Hard to get a read on the implications of this game. I tend to like the origin period, opportunity for teams like Parra to restart their season, opportunity for a team like south’s to show their dominance because their depth’s so good they can keep on trucking even when they lose their top players.

What we saw yesterday made me doubt South’s for the first time this year, just a little. Say all you want about injuries and origin there are few teams at this time of year who can lay claim to fielding their absolute strongest side. Furthermore, South’s “B” team included a former origin halfback, 3 English forwards, two premiership winning backrowers (albeit one at centre), a junior at lock who’s played junior Kangaroos and for Tonga and a couple of extremely promising juniors. Not exactly an inept side crippled by origin

Only the start of this period but it’s a critical one for premiership favourites to navigate

This is confusing, Maxwell know’s his role and that’s an advantage over the others.

The others named are Finch, a long term white ball captain who opens so that’s a pretty clear role. It would also be beggars belief that with all his experience he wouldn’t know how much was needed or how fast. Stoinis has been introduced for a bit now and as the 6th guy would be pretty clear that his job would almost be identical to Maxwell’s and Dhoni is the same as finch but coming down lower in the order.

Overs to face is anywhere between 1 and 50 for these guys

And again, you only list scores, not whether he was out or not or how many balls faced or when he came in but you use these scores as a way of arguing he’s not good enough. May be true but what you’ve done is naive or negligent at best and outright dishonesty at worst. Example, the third last score of 11 seems bad but when it’s actually 11(5)* that gives a bunch more context

Nice use of All caps there, I’m definitely going to be more careful now. Why are there no * denoting not out scores?

So what I’m supposed to draw from this article is that Maxwell has had a large role in costing us ODI series over the last two years? I can understand trying to pin the blame on one person for a single game or series but putting it across two years with some of his other teammates, coaching and administration staff to consider is a ridiculously long bow to draw.

Your statement highlights the flaws of the team.

Of course it’s simply not good enough for our Number 7 to get out in the 35th over. Why on Earth is our Number 7 in there at that time? How does that statement not prompt you to ask much harder questions about this team? Why is it down to this one guy to, as you listed in no particular order: close the game, make runs, raise the rate but also protect the tail, shape an innings and so on and so forth?

Was this the easier option? List a bunch of stats trying to make him look bad? List his scores and exclude that little * for not outs? (genuinely appalling by the way, shame) ignore some truly abhorrent performances from those above him? Refuse to accept that at 7th man, he is the tail?

We lost this series because of a multitude of factors, not, as you imply, the average performance of a bloke coming in at 7th

I really think there needs to be more focus on those Australia A and CA XI’s again, I’ve barely heard about it in ages but it’d be nice to have a second tier test side touring to give people increased exposure to test like conditions and develop younger players showing potential

But heavens forbid that interferes with a T20 game

I really think he’s only there for exposure. Gets called into the squad for some training, some guidance from our alleged best and to have a good hit out in CA XI. I think at this point he needs some more time in FC but nothing wrong with giving a young player some exposure to the top level as encouragement for their good start.

As for some of the other points about Marnus vs Handscomb. As I said yesterday had a single innings to prove himself at first drop against a new ball and scored 38, our second highest score if I recall correctly. there was also clear evidence of India carrying out a plan to get him out. On Handscomb’s end the only plan is: bowl fast +\- the new ball = wicket and I think he was clearly thrown under by CA.

However, Handscomb showed changes to his technique and I’d argue if he can fully correct it in the shield he’ll have a mountain of runs that the selectors won’t be able to ignore

Exactly,

There’s a lot to dislike about the Australian Cricket team. The culture, the ‘bubble’ and the despicable arrogance that can be displayed by CA and it’s selectors. But to make a comment that this squad is why you’re ditching them is odd.

As much as we want to, the rusted on failures of our team weren’t going to magically resolve themselves in the year between sandpaper-gate and Smith and Warner returning. These things take time and while I have issues, it feels to be slowly moving in the right direction.

There will never be a test squad free of controversy or misgivings, or machinations and politics. However, once those players step out on to the pitch you hope they justify their place. There hasn’t been a lot of joy in watching M. Marsh fail in 20+ tests when you can tell he desperately hopes to prove himself.

Nah, the squad gets announced and you proudly state your support for the other team because you don’t like who got selected. You cry foul at the fundamental flaws but don’t highlight what, in particular, in the players in this squad gets you

Nothing wrong with going for another team but for goodness sake don’t use the incredibly flimsy justification of this list of names not pleasing you

Why not use Sri Lanka’s excellent day night test record? Or that they have a nice underdog vibe about them right now and may step up against us due to our weakened state in pursuit of a series win in Australia?

Oh, the football reference was because your comment sounds almost exactly like the dozens of comments posted up by the Blues when they announce their match day squads. Very much along the line of “player x is garbage, I’m supporting Arsenal!”

Which part of the squad is the issue? The mix of backing both form and youthful potential? The selection of Pucovski? The total absence of a Marsh?

You’re an incredibly weak willed ‘supporter’ if you decide to support any other team because you don’t like the squad.

The issue lies with the selectors, not the players. As much as I hated Mitch Marsh and Handscomb being in the India series squad I still hoped that he would do well when they played. Not their fault the selectors threw them into the cauldron

Grow up or go back to football

Given his recent mental health and concussion concerns I really, really hope that his selection is more about giving him some experience in the test team set-up as a reward for some solid potential and good showings

Hopefully More: come have a look at what you’ll be involved in if you keep doing what you’re doing

And less: you’re 1st drop, better score at least 50 or you can kiss your hopes of coming back goodbye

Going with the other justifications for Renshaw I would say potential.

At 24 and called up for a must win test and under pressure he faced both pace and spin and put a good price on his wicket.

Meanwhile Handscomb’s technique has been found out and dealt with very easily by two different pace attacks. He held his own against india’s Spin then went down once they reintroduced pace bowling at him. I understand that he had some changes in that last innings but test level is not the place to rebuild your technique. I’d like to see him pull it off but right now he’d be very vulnerable in the day night test and absolute cannon fodder in England.

So, give Labuschagne a go and let him get test experience against a weaker side. If he does well then good, if he doesn’t then it’s more time in the shield

Easy there, no point in donning that hood and sharpening the axe just yet. Sounds like they’ve done something wrong but the investigation will answer that and the punishment should fit what wxactly the alleged communication was about

But we have nothing but rumours, allegations and hearsay so no point sitting there assuming the worst, but I’m worried there might be some hard times ahead for the club with all these probes

Francis Molo, plays for my Cowboys now

It throws up some interesting points to think about

As a Queenslander I love Billy but he could commit a war crime on the field and he might have gotten Grade 1 contrary conduct at worst. If he doesn’t play that’s fine with me.

However, given your point EJ of other clubs using Billy to get a downgrade. Will billy show footage of himself doing the same thing and not getting charged to get a downgrade?

True, but also, nearly doesn’t book your team in for a preliminary final. Their comeback was fantastic but that first half and last few minutes was awful and when the scores were locked up. Cronulla looked vastly more assured and prepared for this scenario while Penrith was sitting around waiting for some good ad-lib footy to happen

I’ve looked into it and sources from a pretty vivid dream I had last night confirm that Greenberg wants that final.

Multix alfoil’s on special at Coles too today

http://www.conspiracytheories.com

It exists alright, terrible website. Trawled through it for hours and couldn’t find a single mention of the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Cowboy’s finals campaigns anywhere.

I take issue with the phrase “another embarrassing finals loss” I think that was really the first one, over the last few years

2015: Grand-Finalists – golden point loss to Cowboys
2016: Semi final – extra time loss away to the Cowboys
2017: Preliminary final loss to a rampaging melbourne

The last one was hard to watch but by no means have the broncos been embarrassing

I’m feeling like I was robbed of the 50 I’ve put on the sharks to win the comp. I am now eagerly awaiting Flanno to present his new list of officiating grievances and JVGO to have every joke sail right past him ????

Great game though.

Nah, didn’t really end up doing a whole lot, wise of the Eels to move him on

Same with that Maloney kid too

Morning Mike, genuinely a rare experience to meet someone who might just actually attend the roosters games. You talk about forwards so I guess here’s some tough questions

Without any significant changes to your forward pack, what’s the difference this year as opposed to last year when your “forwards” just disappeared against the cowboys? Will the man of few metres but many words JWH turn in a stellar sub 50m after calling out the opposition again?

And speaking of, Roosters v Parramatta, cute win but how can you put on 44 and concede 10 against a team that had the spoon and at one point, 11 players on the field when just last week, my Cowboys put on the same score, conceded less and the eels only had one in the bin. I know it’s comparing apples to oranges but why on Earth should the rooster’s forwards be praised? One of them’s really good at getting binned and suspended for 3 weeks?

It’s genuinely a joy when you start reading an article assuming it’s satire only to discover that the author is deadly serious. Well done, this made my morning.

Believe it was done to give Clifford finals experience in a he Qcup as the dominant half; think he’ll definitely be in the run on side with morgo and I’ve just learned probably Barba at full back

Heart rate increases physiologically to increase cardaic output – either in direct response to a raised demand or a perceived one (the fight-flight response)

Playing the game, the build-up and all the activity will be more that sufficient to induce tachycardia in any player. Importantly, their heart rate will vary from moment to moment

A chemically induced tachycardia does not mean it’s benfecial. There’s a reason why we’re not permanently clocked to 100+ bpm because it’s a considerable strain on the heart. Increased heart rate means increased O2 demand from the cardiac tissue placing it under strain

The argument that there’s better oxygenation is also not necessarily true as a raised heart rate means increased velocity of the blood, reducing the time it spends in pulmonary circulation reducing the amount of gas exchange with the alveoli

So a constant tachycardia from drugs isn’t going to help

Poor comment, ecstasy isn’t that great at physical enhancemnt considering most of its effects centre on psychoactive effects like reducing anxiety –

In fact, it’s an intensely poor assumption to think that illegal drugs are actually great at all for perfomance enhancement