A dkhead away from disaster: Does Australia's image deserve to crumble?
Cricket seems willing and almost needs to find its villain – almost if it is desperate to prove it has matured beyond the 'gentlemen's…
Roar Guru
Joined August 2014
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Journalism Student @ UniSA and writer @ The SA Footballer and Footy Budget. Recovering Chocoholic and Dees fan
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Cricket seems willing and almost needs to find its villain – almost if it is desperate to prove it has matured beyond the 'gentlemen's…
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I am pretty sure you’ll find his name on the bench
Another mid-year All-Australian team
Ryder has been very good as has Kruezer as has Grundy and Stef Martin has been consistent. It was hard position to pick especially if you only go with one ruckman. Jacobs I thought had it marginally because the Crows have had one of the best midfields going and he is a major part of that but Ryder would be in a lot of people’s AA team and will be around the mark at the end of the year.
Another mid-year All-Australian team
I think he’s in the midst of creating one, it’s far from the finished product.
The Ange Identity needs a systematic change
He’s played there before and often plays well at international level, he distributes the ball nicely and has is willing to put his body on the line. It sounds like just the thing the Socceroos need, good call
The Ange Identity needs a systematic change
In context to what is available to the Ange in the Confederations Cup squad, it’s probably his best option before the Cameroon game.
The Ange Identity needs a systematic change
Rogic has great touch and spacial awareness and his finishing is class so maybe he could play as part of a front two and play off Juric with Juric being the hold-up player. That could release Mooy to play as a playmaker which I think he seems more suited for given his passing range and physical traits.
Massimo Luongo has been playing for QPR as a holding midfielder but against the Germans the role didn’t seem to suit him so maybe Irvine plays as a holding midfielder, he covers the ground well and runs out games comfortably.
There’s certainly a lot of room for debate when it comes to team selection.
The Ange Identity needs a systematic change
That’s a fairly spot on point. For another example, a back three highlighted Chelsea’s strengths and made them a better side. Granted, as you say, club football is far different from international football but the principle applies.
Chelsea can play 3 at that back because David Luiz is comfortable on the ball and has the talent to play potentially midfield if needed. Azpilicueta is a vastly underrated player who can read the play well and Gary Cahill is a no-nonense defender who will do anything to win the balll. They are covered by potentially the two best holding midfielders in the world with Matic and Kante.
You need to work with the cattle you have not the cattle you would like to have. Australia just has different cattle.
The Ange Identity needs a systematic change
I agree with the principle of it, I just don’t see where Australia have added finesse in the four years of Ange. Kruse and Leckie have an average end product, Australia haven’t developed a striker to match Cahill’s finishing prowess. Rogic and Mooy produce moments on their own but that doesn’t make up for the fact we still can’t finish the job.
On England I’d say their performances are inhibited by the fact they could have a better manager (wait and see on Southgate) and some of their players are over-hyped by the press
The Ange Identity needs a systematic change
It doesn’t seem to suit our players currently and it feels like a change for changes sake. I understand Australia have strength in midfield but it doesn’t mean they all have to start. A 4-3-3 worked in our favour and still allowed Rogic, Mooy and either Jackson Irvine or Mark Milligan to play together. It seemed to give Australia more structure.
The Ange Identity needs a systematic change
I’d tend to agree Mag, Spiranovic is probably Australia’s best defender playing on ball and surely that should count in his favour with this system regardless of where he is plying his trade. Wilkinson has had his lack of pace exposed at international level before. Personally, if he was to persist with the back 3 I’d look at Spiranovic, Sainsbury and have Behich move central, playing Gersbach out wide.
That’d give Australia pace to cover, would settle Behich down and are probably the 3 most comfortable ball playing defenders we have. Maybe Milligan could cover as a stop-measure.
The Ange Identity needs a systematic change
Rumor is the choice for John was between Joey Caletti and Broich but there are also claims Broich wants a year off to travel before taking up coaching. It’s hard to know what the truth is at the moment so that makes it difficult. It’s also not helped by the announcement being made before finals.
I sympathise with Aloisi here, it’s not the easiest situation to deal with.
Bigger than the Roar: Thomas Broich should not be leaving Brisbane
Couldn’t agree more Chopper, well said.
Bigger than the Roar: Thomas Broich should not be leaving Brisbane
I think Broich leaving wouldn’t be so confounding, if the likes of Tommy Oar and Brett Holman weren’t on marquee wages next season. Personally, Broich is worth more and neither of Oar or Holman have done anything this season too justify it.
Added to it is Jamie Maclaren possibly leaving despite wanting to stay on Marquee wages, I think the wrong choices have been made. Two average contributors are staying and a club legend and star striker are leaving.
Bigger than the Roar: Thomas Broich should not be leaving Brisbane
The suspensions of Lewis and Hogan would underline your point there Rev, both hits were very against a team ethos and pointless, maybe it’s cost the Demons two wins?
It’ll be interesting to see what Goodwin does going forward, it isn’t a crisis like some suggest but there is a hurdle he has to climb if they want to make finals. A good test for him and the club.
Without substance, Dees can forget finals footy
I agree 100%, there were many moments which could have changed the game especially with such a slender margin. The example wasn’t meant to attack James Harmes it was more to highlight Melbourne don’t win the crucial moments which make teams finals contenders. I thought Harmes was probably in Melbourne’s best players overall on the weekend
Without substance, Dees can forget finals footy
Really nice article mate, enjoyed the comparisons it was well-worked. Would you make any changes in the foreseeable future to the cricket team?
Make the baggy green great again: Australian cricket’s Donald Trump phase
Sydney are actually enjoyable to watch, it’ll be a great game to see Sydney and Brisbane play. I’ll put it out there but whoever wins that wins the title.
Any thoughts on Brisbane Strikers as a replacement for the Phoenix?
Top five A-League talking points: Round 6
I’d go something like this:
Dave Warner (C)
Joe Burns
Usman Kahwaja
Steve Smith
Matthew Wade/Kurtis Patterson
Glenn Maxwell
Pete Nevill
Mitch Starc
Josh Hazlewood
Chad Sayers
Nathan Lyon/ Steve O’Keefe
Five talking points from Australia vs South Africa, 2nd Test
The silver lining is we will be able to see the best of young Australian talent. Bancroft, Patterson, Handscomb, these guys may not have gotten a chance if the team performed but now we will be given the chance to watch a team, and hopefully a new era, grow together. Give Maxwell or Agar a go, throw the ball to Berendorf for the third seamer role.
I think we’re look at a period of excitement and possibility if we’re prepared to take it.
Five talking points from Australia vs South Africa, 2nd Test
I’ve staunchly defended Pete Nevill but I think after watching Matt Wade is the ODI’s and for Victoria, Wade should resume the gloves for the test team. I don’t think that the catch Nevill may take is worth more than the runs Matt Wade will make with the bat. Wade’s keeping has improved, I think it’s time
Five talking points from Australia vs South Africa, 2nd Test
I feel like you couldn’t go wrong with any of these players but my 2 cents:
1) Simon Katich- I loved Katto he seemed to deliver every time he strode to the wicket. Knew his game played within his limits and was incredibly productive.
2) Matthew Hayden- I only caught the back end of Hayden’s career but I’ll always remember the boxing day hundred he scored with Symonds. Besides Gilly at the WACA, I’ve never seen a more dominant innings.
3) Ricky Ponting- I don’t think this needs justification
4) Michael Clarke: Handy bowler, quality slip fielder. Top notch batsmen, remember that Indian series were he made double hundreds for fun and a 329* at the SCG, that was magical Bradman-like cricket.
5)Mike Hussey- Batting order collapsed? Just ring Mike Hussey, the most dependable bloke in the game. Hundreds galore with a great average, great gully fielder.
6) Steve Smith: I’ve got questions over his captaincy but he’s a top batter with a proven record.
7) Adam Gilchrist- My favorite player of all-time, the amount of times he changed the game off his own bat. Hundreds aplenty, always showed up in the big games. And THAT WACA ton, the fondest memory of my childhood.
8) Shane Warne, pretty obvious isn’t it
9) Mitchell Johnson, fast intimidating and a wonderful mo. Get around big mitch
10) Stuart Clarke, at one point I thought he was the best bowler in the world, injuries curtailed that but still a terrific exponent of line-and-length
11) Glenn McGrath: Incredible bowler and person.
12th man) Rob Quiney
Who would be in Australia's top Test cricket side in the last 25 years?
Yeah I’d say RSA may have a slight edge and after Australia’s performance with the bat, it’d be hard to have confidence in Australia chasing over 300. I’d say RSA’s batters aren’t as fragile as they showed in the first innings, Faf Du Plesis is a quality batter, Duminy is better than his record suggests and Elgar is a grafter who can back for long periods of time. Also thought Australia’s bowling in the last session bar the two wickets needs improvement if they are going to make inroads today.
You’re right though it’ll be interesting to see what happens with Dale Steyn being sent home but Rabada looks ready to lead the RSA attack. Should be a cracking day 3.
Day 2 in review: Australia v South Africa
Gecko,
The All-Australian Team is for the best players in a current season, most of the players would be unanimous. I haven’t seen Josh’s article that you’re referring too but there’s a reason why the two might be similar. These players are having undeniably good years, some players you can’t leave out for the sake of being different, otherwise it’s not an All-Australian team, it’s an ‘All-Australian team but I am an individual so I deliberately went left field’.
Jacobs is having a fairly good year and when he went one on one with Ryder, who many claim is the All-Australian ruck for this year, he won that battle and his statistics stack up.
Another mid-year All-Australian team