titan_uranus

If we had to choose one it'd be Thorp, surely. Neagle has no attitude for training nor for second efforts. Anthony's second efforts are just as bad. Thorp might have some talent hidden amongst the off-field poo. I can't see Neagle's.

Losing games of leadership isn't as important as losing players of leadership. What I mean is that it's easy to tally the games played by departing players. What's harder is to measure how that transfered into leadership, on or off the field. Moloney may have played just 108 games but he leads on the field like he's played 200. Grimes exudes the poise and confidence of a 100 game player. He's played 26.

Katich and Bollinger aren't fit for the Sheffield Shield match vs Victoria, so they've only got the game next week to prove their fitness before Brisbane. Hopefully they can get up. On Saturday the 15-man squad for the first Test will be announced. This is how I'd do it: Watson Katich Ponting Clarke White North Haddin Johnson Hilfenhaus Bollinger Siddle _________ Doherty Khawaja/Ferguson Hughes George/McKay/Starc I play White instead of Hussey with Hussey not even making the squad. His form is just not good enough and we need to make the change before he costs us a Test or two. North gets in on the back of scoring a century in his last Test and Sheffield Shield game. Of course he could fail miserably in any other game he plays before Brisbane but I think he'll get the nod. Khawaja is the batsman who gets in the squad as back up should North misfire. Lineball call between him and Ferguson. Hughes is another reserve bat, largely because of Katich's fitness. I'd prefer to see Doherty instead of Hauritz, or worse, Smith, but we'll have to see how he and Hauritz go in the Shield between now and then. I think Doherty is better but he didn't make the Australia A side so I don't think he'll be in the mix and I expect Hauritz to be there instead. I'd start with four pacemen at the Gabba, the ODI the other day, and the Shield game last week, showed that the pitch is undoubtedly made for seamers. I'd start with Johnson, Hilfenhaus, Siddle and Bollinger, but with Bollinger's fitness a query, another pacemen will have to be in the squad. Should be the best performer of George, McKay and Starc (I don't know if SA play anything before Saturday, which doesn't help George). Right now I'd pick Starc for some freshness. He looks really good.

Neagle is worse than Anthony. We could not do worse than to take Jay Neagle.

Bail as a tagger? I still think he's a HBF. Playing him as a tagger means we don't get that run of half back.

I can confidently say as a player he's not that good and I hope we don't even think about him.

I know! Epic bowling from the Phantom! Pity VVS decided to put in another second innings rearguard vigil. Now 6/82. But at least all three results are still possible.

Thankyou. Hence why no one should really mind losing Bruce or Junior. Move on please. The draft's next Thursday.

20 year old left armer from NSW (surprise). He's quite impressive. Bowls a good line and length, got some good bounce out of the pitch too (but it is a good seamer's wicket). Meanwhile Kyle Williamson makes a century on debut in India. What a boring game. 850+ runs in 4 days with only 16 wickets falling. Don't forget one of the teams is NZ. Boredom to the max. But well done to Vettori for getting 4000 runs to go with his 300 wickets. Brilliant.

I like the move to drop Hauritz for Doherty. The claim was that Hauritz needed to get out there and bowl before the Ashes. That clearly pales in importance to playing a decent spinner. Doherty's taken a back seat though, it's the McKay and Starc show. Starc looks OK actually. Bowls a good line, gets bounce and seam movement, and is only 20.

When, and on what basis, did we re-sign Strauss till 2012? I don't wish to knock the kid, but, despite injury, he's shown next to nothing so far, and 2011 is his 3rd year at the club. TMac wasn't afforded a long contract, so I'm quite surprised Strauss has that security.

Correct. Conditional 'best available', as opposed to 'absolute best available'.

We now get an extra rookie pick I believe.

As sylvinator said, keep the current four, and add Frawley, Grimes and Jamar.

You don't have to cover for a player based on how many disposals he gets. You cover his role. Bruce's role was largely to provide run and direction from half back. IMO Grimes, Bail and MacDonald, who played that role late in 2010, can give us this.

Out: Bruce, Jones, Morton In: Green, Frawley, Grimes

If it's either, it's good. Should give Bail a start in Round 1, if he wasn't going to get one already.

I have to say I didn't expect it. It's a shock. I thought he would stay. Having said that I don't really care. IMO he had become borderline best 22. His kicking was getting worse. Bail can give us plenty of run from half back, which lessens Bruce's value to the team. And he's getting on in age. I can understand his decision, but I wish he's made it back before/during trade week, so we could at least have tried to get another draft pick in the ND. This way we get nothing at all given he's a veteran.

Something to lighten the mood: England's struggling badly against WA. 6/116. It's their full Test line up as well. At least we're losing to international sides!

Given our recruiting over the last few years, do you think Atley's talents are enough to overshadow his potentially flawed kicking? I have no idea how bad his kicking is, but it seems to me that we've picked players over the last 3 years who are all good kicks. Also, I don't think I could stomach drafting a player who's surname is Newton.

Terrible player and person. Would add nothing to our side. I hope Carlton takes him.

That's what most would say, but given he made a century in his last Test, and a century in his last Shield match I would say he'll stay. Not what I'd do, but these selectors are predictable. If it was me I'd drop at least one of North and Hussey, probably Hussey, for Cameron White, and I'd consider dropping the other for Usman Khawaja. In terms of bowling I'd play Doherty in the next ODI, hope he takes some more wickets, then play him in Brisbane instead of Hauritz. Even if Hauritz starts in Brisbane I'm tipping by Sydney Doherty will be in the side. I also wonder if Johnson will survive the entire series. He is really struggling, across all formats, for line and length.

Loving the ridiculous optimism of the 9 people who think we'll finish above Collingwood.

I honestly don't believe this: Doherty's been dropped for Hauritz. Selectors aren't doing themselves any favours.

I think what everyone needs to realise (if they don't already) is that doing a phantom draft is like picking the lottery numbers. You get it right, people think you're some sort of psychic and you feel good about yourself. But getting it wrong doesn't make you stupid. There are a lot of kids out there, and 17 different teams with 17 different recruitment ideas. Having said that, there's only one person I listen to when it comes to this stuff, Emma Quayle. I don't care what anyone else says, whether they get it horribly wrong, or bang on the money.