Tom Ledger

[BigMart]

Many talented sportsmen are offloaded because they are not team oriented

Rightly or wrongly

Dean Jones, Stuart MacGill, Matthew Elliott, Brad Hodge from cricket spring to mind

[kimberly saint]

Many talented sportsmen are offloaded because they are not team oriented

Rightly or wrongly

Dean Jones, Stuart MacGill, Matthew Elliott, Brad Hodge from cricket spring to mind

''

elliot hodge ????

[BigMart]

Common knowledge those players were disliked.... In some cases weird.

CA really dislike Hodge in particular

It was like he was scoring runs just to spite them it seems.....

How he didn't play a decade of cricket for Aus no one can understand.... Perhaps the best short form batsman in the world from 2008-2010 but not playing??

Why?

[Teflon]

crickets dead.

can we get new analogies?

[Cairnsman]

crickets dead.

can we get new analogies?

It's not dead, it just moved to countries where corruption isn't illegal.

[bergholt]

crickets dead.

can we get new analogies?

Fair point that. The Australian team wounded it by being wankers and winning too much for too long - and then the IPL killed it. I don't even know who plays for Australia any more.

[Teflon]

crickets dead.

can we get new analogies?

Fair point that. The Australian team wounded it by being wankers and winning too much for too long - and then the IPL killed it. I don't even know who plays for Australia any more.

Exactly same here.

Latte set lost me - how the hell does anyone get excited over "pup" clarke FFS?

I get amazed when you hear some B Grade spinner getting a game who wouldnt a decade ago.

Cricket needs personalities - real country v country characters and genuine competition........we dont have it anymore - the Windies have been a basket case since Viv left......and we still wheel him and Botham out to generate some comical interest.

Games dead.

[Bernard Shakey]

Can he back it up?

They don't have to win popularity contests, or be meek and humble.

I don't care if he's cocky and can play well, the only reason for his continued absence is that the ego is impacting negatively on his footy?

I don't think it's an ego problem, I think he he has blinkers on and tries to do it all without seeing what's going on around him.

[Spinner]

At the huddles he doesn't say much. Atually most don't say anything. Cockie and Ross most vocal today.

Seb Ross said to him. "I don't care if you're f***ed, you need to change your pace". No verbal (that I heard) response from Ledger.

[BigMart]

Crickets dead....

Yep

It's really struggling, think outside of your own backyard folks.... We are but 1/7th of world cricket.

Unpopular in England..... No
In SA..... They are #1
In the sub continent..... Seriously
In WI..... They are performing well
In Aus..... Performing poorly, but popularity is always there... Perhaps the best grass roots sport

[bergholt]

It's really struggling, think outside of your own backyard folks.... We are but 1/7th of world cricket.

How does it go in the US? In Canada, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, China, Japan, Indonesia

I don't particularly have a dog in this fight, but it's a niche game on the world stage - soccer's obviously the universal.

[BigMart]

What's the rest of the world have to do with it.... It's a game played by most commonwealth countries. Many sports are localised in their demographic... AFL is only half national.

In the countries it's played, cricket is in good shape. Only in Australia it's having a flat spot, and if this is a flat spot.... What will it be like when the ladder is climbed again.

When Australia dominated the world, cricket was flatter than it is now. Great to have England back, the WI being exciting again... The SC building on their superstars and SA on top of the world

NZ is struggling for talent.... Tiny country that needs a superstar or two to be competitive!

[SainterK]

Can he back it up?

They don't have to win popularity contests, or be meek and humble.

I don't care if he's cocky and can play well, the only reason for his continued absence is that the ego is impacting negatively on his footy?

I don't think it's an ego problem, I think he he has blinkers on and tries to do it all without seeing what's going on around him.

Thanks Bernie, for clarifying.

Wonder how they teach that out of him?

[kimberly saint]

Common knowledge those players were disliked.... In some cases weird.

CA really dislike Hodge in particular

It was like he was scoring runs just to spite them it seems.....

How he didn't play a decade of cricket for Aus no one can understand.... Perhaps the best short form batsman in the world from 2008-2010 but not playing??

Why?

not to sure about that one, bloke called pointing might kept him out from for vast majorety , he was unlucky who do you suggest he was going to push out ??? lehman , siddions , love , maher , cox list goes on they must been all disliked to.

The elliot one ?? Got bad injury and his form was a bit up down when he got his chance did not take his chances

[bergholt]

In the countries it's played, cricket is in good shape. Only in Australia it's having a flat spot, and if this is a flat spot.... What will it be like when the ladder is climbed again.

Fair enough. The fact remains that I'd watch soccer World Cups many times over ahead of a cricket World Cup - can't even remember who won the last one or when it was. No idea if my view is that of the majority but it's worrying for such a niche game if there's many who hold to it.

[stinger]

It's really struggling, think outside of your own backyard folks.... We are but 1/7th of world cricket.

How does it go in the US? In Canada, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, China, Japan, Indonesia

I don't particularly have a dog in this fight, but it's a niche game on the world stage - soccer's obviously the universal.

soccer sucks actually...most boring game in the world...and not safe to attend as a spectator.....world game.????..flower me...

[bergholt]

soccer sucks actually...most boring game in the world...and not safe to attend as a spectator.....world game.????..flower me...

A lot seem to watch it. And "not safe"? I've been to games in Turkey, Russia, Spain, France, Germany, the UK and Australia without any problems. South America might be another story, no idea on that one. Still, I think you might be repeating an urban myth there.

[stinger]

soccer sucks actually...most boring game in the world...and not safe to attend as a spectator.....world game.????..flower me...

A lot seem to watch it. And "not safe"? I've been to games in Turkey, Russia, Spain, France, Germany, the UK and Australia without any problems. South America might be another story, no idea on that one. Still, I think you might be repeating an urban myth there.

wasn't safe for the girl who got burnt by a flare recently and is now scarred for life ffs....


yep...lots watch it....because they don'y know any better...lots watch bullfights too....

[bergholt]

wasn't safe for the girl who got burnt by a flare recently and is now scarred for life ffs....

Surely you went to the footy at Moorabbin? Plenty of innocent people ended up scarred for life - physically as well as mentally - after games there.

[stinger]

wasn't safe for the girl who got burnt by a flare recently and is now scarred for life ffs....

Surely you went to the footy at Moorabbin? Plenty of innocent people ended up scarred for life - physically as well as mentally - after games there.

...pay that one...

[mad saint guy]

Unless there are major off-field issues then I think Ledger has been treated very harshly. I remember Lyon praising Ledger for training well in his first year and he made his way into the team before being injured so it doesn't seem like it's a work rate issue.

Ledger has great attack on the ball, is very quick, can kick a goal and gets plenty of the footy. While his disposal efficiency isn't great, I've seen him hit forwards lace-out plenty of times. He gets a lot of contested possessions which will hurt his efficiency stats and has tried to do too much at times in his AFL appearances (which is understandable considering he usually comes on in the last quarter with 25 minutes to make an impression and keep his spot). I see Ledger as a more aggressive but less polished version of Montagna.

What he really needs to do at senior level is settle down and get used to the pace of the game, and that will only come with experience.

[plugger66]

Unless there are major off-field issues then I think Ledger has been treated very harshly. I remember Lyon praising Ledger for training well in his first year and he made his way into the team before being injured so it doesn't seem like it's a work rate issue.

Ledger has great attack on the ball, is very quick, can kick a goal and gets plenty of the footy. While his disposal efficiency isn't great, I've seen him hit forwards lace-out plenty of times. He gets a lot of contested possessions which will hurt his efficiency stats and has tried to do too much at times in his AFL appearances (which is understandable considering he usually comes on in the last quarter with 25 minutes to make an impression and keep his spot). I see Ledger as a more aggressive but less polished version of Montagna.

What he really needs to do at senior level is settle down and get used to the pace of the game, and that will only come with experience.

Fitness and skills are an issue i reckon.

[spert]

If Ledger is midfielder or onballer, then who does he replace in the seniors (just going on form alone). Is he a better bet than Hayes, NDS, Montagna, Steven, Armo or Newnes? If not then he will struggle to get a senior game at the moment. He would need to be in the best players consistently at VFL level, and consistently get a lot of disposals in the process. After two games, he appears to be plodding and fades a bit as the game goes on.

[mad saint guy]

If Ledger is midfielder or onballer, then who does he replace in the seniors (just going on form alone). Is he a better bet than Hayes, NDS, Montagna, Steven, Armo or Newnes? If not then he will struggle to get a senior game at the moment. He would need to be in the best players consistently at VFL level, and consistently get a lot of disposals in the process. After two games, he appears to be plodding and fades a bit as the game goes on.

Can directly replace Jones or take some midfield rotations that part-timers like Gilbert, Ray, Newnes, Milera, Siposs, Schneider or Roberton would otherwise take.

[Freebird]

It's really struggling, think outside of your own backyard folks.... We are but 1/7th of world cricket.

How does it go in the US? In Canada, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, China, Japan, Indonesia

I don't particularly have a dog in this fight, but it's a niche game on the world stage - soccer's obviously the universal.

soccer sucks actually...most boring game in the world...and not safe to attend as a spectator.....world game.????..flower me...

Cannot agree more, it's tribal. Like cricket nothing happens most of the time and thats why they song/fight mexican wave etc etc


Soccer makes me angry because it is so frustratingly boring