Roar Guru
Joined May 2014
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Passionate sports fan, who'll watch basically any sport on tv, but am particularly passionate about cricket and rugby league.
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There is currently a lot conjecture about the choices that await the Australian selectors for the upcoming Ashes series. There are a thousand opinions…
In the lead up to State of Origin much has been made of the defensive deficiencies of James Maloney and whether New South Wales…
I'm a lifelong rugby league fan and this week I signed my nine-year-old son up for Auskick. It's not my preference, but it's what…
State of Origin is often a close affair and despite Queensland's dominance over ten of the past 11 years, there have only been a…
So with all the speculation surrounding State of Origin selections, which players, past and present, have the highest success rates? Constructing Queensland and NSW…
In February and March the Australian Test team will be touring India for a four-match series. Regardless who we pick in the squad we…
Much has been spoken about the amount of cricket current day players play in comparison to their counterparts of decades gone by. The cry…
Every summer there is a debate about who should be in the Australian cricket team and all of us as armchair experts have our…
The Australian summer of cricket needs a major overhaul. It is simply not in tune with modern day needs of fan both attending the…
As we head into the third week of the finals, the experts have been giving us their opinion on who will win and why.…
I love Origin! As a Queenslander, I've thoroughly enjoyed our winning streak but even back in the 1990s and early 2000s when I was…
So at the end of this year at least a ninth and maybe a tenth Immortal will be named as one of the all-time…
The Sharks will not win the 2016 premiership. Don't get me wrong, ten wins in a row is impressive and they are travelling well,…
A few days ago I wrote a piece on the NSW Blues players Queensland wouldn't like to see picked. Today the focus is switched…
Let me start this by saying I don't think Queensland fear any side that NSW can put on the park. But I do believe…
If you happened to be out last night and arrived home in time to hear Gus Gould lambasting the Australian performance, you might have…
I love rugby league. It's my favourite sport (cricket comes in a close second) and it's by far the best winter code. I watch…
Much has been made of Fiji-born Semi Radradra's decision to represent Australia and Mal Meninga's decision to select him for the upcoming Anzac Test.…
In the lead up to this year's State of Origin series there will be plenty of passionate discussion about who should be picked for…
The salary cap doesn't work. The salary cap was designed to achieve two primary things, yet it fails to do both. 1. Keep the…
Yeah I don’t think there is any chance they drop him this series. He is the current NSW and Australian captain. He last year captained Australia to a World Cup victory, scored two tries and was man of the match in the final. He just doesn’t look the same this year. He’s been NSW best for years now. Even as a Qlder I’d like to seem him regain some form and not fade out of the rep scene.
Superstar poses no threat, enforcer gets only 30 minutes, playmakers struggle: Blues player ratings
A fit Josh Hazelwood is an exceptional bowler and no doubt in our best team, but if he’s not yet bowling full pace in the nets he shouldn’t even be considered for the WTC final or the start of the Ashes. This is where tour games against county teams would come in handy to see if he can bowl 20 overs a day or 40 in a match without breaking down. “Close to full pace in the nets” is nothing like playing a test match. With Neser and Boland ready to go it’s just not worth the risk.
Ashes Scout: Hazlewood hopeful, Cummins delivers blunt response to Bazball, Murphy follows Ashwin's lead
As a Qlder Teddy used to scare me every time he touched the ball, he seems to have lost that now. Latrell at fullback is a much scarier proposition. And Murray at 13, Martin to start and Cook at 9, but keep Luai at 6 we need someone to hate.
Superstar poses no threat, enforcer gets only 30 minutes, playmakers struggle: Blues player ratings
Yeah Liam Martin was fantastic. Tough, puts it all on the line. If NSW had a few more guys like him it would start to concern me as a Qlder.
Battered Maroons pull off stunning comeback on 'really poor' Blues to put Fittler's future in jeopardy
Yeah Annesley must be relieved QLD won so there won’t be much focus on the sin binning.
Battered Maroons pull off stunning comeback on 'really poor' Blues to put Fittler's future in jeopardy
The “right side of history” is a lazy argument. I’m in favour of the indigenous voice but the term “right side of history” is used to try and silence those who oppose something rather than actually engage on the issue and have a real discussion about it. The “right side of history” just riles up people who disagree even more.
Should Australian sport be raising its voice?
His batting is such a big bonus. If everyone is fit he bats at 8 and is the third quick alongside Cummins and either Boland or Hazelwood. If something happened to Green then he bats at 7 behind Carey as the fourth quick / allrounder.
I don’t think either of these scenarios will happen, the selectors are unlikely to do it at all and even less likely to admit they should have had him in the squad in the first place. I hope they surprise me but I’m not counting on it. Starc is a great player in the right conditions, not sure England is that, and Mitch Marsh should be about as close to the test team as Jack Wildermuth, Hayden Kerr or Darcy Short.
Neser, we have a problem: Why Australia need to rush Mr Fix-It into Ashes squad
357 runs @35 in the shield summer including a century and a fifty.
Ashes Scout: Injured Hazlewood sent home early, Harris, Neser chalk up county tons, Green goes big
If Neser is not in our first XI for this Ashes he never will be. He is in amazing form as a bowler, super fit, and would really strengthen our batting coming in at 8. A lineup that has Green at 6, Carey 7 and Neser 8 with two other quicks and Lyon gives us a lot of batting and bowling depth.
I would go as far to say if something happened to Green then a lineup of 6. Carey 7. Neser 8.Cummins/Starc is much stronger overall than 6. Marsh 7. Carey 8.Cummins / Starc.
Ashes Scout: Injured Hazlewood sent home early, Harris, Neser chalk up county tons, Green goes big
If that’s how we line up on the night our bench is impressive. Grant, Tino, Arrow, Cotter.
I imagine he wants Flegler and Collins to go hard for 20 minutes and then Tino and Cotter will play big minutes from there. If we’re (QLD) at least even at the 20 minute mark when our bench comes into action we could really dominate the game. Billy has picked quite a quick mobile team all across the park. Couple of big boppers but the rest are all quick in their respective positions. Line speed will be huge for us.
Queensland Origin I team: Slater reveals 'hardest call I had to make' as star trio dumped while key forward dodges ban
Nico will get a chance next year after QLD win this series.
Does form mean nothing if Blues overlook red-hot Hynes for Origin selection again?
Capewell and Fifita both play on the left so I’d think it’s more likely to be Kaufusi on the right and Fifita on the left. He’s a different player now and is willing to do that hard yards plays that you need in Origin. Capewell’s ability to play centre at a pinch helps him but I think you could get Fifita to do that too. He certainly has the speed.
Round 11 Talking Points: Rising stars put their hands up for Origin debuts ... but don't expect many
Boland is 34, Starc 33 and Hazelwood 32. Not sure at 33 age is problem for Neser unless you’re saying it’s a problem for all our bowlers except Cummins.
Ok so the opposition in his two tests wasn’t the highest calibre but he still had to take the wickets. 7 @ 16 isn’t anything to be sneezed at and his fc and shield record is exceptional. I know he’s playing for a 2nd tier county side but when he took 7/32, 4 of those wickets were against guys who’ve played test cricket for their countries so he’s not bowling to park cricketers.
Hazlewood’s Ashes chances clouded by injury risk and limited IPL build-up, opening door for Boland and Neser
Pretty sure Felise Kaufusi will be in the 17 for QLD. Only missed last year due to the death of his father. I’d be shocked if Slater didn’t pick him.
Origin I predicted teams: Hynes, Graham bang down Blues door but pack cops hit, Maroons No.1 jersey up for grabs
I knew you’d be pro Bancroft (I wouldn’t have a problem with him being in the squad), but I couldn’t work out why you were so pro-Harris when all the facts put Renshaw ahead of him at the moment. Then I remembered Harris is from WA originally… it all makes sense to me now. Let’s just send the WA shield team and/or anyone who comes from WA.
Ashes squad announced: Marsh gets surprise recall, Warner avoids axe but two openers picked as cover, Morris out
If Green got injured you have two much better options than MMarsh. Aaron Hardie (who isn’t in the squad) as a straight swap or bat Carey at 6 and Neser at 7 (no idea why Neser isn’t in the squad!)
Marsh is a quality white ball cricketer but belongs no where near this Ashes sqaud.
Selectors should be in firing line if Warner gamble costs Australia the world Test trophy and Ashes urn
Harris over Bancroft is potentially a bit rough but not sure what you have against Renshaw.
FC stats on the three since the shield season started includes test matches, Aus A games, County games:
Bancroft – 1032 runs @ 51.6 (4 hundreds, 1 fifty) 24 innings
Harris – 886 runs @ 44.3 (3 hundreds, 5 fifties) 21 innings
Renshaw – 833 runs @ 59.5 (4 hundreds, 3 fifties) 18 innings
None of them have a compelling test record (all average in the 20’s) and Renshaw is the only one with a test hundred. They are all in pretty decent form but Bancroft and Renshaw more so than Harris.
Ashes squad announced: Marsh gets surprise recall, Warner avoids axe but two openers picked as cover, Morris out
Watched the footy show this morning and I’ll give credit to Johns for not hiding from his past mistakes and talking openly about them and highlighting how much hurt his previous comments have made.
Demetriou demands life bans after Latrell abused as Robinson apologises, Abdo vows to stamp out racism in NRL
Crickets…
Demetriou demands life bans after Latrell abused as Robinson apologises, Abdo vows to stamp out racism in NRL
I’m all for lengthy bans for racial abuse in the game. It should be standard. It gets tricky when you have players guilty of racial abuse in the not that distant past working in the media now. Andrew Johns, Paul Gallen, Bryan Fletcher and I’m sure there were others I’ve forgotten. I know if it happened today they’d be gone but it wasn’t that long ago and it should never have been accepted or given the slap on the wrist they received.
Demetriou demands life bans after Latrell abused as Robinson apologises, Abdo vows to stamp out racism in NRL
Welcome back Tom! Yep Kevvie needs the boys firing this year or he’s in big trouble. 3 years in a row without finals is enough for us Broncos fans already! I don’t think scrapping into the 8 is enough either. With this squad top 6 and week 2 of the finals is a minimum. I really hope they do it and Kevvie can prove he’s more than just a great bloke (which he is in spades!).
On the chopping block: The three NRL coaches most likely to face the axe in 2023
I can accept Bancroft is in form, he’s having a good shield summer, but Renshaw isn’t out of form, average over 50 this summer in shield and made 180 runs for PM’s XI against West Indies. Not sure how he is out of form based on one poor test. They are the two form openers from the shield / fc summer.
Whiteman (who is a solid bat) is averaging 37 this summer in the shield and made 11 and 1 against South Africa in the CA XI tour game. Not terrible form but definitely not one of the form openers. Daniel Hughes, Tim Ward and Marcus Harris are all having better shield summers than Whiteman.
FLEM’S VERDICT: The key trio who must bounce back for Australia to grab series momentum from India
I can’t believe Head wasn’t picked… but then it is the Aussie selectors. He had to be in the side. They won’t drop Warner (which they probably should) so it came down to Renshaw or Handscomb for the last batting spot… flip a coin really, but neither are yet (Renshaw may get there one day) in the class or form of Head.
Renshaw (and Warner) over Head joins the pantheon of Aussie selection howlers
I think Starc has often been unfairly dealt with but I’m not sure he’s our answer in India. LBW is such a big factor in India for the quicks and as a leftie Starc is only going to get the right handers with inswing which won’t happen and I don’t think India have any left handed batters in their top 5 or 6 currently which is where his reverse swing is most dangerous. I think Cummins, Boland / Hazelwood and Green angling in and aiming for the stumps is our best bet for the quicks. Maybe Morris if we want to be more aggressive.
Raving mad to leave Starc out? Why Boland, not Hazlewood or Mitch, could be answer to pace problems in India
Thing is before Munster beat Hynes he also fended off Cleary too. As a Qlder I don’t really care who they pick but having a go at Hynes for what happened in a game 1 is a bit of a stretch. As a Broncos fan I’ll be happy for Reynolds if they pick him and happier if they don’t and he stays injury free for the Broncos.
Round 14 Talking Points: Blues need two new halves if Cleary out, Maroons can cover injured duo, ref's penalty call right