Think it will be won and lost in the midfield like most games between the better teams......Fyfe, Barlow, Mundy and Hill will need negating and I expect Judd wont get much of the footy if his old mate Crowley picks him up. Sandilands is also back which means Kruezer will have to be at his best and need to run the giant around. The Freo giant usually posts up at FF during some stage in the game when they play us and we need to make sure we have the right mix of talls to man him up. Ross Lyon will close the game and make it a slog fest and I dont expect to see any pretty footy and I reckon Mick will do the same and it may get down to who gets their matchups right.
Murphy and Gibbs need to stand up and I expect the former to be also heavily tagged and bullied....
If it was a Freo home game then I would have said the Dockers but at Etihad I think we can get home if Mick gets his planning right....
I would consider Bell but not Graham...Freo have big mids and we need the extra size of Bell to combat them.
Lucas has to play...was poor vs GC but wont learn anything from that by being sent back to the twos, his previous from has been ok and I want to see him do will this week and show some character...good players usually play well after a poor game and its a good test for him.
Not much love for Sam Rowe but like I said we have three wins from three with him in the team and the Kruezer/Rowe combo has been better than other ones....
re: Carrazzo...sticking with him too, sure he stuffed up a few kicks and I was annoyed like others but he has the runs on the board and most of us including me were prepared to hang and bury Kade Simpson early in the year but he now one of our best each week. Freo have some big mids and we need Carrots where the action is and I thought his game after half time wasnt too bad....
re: Waite.......when he comes back Henderson wont be as effective as Waite will draw more of the ball and probably wont convert as well...
Rowe was very unconvincing today. He has no second effort, and if not on his terms, sometimes even no first effort. Can take a mark when he wants, but he is a bit too stand offish for mine.
Bottom line....
If Warnock's fit and available Rowe doesn't play.
I would also like to disagree with this.
I'd have Rowe in over Warnock. I'd have Rowe in over Hampson. I'd have Hampson in over Warnock.
Essentially Warnock is a 1-trick pony and having him in the side reduces the effectiveness of Kreuzer.
Ideally i think you need 6 big men in the side.
You'd want a spine consisting of something like... Jamison Watson Kreuzer Henderson Waite
with Hampson/Rowe/Casboult as the utility tall backup ruckman on the bench.
That gives us flexibility as Henderson can cover down back. Hampson/Rowe/Casboult can cover up forward or in the ruck.
Gives us the option of subbing out a tall late in the game if they are not required and adding more run.
Warnock only gets a game if Kreuzer is out IMO as he needs to be the #1 ruck.
Rowe and Casboult have "promised" a lot. ...as has Hampson in the past.
All have shown "promise" but...... None have yet proven to be more than just fillers. Henderson's shown that up in just a couple of games. I don't think any are a long term answer to that second forward/ruck role. We need to go shopping
Fair point...none have grabbed the opportunity to make the second ruck/forward spot their own but a bloke called Kruezer has made the 1st ruck his own and been one of our best in recent weeks and I think he has worked well with Rowe regardless of Rowe's output and the team has looked better balanced. I wouldnt be messing with with Kruezers form by changing Rowe just yet...three wins in a row wouldnt have me fixing something thats isnt broke.
Rowe was very unconvincing today. He has no second effort, and if not on his terms, sometimes even no first effort. Can take a mark when he wants, but he is a bit too stand offish for mine.
Bottom line....
If Warnock's fit and available Rowe doesn't play.
Not for me...I'm still sticking with Rowe, we need a second ruckman but one who can take a mark and give us some options....Warnock is still a lampost who can only play ruck. Rowe wasnt great today, didnt take enough marks or get involved enough but i think we have to get away from rotating our KP/rucks when they have a ordinary game or two. You have to build confidence to build a structure and I think Rowe has to be educated and given a chance to settle.......if you did drop Rowe then I reckon it has to be Casboult who comes in...at least he can play more than one position. I dont see Warnock as an option unless Kruezer gets hurt.
re: Waite...happy to have him back in the team but he isnt a ruckman and you still need a backup for Kruezer wether it be Rowe or Casboult.
Woeful...only the biased commentary on Foxtel has been worse...
Our blokes are getting hacked in marking contests and getting nothing......
Going to take a big effort to win this game.....GC have the younger legs and we need a decent lad at 3/4 time....hopefully Nicholls stays off and Dixon has to ruck and stays away from FF. Curnow doing ok on Ablett... Robbo been terrible, Carrazzo not much better, ditto for Gibbs.. Simpson and Walker holding the backline together...the amigos are suited by the warm conditions and Henderson has been very good again.
Campbell Brown needs knocking out....if Robbo could run into him it could be his best touch for the day......
Watsons work on the ground is non existant and he gives up to easily...
Gilchrist was a freak! Test average higher than his first class batting average. That is just unreal, to improve further with the bat, against better opposition!
Warner scored 193 in Aus A tour match overnight. This puts some serious pressure on Hughes and Smith to perform & keep their spots in the Aus 3 day match coming up...
Maxwell made a century also which kind of reduces the credibility of Warners innings and ttells you the wicket must be a batters paradise.....
Laidler or Duigan may be a better option if we were playing a team with more mature bodies.
No problems putting faith in Bootsma as we need to put game time in to the kids but it makes you wonder what Laidler or Duigs need to do to get a game in the seniors again.
We'll certainly need to be on our toes this week, young bodies or not!
Laidler and Duigan lack pace and I thinks thats the issue and you dont get quicker as you get older...reckon they are both in the out tray....
Think Shane Tuck will be a dangerous player..I'd have him down for 30+possies and Edwards should get his usual bag of goals. Good to see Okeefe back in the team along with Tom Bell, hope both do well and can play some senior footy in the remaining games.
Hope Cachia plays...be madness if he doesnt IMO and another in a long line of MC stuff ups. Its obviously warmer up on the GC and Ablett will wear out taggers quicker than most wear out shoes..you would have to think they will rotate fresh players on him to at least keep him down to a reasonable game only.
Bootsma is still learning the game and I always have that nervous feeling when he plays down back......like to see him play on the wing in a more attacking role.
Rogers is 35 and too old......we need to develop a younger opener who has a sound technique and thats not Warner or Hughes either. Jordan Silk is a player who I would develop like England have done with Joe Root, good fielder as well......troublemakers like Warner, Watson etc would be finished at test level if it was me coaching/selecting and it would a few years of pain developing a young team but what we have at the moment is a fire fighting band aid approach that wont ever deliver long term sustained success.
I actually think Khawaja and Silk might be a decent opening combo....the former has a sound technique but doesnt have enough shots for me to bat at No 3 and can get bogged down but has the ability to grind and apply himself .
Calls to play Wade as a specialist bat are insane. Has zero idea of playing spin. Zero.
Correct....it never works playing the reserve keeper as a batsman only and is a move reserved for desperate teams only.....akin to playing ruckman as a FF.
I remember Wicketkeeper Richie Robinson from Victoria who was a great shield batter and was picked to play some tests as a specialist batsman with Rod Marsh I think it was as the keeper.....Robinson failed and its a dumb move. Only AB Devilliers has proven a success and he was/is a part time keeper who played second fiddle to Boucher but was never seen as a frontline keeper and you are talking about a freak multitalented sportsman anyway.
I guess the only other I can think of his Kumar Sangakarra who gave away keeping to be a specialist batter but his batting is in the elite category unlike Wades...
This whole problem is a result of that weak c#%t bending over for the Indians. Tell em to take their cash and shove it up their ass.
No more champions league trophy prior to a Test Series
Pick a 16 man squad for Test and one day cricket. Proper cricketers, not Glen Maxwell, X Doherty or Clint McKay. Guys who might become champions of the long game.
Fark off the BIG BASH crap.
If they (CA) are serious about getting back the Ashes, they would cancel the frigging OD series vs India that's been slotted in between the two series !......get ALL the players back in Australia & tell them they ALL MUST play every single shield game (at least 3-4) before the 1st Test in Brisbane.......Test team to be picked on performances in these games.
You reckon that'll ever happen ?
Good point.....but it wont happen...IPL and its spin offs have ruined test cricket...players like Chris Gayle started the rot by giving test cricket the finger and going for the money. The only Aus player not really playing IPL has been Clarke and he has been the only Aus player to produce in recent years.....once you get bozo's like Glen Maxwell playing test cricket you know we have hit rock bottom. IPL playing cricketers wouldnt be at the top of my selection list either, obviously you dont ignore the real champs like Steyn, Dhoni, Clarke, Cook, Smith etc who produce in all forms of cricket but I would be sending a message that bit part IPL players are not test cricketers and wont ever get picked in test squads.. An example would be Agar..if he decided to play IPL then I would be telling him you wont be playing for Australia....
The selectors have a lot to answer for, not just on a Test by Test basis, but the actual make up of this touring squad, its a complete disaster, embarrassment and bordering on a national disgrace.
I agree.
How many years have they had to plan this?
mickey Mouse operation.
We are paying for the sins of the past. Changes that are being implemented will take time to filter through.
Hate to say it but it's all about generation next and trying to build a team to 'stabilise' Australian cricket until then.
On a positive note: Ryan Harris has been great. I think Jackson Bird will come in for the next test and they will give Pattinson a spell.
Negative note: Ashton Agar got another 98 (this time bowling) and Shane Watson has been worked out by England. Harsh to say it but Watson will be picked off now until he fixes the problem and you cannot fix those type of issues out the middle (ask Phil Hughes). Interesting to note those who don't like Ed Cowan he has similar figures to Watson although Watson bowls which is the saving grace.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Agar left out for the next test (Smith to offer the spin option) and maybe play Faulkner as a left arm accurate option who can bat. If they go that way the seamers would be Harris, Siddle, Bird and Faulkner with spin from Smith. Australia also get another batting option.
Whichever way they go they have to strengthen the batting. I noted that our combined total for this test match was 363 which only slightly bettered England's first innings total of 361. That's how far behind we are in reality and all that after Trott and Pieterson had quite games.
I think Agar might be dropped in favour of Lyon and Faulkner may come in for Pattinson who is struggling on the docile wickets......Bird is probably the better bowler but Faulkners ability with the bat given we are struggling to make runs might get him a debut test.
Be helpful if we could win the toss and bat first.....Smith and Lyon on the last day might be a handy pairing..
