@canefan

Have a read of Bill Barnwell's piece on the Pats myths.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25787154/fact-checking-patriots-18-year-nfl-dynasty-real-myth

@Rapido said in Aussie Cricket:

@Cyclops said in Aussie Cricket:

@Siam
I don't know what the financial setup is like in Sheffield Shield but if they're fully pro that probably makes it worse because a guy could comfortably play first class cricket for a decade and not mind (perhaps hoping that things break for him).

Whereas our semi pro setup means that guys who aren't good enough to step up to test level move on to jobs with better stability, which means that they don't clog up the system (of course not being fully pro reduces the quality of the competition which has negative effects but that's another debate, I'm just focusing on the potential reasons why the Aussie batting lineup is pretty universally acknowledged as weaker than ours, and even with Smith and Warner back would be a good argument)

This is not what happens in nz domestic cricket. We've had domestic contracting for 15 years and we've had loads of domestic veterans hanging around the FC scene ever since. Which imo has been great. Think Papps , Mason, Fulton, Sinclair, Franklin, Broom, Cumming, Redmind, Marshall, Gillespie, McKay, Aldridge, Arnel, Ellis etc dominating the domestic scene the last decade.

I can think of very few players who gave away domestic cricket early the last decade. Andrew de Boorder was promising batsman who gave it up once he finished university. Harry Boam completely lost his mojo. Will Sommerville moved to Sydney mid 20s. Austin-Smellie, Dean Bartlett. That's all I can think of who packed it in too early.

But to counter the above rosy view of the handling of nz domestic cricket and bring it into a relevance of Barbarians post re Aus, NZC has discontinued entirely our provincial 2nd 11 competition for 2 years now.

Fair enough. Been a few years since I was following domestic closely. At the time it felt like there used to be guys who would play a season or two and then move on, but you're right that there's always been the provincial stalwarts. There's also a lot of movement between regions that I might have mistaken.

Players definitely used to complain about how tough it was balancing cricket with another job the other six months of the year. Are players fully professional now?

@Siam
I don't know what the financial setup is like in Sheffield Shield but if they're fully pro that probably makes it worse because a guy could comfortably play first class cricket for a decade and not mind (perhaps hoping that things break for him).

Whereas our semi pro setup means that guys who aren't good enough to step up to test level move on to jobs with better stability, which means that they don't clog up the system (of course not being fully pro reduces the quality of the competition which has negative effects but that's another debate, I'm just focusing on the potential reasons why the Aussie batting lineup is pretty universally acknowledged as weaker than ours, and even with Smith and Warner back would be a good argument)

Interesting observation (based on the comment about the 2nd XI changes in Sheffield Shield). There are six states in the shield, and we have six plunkett shield teams. That means that us and Australia each have 66 (plus squads) top tier spots.

Perhaps that's the bottle neck for them? Especially if you have guys who are good enough domestically but not for tests who keep out others and the 2nd xi no longer offers a pathway to force your way in.

@Chester-Draws said in 2020 All Blacks Squad:

@cgrant

I confess I confused the two brothers. I was overseas for the last Super 12 and missed those games. I wasn't hugely impressed with Luke previously when he played for Waikato (although given the disaster that season was, perhaps that wasn't an ideal time for him to shine).

I did watch Liam Messam play as a young man. He had lightening top speed (I remember a commentator mentioning that he wasn't quick for a forward, he was quick full-stop, one of the reasons he was so good at Sevens). But he was light and an openside, as I recall -- he put on a lot of weight and changed sides before he was anywhere near good enough to be an AB. If Jacobson looks like a "young Messam" then he's a few years yet off making the ABs.

Young Messam had about three seasons of arguments about whether he was a loosie or a midfield.

Will be a shocking choke if they don't. It feels like 12 an over is the new 6. If you can force the asking rate above that then batting sides start to lose composure.

Doull and Marshall exemplify the role of the ex-pro in the commentary box. Marshall can pick apart a teams plans from a set piece like no one else I've ever heard, and Doull's insights on bowling techniques is great (he had a great discussion on seam position for bowlers with slingy actions).

But when they're talking general play they're prone to idiotic gaffs and over committing on hunches.

@KiwiMurph said in NFL 2018:

I'm very happy to see Patriots on the road. Arrowhead is going to be rocking. I think I saw somewhere that Patriots have not won a road playoff game in over a decade.

Have they had a road play off game in the last decade?

@barbarian said in NFL 2018:

Saints get up by six. Quite a turnaround from the first quarter - Brees stepped up on multiple occasions and the Saints D kept the Eagles scoreless in the second half.

Rams vs Saints and Chiefs vs Pats next week, with all four results well in play.

Top four teams this year in the championship games. All of them capable of winning the big dance. Feels like the first time in a while we haven't had a plucky underdog putting together a great post season run.

That table doesn't include tonight's win so three points ahead of Adelaide and one point off second, although game in hand for everyone ahead of us.

Impressive comeback tonight, woeful first have but incredible turn around after half time. I can't remember the last time I saw the phoenix playing with that kind of intensity and focus.

Rudan is a great manager. If the phoenix can keep him for three years they'll be doing well. Bigger clubs will be interested soon.