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I care too much about the teams I support to actually watch them play. It's easy to watch with no investment but if Carlton, Sydney Thunder or Arizona Cardinals are on it's too stressful...! Fond of sporting history - there's a lot of that already so I struggle to keep up with new history every year.
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South Africa’s all-time XI had some interesting decisions behind them. A slew of all-rounders throughout the country’s history as well as some celebrated names…
The all-time XI for Australia would capture any audience’s attention whether with bat or ball. The team will be presented in batting order, and…
Everyone has their opinions on what an all-time XI would look like, and the beauty of the exercise is that no-one is wrong. However,…
Now that we have 21 teams based on surnames, it’s time to look at a few selection changes based on feedback and additional research…
The composite team has some of the greatest big men of all time, as well as some current players still going strong. Back line…
The W team has a prolific midfield, a talented forward line and a mercurial backline. Read the previous alphabet teams here. Back line David…
The V team might not have the depth of others, but there is enough quality to trouble some of the best sides. Back line…
With a forward line as potent as the one boasted by the T team, there would be plenty of shootouts. Back line Bill Thomas…
The S team is surprisingly light for scoring options, but with a midfield as good as this, there will be plenty of opportunity. Back…
The R team could have been a true family affair, with the likes of Rocca, Riewoldt, Rankin and Richards all having claims to multiple…
The P team is one that has a fine balance of class, flash and toughness, with several milestone holders among their number. Back line…
The ‘O’ team doesn’t have much out-and-out star power, but can boast plenty of consistency across the board. Back line Max Oppy (Richmond 1942-54)…
The N team is short on depth, but high on quality, with one team's era heavily featured. Back line Ian Nankervis (Geelong 1967-83) 325…
The M team has well over 1000 players eligible to be selected in the squad, so to have reached this 25 is no mean…
We move now to the L team, with firepower enough up front to outscore almost anyone. Back line Wes Lofts (Carlton 1960-70) 167 games,…
Up next is the K team, with three generations of one family all finding a spot in the squad. Back line John Kennedy Sr…
We move to the J team, and one of the most dynamic forward lines of any squad thus far. Back line Horrie Jenkin (Fitzroy…
Time now for the H team, which combines class and toughness on every line. Back line Ross Henshaw (North Melbourne 1971-83) 167 games, 11…
We move now to the G team, which has a much more modern influence than we have seen so far. Back line Les Gardiner…
We move on to the F team, with such a bevy of fantastic key position players that fitting them all in was a challenge…
Steve Waugh won Man of the Series against South Africa in 1993/94 playing a grand total of one (1) Test, scoring 164 and taking 4 wickets. Meanwhile Mark Taylor scored 304 runs @ 60.80, Shane Warne took 18 wickets @ 17.05, Fanie de Villiers dragged a win out of the Sydney Test, and Craig McDermott nearly won said Sydney Test with the bat and took 14 wickets @ 17.57.
Warner winning MOTS is pretty absurd for sure, but not without precedent.
David Warner's Player of the Series nod was the most undeserved ever
Sacking Ratten now makes no sense whatsoever. No new coach bounce, the trades were done with the belief that he’d be at the helm for 2023, the reasoning is flimsy at best and total bs at worst.
You get relevant by winning games, not be sacking coaches.
St Kilda sack Ratten three months after re-signing: 'We can't let those regrets get in way of making right decision'
The difference there is that Carlton didn’t just win a Grand Final by 80+ points so we had the opportunity to give some of those GWS players a chance at extended game time. Generally it was worth the risk for Carlton to see if some of them could sink or swim – at best we got some doggy paddles and Plowman who a lot of Carlton fans still think needs floaties.
In 2015 we traded in Lamb/Phillips/Plowman/Sumner + the Harry McKay pick for a comparative song. Sumner bust, Lamb/Phillips decent journeymen, Plow is serviceable and McKay speaks for himself.
2016 was Marchbank/Pickett/Palmer for late picks and part of the Touhy trade. Injuries have cruelled Marchbank, Pickett realised that AFL footy wasn’t for him and Palmer was a salary dump (for pick 135! Not getting pick 7 as well!).
Honestly that’s about the best we could have hoped for considering the low base we were coming from.
AFL Trade Period power rankings: The team that cleaned up... and the one that just got nuked, AGAIN
The Hird thing is schadenfreude central but I reckon it could be even funnier if they ended up getting Brad Scott.
Surely that report on the contract terms for Lobb is backwards. 3 years for $5mil? Even the Tom Boyd deal wasn’t that much a year and that was based on a lot more potential.
AFL News: Hird not a 'saviour' says Bombers great, Freo unmoved by Lobb's trade request, Carey axed by Triple M
I’ve got a soft spot for Ramps despite his stats – was in Wales coming up to the Oval test of 2009 and there was a bit of chatter in the press about recalling him for one last fling but they went for Jonathan Trott instead. A wise decision, as it turned out.
How did this mediocre international XI play so many Tests?
The first name that came to mind for me didn’t even end up as an honourable mention – the mighty Keith Arthurton (33 test, batting 30.71, bowling 183.00! Greg Blewett has a place in history as his only victim… and I guess could be part of the mediocre Aussie squad looking at his stats too). His 1996 World Cup was a masterpiece of futility – 5 innings, 2 runs.
Nuwan Pradeep of a more recent vintage was worth a shout too – I remember watching his average go up and up while following the live commentary on SL tests during his early matches. 28 tests, 70 wickets @ 42.90 is reasonably respectable after 1/348 in his first 6 innings.
How did this mediocre international XI play so many Tests?
Jack Worrall is of course better known for his Australian Football exploits in coaching Carlton to three flags and Essendon to two.
Big fan of Slasher Mackay, his autobiography is a really nice read – especially his account of the last over of Adelaide 1960/61.
I liked Tim Wall too, basically carried the pace attack for those few years in the early 30s. I saw some film of him a few years back and he had a lovely flowing action.
Mo Matthews as the all rounder with a bowling average of 48 could have been in with a shout… if he hadn’t averaged 41 with the bat.
How did this mediocre Australian XI play so many Tests?
Not a bad XI in the end, competition for the #11 spot was surprisingly fierce.
#1
Phil Jaques
11 matches, 902 runs @ 47.47
Was always a big wrap for him, pity about the injuries.
#2
Cameron Bancroft
10 matches, 446 runs @ 26.23
The door isn’t fully closed but gee it’s close.
#3
Barry Shephard
9 matches, 502 runs @ 41.83
More often played in the lower order but scored 43* in his only innings at #3 and that’s good enough for me.
#4
Archie Jackson
8 matches, 474 runs @ 47.40
Mainly an opener but he batted a few times at #4 – undeniable talent taken too soon.
#5
Glenn Maxwell
7 matches, 339 runs @ 26.07
8 wickets @ 42.62
Absolute mystery why Maxi hasn’t been given more matches really.
#6
Greg Dyer
6 matches, 131 runs @ 21.83
22 catches, 2 stumpings
Thanks, Heals.
#7
Martin Love
5 matches, 233 runs @ 46.60
Yeah it’s a low batting position for Love (or what could have been George Bailey) but the keeping options just weren’t there.
#8
Andrew McDonald
4 matches, 107 runs @ 21.40
9 wickets @ 33.33
Pat Crawford and Gordon Rorke had better records with the ball but both were genuine #11s.
#9
Scott Boland
3 matches, 18 wickets @ 9.55
HM: John Gannon, John Maguire, Morris Sievers
I mean, until he plays match 4 it’s gotta be, right?
#10
Laurie Nash
2 matches, 10 wickets @ 12.60
HM: Tom Kendall, Alec Hurwood, Simon Cook
I strongly remember Simon Cook using a crack in the Hobart pitch to bowl NZ out but Laurie Nash is just a legend.
#11
Mick Malone
1 match, 6 wickets @ 12.83
HM: Frank Allan, Len Johnson, James Faulkner, Ian Callen
Allan / Johnson / Faulkner are more all rounders than genuine #11s so they missed out.
An Australian cricket team by the numbers – with a twist!
Really fun article this one. Maddocks was the 19th of Laker’s 19/90 in 1956 as well.
Besides a World XI it would be interesting to do a reverse number XI – Number 1 played 11 tests, number 2 played 10 and so on. Laurie Nash would be a good shout for batting 10 in that one for instance (2 tests, 10 wickets at 12.6).
An Australian cricket team by the numbers – with a twist!
Ricky Mott was a better get than Malthouse!
Your club's best trade of the 21st century: Part 1 - Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton and Collingwood
Oh come on, there’s Cameron Cloke, Cameron Wood, presumably other non-Cameron players… yeah I see your point.
Your club's best trade of the 21st century: Part 1 - Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton and Collingwood
No kidding that match was worse than anything that has happened onfield in the 22 years hence. Really had mixed feelings when Green was assistant coach for a few years tbh 😛
The Roar's AFL expert tips and predictions: Round 2
I have some vague recollections of rumours going around that those two losses just happened to help pay for the players’ offseason trips… But geez a 25-0 season would have been nice.
As much as I love what happened in 1999, it was a combination of the archaic ”One final MUST be played at the MCG” rule and Kouta going nuclear that got us to the GF and then Kouta in 2000 was just otherworldly.
1999 was Essendon’s for the picking, 2001 was Essendon bleeding metaphorically, 2002 was them bleeding literally with massive injuries to Hird and Lloyd, before the salary cap firesale at the end of that year.
The Roar's AFL expert tips and predictions: Round 2
This article is Peter Petherick erasure and I won’t stand for it. The first victim in his hattrick was a bloke by the name of J. Miandad.
Never mind Maurice Allom with a hattrick and 4 in 5 on debut against NZ…
Fun article regardless, Tub declaring on 334 is one of those seminal moments for 90s Aussie cricket.
Match-fixing, gunfire, infighting, triple-centuries and hat-tricks: Touring Pakistan is never dull
“He lost the dressing room — which I don’t know is right. I think you just want the best candidate for the job.”
Whether it’s right or not, if he’s lost the dressing room he’s hardly the best candidate for the job is he?
'Hypocritical' and a 'disgrace': Langer's mates can't let it go as they maintain Cummins rage
I didn’t see Big Nick in either article here, surely the greatest Blue of all deserved a mention.
AFL top 100 nicknames: Carlton 20 to 1
In fairness we didn’t really expect Liam Jones to retire like he did, would have greatly preferred he hang around for a few more years.
Before the Saad and Cerra trades there were two picks in the first round in both 18 (Walsh and Stocker, both wins) and 17 (Dow and O’Brien… um…fingers crossed for 2022).
With 3 picks in a row I don’t know if the order is that relevant as to which transaction resulted in which player. I guess there could have been a live trade if someone gave a godfather offer but that’s about all.
Trade and draft review: Dockers load up
Gee Alastair Lord will have a job getting up to speed 60 years after his Brownlow… 🙂
Essendon are a sine wave of a club. Have they improved more than those just under them? Did they overachieve in 2021? Hard to say.
Trade and draft review: Bombers are an enigma
Clearly? He was there for 11 years, you don’t hang around that long if there is beef happening.
When Bolton was announced I was excited – someone diametrically opposed to the authoritarian Malthouse and from the Clarkson coaching tree? I’m in. Hindsight shows it wasn’t a great hire but I thought it was the right one for the time.
Far be it for me to talk about Brad Scott but none of the recently-departed coaches piqued my interest. Scott, Lyon… meh. Voss has the benefit of many more years in the game than he had when coaching his old teammates so that’s a different kettle of fish.
Who is the best young AFL player at your club?
Let’s face it, the AFL probably also wanted to stick it to John Elliott one more time even if the club had turfed him out after the season 😛
Who is the best young AFL player at your club?
Even ignoring everything else that you and Macca are having a back and forth over, to suggest John Barker was screwed over because he didn’t get the head coach role after leading the club to a wooden spoon post-Malthouse sacking is laughable. Caretaker coaches don’t have some divine right to the top job, otherwise we’d be seeing David Hale instead of Justin Longmuir, say.
2019 was an anomaly because each of Bolton/Scott/Richardson had been at their respective clubs for long enough and gotten nowhere so Teague/Shaw/Ratten were all fresh faces. And clearly it didn’t work out for two of those three anyway.
“Massive egos saw Mick screwed over” – That would mainly be Mick’s massive ego that led the club to a 1-8 record and percentage of 63.2, come on now.
Who is the best young AFL player at your club?
I recall Bradman describing the Fleetwood-Smith ball that bowled Hammond as a ‘glorious sinewy delivery’. I daresay that’s one ball I would have loved to watch should footage exist.
I knew of Ryder’s 201, didn’t realise how crucial it was.
I love these historical look back articles, always a fun read.
Australia's all-time Adelaide Ashes XI
Great, now let’s hear from the 700 or so other players who have been vaccinated and presumably would like as many people as possible to be protected.
Same as the 40 cops (out of 20000) who quit in protest against mandates getting airtime and not the 19960 who agreed with it.
‘Ethically wrong’: AFL star not keen on mandatory jabs
I remember reading that he changed his voicemail message during the series to something like “Leave a message as I’m out – probably LBW Alderman” *beep*
A joyful XI of players who made me fall in love with cricket
He’s got form for this.
“Look! It’s the Australian Fast Bowler!”
David Warner's Player of the Series nod was the most undeserved ever