old dee

Redleg I am struggling with this Why? He has not played in weeks Out with a leg injury which must mean his fitness will be down. On top of that his form before the injury was poor. If I was the player he replaced I would be more than a little [censored]. I would even prefer JB before him at least he would be fit.

Obviosly You are a man of taste and Good breeding DC! a bit like myself!

Deodorant check. Hankies check.

2012?

The sub at Casey for mine (if they had one).

Spot on DC I just had to slap myself. I was about to look at the thread. But the moment of stupidy passed. With no game this weekend I get to continue the brain washing of my Grand daughter. She is only 6 months old but you have to start early otherwise her Grand mother might win the battle. I think my best chance is a MFC dynasty starting about 2013 for 10 years. Do I have a snow flake chance in Hell?

When the going gets tough the tough get going! Clarke 8

I don't need to watch the Game TU as it is a forgone conclusion. He is the darling of the of CA end of story. All through the ashes he was "out to a great ball" "how unlucky was that" "his captainsy tonight has been good" pity he just went out for 7. Give me a break he gets more chances than the rest of the team put together!

This is exactly what I mean, Clarke is always unlucky everyone else played a bad shot!

You are correct White does need to lift because he will get dropped! Clarke won't even if there were more zero's.

You mean he is worse than Clarke! Another big effort last night. A big fat ZERO. One score in six months the guy is a champion.

I agree with your concerns DD however the management of Stynes, Schwab, and the board have done a very good job over the last three years and I trust them to do the right thing. However I would like to know how the MFC intends to solve some of these problems

Then you have my sympathy RR to see the drop kick done well was a thing of beauty. Over the years the Dees had some players who were very good. The big problem was that not many players could do it well and it was deleted from the Game because if you could not do it well it resulted in a turn over and in modern football that is the ultimate sin. Re injuries I have never heard of anyone injuring their toes. I did a few my self over the years ( even in "the slippers" ) and not one injury.

Well we may owe you an apology "Vagg". I will retrack my comments, I just don't remember him doing drop kicks. I thought they had gone from the game by the early 80's

Yes he was good but same era, I was thinking full backs DC. But you are correct. He could play a bit!

He led with his chin on that one DC! From my memory the SP was the hardest kick to do there where very few players who could even do it moderately well. It usually skidded across the ground. Thats why it disappeared it was too hard to do. In today's game the player would back at Casey after a couple of those.

I agree with you Rhino, the drop kick had gone long before Danny Hughes. This is one area of the game I think has improved. The current players are a lot better kick than in the "good old days" Watched the 1966 grand Final last year and I was surprised at the poor kicking and that was between the two best sides of 1966. From My memory the best Drop kick at Melbourne was Tassie Johnson but that is 50 years ago. Lets stay with the current kicking style. Someone who could do a long punt kick could be useful late in a game but they would probably get dropped for not maintaining control of the ball.

You mean there is a game for Him! Took himself out of 20/20 because he was too slow. Cannot make runs in the fifty over version and has one reasonable score at Test level in twelve months. Back to NSW for me and the faster the better. There are a dozen batsman at State level that could not be any worse. Give one of them a go anyone! how could they do any worse!

Tait was a breakdown waiting to happen, even when "fit" his fitness seldom allows him to bowl more than 4 overs on the trot. he is a one trick pony, fast and nothing else. He also has trouble bowling a consistantly tight line. Should never have been picked he is from the past and no longer good enough. There is a God after all as he broke now and not in The middle of the World Cup.

Hi Rhino there is one unescapable fact concerning Mr. Hilditch. He is part time! It is the 21st. Century for god sake, Australia should have a full time chairman of selectors. It is not his fault in this matter it is at the feet of the ACB board. They should have said Full time or nothing. lets get with it ACB are you serious or trapped in a by gone age?

Spot on His selections have been either no change or he picks someone out of nowhere. His contract is up in April it cannot come quick enough for me.

Well our wonderful Captain ( yes the under wear salesman )has done it again! Leading from the front he has made a magnificant 10. Continuing on from were he left off in 2010. Well he has played at 5, 4 now 3 can we hope for 2, 1 and you are out! gone ! Perhaps we could hide him at 6 he could not be much worse than Smith. and so we head off to the World cup With A captain who has not played for 7 weeeks and was in poor form. A VC who is bad and very slow on his good days ( have not seen one for a while ) A number 4 who has a bad hamstring if he gets a game A number 6 who has not made a score all summer Three bowlers who cannot bowl a tight line to save themselves and one of which gets very tired bowling three over spells. Does not look pretty! cannot see us getting into the top 6 teams. Oh well looking on the positive side. By April we will have a new Chairman of selectors, a new coach and several of the current lot will have confined themselves to the shield ranks never to be seen again. This might be the time not be picked! How luck are Siddle and Company to be left out.

I agree but after todays statements you won't get anything from this lot it is all about self preservation. It reminds of the old one "we did not break down we just failed to proceed" Is james Sutherland the "king with no clothes " of australian sport or what. We just got beaten in the worst manner ever recorded vs the Poms. Have some decency and resign alone with Hildich and Neilson.

I think it is all fairly simple. We do not have enough quality players to compete with the top 3 - 4 test teams. If you look at the performances over the fives games then IMO only 4 players would be in contention to get a game with England. Watson at 5, Hussey at 4, Haddin and perhaps Siddle, would any of them actually replace an english player? The only player I think that would replace an englishman would be Watson for Collingwood. I have been around for a while and this is the worst team that we have fielded against England. Even the team that took on england at the start of the "Packer" revolution did not get belted like this team. At least we had a captain and Vice captain that justfied their spots in the team. It is sad but we have a very long way to go to get back to the top. IMO it is time to start at the top, how can you entertain a chairman of selectors who is part time! We should replace the selection commitee, and coaching panel even if they have long contracts, the ACB is far from broke. A bit of "Essendon Therapy" is required then start a fresh with the team, pick a side for August based on performances over the next three months shield results. A few players should be advised that their ACB contracts are under review and a few others should be told that it is over, eg. Hughes, Ponting, Kadich, and all the bowlers except Siddle and Bolanger ( too early on Beer ). I know that is a lot to replace but as the saying goes "to make an omelette you have to break a few eggs".

Well AoB he has put up another fine display today 4, yes FOUR! Summer average is now 18 and still headed south. a long time ago I was told you dead bat the last ball of the day no matter what the game position. He was the VC with his team in a tough position. Pure and simple he gave away his wicket. If you look at his long term average the big scores are against the weaker test nations eg NZ. The guy is a good shield player who is not up to it against the better test sides. Should not be in the test side let alone be the captain after his performances this summer.