Whispering_Jack

It's actually the second leg of a double. First one got up last week.

Sorry but I was educated in northern Georgia.

How many times have you heard the locals playing "Duelling Banjoes"?

The young spinner Ashton Agar will be in England during the time of the tour and could receive a call up if absolutely necessary. And if Julia wants to pick up some votes from the cricket fraternity she should arrange Fawad Ahmed's naturalization ceremony ASAP. I'm underwhelmed by the batting line up, a legacy of no succession plan reminiscent of Daniher's last three seasons at Melbourne. I'm usually an optimist but I reckon by the end of the third test, it's going to be all over red rover. A bit like playing Port Adelaide, Essendon & WCE in successive weeks.

Probably because the two clubs did such a great job promoting the day that it finally became entrenched on the AFL's calendar.There was a time when it was suggested that we promote the Melbourne - Sydney rivalry with a game on the evening of Anzac Day but nothing ever came of it. I think we need to be more proactive in developing such games.

Now that she's retired, she has plenty of time for the CEO gig and furthermore, would make a great running partner for Redleg. I believe this is the big announcement that's going to be made at the club tomorrow. Redleg for Chairman and BC for CEO. There I've beaten Caro for the scoop of the week!

You could be onto something there ... a bit more like Aenid Blyton than Roman epic poetry.

Can what Max writes really be described as "novels"?

Appreciate the thought H_T but given the bagging that our last half a dozen CEO's have received from the media and the public, I'm going to suggest that the club appoints a popular figure for the position who would be completely beyond criticism and who the usual suspects would think twice about before any back stabbing.I'm nominating Black Caviar for CEO.

Now don't sit on the fence Redleg. Tell us what you think about the blood flowing.

Aren't the Bombers training at their new facility at the back of some industrial estate in the north western suburbs and a fair distance away from Windy Hill?

I was surprised the Tigers didn't pick Vlastuin (their first round pick) because, from all accounts, he was travelling well. They also have a handful of players from other clubs who they picked up this year and haven't selected which indicates they're hoping to use that depth later to overcome the inconsistency in their performances last year at times when injury struck. Carlton, on the other hand, barely did any recruiting at the end of last year due to salary cap issues. They're hoping that the new coaching regimen will swing the necessary changes to get them back up the ladder. If Carlton win I will completely lose faith in the law of averages. As for the MFC, I understand that it's as rare as hen's teeth to see teams win in the opening round if they have more than four new players. We should have at least that number.

I commented elsewhere that it would be a risky strategy if we play too many players who lack match practice. I doubt we can go in with both Clark & Dawes after their limited time on the ground in match practice. Agree on ruling a line through Sam Blease's name and you can add JT to the outs as well.

Redleg, what did you expect from the trio who set the scene for the tanking investigation? They didn't ask Brock McLean the one question that begged to be asked by any interviewer with a keen analytical mind. Their subject claimed he left because he didn't like the culture of "experimenting" yet he went to the club that made tanking an artform. That they didn't ask that question and now ignore Carlton's tanking over three seasons during the last decade suggests they are more than gutless or weak. They're rank hypocrites into the bargain.

When did we play GWS?

Oops ... spoke too soon ... all out 358.

Now 22 runs shy of first innings points with one wicket in hand. David Hussey just got his ton.

I just passed a building with a sign advertising "fmd architects"! gees, and I thought lawyers were on the nose!

Complete fluke ... but as the great Jack Dyer used to say, " where there's smoke, there's blue cod". I recently asked the question whether the MFC recovery will come quicker than the Australian Test team's revival and I think we (the Dees) might have nudged ahead a little. Cricket has the advantage of having a larger recruiting ground and a monopoly in this respect. However, the football club at least has the capacity to recruit experienced players from elsewhere (as we've done in the past 12 months) to provide some stability, experience and maturity while the younger blokes develop in their roles. With four players suspended, the wicketkeeper (and half the country's pace bowlers) injured and others recently retired, we're badly in need of experience as well as talent. Back when World Series Cricket came along we had Bob Simpson to lead the team and add stability but who do we have now? Brad Hodge, Nathan Hauritz? I don't think so.

Stop the presses. With that news, they might have no choice now but to fly in a couple of cricketers for the Third Test.

... and the banana goes to six6six ... Photo thread.

It looks like Brad Haddin is going to get a call up to India for the third test as a result of Wade's injury. I would also be flying in Joe Burns and Alex Doolan for some blooding before the Ashes series. This might smack of desperation but it's about time there was some decent succession planning at our national level. Put Clark up the order, Watson down to # 6 and bring in the young blood. Throw them in the deep end, I say.

One of those kids was my grandson and I'm offering a free banana to anyone who locates a clear photograph of him leading the team out with Jack Grimes. I almost convinced him that, as part of his mascot duties, he had to line up for the team in a back pocket on Stephen Milne and, modesty aside, I reckon he might have kept him down to less than three goals on the day.

Watch out for the mascot who runs out with the team today.

For Redleg