titan_uranus

He has one of modern football's most important traits - good running skills. He runs all day, he runs to the right spots, and he has pace. He can kick at full burst, too, also important. Really happy with his development this year.

How about some of the stats coming out of the Test: Third biggest comeback this century (117 being the third lowest first innings score from a team who's gone on to win) SL's second win over Australia ever Worst performance by an Australian opener since Mark Taylor's pair in 1994 (Warner scoring 0 and 1) Seven out of eight opening innings in the match were single digits (never has there been 8 out of 8 opening innings fail to make it to 10) Nevill's was the third slowest innings ever, the partnership being the slowest partnership ever End result is all too similar - lack of talent against quality spin. Also, Mitch Marsh is not the long-term option for us at 6, the top 5 isn't good enough for him to be batting at 6.

Weather aside, I think this is over now.

If we win it will only be because of Smith holding it together. Just saved on review as I type. The tail can bat but not against spin in Sri Lanka/India/UAE.

I can't imagine it would have been that often that we'd lose after losing the toss but bowling the opponent out for 117 in the first innings, but I think we're on track for a loss in this one. Left-arm wrist spin is the toughest spin to play and their new chinaman bowler is good at it. We only need 185 more but most of that is going to have to come from Smith and Voges.

Knocked these two out. This week we get the chance to win in Sydney for the first time since 2006, which sounds like a long time, but in fact is only a 2-game losing streak given we've only been away to Sydney twice since then (2007 and 2012, when we lost by 100 but Howe took mark of the year).

A chance to break two streaks on QBD this week: Win on Queen's Birthday - 8 game losing streak (last won on QBD in 2007). Beat the same team twice in the same season - haven't done this since 2012, haven't done it to a non-first-year-expansion-side since 2010 (Richmond).

Another one - the last time we had two more wins than losses at the end of a round - Round 22, 2006. We've had four chances to do this this year (we were 1-0, 3-2, 4-3 and 5-4 and lost our next game each time). We beat GWS twice in 2012 and GC twice in 2011, though if you don't count those then yes, Richmond in 2010 is the last time.

A couple more streaks to add to the list: Beat Port Adelaide - last win Round 17, 2011 (7 game losing streak) Win in the NT - last win Round 17, 2011 (7 game losing streak).

It's a tactic that is catching on throughout the league. McLean last week has perfected it. Tacklers need to learn and aim lower because umpires are going to keep paying frees for it. They see tackles that are making contact with the head and that is a trigger for them. I don't particularly rate anyone who does it as habitually as Mathieson did today, but he's doing the right team thing to keep drawing the frees for his team.

We've scored 100 points in four of our last five games. First time since Rounds 10-13, 2006.

In 2011, same period where we had the most recent consecutive wins before this year (beat Freo Round 13, Richmond Round 14, lost to the Dogs Round 15, then beat Port round 17 after a bye).

Well...nope. We did have a player kick 7 goals though, no idea when the last time was that happened. So does that count?

Gawn's played 45 games. He's going to be up-and-down whilst he's still learning his craft at AFL level. Tyson 56, Pedersen 57, even McDonald's only played 88. This is still relative inexperience. Today's players with over 100 games experience - Dunn, Garlett, Jones, Lumumba, Vince, Watts. How many of them played well (or at least acceptably well)? Jones? Watts? Is that it? That's the real problem.

I've never been a big fan of Dunn but I can clearly see the value he is adding to the team and to our defence. There's no obvious replacement for him on the list but even if there was I'd be picking Dunn over him right now. I've never liked his faux aggression but he's reduced that. I also didn't like how often he called for the ball in poor positions on the weekend, but that got better as the game went on (as did the rest of the team's decision making). I like statistics as evidence to back up a point but DE is a meaningless waste of space.

Another streak: we haven't had a winning record at the end of any round (other than Round 1) since Round 6 2011 (we were 3-1-2 after beating Adelaide by 96 points).

Well that would break another streak - haven't won three games in a row since Rounds 17, 18 and 19 of 2010 (beat Sydney by 73, Brisbane by 10, Richmond by 29).

Another streak: Finish a round (other than Round 1) in the top 8 - last time that happened was Round 14, 2011. I think there's a slight-ish chance if we beat Richmond we'll be in the eight after this round (not sure though).

Seeing Seattle lose was so, so sweet. The more so because it puts two nice, new, fresh faces in line for a Superbowl appearance. Would be happy with either of Arizona or Carolina; probably hoping for Arizona and Larry Fitzgerald at this point. Should be a great game. I'm less confident that the AFC Championship game will be that great. Denver struggled to put away a side without its best wide receiver or its two best running backs, and a QB with a dodgy arm. The only thing going against New England is that the game is in Denver. If they lose, chalk it down to that awful Week 17 loss to Miami where they gave up home field advantage.

Disappointing to see the Patriots win yet again, making this their 5th consecutive AFC Championship game - I don't like that kind of sustained success in any sport. On that topic, I like seeing Arizona make the NFC Championship game and if Carolina can knock Seattle out, then a guaranteed fresh face in the Superbowl will be even better. I'm dreading the thought of another Seattle-Denver or Seattle-New England Superbowl. Unfortunately, the way New England's offence clicked today against Kansas City's defence, it probably doesn't matter. Gronk + Edelman + Amendola with Brady in form passing is a recipe for disaster for the other teams.

Pittsburgh, Seattle and Green Bay are probably three of the top four or five teams I cannot stand. All could have lost, two should have lost. All infuriatingly won. Poor Blair Walsh. He could kick 12309 field goals next year but he'll only ever be remembered for that miss. Heartbreaking (mind you, they never should have needed to come from behind. Letting Wilson turn a botched snap into a long gain for a TD and then AP dropping the ball on the next offensive drive was where they lost it).

I cannot believe what I just watched. All the Bengals had to do was three pedestrian running plays, force Pittsburgh to use all three timeouts, put a FG on the board, take the simple 4 point lead to win the game (barring a Hail Mary fluke). It was so easy. To fumble the ball on the first play, to allow Pittsburgh to gain two (or three) first downs on the final drive, then the horrendous two penalties...unbelievable. Cincinnati deserves to be pilloried for those final sequences. The only reason it's not enjoyable is that it puts Pittsburgh into the next round.

Aside from the unfortunately all-too-normal dominance of New England, I'm loving this season of the NFL. Seattle back to the pack. Green Bay faltering. Denver looks 50% infallible and 50% awful. Indianapolis isn't going to win the AFC South by default. Arizona, Cincinnati and Carolina are developing into powerhouses. NYJ, Oakland, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, even Tennessee are showing improvement and promise for the future.

You've gotta love the way Jon Ralph sinks the boot in: "It is a measure of Melbourne’s dependence on their marquee player that they would devote such energy so early to locking him away."

Good win by the Ravens, even if it was against a Roethlisberger-less Steelers. My tips for this week are Packers, Panthers and Raiders. I have a feeling all sorts of records are going to be broken in GB-SF, and not in a good way for the 49ers...