Kudos for Siddle coming back but the bowling was patchy and the field way too attacking. At least we took the catches. Should have been all out for under 200 though. Our short bowling was mindless and most of it sped to the fence. Gees that outfield was fast.
Haddin made some unbelievable takes but occasionally his concentration wobbled a bit. Just to get to that wide one down leg was a heck of an effort. I am a detractor but he did better than ok.
Agar has been selected and needs to contribute and not just go along for the ride - he will have a role to play.
English batting looked rubbish at times - pushing at decent deliveries with poor footwork. Attitude poor- looked like they were just waiting for Prior/Broad/Swan to play little cameos and drag the score to 300.
Cook - rubbish shot- and he'd played it about 3 times in the previous overs. Something to exploit before he fixes it. Root - got a good ball but has a technical flaws in footwork we can exploit. Trott - when are we going to execute a plan to this bloke??? Played Agar terribly. First ball wide on off and he chops it on. Bairstow - technical flaws to exploit. Prior - awful shot - he won't do that again this series. Broad - when are they going to come around and cramp him? Awful shot - exploit. Swann - limp shot bunted to point/mid off... get out of jail card there Australia.
Won't mention batting, far too disappointed.. no gutted to see those clowns burn a golden opportunity.
Is the big bloke standing at slip going to have a trundle?
Based on lead-in form Siddle was lucky to get a run, and at this stage it looks a mistake to have gone with him instead of Bird. Looked like a man who hadn't been doing enough bowling.
We still have no idea about how to bowl to Trott. Has all gone to )&^_t in the last 30 minutes.
As outlined in the paper today; if Warner plays he needs to make runs to justify a second chance he does not deserve.
Heat is on everybody though - Hughes gets yet another chance (about his 10th), Siddle needs to bowl well as Bird is a logical replacement, likewise Starc has to do more than throw a heap of pies with the odd Jaffa.
Because we will have the ball inside 50 for the first 10 minutes for a wasteful point, after which it will be swept down the other end where Riewoldt will get a charity free kick for being retarded by Jamison's shadow, resulting in a goal (this will happen about 4 times, but won't be paid at the other end). At the following ball up Hayes will run hard on one of our mids, scaring them all crapless, resulting in us failing to win a clearance all night. Milne will have 4 kicks for 3.1, some nuffie we have never heard of will kick 5 and a couple of spud defenders will be allowed to hang on, grapple and otherwise molest our forwards with impunity, thus keeping our useless forward line to 8 goals (and about 25 points).
McCarthy plays like a 6'6" flanker - seems to have no idea what to when the ball comes in high and can look a little ungainly due to his height at times... but he doesn't possess the game or the mass to play a key post, or the pace to go with leading forwards. So he is really a player without a position - where do you play him? And his confidence looks shot, and has looked so for a long time.
Given that he was a seriously talented youngster who played all manner of positions for Glenelg's seconds (ruck and wing are two I can remember), where his running ability, clean hands and touch below his knees really stood out he is a prima facie case of the abject lack of development of kids at Carlton. Why he wasn't assessed early on, a role decided for him, and then groomed for that role absolutely staggers me. Three, albeit injury interrupted seasons, and we still have a kid struggling to contribute in defence. So why hasn't he been tried elsewhere eg on a wing or across half forward? Like I said, the lack of development of a kid like that is bordering on the criminal and serious question need to be asked of the so-called "development" staff.
Even though this is one of those rare occasions where I agree with them, I find it disengeneous that Connolly and Robinson are lining up (again) to whack Carlton when they are basically mouthpieces for a club with more problems than the early settlers... get your own house in order first you seagulls. Smacks of deflection from a significant issue that is yet to resolved at that club....
2E is a player that really concerns me... and epitomises many of our problems. At least he is worth persisting with as he does has real upside. He is a good size, a brilliant kick, has pace and can be courageous.... but then he has games where he is as weak as Pi55, makes dumb errors, doesn't get involved and becomes a zero contributor. He seems to struggle when the ball is coming in above his eyeline. Spends a lot of the time spectating or running to "dead" zones where the ball ain't going. I think it is his inexperience but he clearly lacks "footy smarts" and can become very reactionary.
Sometimes I think it is because of his background (i.e. hasn't played the game since he was 6 so he lacks the nuances), but I am wondering if it is time to play him further up the ground (wing?) or give him stints on ball to round out his "education". Maybe too much time as a defender has stymied his more attacking decision making?
Why weren't they culled last year???