But that’s what happens these days: put one foot out of your crease in the presumption over will be called, the stumps are down, and you are walking off the arena wondering what just transpired.
That’s why we would have forgiven embattled Australian opener David Warner if he thought Aaron Finch had joined the tour when Dew walked through the doors at Old Trafford to spend a day with the team. Both are barrel-chested men who look like they could wield the willow like a toothpick.
With his spot under pressure Warner would have been relieved to know it was just another AFL luminary wandering into the inner sanctum of the Australian cricket team rather than the former Test opener from Colac.
Of course, Dew’s visit should not have come as a shock given his love of cricket and connection to Port Adelaide ambassador Travis Head.
Geelong’s premiership skipper Joel Selwood also joined the team ahead of the Lord’s Test, wandering around with only a score of 70 in his one junior cricket outing in Bendigo to speak about. He is one of many at the Cats with a strong relationship with Australian coach Andrew McDonald, who has spent time alongside Finch observing how the Cats’ football program functions.
Dual premiership coach Chris Scott (not the Chris Scott who dropped Brian Lara on 18 before he made 501 in a county match in the ’90s, by the way) even donned the Cricket Australia training gear as a guest of the team during the Boxing Day Test last summer as McDonald, who lives in Geelong, repaid the favour. Scott was able to watch the Aussies make a mess of South Africa from the best seat in the house.
Joel Selwood and Oscar Piastri attended training before the second test at Lord’sCredit: Getty
The Geelong connections don’t end there with Andre Borovec, who played in South Barwon’s 2000 premiership team in the Geelong Football League, part of the Australian touring party as an assistant coach. Borovec, a renowned wicketkeeper turned coach for Geelong, got to know McDonald when they played first grade cricket together.
With wicketkeeper Alex Carey once on the GWS list, Cam Green and Mitch Marsh destined to play AFL if they hadn’t settled on cricket, and Mitch Starc a keen Giants fan, there is no shortage of AFL knowledge within the team.
Dew’s exit means it’s been a transformational period for the Suns’ football department in the past two months as former Adelaide coach Neil Craig was assisting the coaches in a part-time capacity this season. He departed about five weeks ago to join Eddie Jones’ in the Wallabies camp as they head to the Bledisloe Cup against the All Blacks later this month.
All going swimmingly at Carlton
Speaking of getting out of town mid-season to recharge the batteries, we doubt anyone can match the effort of Carlton CEO Brian Cook who managed to get a bit of warmth into the bones on a recent swimming trip in Indonesia.
The fanatical open water swimmer, who has completed the epic Rottnest Island Channel Swim on numerous occasions, decided to live on a boat for seven days as he joined a tour that started at Labuan Bajo in Flores island in eastern Indonesia.
Carlton CEO Brian Cook wants the Blues to win “at least” one flag in the next five years.Credit: Chris Hopkins
As the boat circled around the region and took in the spectacular Komodo National Park, Cook and those with him on the trip would jump into the water and swim among the sea life twice a day, completing about 2.5 kilometres each time they got wet. The fit 67-year-old managed to complete 32 kilometres in the week as he contemplated how the Blues can sustain their winning run to finals.
On the coach’s whiteboard
Before you go, here are …
Five key lines Snap Shot believes Simon Goodwin could have used to convince Brodie Grundy a stint in the VFL to work on his forward craft was a good idea:
- Playing at Coburg will be character building.
- You know how you ‘like different’? Well…
- Brendan Fevola played at Casey for the Scorpions … admittedly at the end of his career.
- Paul Salmon changed clubs and made the Hawks team of the century when he decided he wanted to ruck rather than play forward at Essendon … that’s an option.
- Give Leigh Brown a buzz to discuss the Leigh Brown role.
The re-education of Brodie Grundy at Melbourne continues under the watchful eye of development coach Mark Williams, as the Demons try to turn the elite ruckman into a dangerous forward target.Credit: Getty Images
They said
“I’m still dedicated to making that work.” – Post-game comments from Max Gawn about playing in tandem with Brodie Grundy
But they forgot to say
“I’m still dedicated to making what work? Oh, that.”
