P-man

I love the buzz that is already generating over this fella, including outside of club circles. It is palpable. Been a long while since a Melbourne draftee that ISN'T a first round pick has created this sort of excitement.

Apparently his lip towards Murphy on the weekend was along the lines of him being too old and past it. What a little champ.

The Tyson / Salem deal is starting to look like one of the best trade deals of recent times. Let's be honest though. We were due.

He was better today. That's the minimum you would want from Jack. Seemed risky to keep him on but fair play to him for working through it.

You've been critical of him this week as well, Ronald. What Bernie says is fair enough, but in response I would say it's all very well that his laconic playing style is what draws attention, but it is the things he is doing when he DOESN'T have the ball that are equally or more damning. The reluctance to put his head over the ball, to tackle and chase, to the equal extent of his other teammates. Supporters can see his continual reluctance for years to do these things and that is why he cops heat. Pendlebury makes time stand still with the ball in hand as well, but it is what he does when the ball is in dispute that makes him a great player. I'd also be lying if I said I didn't hope the younger players look up to Nate Jones more than they do Jack Watts. Watts gets criticism because people see the talent not being fulfilled and those keeping faith aren't being repaid. I said he would lift last week and he went backwards, so this week I just hope he comes out on par.

Jewels? Sweet. As long as I can pawn them. I'm a bit skint at the moment rob. The missus keeps going clothes shopping.. Listen to me boring you with my fiscal problems. Sorry. I'll [censored] off to Collingwood now and leave you in peace.

Feel better now princess? Say hi to saty for me.

I don't want to do this.. Ah who am I kidding. I totally want to do it. By Round 6: But this is even better I think.. So having him leave would have been a culture killer. Having him stay is a culture killer. Literally [censored] either way. Deadset, my 5 year old nephew is less up and down.

It's a prediction thread, OD. "Who will be.."

I agree it's between these two, but interesting that you see Georgiou as fillng a greater need. Right now with Garlo going down it could be argued that he is, but with the long standing absence of crumbers and quality small forwards, I would've thought JK is filling a greater need. His versatility and ability to run through the middle only adds to that.

Tyson will be most valuable, but "find" in terms of one out of the box, JKH by the Flemington straight. Pick 40 is looking like a steal.

There are no words that can suitably describe that effort from Rhino. If anyone stayed up to watch it, I am extremely jealous.

Christ on a bike. Read. Comprehend. You're speculating. I'm speculating. It's silly and plain wrong to suggest that time wasn't a factor. Of course it was. You want to a) accumulate enough runs to defend and b) ensure you are left with enough time to bowl the other mob out. Achieving (a) quicker assists with (b). Not complex. As it turned out, Doolan did finally sacrifice his wicket and Watto/Smith came in to achieve a and b, but it doesn't make examination of Doolan at the time any less warranted. Yes, it was mentioned in the commentary a few times. So what? Moody thought it was an issue worth mentioning. You don't. I know whose opinion I give more weight. Enjoy yours. Say hi to the cows for me.

Against my better judgement, mainly because I enjoy your posts when you're not posting rubbish like you have here. Read the OP again. He was asking a legitimate question. And even if it was a creating a discussion of the past, there's nothing wrong with doing that. You seem to think it's always an exercise in laying the boot into others or self-flagellation, when it may just be a case of discussing whether Taggert would have made it under the new coaching regime. Where's the harm? There is none.

You've "got a feling" do you mate? So in other words you are speculating on what his instructions would have been, as all of us are. Clarke's body language looking on suggested that he wasn't 100% comfortable with the scoring rate, and it was rightly raised in the commentary several times. Doolan was plodding along when there was 9 wickets in hand and time was a factor. If his instruction was to do that, fine. I don't see why it would have been. As cute as I find this obsession you have developed with picking apart my posts, with little personal jibes thrown in, I'm really not that interested in indulging them anymore.

Yes, how dare he ask a question about a previous draft. What a ridiculous post. Get over yourself.

Doolan definitely needs to hurry the fark up. This isn't tiddlywinks, there is a series win against the number one team on the line here. Either start hitting or get out trying.

It's clear it was a premeditated decision but I'll admit when I heard the news of Smith's retirement my first thought was, "another one bites the dust". It's strange because I always thought of Smith as a young man given he took on the captaincy so young. Was a truly great player in his day. Speaking of players we've forced into retirement, I see Swann is joining the commentary team over in the old dart. I think he has misjudged just how much the manner he bowed out of the game has affected his public standing. The fans are still not happy with him based on the comments I've seen. He didn't just disgrace himself, he disgraced English cricket. Good luck Swanny, I have a feeling you're going to need it.

A 38 ball duck. Impressive.

Dominant. It is looking like an Australian side of old where if one or two batsmen faulter, someone else will chip in with a big hundred, whilst the fielding is as good as it has ever been and is once again proving to be a critical difference. Hold your catches. Simple stuff. As much as I am loving the Mitch train steaming onward, I hope we get a contest in the second test. If we smash them again then the title of no.1 test side is ours by rights.

Kyrgios looks an absolute ripper at the ripe old age of 18. Star in the making.

Further to the above, I can appreciate this isn't a great Australian side like that of the dominant Waugh/Ponting era, but these players deserve recognition as announcing themselves on the biggest stage, and on paper or otherwise have shown that they are the better side out of these two.

Haha..have a listen to Boycott in that podcast. I like Geoffrey but it is staggering that when questioned about Australia's bowling performance he still downplayed the ability of the Australian players and attributed it to England playing poorly. Apparently Mitch is the only ace, and "they might have Clarke but we have Pietersen and Bell". What exactly is it going to take for him to accept that England are simply not as good as they thought, playing on soggy England wickets and arsing out wins, and the likes of Harris, Rogers, Haddin, Siddle and Smith are a lot better than they gave them credit for. For gods sake Geoffrey, if you still think England are the better side after THAT, I have no words.

And now it falls upon a Kiwi and a Zimbabwean to salvage some English pride.

Catching a bit of these other tests, I can't get past the "crowds". Test cricket might be faring okay here but it is very disconcerting having all these international fixtures being played in near empty stadiums. It's sad as much as it is worrying. I hope the Saffies show up in numbers. A bit of atmosphere would be nice.