*Official* Australia Tour of West Indies 2025

[the big bambino]

i think it's a pretty good policy precisely because it's black and white and totally agnostic as to the content of the allegation
i really don't like the idea of the nrl delegating itself quasi-tribunal of fact authority and evaluating the merits of SA allegations, to me that just seems like a total palava

As soon as you stand a player down you have conceded merit in the accusation. Paying a player while being stood down alleviates the impact but doesn't completely redress the time not spent playing. It's an impossible situation for them. But the conflicting interests kind of contradicts a hard and fast policy imo.

 

[Shady Slim]

As soon as you stand a player down you have conceded merit in the accusation. Paying a player while being stood down alleviates the impact but doesn't completely redress the time not spent playing. It's an impossible situation for them. But the conflicting interests kind of contradicts a hard and fast policy imo.

i just don't think that's the case

 

[the big bambino]

i just don't think that's the case

Fair enough. I'm not totally against the policy. Or at least get it. The NRL are trying to be a fair as possible. Its the kind of policy that can only be reactive anyway. It'll be determined by societal standards. If, at any point, there are strong objections to the way the player is treated they likely act to change it. One instance when that is the best course of action.

 

[morgieb]

The reason why that's in is because non-NRL fans - and even some NRL fans - all seem to think that the game is full of wife-beaters/rapists/etc. because it gets reported on far more frequently than other sports. They have to have some form of zero tolerance to keep the game flowing.

You'll never get full Zero Tolerance though as charges get dropped/players found not guilty on dubious grounds (see: de Belin/May).

 

[Shady Slim]

The reason why that's in is because non-NRL fans - and even some NRL fans - all seem to think that the game is full of wife-beaters/rapists/etc. because it gets reported on far more frequently than other sports. They have to have some form of zero tolerance to keep the game flowing.

You'll never get full Zero Tolerance though as charges get dropped/players found not guilty on dubious grounds (see: de Belin/May).

eheeee i'm also gonna have to (respectfully) disagree with this too - in cases which are most often word against word it should be difficult to find someone guilty of such a heinous act beyond a reasonable doubt - which is the highest standard known to law and which is much higher than say "look yeah i probably reckon he did it" - and which has the almost inevitable consequence that someone's going to spend a significant portion of time in the state's custody

 

[halba]

Hazlewood now a certain starter for the Ashes series, and Starc will be rotated through the series. Mitch Starc effectiveness reduces over a 5 test series. Boland, Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson (latter two subject to fitness) to also provide backup if bowlers get injured- its a 5 test series.

Cameron Green and Konstas to be dropped i suspect.

 

[Shady Slim]

is it just me or does haze seem to do this every time? like for a long time now there's been lingering questions as to his spot due to both form and health and almost exactly at the point they start to become louder and louder he pulls a great performance out to show us why he's a big dog

 

[Sliferxxxx]

Pardon my ignorance but who has been accused of what? And links please.

 

[TheJediBrah]

As soon as you stand a player down you have conceded merit in the accusation. Paying a player while being stood down alleviates the impact but doesn't completely redress the time not spent playing. It's an impossible situation for them. But the conflicting interests kind of contradicts a hard and fast policy imo.

There's also no way to predict what effect taking multiple years off will do to a player's career, not to mention the stain of allegations that will follow for the rest of their life, even if proven (or found) innocent.

 

[TheJediBrah]

is it just me or does haze seem to do this every time? like for a long time now there's been lingering questions as to his spot due to both form and health and almost exactly at the point they start to become louder and louder he pulls a great performance out to show us why he's a big dog

Haze has looked our second best bowler after Boland for the last 2 years IMO. It's frustrating that they're fighting against each other for a spot

 

[halba]

Haze has looked our second best bowler after Boland for the last 2 years IMO. It's frustrating that their fighting against each other for a spot

The solution is to rotate for long series like the Ashes. Get Boland atleast 2 tests.

Also Haze is prone to breaking down at any time so chances are Boland will be used as they will rest Haze for 2 tests for a 5 test series.

Ashes XI possible

1. Jake Weatherald(50 ave in recent shield)
2. Khawaja
3. Kurtis Patterson
4. Steve Smith
5. Head
6. Webster
7. Carey
8. Starc
9. Cummins
10. Lyon
11. Hazlewood OR Boland.

 

[Xix2565]

Pardon my ignorance but who has been accused of what? And links please.

https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2025/06/27/hughes-fields-and-stoby-law-firm-representing-woman-accusing-cricketer-of-rape/

There's news coming out now (the original source is linked above and quoted) about a current WI cricketer being accused of several counts of rape and SA.

Here's where I posted what I found. There are other articles on the same site, think they might be linked as well here.

 

[Qlder]

Shamar Joseph played like it's his last match

4/46 and 5/87 and 44 with the bat at #10

 

[Sliferxxxx]

Here's where I posted what I found. There are other articles on the same site, think they might be linked as well here.

Well if they can prove that he did it in a court of law, then i hope that they lock him up and throw away the keys. I have zero tolerance for anyone who commits the big R.

 

[Silver Silva]

is it just me or does haze seem to do this every time? like for a long time now there's been lingering questions as to his spot due to both form and health and almost exactly at the point they start to become louder and louder he pulls a great performance out to show us why he's a big dog

I think because Josh is a quiet lad people mistake it for weakness cause since 2023 Hazlewood has taken 71 wickets in 16 tests @18.99 , Cummins in the same period has 94 wickets in 23 tests @24.05

Josh Hazlewood should not be under any pressure at all , he's consistent across all formats really , one or two bad games happens to everyone

 

[Burgey]

While 4 has been where a lot of the top batters in Test cricket have resided in recent times, the trend worldwide is for openers and 3s scoring far fewer runs than before because it’s simply harder, you currently have 3s like Green and Pope who have stepped up because of a lack of alternatives, without much success yet in the case of Green, and to middling success so far with Pope

It might be harder because of the bowlers and pitches, or it might be harder because the openers and threes aren’t much chop. Most likely a bit of both

 

[Sliferxxxx]

Soo the obvious problem for WI is that their bowling can almost match any other currently with (imo) only Australia, India and South Africa being distinctly better. And while all the teams have so so batting, WI is just the worst of the worst. So whatever paltry scores the WI bowlers manage to dismiss teams for, the WI batting will score less.

 

[Burgey]

I think because Josh is a quiet lad people mistake it for weakness cause since 2023 Hazlewood has taken 71 wickets in 16 tests @18.99 , Cummins in the same period has 94 wickets in 23 tests @24.05

Josh Hazlewood should not be under any pressure at all , he's consistent across all formats really , one or two bad games happens to everyone

Yeah, and fwiw Haze on anything offering sideways or up and down bounce is a nightmare really.

he also tends to the the one omitted on flat decks in Asia. Not his fault obviously, but worth considering when comparing his numbers cf Cummins and Starc across this period

 

[Burgey]

Soo the obvious problem for WI is that their bowling can almost match any other currently with (imo) only Australia, India and South Africa being distinctly better. And while all the teams have so so batting, WI is just the worst of the worst. So whatever paltry scores the WI bowlers manage to dismiss teams for, the WI batting will score less.

WI attack is better than India’s, which is godlike for 1/4 of the overs it bowls and dogshit for many of the rest.

 

[kyear2]

WI attack is better than India’s, which is godlike for 1/4 of the overs it bowls and dogshit for many of the rest.

Was going to say this.

We're just behind Australia and South Africa really.