Now the English PM is having a whinge about the cricket.

The poms might not be good at cricket, but at least they are good at something.

If whinging was an Olympic event gold, silver and bronze to the poms everytime, no point in anyone else even entering the event.

With all those car factories closing down after Brexit, perhaps we can get a few more whingers at the cricket?

Maybe the high class impeccably behaved toffs at Lords with their extremely ugly ties can have a whip around and run somw whinging ads in the media. Those ads will blend right in.

The thing they are using to defend Bairstow is "he wasn't trying to take a run".....all I say is name ONE bloke who has been stumped (in the history of cricket) who was.

I am happy with the presser from Gus, and the team that was named this week.

One exception, I don't think that Topine is suited to the centres, I hope Quai-Ward or Skelton gets a run.

Happy for players to be dropped to take them out of the spotlight and give them a rest.

Hopefully the club has closed ranks and we will see spirit and unity on the field.

Looking at the team they should  be competitive ….. South’s missing most of their key players .. victory not out of the question but ball is in the teams court … 

8 of their top 17… $2.65 1-12, and $7  1+ should look like a reasonable flutter for a fan… but……..

* $7 for 13+…

I think I just identified a new gender…😜

We are still lacking some size in the forwards, but a proper halfback will make a difference.

The players just need to get over the past trauma and focus on the job at hand.

Most weeks we can win, being a chance of winning starts with defence.

The players that have been dropped seem to have a week off to gather their thoughts. I do feel sorry for Alammotti and Rajab a nightmare game for those young guys, particularly Rajab on his first full game.

Every pom on the planet has had a whinge about the cricket.

Even even born babies are whinging, they start young and never stop.

It’s a shame that Avo wasn’t given the year at fullback with an offseason to cement that position. I think we will regret letting the kid go. 

Offically Gus doesn't have an input on team selection, except for giving advice when asked.

I thought Avo would be best at fullback before our coaches even tried him, becuase his defence in the centres is suspect.

Offically CC preferred Perham becuase he had a loud voice and could organise the defence. But we can see the results.

CC thought Avo could be an elite centre, I agree, many players can play both positions well.

Regardless of what happens at fullback, I want second rowers and centres who are good defenders. So I would have had Avo at fullback all season for multiple reasons. Burns would have replaced Allamotti a few weeks ago.

But looking at the positives, Sexton is a big positive, I have always rated him, based on what I have seen which is only a few games.

I think  you are  right  about Avo. Bennett would have to be one of the better judges of a footballer out there and  he targeted him. Says a lot in my book.

IMO coaching and team selection from CC may have cost us 1-2 wins.

But it certainly didn't cost us a chance to make the 8, or a shot at a title, the team is well short of that territory.

Recuitment, retention, scouting and development seems to be better than it has been for 10-15 seasons and getting back to where we need to be.

For the dopes like Tallis that don't understand why the Broncos bounced back quicker than we did. Their scouting and development has been well ahead of us for at least a decade. Most of their talent is home grown, and the players have played a lot more NRL. They have some natural advantages up to recently being the only team in a city. 

Gus and CC are not getting everything right, but they are getting more right than wrong. Sometimes trying a player is the only way to find out.

I still hope that we can turn things around from here, finish the season well and lay down some building blocks for the future.

Well said Houndog

I'm not convinced on the recruitment and retention side of things.

We have certainly been more active in the last 5 years. And we've certainly spent a fair bit of cash.

But the reality is that it has not improved us as a team or on the ladder. I actually believe we have made very poor aquisitions bar 1 or 2 players.

Our team reminds me of the Broncos afew years back when they focused solely on a big pack and neglected their backs and halves. It was a disaster and they spiralled to the spoon.

I think we are where they were. Difference being they identified their halves (Milf, Nikorima, Croft) weren't the answer and finally got one that was. They also had offloaded their forwards (Fifita, Maguire, and afew others I can't quite remember right now) and revitalised the team.

They also struck gold with Ikin at the helm and Kevvie Walters who instilled some mettle in the team. 

Sure they have a string talent pool, but like I always say, you can only pick 30 players in your top squad and if those only 17 to take the field. 

Our recruitment decisions have left alot to be desired....

They bought an experienced halfback. If we would have done the same we would be doing very well. I don’t agree with you that they focussed on forwards and neglected other areas. They currently have one of the best forward packs in the comp, if not the best. The only thing they did different was buying a very experienced first class halfback. 

Honestly Marki. If you put Haas, Carrigan and Reynolds in our side we would be minor premiers. 

They have a very good forward pack right now...
I was talking about their forwards and their roster buildup in the 2017-2021 era.

But yes, they recruited a key missing piece in AR at the same time they discovered Ezra Mam. Capewell was also a key signing with his cool head.

But credit should go to their recruitment team and Kevvie coz they look like they have hardly made a bad call in both recruitment and retention since offloading those players post wooden spoon year

I don't like Haas but love the other 2.
Problem is... Our hierarchy didn't have foresight when it was needed.

Not sure they have it now either.

We offered Carrigan a contract three times. Once when he was in school, and two more times. Every time we offered a lot more than the Broncos. But he stuck with them. So we did try. I think we also tried for Reynolds a long time ago. And we have tried for Haas many times. 

We need eyes up footy players especially in our spine. Have needed it for years. 

We got a glimpse of it with Dufty but he came with defensive issues.

Even if we don't have high footy IQ players across the park, we definitely need them in at least 3 of 4 spine positions 

Right now we only have Mahoney.

That's news to me Re Carrigan.
I don't believe the AR attempt. 

If we showed interest but gawked at the price tag, I don't call that a genuine attempt. I'm sure we are "interested" in many players but for some reason the club doesn't consider experience and proven performance in the spine as a pre-requisite. They opt for inexperience and untried potential

Well…I’ve stuck it to Mitch Marsh over the years… Credit where it’s due, amazing effort with the bat and a wicket to top off a great day for him… 

Yes, this is great test cricjet.

Woods is apparently as fast a Brett Lee, far to fast to be a real pom. 

I have also given up on Marsh in the past I would like to think that this isn't a one off performance and he will kick on.

First innings lead is important this test. If the wicket dies down a bit we will score more second dig, but poms could chase a score. I am hard to please but will be happy with 3-0 even if we only win by 1 run.

Stumping Bairstow again to win by 1 run would be cricket heaven.

The point is that the Broncos recuited well in Reynolds, but the bulk of thier players are home grown. 

Same for the Panthers, Cows, Raiders and Sharks

Storm don't exactly have great juniors and the Roosters have a great bank account.

For the rest of the clubs scouting and development largely determines the pecking order.

Mase thinks Tino would be a great recruit 6 clubs are chasing him.

We would be paying a premium for leadership, but we definitely need leadership.

Already Sexy-Ton seems to be going to contribute to organisation.

Go Dogs !!!

I’m hoping get gets out hit wicket…

Loving Bazball…

Believe what you want. But Reynolds said he wouldn’t play for another Sydney club. 

SOO is over. Queensland won. Why are we still stuffing  the  competition  around. Standing  players down from important games etc.

There's no way Tino would be good at our club.
On the back foot and on a high pay packet, he would be a liability. 

No thanks