Editor
Joined October 2016
3.1m
Views
868
Published
11.5k
Comments
I love cricket so much I once had a dream I was timed out. It was the worst nightmare I've ever had. I also support the Western Bulldogs, which, much like dressing like clowns on the street and scaring people, was weird and depressing for a very long time, briefly became amazing in late 2016 and then swiftly went back to being weird and depressing. I also occasionally tweet about things at @timejmiller.
Published
Comments
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is Australia's once again - and just like that, the final frontier facing Pat Cummins and his team has at last…
For the first time since March 2017, Australia hold the Border-Gavaskar Trophy - another marvellous achievement for Pat Cummins and his all-conquering team. It…
Australia are 2-1 up in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy - and it could scarcely have come in more dramatic fashion. After five days of captivating…
On the morning of Boxing Day 2024, Sam Konstas became Australia's 468th Test cricketer - and fourth-youngest ever - when Mark Taylor presented him…
Here's a fact: no new opener in the last 40 years of Australian Test cricket has fared worse than Nathan McSweeney. Here's another fact,…
From midway through Day 1, Australia and India's clash at the Gabba was headed for a stalemate - and after a record 18 rain…
Just 33 overs could be bowled on Day 3 of the third Test at the Gabba - but it was enough to turn Australia's…
After a week and a half of doom and gloom, public scrutiny and intense pressure following the horror show that was the first Test,…
A maiden five-wicket haul at the Adelaide Oval for captain Pat Cummins has dealt the final blow to India's chances in the second Test,…
India are ascendant and Australia reeling after the tourists inflicted one of the heaviest smashings ever dished out to the reigning World Test Champions…
India can surely not have had many sweeter days of Test cricket than what they enjoyed on Day 3 at Optus Stadium. Heading in…
Australia's listless time in the field as the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy slips away from the hosts showed no sign of abating…
Australia's dire batting collapse on the first afternoon at Optus Stadium should not come as a surprise to anyone who has watched this team…
The 2024 AFL draft has been completed, with a host of the game's newest crop of stars set to head to their new homes…
The next generation of AFL talent will begin their journey to the big time tonight, with the first night of the 2024 AFL Draft…
The 2024 AFL Draft is nearly upon us - and it promises to be the most fascinating in years. Rather than a Harley Reid…
The AFL fixture has been revealed in full for the 2025 season - and naturally, there's plenty to talk about. From the explosion of…
Australia's new-look batting line-up has again crumbled in the face of Pakistan's lethal pace attack in Perth to consign the hosts to a second…
The 2024 AFL Trade Period is done and dusted - and boy, was it a mixed bag. After just two trades in the first…
The AFL season is over, but it's not the end of the road for footy fans, with the 2024 trade period continuing into its…
This refers more to Sam Walsh being the obvious No.1 draft pick in his 2018 draft year – which he absolutely was.
Leave it up to the beholder to decide his value, but I’d still have him as the No.1 player in that year’s draft, albeit with Zak Butters closing fast!
Special Talents: The best AFL Draft prospect for every position - and who'd be perfect for your club
Good point! Not a great last few months for Freo fans eh – at least they have Collingwood’s first-rounder
AFL Oracle revisited: Grading my pre-season predictions for 2024
I don’t even rely on my tips anymore
AFL Oracle revisited: Grading my pre-season predictions for 2024
Fully agree with this, and imagine Port supporters would too – Geelong get pick 15 and Port pick 16!
AFL Oracle revisited: Grading my pre-season predictions for 2024
… this is true of anyone saying anything, isn’t it?
And I’ve genuinely never claimed to be an expert!
AFL Oracle revisited: Grading my pre-season predictions for 2024
1. Geelong 2008 – ridiculously dominant except in the third quarter of the grand final
2. Daylight
3. St Kilda 2009- lost two H&A games all year, both by less than a goal
4. Collingwood 2011 – literally were only defeated by one team all year
5. More daylight
6. Hawthorn 2012 – second half of 2012 most dominant period of Hawthorn’s whole era
7. Richmond 2018 – most dominant team of the 2000s to not make a grand final
8. Adelaide 2005 – elite all year, snatched top spot with win over West Coast in Perth in last round
9. Adelaide 2017 – tapered off but probably the last properly high-scoring team we’ve seen
10. Fremantle 2015 – first half of the year best in Freo’s history but weren’t great by the end.
Every grand final of the 2000s, ranked first to 25th: Which classic is 'the most underrated decider in footy history'?
Kennedy was ridiculous that day. One of the best grand final performances I can remember, certainly for a losing side.
Not a big fan though of giving the Norm Smith to a player from the losing team, though – rare enough that it’s not worth changing but feel like it dilutes the joy of the medal quite significantly.
Every grand final of the 2000s, ranked first to 25th: Which classic is 'the most underrated decider in footy history'?
Got it wrong – happy to put my hand up!
Finals Fix: Port came with a plan to take down the Swans - and it backfired spectacularly
Comments have been turned off for this post.
'Know my name will be cleared': Addo-Carr maintains innocence as fresh details of second positive test emerge
Port were terrific (and will be mentioned prominently in Six Points tonight!) – but surely it can’t be disputed that when the minor premier loses by three figures after a month and a half of steadily deteriorating form that’s the bigger talking point, right?
Footy Fix: The Swans are officially in freefall. Here are the painful questions that must be asked... and answered
To be honest I think this is a consequence of all those incidents you mention getting overturned.
The AFL tightened its rules around prohibited contact when Cripps had his ban overturned – remember, they WANTED him to be banned and Michael Christian did initially suspend him – and did the same for Maynard. Heeney would have got off under last year’s rules, it’s only the change to off-the-ball hits being graded as ‘intentional’ and not ‘careless’ conduct that got him.
The ridiculous thing in my view is that Heeney’s hit was only graded ‘low’ impact because of Jimmy Webster’s blood nose, whereas Zak Butters and Jesse Hogan earlier this year had far more deliberate strikes to the head but their opponents were both fine. Basically becomes ‘as long as you don’t whack them too hard on the nose specifically you’ll be right’.
AFL News: Simpson knocks back farewell game offer, Swans to take Heeney ban to Appeals Board
“It’s important to be careful about what I have to say next, because to suggest the Melbourne doctors were derelict in their duties is a huge claim and an irresponsible one to make without knowing the full process behind what went on in the Demons rooms and on the interchange bench as Petracca was cleared to return.”
Thought I was pretty clear in giving the doctors the greatest benefit of the doubt – but either way, letting him back on with the injuries that he’s now confirmed to have sustained is a shocking look in my view.
COMMENT: The Dees failed Christian Petracca on King's Birthday - and questions must be answered
A player was clearly injured, sent back out there, was clearly and visibly troubled, and has now been hospitalised and needed surgery on major internal injuries.
How on earth is it unfounded to say that’s a horrendous look?
COMMENT: The Dees failed Christian Petracca on King's Birthday - and questions must be answered
That’s precisely my point, though – if the reason Petracca was sent back out there was because they weren’t aware his ribs were cracked, then that should be publicly disclosed.
Otherwise it remains a horrendous look to have sent him out there with such severe internal injuries.
COMMENT: The Dees failed Christian Petracca on King's Birthday - and questions must be answered
“It isn’t sacrilege to ask informed questions of the medical team but that won’t stop the media idly speculating about the course of events whether they have the full facts or not.”
If you read the article you’ll be aware that’s exactly what I want – informed questions of the medical team being answered openly and honestly by Melbourne.
If the AFL doesn’t demand it as they did with Port Adelaide, then they’ll hide behind the ‘we trust the doctors implicitly line’, and the Petracca incident will remain the horrendous look that it is.
COMMENT: The Dees failed Christian Petracca on King's Birthday - and questions must be answered
Big difference between a sore player going back out there and a player with four cracked ribs and a punctured lung, I’d have thought!
If there needs to be an ‘outrage line’, maybe it’s having literal broken bones protecting vital organs?
COMMENT: The Dees failed Christian Petracca on King's Birthday - and questions must be answered
“Especially when there has been no objective investigation to establish all the facts.”
Angela, that’s exactly what I’m calling for – the Dees need to be open and honest with exactly how they came to the conclusion that Petracca was right to go.
They’ve already been criticised by all and sundry for letting him back on, and the extent of his injuries today makes that decision a really, REALLY bad look – or would you disagree with that?
COMMENT: The Dees failed Christian Petracca on King's Birthday - and questions must be answered
Yeah I agree on the DV social media post point – I think it would have been better to ask all clubs to come up with something themselves, almost came off as them just reading from a script which defeated the purpose a little bit.
I have the argument on the suspension based on outcomes thing every week with my dad – his point (as a lawyer) is that the punishment is significantly bigger for any crime if someone is significantly hurt. I wish the AFL didn’t work that way, but I think we’re sort of stuck with it (& also think three weeks for Brown’s bump is probably about right which I expect won’t be a controversial take at all…)
Six Points: Bevo's Bulldogs reach breaking point, dangerous tackle loophole must be closed, and 2024's worst coach-killer
I think that’s a bit unfair to St Kilda and based on a Ross Lyon stereotype – the Saints moved the ball pretty quickly consistently against GWS, they were just let down by some wayward kicking inside 50 until the last quarter. It was a close game, but far from a low-scoring scrap that you’d associate with ‘defensive-minded coaching’ imo.
Six Points: Why Dogs' disaster isn't all Bevo's fault, Eagles on their way, and 2024's biggest beat-up
I think there’s reasonable criticism to be made of his tactics and team structure, and Kornes was really close to getting it when he questioned a disconnect between list management and coaching (Harmes being brought in as the defensive midfielder and then stuck playing VFL top of the list for me), but almost none of it is getting airtime beyond ‘why no play Macrae’ and ‘Sanders sub grr’
Six Points: Why Dogs' disaster isn't all Bevo's fault, Eagles on their way, and 2024's biggest beat-up
Hi guys, this has been fixed & correct points awarded for the weekend. Our tipping comp processor REALLY hates golden point!
Reds rue missed 'moments' as Hurricanes get up in golden point to deny Australia another Super Rugby win
Watch Nic Maddinson and Will Pucovski mow down 380 against Tasmania to get the Vics into the Shield final, Rabbitz!
Joy of six: Lyon dismembers Black Caps as Aussies surge to commanding win, 1-0 series lead
Honestly I think these days it’s less the AFL going soft at the pointy end of the season, and more clubs pulling out all the stops to try and clear their players and the laws not being strong enough to hold up to intense legal scrutiny.
The AFL were desperate enough for Maynard to get two weeks that they literally overruled Michael Christian on it, and the year before Carlton went to multiple appeals to get Cripps off.
At the same time, if the Powell-Pepper-Keane incident happened in the first week of the finals, there’s surely no way known Port would have started by pleading guilty and asking for ‘only’ three weeks.
Monster bump ban confirmed for Port forward - and won't include pre-season match - as Power cry 'scapegoat'
I love Marshall and I think it’s worth noting four of us experts had him in our top 50s quite happily.
Him missing out was more to do with my process than anything else, really – maybe I should make the cut-off three top-60 nominations instead of just the two in future years.
The Roar's AFL top 50 players, 10-1: Why the reigning Brownlow Medallist couldn't even crack the top five
Comments have been turned off on this article.
Eagles investigating after vision emerges of star in street brawl