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64
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: List Building - More than one way to skin a cat
Last post by Blue Moon -
In the draft and trading period, Silvagni, TDK, Durdin and Curnow left, Docherty retired and Fantasia, Binns, Lemmey and Cinotta were delisted as well as either E.Hollands or White. This means ten players went out of the playing list and they were replaced by Ainsworth, Florent, Hayward, Reidy and Chesser, with Dean, Ison and Byrne Drafted. On top of this Smith and Newman were unavailable due to injury and are available this season.
The question is, "Are the ten players who are available this year better than than ten players who have left?" To my mind at the top end, losing TDK and Curnow will be a loss, but overall I think this year's list is in better shape than what it was last year. What we won't know until the season starts proper is who has improved, who has dropped off and what injuries we ill have.
I think we did alright  in this years draft and trade period considering the hand we were dealt, And at this point of time we have ,our draft capital available for next year is greater what we would normally be entitled to. This the first time I can remember this happening. In the past we have always traded away future draft picks so next year we will be in a position to make a real charge at the draft.
The challenge for us is to get out of that dead zone of finishing seventh to twelfth.



65
The Sports Desk / Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread
Last post by Professer E -
I'd play Richardson (genuine pace) because I don't think Mahli Beardman is ready.  I like Perry and ONeill but they aren't express and I think we lack some real anxiety inducing pace.
Webster for Green. Enough.  Perform or get the sars.
Murphy is an outstanding spinner with a lot of tricks and deserves a go...sides are always stronger with solid spin options.  Rocchicoli is another possibility.
66
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Shawny’s concerns about Victorian and Australian Governments
Last post by LP -
An exercise in hypocrisy!

Josh Frydenberg, ever the opportunist, is criticising the Government's position on hate speech but he strongly advocated weakening existing hate speech legislation when he was an MP.
Because he is guilty of it, he wants to throw rocks for political gain, that is part of his  hypocrisy exposed.

He is no different to Pauline, same tactics from a more profitable perspective. One targets the welfare state, the other billionaires.

They are not leaders, they are antagonists.
67
The Sports Desk / Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread
Last post by ElwoodBlues1 -
Swepdon, if you want a leggies, Rocciocelli (sp) WA is having an excellent shield session.

England batting properly except for their horrible get out shots when they ran out of patience looked much more threatening than the first two tests.

AUS team for boxing day - In: Smith, Neser, Murphy. Out: Inglis (for Smith), Cummins (rested), Lyon (inj).  Green lucky - too many changes, Usman lucky - boys club means he survives instead of Ingliss.  Unlucky again - Webster.
Agree on the Ins and the reasoning.
I reckon Bethell will come into the top 6 for England and they may rest Carse for one of Potts or Fisher who are both more traditional county line and length seam bowlers. McCullum has two years to run on his contract at decent money so it's going to be an expensive decision to sack him.
I'd expect a more likely outcome to be that he develops bazball version 2 which will be a throttle back from what we have seen over the past couple of years.
Plenty of criticism back in England about the lack of county cricket played by the incumbent test players who play a lot of white ball cricket but don't turn out for the longer game either by choice or by fixturing of short format tournaments either home or overseas. Darren Lehmann who coaches Northants says he hasn't seen a selector or key personnel at any of their games or had a phone call about any of his players.
McCullum has been running his own boys club and I reckon that's going to change when England return home..
68
The Sports Desk / Re: God help me - the Test Cricket thread
Last post by dodge -
Swepdon, if you want a leggies, Rocciocelli (sp) WA is having an excellent shield session.

England batting properly except for their horrible get out shots when they ran out of patience looked much more threatening than the first two tests.

AUS team for boxing day - In: Smith, Neser, Murphy. Out: Inglis (for Smith), Cummins (rested), Lyon (inj).  Green lucky - too many changes, Usman lucky - boys club means he survives instead of Ingliss.  Unlucky again - Webster.
69
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Shawny’s concerns about Victorian and Australian Governments
Last post by Thryleon -
Not saying it isnt, and whilst we like to place rules on this, where were these rules when Islamic militants abducted innocent party goers at a music festival?

This isnt sports.  With a referee that can adjudicate, and when the Palestinians hide their militants in the gen pop and under hospitals then what is expected?

I know there are rules of conduct and what not, but whos rules are they?   History is always written by the victor.

That's the thing though Thry, the terrorists who attacked innocent Israelis aren't professional soldiers, don't wear a uniform, don't answer to a government and aren't bound by the rules that govern conflicts between nations.  If they are apprehended, they are charged with terrorism offences (although the ICC did charge the now dead head of Hamas with war crimes).  When I was a member of the ADF, I was taught the provisions of the Geneva and Hague Conventions and regularly reminded to comply with them at all times.  Of course, professional soldiers may find it hard to adhere to the rules when the enemy doesn't, as we saw in Afghanistan.

Israel is a party to all four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and is legally bound by their rules ... and they're the first to bleat if any IDF personnel are not treated in accordance with the conventions.

Again, you're falling into the trap of assuming that the militants represent all Palestinians and all Palestinians are militants.  The vast majority of Palestinians just want the Israelis and Hamas to leave them alone and they are not hiding "their militants" anywhere.

The 7 October attacks killed 1,195 people, 815 of whom were Israeli civilians.  In addition, around 250 people were taken hostage and many of them haven't survived.  The Israeli offensive that followed has killed 70,925 Palestinians, foreign aid workers and reporters and another 171,185 have been wounded.  Around 1,200 IDF personnel have been killed since 7 October, on all fronts.  Since the "ceasefire", 379 Palestinians, including 70 children, have been killed and three IDF soldiers have died.  Those figures aren't surprising when you have one of the largest, most ruthless and well-equipped military forces waging war on unarmed civilians and defenceless children.

Hamas was estimated to have between 20-40,000 fighters of varying capacity and access to weapons in October 2023.  The IDF claims to have killed around 17,000 to 23,000 militants (that's around one third of Palestinian casualties) since then.  Of course, the ongoing persecution of Palestinians is likely to radicalise more fighters but there's a finite number. 

The ICC is the referee that adjudicates war crimes.

I'm not a fan of protests generally and I don't think the pro-Palestinian rallies will change anyone's mind, or government policies.  However, as Judith Treanor, a Jewish small business owner, points out,

"Those advocating for restrictions on pro-Palestinian protests must acknowledge the diversity of Jewish perspectives. Many Jews, including members of anti-Zionist groups like Jews Against the Occupation '48, Tzedek Collective, and the Loud Jew Collective, actively participate in these weekly rallies, standing in solidarity with Palestinians suffering atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank.

Globally, anti-Zionist Jewish groups echo this support. In the U.S., Jewish Voice for Peace and lfNotNow have organised mass protests. Orthodox groups like Torah Jews for Justice have taken clear anti-Zionist stances. In London, the UJewish Bloc" within pro-Palestine rallies numbers in the hundreds, including Holocaust survivors. Na'amod, a contributing group, emphasises that uonly when Palestinians live in freedom and dignity will Israel have security.

These groups, like ours, reject the notion that Zionism represents all Jews. The atrocities committed by Israel are not done in ourtives. Many Jews, including members of anti-Zionist groups like Jews Against the Occupation '48, Tzedek Collective, and the Loud Jew Collective, actively participate in these weekly rallies, standing in solidarity with Palestinians suffering atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank.

Globally, anti-Zionist Jewish groups echo this support. In the U.S., Jewish Voice for Peace and lfNotNow have organised mass protests. Orthodox groups like Torah Jews for Justice have taken clear anti-Zionist stances. In London, the UJewish Bloc" within pro-Palestine rallies numbers in the hundreds, including Holocaust survivors. Na'amod, a contributing group, emphasises that uonly when Palestinians live in freedom and dignity will Israel have security.

These groups, like ours, reject the notion that Zionism represents all Jews. The atrocities committed by Israel are not done in our name."


You can read Judith's letter here: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/other/21804/Judith%20Treanor,%20Pearls%20and%20Irritations,%2029%20January%202025.pdf

ahh, but have you read the hadiths and manifestos laid out by Mohammed? 

The extremists are activists who represent Islam.  Not just Islamic state, not just palestine.  Its not as simple as being made out.

I agree that the Bondi stuff is over simplified as being anti Semitic.  Its activism in the worst way, but the actual scenario is that the Palestinian people won't rest until the Jews are expelled for Israel or what was former Britain mandate palestine.

Its a scenario without end djc.  Just like Ukraine Russia.