- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Roar Pro
Joined December 2013
13k
Views
11
Published
404
Comments
Published
Comments
With the 2018 international season now done, and the pain of watching the Wallabies ruin rugby behind us yet again, it’s time to reflect on where the Wallabies are at and the success of the coaching staff.
Recently, Riordan Lee made the mistake of asking Roarers, who are notoriously shy with their opinions, how to fix Australian rugby.
Two hundreds were scored on the first day of the Sydney Test. From start to finish, the day was full of imperious and majestic strokeplay, intelligent restraint and bludgeoning power.
Given the debacle that has been the Wallabies over the last few weeks, I thought it was time that we had a look at what has to happen for them to progress as a sporting team and an organisation.
Having watched Brisbane Roar’s opening game of the A-League, I can’t help but think that in the midst of fanfare surrounding Besart Berisha’s departure to Melbourne, a potentially more vital cog left quietly but may be significantly harder to replace.
Let’s get one thing straight. At no time has anyone other than Kurtley Beale been shown to have done anything wrong during the fiasco surrounding the Wallabies over the last few days.
With all of the controversy surrounding the back-line selections of the Wallabies over the last few weeks, it hass been very easy to overlook the impact (or lack thereof) of the forwards.
With a 3-2 victory over Norwich, Liverpool require only seven points to seal their first league title since 1990. It’s been an agonising wait for Reds fans as our club, steeped in history, has struggled since the inception of the Premier League.
When Michael Clarke put England in to bat on the first morning of the Boxing Day Test, it was neither a mistake, nor a last minute decision.
Well said KCOL.
Brilliantly sums up my thoughts on the things, better than I could have framed them.
I will of course be cheering on the Wallabies at the RC and WC, but if Cheika does happen to be part of lifting a trophy, I have to admit that it will still leave a bad taste in my mouth.
I’m looking forward to his reign of mediocrity being over at the end of the RWC.
Has the latest Wallabies squad heralded the end of a selection era?
Ronan, I like you was completely unsold on Carey for the WC, and I had Handscomb in my team as the keeper. I’m very happy, to be proven VERY wrong.
Quick note on the bowling attack, I’m going to go out on a limb, and suggest that with JB and Starc taking the new ball, Cummins coming on first change and Lyon in over Zampa, Australia also has a right to be included in conversations about the best bowling attack.
Carey has gone to another level
Kopa, Ronan is saying that Maxwell’s form is indirectly applying pressure to Stoinis.
If Maxwell wasn’t bowling as well, keeping Stoinis in the team is a must, wheras a team that van get 10.overs out of Maxi, can afford to replace Stoinis with a more in form batsman.
Monday is D-day for Steve Smith and David Warner
Nice. I didn’t know that.
That being said – Did he come in against the spin, or did he get himself set against the new ball?
Secondly – and while I’m not dismissing the outcome – that’s a first class game, when you’ve got time to get your eye in. It’s very different in the middle overs of a world cup when you’re a few down for not many, or you’re chasing a large total and have to be effective from ball one.
Regardless of his talent, he’s simply put, completely unproven at this level, and particularly in that role.
Bancroft's tons put him in World Cup frame
Good article as always Ronan, but I still think that Handscomb should be miles ahead of Bancroft in this situation – for team balance if nothing else.
I agree that Bancroft has batted well, but even if were to come into the side, there’s no way that he’d be batting in the top 4. As we’ve seen with lots of batsmen, there’s a major difference between batting in the top 4, and 5-7, particularly in a ODI World Cup. Coming in against spin and keeping the run rate ticking along is something that Handscomb is miles better at than any of the other candidates, and in my mind, he’s still only behind Smith in that capacity.
Bringing in Bancroft for Carey would require a batting order reshuffle as well as a keeper change, and he’s definitely not worth that.
Bancroft's tons put him in World Cup frame
I think Turner’s on a run of four consecutive ducks in the IPL… Definitely had a form drop that should keep him out.
Bancroft's tons put him in World Cup frame
I have the same team, but with Smith at 3 and Warner at 4.
Australia well placed to defend World Cup with Finch, Warner and Khawaja at the top of the order
Fair point, but Folau in fact refused to sign such an agreement, and wouldn’t let it be inserted into his contract retrospectively. Given that, should he then be allowed to post what he believes?
Let’s be honest here, it’s only because Folau is Christian, and spoke negatively about gay people. He’s a tool, but as far as I’m concerned, being a tool isn’t a crime.
To follow up on your point about what you sign in a contract, I have a few questions.
Should Usman Khawaja then not be allowed to speak of his faith or face the sack?
When I employ people, can I require them to sign an agreement that specifies they won’t talk about, or practice their beliefs in a way that I don’t like?
Can I only hire people who agree with me on everything?
In my opinion, the simple answer to all of those questions is no, and therefore Folau should not be allowed to be persecuted for his beliefs, and a stupid Instagram post, where the same does not apply across every workplace in Australia.
I firmly believe in equality before the law, and as such, Folau should not be subject to rules, that no one else is.
If Rugby Australia doesn’t successfully expel Folau, World Rugby have to
I’m glad that you’re the judge and jury on this one mj..
Given that I disagree with your statement (as I feel it denigrates a Christian’s right to talk about their faith), and you’ve made it on a public platform, should you lose your job?
If not, why not? And who decides?
Again, FYI – I’m not a Christian, and I think Folau is a twit. I also wouldn’t have him in the Wallabies anyway as I think he lacks fundamental skills for a FB and is a selfish player.
If Rugby Australia doesn’t successfully expel Folau, World Rugby have to
That’s a fair point Rowan, but seeing as nearly everyone went at 7 an over last series against England, it’s unfair single out Stoinis. No one in that series really covered themselves in glory from a bowling perspective.
Australia's Cricket World Cup squad is too conservative
Spot on James..
But by the same token, Khawaja is a boundaries or bust kind of player. While not showing the same NEED for the boundary as some of our others, he’s certainly not going to hurt the opposition with ones and twos.
Don’t get me wrong, for mine he’s still opening, but it’s worthy of consideration
Australia's Cricket World Cup squad is too conservative
Spot on James…
If you do it like that, you can bowl well, and bat down to 8…
Australia's Cricket World Cup squad is too conservative
Mate, if they do that, they’ll have to suspend half of the Pacific Island nations teams, and quite a few players from around the world on the basis of their religious beliefs, at which point they’d be in breach of their own regulations to treat everyone equally.
If Rugby Australia doesn’t successfully expel Folau, World Rugby have to
Hi RO,
Simply put, Folau would be worse off by the value of his contract, plus damages.
I can’t see a win for RA in this, even if they’ve done the right thing according to the public mood, I feel like they’ll be paying millions for him to not play.
Israel Folau digs in for the fight of his professional life
Actually mate, his current employer hired him because of his profile…
Israel Folau digs in for the fight of his professional life
It’s definitely an employment contract, that’s made clear in the CBA..
Also, in Folau’s case, he’s going to be millions of dollars worse off. So pretty easy to prove disadvantage.
Israel Folau digs in for the fight of his professional life
Nope. When an employer includes an unenforceable clause in an employment contract, it can’t be used to disadvantage the employee.
Severability is a part of most contracts anyway.
Israel Folau digs in for the fight of his professional life
Except woodart, some contracts can’t be enforced because they contain illegal clauses.
I think RA will struggle on this one, and frankly Folau’s right to be a tool, is exactly the same right we’re all using to call him one.
Israel Folau digs in for the fight of his professional life
Perhaps he will Carlos, but no one will demand you lose your job for saying so.
Folau is a twerp, and vastly over rated as a plater, but my issue with all of this is that he is fundamentally being sacked for expressing a religious belief, and we as a society are so afraid of hearing views we don’t like, we gather a lynch mob in seconds.
How quickly we forget our collective responsibility to defend the rights of people to say things we don’t like.
No one forces anyone to follow Folau on Instagram, and frankly, the bloke is a twit so why would you. To paraphrase a quote often misattributed to Voltaire, “The bloke says stupid stuff, but stupidity shouldn’t be illegal.”
Israel Folau digs in for the fight of his professional life
Take a look at this article on the relevant overlapping of legislation in this area.
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/hreoca-religious-freedom#ch2.
The relevant part for mine is section 3.
In addition, in relation to the freedom from religious discrimination in employment, the ICCPR:
guarantees the enjoyment of human rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status (article 2.1)
Either way, I’m quite sure we’ll all see how this plays out.
Tah-Tah, Izzy: Rugby Australia, NSW Rugby confirm they'll sack Folau
Not necrssarily. You just have to demonstrate discrimination and you can be entitled to general damages for pain and suffering.
Tah-Tah, Izzy: Rugby Australia, NSW Rugby confirm they'll sack Folau
You’re not protected to practice if you can’t speak about your beliefs publicly really though are you?
I’m not sure on your last point either. Expression of beliefs often interferes with business.. As an example many years ago, I had a very religious staffer that wouldn’t work Sundays, and in spite of the difficulties that caused (she was a manager in a hospitality business) I wasn’t allowed to reduce her hours in any way.
Tah-Tah, Izzy: Rugby Australia, NSW Rugby confirm they'll sack Folau
Peter you’re wrong on this one. Prof Chris Clarkson’s research has conclusively dated habitation to at least 65 000 years at Madjedbebe, in Kakadu.
Uncomfortable as it might be, all sports fans should watch The Final Quarter