Roar Guru
Joined April 2009
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Tasmanian born and bred, living in Canberra. One time part-time bush league off-spinner without spin, dip, drift or control.
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Expansion articles across all sports appear at a rapid rate across The Roar. Seeing this in the cricket section of the website, no doubt…
While the World Cup final was playing out to its thrilling finish and farcical result, a low-key tour of Europe was finishing up by…
Perhaps the most important tournament in the history of cricket is being held on Sunday. With the ICC's ridiculous decision – made on the…
The pink ball, as it stands, is a failure, and the experiment must be called off. It is that simple. The playing of a…
With Australia's tour of Bangladesh just around the corner, a lot of Australian fans are probably wildly ignorant of the opposition. Some, no doubt,…
The Ashes are over, bar a 'dead rubber' for the third time in two years. For the second time in those three, England have…
It was reported yesterday that Cricket Australia is considering introducing a draft into state cricket. This is said to be among a number of…
Australia's batting cannot be fixed. Selection will not fix anything, shuffling the order will not fix anything. There are three main issues with Australia's…
When Australians speak of failed captains, the name of Kim Hughes always comes up, fairly or not. If there is any truth in the…
Sometimes the numbers in cricket can be misleading. Glenn Maxwell topped the Australian bowling averages. He was, however, close to the worst bowler, except…
Australia had only two batsmen average over 40 for the series, and neither Michael Clarke nor Steven Smith played in every game. India had…
There is no doubt the tour of India was an extremely disappointing series from an Australian perspective. Going in, I think most people expected…
Selection always is a big part of sporting discussion, and this seems to be the case with cricket more so than other sports. So…
Before I begin what is a lengthy tirade, I must state that I am a traditionalist and firmly believe in the primacy of Test…
[caption id="attachment_21170" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="England\'s Andrew Strauss, 2nd left, drives a ball from Australia\'s Nathan Hauritz, obscured at right behind umpire, during the first…
The 1960 Tasmania win over the VFL at York Park may have been a more impressive result (even though, like 1990, it was the second Victoria team) given Tassie was already losing the best players to Victoria by that point and it was long before Origin came into being.
Baldock, still playing in the NWFU (Latrobe), missed through injury; and Howell, from Launceston (City-South), was playing for Victoria.
JackJumpers' NBL title was special - but where does it sit among Tasmania’s top ten sporting moments?
correction : “to give the Apple Isle their first ever trophy” ….. since 1981
'Island defended': Tasmania make history in cliffhanger win over United to claim first NBL championship
Probably not, New Years however both from a weather and venue capacity point of view could open up next contract negotiations.
Its hard to play in Perth for New Years though, the extra travel time on a short break if Melbourne goes into day five is potentially brutal.
Australian cricket 2024-25 schedule CONFIRMED: Perth usurps Gabba 'fortress' for opening Test against India
The market that relies the most on travel always gets midweek night games. It pretty much shows how CA feel about anywhere outside the main 5.
Junk games in the worst slots, every time.
Australian cricket 2024-25 schedule CONFIRMED: Perth usurps Gabba 'fortress' for opening Test against India
Mackay gets more international cricket than Hobart or Canberra.
Australian cricket 2024-25 schedule CONFIRMED: Perth usurps Gabba 'fortress' for opening Test against India
Media, and especially those with large investments in football media, are much more focussed on the short term dollar than fans are – or than the commission should be.
Hutcho isn’t just a presenter but also CEO (and I think co-owner) of the group that runs SEN. Stretching out the season is a commercial interest for him, not necessarily in the interests of football – and the way it was done certainly against the interests of a fair fixture (not that there is anything fair about the AFL fixturing to begin with, this just adds to the league being perhaps the most compromised fixture of any top level comp on the planet).
The AFL didn't need to rob the NRL's house with Opening Round - it's more than big enough already
I’m no so sure about that last sentence.
The AFL didn't need to rob the NRL's house with Opening Round - it's more than big enough already
I’m not sure Labs is quite the media golden boy that Davey was. He won’t get quite as many chances, even when he drops off. But he has been in the team for a few years, so gets a lot of chances.
Aussies confirm Marnus call with team locked in for second New Zealand Test as Cummins reveals special goal
It comes down to three games versus nine games in a round, with origin games not likely to draw an audience more than larger H&A games.
RL can reach almost all its audience with just two states, and they watch in greater numbers than even a Broncos game. Its simple, unlike a competition with 6 states (plus NT?)
Would WA v Vic draw a larger national audience than West Coast v Collingwood (when WC aren’t as bad as currently anyway)? Not by enough to cover the Essendon, Carlton and Richmond games also being missed that weekend. Andf it would be weekend, the days of midweek SoO aren’t returning even if SoO somehow does.
And while NSW and Qld would be full of AFL players without drawing on state league players (as Tas or NT would need to do) they still wouldn’t be too competitive with WA or Vic. Maybe with SA as things stand.
Unfortunately, fan demand isn’t there from younger fans, clubs are dead set against it, broadcaster demand isn’t there at all, players give lip service but experience decades back suggests many wouldn’t play regularly.
Personally, I would enjoy it, but from the point of view of all main stakeholders its not happening beyond the odd Victoria versus NoStateMeaninglessConglomerate special events.
The problem with Australian sporting codes having effective 'second tier' divisions for its major football leagues
I don’t see how a full pyramid could work in professional level Australian Football. A closed system of two tiers, if the game goes to 24 (or 22) teams, is a different story. 12 team top tier, 10/12 team second tier.
The way contracts work would need to be changed, funding models reworked to cater for the likely lower revenues in the second tier, and the draft scrapped (itself a good thing), but it would allow for even fixturing with 22 rounds and add meaning to final rounds of games in the top tier. It may also make things more competitive than a 20 team competition. In theory there should be less blowouts as 1st won’t play 18th at all in the year.
Would fans drop off in the second tier any more than they do when a team is uncompetitive now? There’s something for the mediocre sides to fight for, and the bottom sides might even pick up an extra win or two with weaker opponents more often. That gives fans something that, right now, North and West Coast fans don’t have.
The AFL will not allow a system where Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton and Richmond might not play each other multiple times though.
As for the state leagues, yes, they need serious help. Its not like there isn’t the money in the sport to do it, but the self-titled custodians of the game only care about the pro league and the chosen “pathway”. For a not-for-profit sporting organisation, they sure do focus only on the profitable side rather than sport.
The problem with Australian sporting codes having effective 'second tier' divisions for its major football leagues
Unless there was another big boost to the salary cap the AFLPA would likely be dead against more games. This may be a one off (certainly hope so), it seems to be related to the NRL’s Las Vegas jaunt given how focused it is on NSW and Qld clubs.
Is Opening Round actually a good idea by the AFL after all?
If he gets the help, he might be less of a danger in the future. So, even if you don’t care about his own sake, care about that.
As for his career, if he stays in the AFL system at all its on rookie money (still good money by normal people’s standards) next year at a club where the AFL will hush up any further allegations – Collingwood or Essendon.
'One of the most wasted talents we've seen': Former great slams troubled Roo as monster ban looms
“Is Opening Round actually a good idea by the AFL after all?”
No. Its a bad idea, and executed badly. But I’m sure broadcasters will love it and will, as usual with bad ideas, get universally labelled as enormous success by the media because for them and the commission the “football industry” is more important than the football.
Is Opening Round actually a good idea by the AFL after all?
I did like the old pre-season comp, and through the 90s it was often a pointer to which teams would rise in a couple of years time. The top sides didn’t take it all that seriously until maybe the semis and a sniff of some silverware, even if not really meaningful in the scheme of things.
But it was mishandled. It was often better to get kicked out early, because the practice games were played under season-proper rules while the pre-season comp had experimental and “pre-season only” rules.
The reverse of what was required to give an incentive to stay in it. Also, it was often the case that the big Vic clubs were guaranteed to play in Vic only if they lost. So, if you’re Collingwood, why win a pre-season game if winning might mean a trip to Perth or Cairns and a loss only ever means a trip to Carlton.
That Carlton won it and then flopped so badly in the actual season, and St Kilda’s win was clearly not impressing any player or the coach with photos obligatory rather than celebratory, just added to the way the AFL had treated the comp.
Yes, they were glorified practice matches, but there was at least something to them for fans in the later stages. Especially fans of clubs starved of real success for long periods.
There’s no real fan or financial desire to make a competition out of it again, and so be it.
The AFL pre-season used to be fun... until Carlton wrecked it
In a “like for like” I guess he’s the sub all-rounder, with two in the eleven. Not that he is an all-rounder really, and the two presumably in the eleven are batting all-rounders.
Bailey defends decision to recall veteran ahead of young guns as Aussies reveal Test squad for New Zealand tour
This is technically correct. The best kind of correct. (to change matt groening franchises)
How many modes of dismissal are there? Too many - the precious ‘spirit of cricket’ tarnished by outdated, unnecessary laws
The only thing I can think of is it was deemed he was protecting himself, not the stumps.
Part of Law 37.2 (https://www.lords.org/mcc/the-laws-of-cricket/obstructing-the-field)
“37.2 Not out Obstructing the field
A batter shall not be out Obstructing the field if the obstruction or distraction is accidental,
or the obstruction is in order to avoid injury, …”
Obstructing the field drama erupts as Sheffield Shield features latest 'spirit of cricket' incident
The Law is a ridiculous one when someone is given out Obstructing the Field (since Handled the Ball was removed a separate mode of dismissal) when actually Aiding the Field. However, the umpire cannot be blamed here, its their job to apply Laws and Playing Conditions as written.
The Law leaves no room for ambiguity in this case, only for the fielding side to withdraw the appeal.
'Get a grip': Broad fumes, cricket world erupts as Poms cop hugely controversial wicket in U19 World Cup
BCCI don’t exactly need to give a toss about anywhere or anything else. If public interest in India holds up for a hugely long season, that’s what will happen. Short term money wins over sport every time for most (all?) sporting administrators on the planet.
ODI cricket needs football-style World Cup qualification, not more boring bilateral snoozefests
“it seems to be able to enforce exclusive windows for them” …. no, BCCI allows windows for the time being. Once the 10 month IPL happens, no windows will exist inn one hemisphere or the other.
ODI cricket needs football-style World Cup qualification, not more boring bilateral snoozefests
Whether regional qualifiers or not, having only qualifying tournaments and no white ball bilateral series (in 50 and 20 over) holds some appeal. It probably wouldn’t free up the calendar though.
Test nations could get a pass through early stages to allow time for Tests, other nations have the time (not the money) for more qualifying rounds – and they certainly would be regional.
ODI cricket needs football-style World Cup qualification, not more boring bilateral snoozefests
There’s certainly a case to be made for having only one limited over format at international level along side the unlimited over format. Whether that be 50 or 20 overs to sit behind Tests would then be questionable.
ODI cricket needs football-style World Cup qualification, not more boring bilateral snoozefests
I admit, I was not aware of that.
More likely it will just give T20 scouts extra young players to focus on. The theory of blood young players no matter what seems to just weaken competitions, but maybe in WI case there is a need to do something like that with the FC comp already so heavily weakened via franchise and County (at least in County cricket the players are developing a FC game).
Test Mortem: Green’s golden status fading as batting unit becomes fragile, Windies need help to kick on from Gabba glory
“There is no obvious middle-order alternative for the selectors if 24-year-old Green’s struggles continue.”
If the Smith opening experiment continues, which seems likely for at least the New Zealand series and probably into next home summer, Green at 6 and Marsh at 4 would be the obvious option. make use of Marsh’s unexpected purple patch while it lasts; and Green seems to get sued more with the ball so coming in later gives him more chance to rest if the top order struggles.
Personally, I would have preferred selectors make Green earn his spot on performance and not potential. After a poor and shortened Ashes return, two First Class games – and only bowling in one – never seemed like enough evidence of form. However, that die has also been cast.
Test Mortem: Green’s golden status fading as batting unit becomes fragile, Windies need help to kick on from Gabba glory
Neither are my top sports, with the Super Rugby season running later than A-League does (currently, I think most people would prefer a longer season for A-Leagues) maybe some Rebels game after ALM/ALW have wrapped up might make sense for both parties. It might only be two games, but two games cheaper than hiring the MRS.
But even I can see that it is preferable for Association Football to be played on grounds with smoother surfaces than other football forms tend to leave them in – and I’m thinking shorter grass length.
Even then it may be better for the ground, at least the current (future training) ground, to be used by an NPL Victoria team in the western suburbs. Such a club could even use it part-time in the season cross-over (A-League spring-autumn, NPL autumn to spring) without risking much damage.
Western United's football-specific facility is a milestone worth celebrating