn’t complaining that the Hundred had failed.
'Laughable': Root's blame game starts civil war with Morgan, 'perfect' Ponting wanted as England coach
Being England captain is a tough gig, but you get the rewards in the end: in ten years Joe Root will be getting well paid to write articles about why the current England captain must be sacked.
UK View: 'He must resign' - Root wants to carry on but knives are out after 'ghastly', 'pathetic' surrender
So nothing will have changed.
BRETT GEEVES: Warne doco needed more Waugh, less puff piece to match MJ's Last Dance classic
He does need to do work on his technique, but sending him to the Big Bash is unlikely to be the way to get that work into him.
Future star or not, this is why Cameron Green should be dropped for Hobart Test
See, again, you seem to be describing games Australia lost as good ones. I’m confused.
Remembering the greatest Boxing Day Ashes Test, back when England actually showed character and fight
Bit of an inconsistency here. The author claims to be describing “the greatest Boxing Day Ashes Test ever”, but the game he then describes is one Australia lost. Whoops!
Remembering the greatest Boxing Day Ashes Test, back when England actually showed character and fight
But as Barry said, if Mitchell was responding to “niggle”, then his act was deliberate and he should’ve copped more weeks.
Million Dollar Man: Latrell Mitchell needs a cooler head - and to stop attacking other players'