Rhino Richards

Then why do football departments evaluate character as part of a young footballers potential? Miller is not the most skilled. No one would argue that. But his leadership qualities and character are important elements to a senior mature bodied player that leaves little on the park at the end of the game even though sometimes the contribution may be ordinary. I guess if character is not important critieria in a player then give me Laurence Angwin, Mitch Thorp and Daniel Chick every time. And for good reason too.

I guess that's Ponting fault too. We have come off the back of the retirements of extraordinary talents like Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist, Hayden and Langer and what have we replaced them with and what is there within Australian cricket to replace them? Capable cricketers but they are not of that calibre. In fact we dont have a front line spinner at all. Our batting at No 4 has been ordinary and Hussey should not see Test matches past Christmas. But who is staking their claims for for those spots.

Dont get out of your depth now......

I doubt Neitz was physically intimidated by any footballer let alone Scarlett. Scarlett used to beat Neitz most times because he was a better one on one player than him and would run off him to counterattack. So your "physical intimidation" issue is non existent. Scarlett a hard defender's game and plays it far better than most. This is not to say that Warnock, Frawley and Rivers dont play it. They just are not in the same class as Scarlett who with Fletcher would be the best defender I have seen this decade.

True to form and completely missing the point. While I think that Miller is expendable in the LT and believe it was line ball that he got a further year I can recognise where his qualities and strengths lie. I can see character is not a big issue with you and understand your lack of perspective. I should have said very patchy.

There is no need to drop Watson at this point down the order. The openers aren't the issue. If it ain't broke dont fix it. Katich is in doubt for Perth. Hughes to replace him. Hussey might survive but Melbourne could be his swansong. Siddle in doubt. Hilfy or McKay or both. Good reason they wont play a spinner in Perth. If we did choose a spinner in the Test beyond, O'Keeffe suggested McGain who has a good record at MCG and SCG. Krejza? Any reliable form this year?

Well done Windies so far. Australia 5/139. Bravo Bravo with 3/14 off 8. S. Benn bowled super tightly. No wickets but has turned the screws. 0/30 of 23 overs. 24 more overs to go, 5 wickets to get. If the Windies win, they deserve it. If the Australians lose, they deserve too. Gayle, Bravo or Benn for man of the match. Hussey may finally be dropped after another fail. Questions have to be asked about Hauritz's effectiveness given Benn's efforts. No 4 batting spot and spinner position open. Applications can now be accepted for both spots!

Well said Redleg. I hope the Club gets it right going forward.

Maybe the players chose the 7 players who would be our best leaders now. The time for Grimes and Co will come.

Re read my post and re think your response. Who is our better option in the ruck than Jamar? I said before he needs to get on the park

Absolutely. Full marks to Gayle. Definitely made up for his soft performances in the Test so far. A great effort to carry your bat. Now we have seen three WI players stand up on this tour and go on and make tons. Does Australia have the mettle? Hussey wont want to fail now if he gets the chance. Very intriguing. Still think Adelaide Demon is a lucky bastard to be there though!!

All good defenders need to be able to play physical one on one football. Warnock, Garland and Frawley fulfill those roles. Scarlett intimidates because not only is defensively a strong accountable defender but because he counterattacks so effectively and exploits opposition forwards who have little defensive pressure. Those calling for greater phyiscality and intimidation must be scratching their collective heads why Nathan Carroll is not playing AFL football. Defence is the least of worries at present.

*Cough* Newton got a 2 yr contract in 2008 and Meesen is in the last year of a 3year contract. Jamar was very good last year in limited appearances. He needs to be on the ground to continnue the efforts. The truth of the matter is that his 7 games were better than other options that played 20 or so last year.

Funny. The players have voted Brad Miller back into the leadership group again. Maybe they know more about what he actually does contribute than you do. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/juni...f-1225807911294 Miller is a player of limited talent but wonderful application. By all accounts a terrific person with alot of character and personal integrity who is highly regarded around the Club. He deserves better than some of the treatment he receives on these forums.

Lucky Bastard! :D

Hmmm. 27 overs for 68 runs on the 4th day of a Test with the ball turning. Hauritz has not done himself any favours in this Test especially as the tall West Indian Benn took 5 wickets. Now if a good spinner was to show some good form........

We are still to play another minnow in Pakistan. Geez a guy makes 96 and puts on 170 for the opening partnership and we want to break it up. Amazing. I do recall Barath and Gayle playing worse shots to get out in this Test series. Lucky they are not genuine openers.

Has Hughes been amongst the runs recently? I dont think so. If he shows form then he gets considered for selection not before. Our problem is in the middle order. Watson and Katich put on 173 in the current Test for the opening partnership. No problem there. Hussey is like a chook scratch in the dirt. He is looking brittle even on a great batting strip like Adelaide. Its now 4/212. 20 overs to go and in the last 10 overs Windies have scored 28 and lost one wicket. Gayle would have to go ballistic to set a decent score. Still backing a draw but a score over 300 on a turning wicket might be interesting with the Windies plying two spinners (yes the Windies) from both ends.

I think the Windies should be congratulated for their pluck after a horrible perfomance in Brisbane and the soft dismissals of the top 3 batsman on Day 1. The efforts of Bravo, Nash and others to put a value on their wicket has been a positive. Their keeper has been impressive in both Tests. The issue with the Australian batsman is not that they get to the 90s and dont go on. Its the fact that they get to double figures and dont go on with it. A partial excuse for the openers who paved the way. But on a good deck with an honest but hardly lethal attack we have a few cavaliers who just wont do the hard work. I dont think the wicket will wear that much. It may play a little lower. Barring a batting collapse by either side I am calling this a draw. But the Windies deserve some congratulations for their efforts. So does Shane Watson who is doing what any batsman should do under pressure. Make runs. We are looking thin in the attack with Bollinger on debut, a sometimes wayward Mitch Johnson and a "part time" trundler in Watson. Hauritz is hardly likely to run through a line up on this wicket given his history. Its thin in the attack without Siddle and Hilfy. Clinton McKay might get a baggy green for next Test.

He did in 2006. But his performance up back has been patchy despite a couple of notable efforts.

Mr Scully to Watts is taking a little holiday.

Based on the past six years you could easily get between 8 and 9.5 wins and finish 13th. With such a young inexperienced list still in development, that would be a terrific result and should command a significant new contract.

The fact is BP chose them rather than others and he lives or dies by them. I can see no discernible reason you separate out Gysberts from the others, They are BP decisions. So is Jurrah. We punted on him in the ND. Other Clubs could have gone for Jurrah. They didn't and they live with the consequences. Unfortunately he wont judged solely on that. He need to have some of those players click. And cred loss if a rookie does not make. If BP cannot recruit players who become stars out of our Top 20 draft picks particularly those after Watts, Scully and Trengove then he is going to have a damaged scorecard indeed.

No they dont. It might pay to actually understanding another view before slagging it.

So do our picks and the same rule should apply to them.