Shaun Hewitt
First Grade
- Messages
- 6,352
Could argue Sixers missing Dwarshuis and Braithwaite who both would normally be in the side
And no Smith and Hazlewood from last year victorious side. But they got a ton of quality across their squad. The Syndey Roosters of the BBL..
Problem with Stars (you touched on it with lack of depth) IMO looks like they have top loaded their cap money on 4 players by the looks , Maxwell, NCN, Zampa and Stoinis. All these 4 need to be in the side and performing at a premium. Once a couple of them are out, they will do it tough
Don't think Brathwaite is with them this season anymore apparently I'm wrong
Where were they? Injured, unavailable? They certainly didn't miss them lol
I don't really take the test players into account with squad depth, because the franchise knows they will be unavailable for the majority of the season, and have planned accordingly. The Sixers have done so brilliantly. As you said, tons of quality acrosss their squad. I fully expect they will be there or thereabouts come finals time. I wouldn't be too surprised if Smith and Hazlewood miss the BBL entirely due to the international cricket load on them both.
On the Stars, I can see why they spend big on Zampa, Stoinis and Maxwell... but Coulter-Nile hasn't played more than 7 games (which is about half the season?) since forever. Where as Zamps played 12, Maxi 13 and Stoinis 13 last season alone. NCN is a gun player when he's on...but he's only there half the time, and isn't always on form.
I don't rate our bowling line up at all. Take Zampa out, and you're left with either rookies (Crouch and Elliot) or those who are either too expensive, or can't really change a game (Hatcher, Rainbird). Probably one of the weaker, if not THE weakest bowling unit of the whole comp. I can see us having a season similar to the Gades of last season, if our big guns don't fire.
Hoping for a messiah type signing. Meant to be announced at 2PM. Strong rumours of it being Andre Russell