VASTLY improved midfielder Jed Anderson has finally re-signed with North Melbourne after drawn-out contract negotiations, while evergreen veteran Scott Thompson has also been given the green light to play on. The Roos announced at their best and fairest count on Friday night that Anderson had re-signed until the end of 2020 and Thompson for 2019. Anderson enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2018 after indifferent form and injury restricted him to just 15 games in his first two seasons at Arden St. After an intensive pre-season when he voluntarily took part in North's high-altitude camp in Utah, Anderson played a career-high 21 games – his previous season best was 10 – averaging 19.7 possessions and six clearances a game. Anderson's new two-year deal was months in the making, with talks between the parties moving slowly at times. North football manager Cameron Joyce said Anderson's impressive season showed why the club was so keen to secure him in a trade with Hawthorn at the end of 2015. "He had a tough run with injury when he joined us, but that's all behind him now and we can't wait to see what Jed can continue to produce going forward," Joyce said.

CARLTON will have dual skippers in 2019, with the Blues confirming that young stars Patrick Cripps and Sam Docherty will take the mantle as the club's co-captains next season. Their appointments mark a first for the Blues, with Cripps and Docherty to become the only pair of full-time co-captains in the club's illustrious 154-year history. They will assume the role from veteran midfielder Marc Murphy, who has stepped down from the position after leading Carlton as its sole captain for the last six years. Cripps, 23, enjoyed a standout 2018 season where he established himself as one of the AFL's most dominant inside ball winners. It resulted in his first inclusion in an All Australian team and a fourth-place finish in the Brownlow Medal. "This honour is incredibly special," Cripps said. "Playing footy at the highest level for one of the biggest clubs in the competition is huge in itself, but when you think about being named captain of the club, it's probably something you could never really dream of. It’s surreal, but a huge honour.

GEELONG midfielder Tim Kelly is “not keen” on joining Fremantle despite requesting a trade home to Perth. The runner-up best and fairest made his trade request public today, nominating West Coast as his destination of choice. The Cats have however indicated they may hold Kelly to his contract, which runs through to the end of next season, or ship him to the Dockers if they presented a better offer. Kelly’s manager Anthony van der Wielen, speaking on Trade Radio, said the focus at this stage was getting home and joining the reigning premiers rather than their Ross Lyon-coached cross-town rivals. “That’s going to be up to Tim at the end of the day,” he said.

FREMANTLE are standing firm in the face of Brisbane’s interest in Lachie Neale, declaring not even pick No.4 in the draft would be enough to get a deal done. Neale is widely believed to be leaning towards joining the Lions this off-season on a contract which would make him one of the club’s highest-paid players. But with another year to run on his Dockers deal, the two clubs would have to agree to a trade if he was to move this off-season. Fremantle have been steadfast in their position that Neale is a required player and have even offered him a lucrative four-year extension in a bid to retain his services.

GEELONG are prepared to play hardball over Tim Kelly, declaring it is “highly likely” he will be made to see out his contract at the club next season. The first-year revelation has officially requested a trade back to WA to join reigning premiers West Coast once the trade period gets underway on Monday. But with one year remaining on his draft contract, and AFL regulations limiting his earning potential regardless of destination, a statement from the Cats indicated they would be prepared to hold him to his deal or shop him to Fremantle if a better deal becomes available. “Tim Kelly has asked that the club explore the possibility of trading him to his home state, Western Australia,” the Cats statement read. “As is well known, Tim is under contract to the Cats for the 2019 season, and it is highly likely he will remain with the club. “However out of respect for Tim, we will listen to what Fremantle and West Coast are prepared to offer and determine whether or not we believe it is a viable trade for our club.”

WESTERN Bulldogs premiership player Luke Dahlhaus has joined Geelong as an unrestricted free agent. The 26-year-old midfielder has penned a four-year contract to cross to the Cats after eight seasons at the Kennel. Dahlhaus played 154 games after being taken with pick 70 in the 2011 draft and was a key member of the Bulldogs’ 2016 premiership side.

THE NORTHERN Territory is preparing to explore whether it could realistically be home to an AFL club. AFLNT chief executive Stuart Totham and NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner met with AFL chief executive Gill McLachlan in Melbourne this week to discuss the plan. The Territory has produced a number of great AFL footballers, including Norm Smith medallists Andrew McLeod, Michael Long, Maurice Rioli and Cyril 'Junior Boy' Rioli, and Nathan Buckley. Tasmania, which has long coveted its own AFL team, the NT and the ACT are the only states or territories not represented in the AFL. The NT Government is taking the idea seriously enough to allocate $100,000 towards a 'scoping study' to investigate whether the Territory should aim for an AFL franchise if one becomes available. The study would look at various things, such as the challenges an AFL team would face in the NT, sponsorship opportunities, local talent pathways and facility upgrades. Totham's belief is people in and around Territory football should be "as aspirational as we can be. "If you look at how far footy's come in the Territory in the past 10 or so years; Tiwi Bombers are in (the local competition), there's an NT Thunder women's team, the Michael Long Centre," Totham told AFL.com.au. "A lot of these things are fantastic achievements, so why shouldn't we keep pushing forward? "Why can't we have our own team? No-one's actually said we can't, and people will put a lot of theories out there as to why it can't work – well, let's have a look at it." The Territory already has a joint arrangement in place with Adelaide's AFLW team, which benefits from the NT's talent base and government funding. NT Thunder competes in the NEAFL and the VFL women's competition and is set to be part of a revamped national under-18 league. Any potential Northern Territory AFL team would be based out of Darwin and play home games at TIO Stadium, but also at Traeger Park in Alice Springs. "The AFL would benefit (from an NT club) because it would bring a genuine point of difference and diversity to the competition and show a commitment to developing indigenous talent," Totham said. "It would bring a really nice flavour to the competition … and that indigenous link to our game is certainly one that would be driving a lot of the outcomes." Totham conceded the NT's population of less than 250,000 could be problematic, but pointed out that the Territory was "a football state and people genuinely love the game".

PORT Adelaide has officially lodged paperwork to secure West Coast premiership ruckman Scott Lycett on a five-year, $3million deal. After touring the Alberton facilities and undergoing a medical assessment on Thursday, the restricted free agent has opted to return to his junior club to partner Paddy Ryder in the ruck. The Eagles now have until 1pm AEDT Tuesday to decide whether to match the deal, which would force the Power into a trade. Should the Eagles choose to accept compensation, they are expected to receive an end-of-first-round pick. Lycett decided to wait until after the Eagles' best and fairest on Friday night to make his intentions formal, wanting to inform those close to him in person on the night. The 26-year-old is understood to have knocked back more money from a cashed-up St Kilda to play under Ken Hinkley at the Power. Lycett led West Coast's ruck division alongside Nathan Vardy as the Eagles tasted premiership success last week. Attention will now turn to Andrew Gaff's decision, as he weighs up a seven-year deal to move to North Melbourne or to remain an Eagle.

THE NAB AFL Draft order has begun moving around on the opening day of free agency. Stay tuned to AFL.com.au for all of the updates as they happen. WHEN DOES TRADE PERIOD START? All the key dates ROUND ONE CARL 1. Carlton GCFC 2. Gold Coast STK 3. St Kilda BL 4. Brisbane FRE 5. Fremantle WB 6. Western Bulldogs ADEL 7. Adelaide ESS 8. Essendon PORT 9. Port Adelaide NMFC 10. North Melbourne GEEL 11. Geelong SYD 12. Sydney GWS 13. Greater Western Sydney HAW 14. Hawthorn ADEL 15. Adelaide (received from Melbourne) RICH 16. Richmond COLL 17. Collingwood

IRISH prospects Anton Tohill and Mark Keane believe they've shown enough to deserve a spot on an AFL list, and several clubs are interested in signing the promising duo. After impressing at the Dublin Combine last December and at the AFL Academy's camp in Florida in January, the youngsters earned an invitation to this week's NAB AFL Draft Combine, and the they didn't disappoint. AFL.com.au understands the duo's exciting testing results have Collingwood and St Kilda as two of several clubs considering signing them as a Category B rookie. Arriving in Melbourne last week, the 18-year-olds, along with countrymen Jordan Morrisey and Pierce Laverty, have had meetings and training sessions with the Magpies and Saints, as well as Geelong, Hawthorn and Essendon. Keane and Morrisey finished in the top 10 in the goalkicking assessment, while Tohill came in 12th in the Nathan Buckley kicking test. Standing at 198cm, Derryman Tohill looms at key forward option who can play at both ends, while the 194cm Keane, from County Cork, appears suited to a third tall role at AFL level. Fiercely determined to become professional footballers, they are confident of receiving contract offers in the near future. "Footy is for me, I want to give it a good crack," Tohill told AFL.com.au. "I want to do the best I can and do whatever I can to play professional footy. "We've set up training sessions in Ireland with Marty Clarke and Colm Begley, so we're getting great exposure with the ball. "I also met up with St Kilda's Darragh Joyce for a chat in Dublin recently and we had a great chat about the lifestyle of an AFL footballer, playing footy professionally and what it's like living in Melbourne. "We're both well suited to the game with our height and athleticism."

West Indies were in big trouble at stumps on day two of the first Test against India The West Indies have plummeted to 6-94 in reply to India's massive first-innings of 9-649 declared to cap a disastrous second day of the series-opening Test for the tourists in Rajkot. The visiting batsman proved no match for their Indian counterparts on Friday, losing six wickets in a single session after the hosts had piled on the runs. India captain Virat Kohli eased to a 24th test century while Ravindra Jadeja celebrated a maiden ton in front of his home crowd, striking five sixes against a forlorn Windies attack. The West Indies will begin day three trailing by 555 runs and facing an uphill task to avoid an innings defeat against India's spin-heavy attack on a pitch already offering turn. Roston Chase was unbeaten on 27 while Keemo Paul was 13 not out at stumps. Mohammed Shami sent back both openers in a hostile opening spell of fast bowling when West Indies walked out to bat after the tea interval and then India's spinners made further inroads. Earlier, Kohli made 139 while Jadeja remained unbeaten on 100, marking the occasion with a leap in the air followed by his trademark bat-swirling celebration. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, however, fell agonisingly short of a second successive ton. The West Indies bowling attack, missing pace spearhead Kemar Roach and regular captain Jason Holder, appeared bereft of ideas in the face of an Indian onslaught as the home side, still ranked top in tests despite a series defeat in England last month, added 142 runs from 29 overs in the first session. The hosts continued their brisk scoring rate after lunch, adding another 143 before tea. India's batting mainstay Kohli, who started the day on 72, hardly broke sweat in reaching his century, bringing up the mark with a leg-glanced boundary off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo. The right-handed batsman hit seven fours in his innings and added 133 for the fifth wicket with Pant, who turned 21 on Thursday, during an entertaining partnership. After teenage debutant Prithvi Shaw's 134 on the first day, it was Pant who shattered West Indies' morale further with a knock of 92 off 84 balls. Playing in his fourth test, the left-hander, who scored a superb 114 in his previous innings against England at The Oval, fell when he got a leading edge off Bishoo to be caught at point eight runs shy of his century. Kohli fell to debutant paceman Sherman Lewis after adding 64 for the sixth wicket with left-arm spinner Jadeja whose century came off 132 balls. Bishoo was the most 'successful' bowler for West Indies although his four wickets came at a cost of 217 runs. The second Test of the two-match series is in Hyderabad from October 12-16.

A barefooted Australian Test squad and their entire support staff have gotten their first glimpse of the pitch they'll play on in the first Test against Pakistan. Under the guidance of new coach Justin Langer, a self-described "hippy", the Aussies removed their shoes upon arrival at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium late Friday morning (local time) and took a lap together to soak up the venue ahead of a light fielding session. Australia have been in the United Arab Emirates' biggest city for two weeks but have trained exclusively at the nearby ICC Academy. This is their first visit to the ground that will host the series-opener from Sunday. After the squad completed their brief spiritual walk of the stadium, the players and staff went to the middle to take a look at the pitch for the first Test. A curator drove the heavy roller up and down the shimmering surface almost entirely bereft of grass which is showing few signs of wear and tear after the recent Asia Cup tournament. While there's still a little more than 48 hours until the first ball is bowled, initial indications are that it's far from the minefield Australia encountered in Pune last year or in Dhaka a few months later. The lack of any real greenery would suggest seam bowlers will gain little assistance, aside from reverse swing with the older ball. The sight of Matthew Renshaw, who earlier batted in the nets at the ICC Academy, completing close-in fielding drills added further intrigue to his place in the team for the first Test. Langer cast doubt on his match fitness for the first Test after he copped a powerful blow to the helmet while fielding at short leg during Australia's tour match. Renshaw spent time during practice both at short leg and silly point, as did Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, a specialist in that position. Labuschagne looms as the man who will come in for Renshaw should selectors deem the latter to have not spent enough time in the middle. The Dubai stadium is fresh off the recent Asia Cup one-day tournament, which saw it host eight games in less than two weeks. Mitchell Starc played on Australia's last Test series in the UAE against Pakistan back in 2014 and expects the Dubai track to be similar. "The square looks like it's got a lot less grass on it, obviously (due to) the Asia Cup," Starc said on Friday. "It's still a couple of days out and there was a little bit of grass, albeit on the sides, not much down the middle. "I don't think it'll be any different to something we saw last time we were here where they were quite flat early on and the game quickened up as the days went on. Starc said he expects reverse swing to be an important weapon given the abrasive surface. "The square is quite bare," he continued. "There's every chance that the ball will get scuffed up just from the wicket. Hopefully for the fast bowlers, reverse swing plays a bit of a part." Spin is also expected to play a major part in the series with Pakistan featuring one of the world's best spinners in Yasir Shah, who has taken more wickets in Dubai than any other bowler since Pakistan begun playing home matches here. But Langer has stressed Australia, who are expected to also pick left-arm tweaker Jon Holland, will be unfazed by turning tracks in the UAE, emphasising that they too possess a top-notch spinner. "Nathan Lyon, he's a world-class bowler," Langer said on Tuesday. "That's the positive for me; if it's a wicket that spins, we've got a couple of high-class spinners ourselves who can put pressure on the Pakistani batters."

True to his football pedigree, Alex Carey enlisted input from an AFL premiership coach ahead of the presentation he made to a panel studded with leadership legends that has now seen him installed at the helm of Australian cricket. The 27-year-old wicketkeeper revealed today he had sought out former Collingwood captain and Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams – who was an influential figure in Carey’s top-level football career – to shape and sharpen his message for "the most important presentation … in my life". Carey, who five years ago was delisted by South Australia and faced a future in Adelaide’s Premier Cricket ranks, was today confirmed as co-vice-captain alongside Mitchell Marsh – under the stewardship of Aaron Finch – for Australia’s upcoming three-match T20I series against Pakistan. An appointment that came after Carey was one of six players nominated by his national peers as the best-credentialled leaders to pilot the Australia men’s team into the post-ball tampering future. In addition to incumbent Test and ODI skipper Tim Paine, that process identified newly identified Test deputies Marsh and Josh Hazlewood, T20 captain Finch and Carey’s South Australia leader Travis Head as the players picked by their on-field peers to show outstanding leadership qualities. Employing methodology that coach Justin Langer borrowed unapologetically from his experience as a board member with the recently crowned AFL champions West Coast Eagles, those players then stated their case to a panel that included ex-Test greats Greg Chappell and Mark Taylor, and selection chair Trevor Hohns. Carey felt it would therefore be appropriate to seek some tips from Williams, who was assistant coach at Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL club where Carey captained at under-18 level, prior to making his pitch. "It was the most important presentation I’ve done in my life, and lots of preparation went into that," Carey said today, shortly after being named among the leadership team for the 14-man T20 squad’s Qantas Tour of the UAE. "I got some mentoring leading into it from Mark Williams who I worked with in my football days, and that settled me and made me feel more prepared going into the panel. "I was obviously quite nervous going in there, but to be given the opportunity to present in front of those guys was just a really good experience. "The panel that we had, with Mark Taylor, Greg Chappell, Justin Langer, were previous leaders of Australian cricket. "I don’t think daunting is the right word, it was obviously really exciting having that opportunity to go and put my case forward. "Three years ago I was working my way back into the South Australian set-up, and a couple of weeks ago - to be able to present why I should be a leader of Australian cricket - was really a proud moment. "We had to look at our vision for the Australian cricket team, values and where I saw Cricket Australia moving forward. "We’ve got a really good opportunity now with the fresh start of the leaders put into the roles, lots of new faces and obviously Justin Langer, so I guess it’s about the next period of Australian cricket over the next 12 and 24 months." While key among a vice-captain’s duties is to provide rock steady support for the skipper, Carey admits that has half an eye on Paine’s position. Not in some Machiavellian plot to oust him as captain, but to be ready and eager to inherit Paine’s role behind the stumps at ODI and Test level should injury or other unforeseen events force the Tasmanian to the sidelines. Carey concedes his task of pushing for a Test berth might be tougher due to his pre-eminent role in the T20 outfit – with the three matches against top-ranked Pakistan followed immediately by the Gillette Series limited-overs fixtures (three ODIs and a T20) against South Africa in Australia. Which means the South Australian is unlikely to be available for red-ball duties until the JLT Sheffield Shield competition approaches its mid-season hiatus in December. "Hopefully I don’t play too many Shield games this year and I’m in the (Australia) white ball set-up, but I guess we’ll wait and see with (naming of) the next one-day squad," he said today. "But if I’m not, then obviously it’s Shield cricket and I really want to perform there and keep putting pressure on Tim Paine. "I really want to play cricket for Australia in all formats, and it’s through performance that’s the way to do it." He will, however, squeeze in a game for his Adelaide Premier Cricket club Glenelg alongside Test-capped seamer Chadd Sayers tomorrow before flying to the UAE with his T20 teammates the following weekend. That touring party includes several players already in the Emirates for the upcoming two-Test series against Pakistan, among them pace spearhead Mitchell Starc and premier spinner Nathan Lyon who weren’t part of this year’s T20 tri-series tournament in Zimbabwe. With the ICC’s next World T20 tournament, to be staged in Australia, barely two years away the national selectors continue their search for the best 20-over outfit and have also added Marsh, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Adam Zampa and uncapped Ben McDermott to the squad that finished runner-up to Pakistan in Harare. Missing from that outfit are pace bowlers Kane and Jhye Richardson, allrounders Marcus Stoinis and Jack Wildermuth, top-order batters Head and Nic Maddinson and leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson who has been replaced in the touring party by Carey’s SA teammate, Zampa. Carey, who kept to Zampa throughout the current JLT One-Day Cup series in which the 26-year-old took 12 wickets from six matches, believes the leggie has added extra pace to his bowling repertoire which is crucial in limited-overs formats. "He was bowling really well in the JLT Cup this year, so it’s exciting to see him back," Carey said of Zampa’s recall to national colours. "He was left out of the squad (for Zimbabwe) but he’s gone away and done all the right things to get back into the Australian set-up and it’s the best I’ve seen him bowl in quite some time. "I’ve spoken to him, he says he’s got a lot more energy through the crease now and I thought he was a little bit quicker, which is a good thing especially in white ball cricket.

On those desolate days that haunt fast bowlers – when screaming sun and a flint-hard pitch can play tricks with the mind, but offer nothing but harsh reality to the ball – Brendan Doggett knows where to find strength. And an inner smile. Doggett currently finds himself in just such a place; as the bolter among Australia’s vastly recast 15-man Test squad about to tackle Pakistan, he has been pitting himself against 36C heat and taxing humidity in the Arabian Desert emirate of Dubai. Preparation for his maiden international tour was the similarly enervating environment of southern India, where he toiled through almost 50 overs inside 10 days for a handful of wickets playing with Australia A, a discomfort he says paled alongside the demands of years earlier. When the club cricketer living in Toowoomba, the Garden City in the heart of the Darling Downs 125km west of Brisbane, would routinely rise before dawn and earn his keep on building sites in pursuit of his then-dream – to complete his apprenticeship as a carpenter. At that time, Doggett's cricket aspirations stretched not much further than perhaps progressing to the first XI at Premier Cricket club Western Suburbs where he had agreed to play alongside his older brother, Sam, and a handful of other mates. Making the hours-long round trip to training on Thursday nights, and again for matches on the weekend. The rapidity of his rise to Queensland's rookie list, then the Bulls' Sheffield Shield team and now - on the back of his hostile spells at first-class level, crowned by his five-for in last summer’s Shield final – Australia's Test squad means the slog of working life outside cricket remains pin sharp in his memory. "I spent some long days with a tool belt around my waist, so long days in the cricket field aren't too bad," Doggett told cricket.com.au prior to last month’s departure for the Qantas Tour of the UAE. "(I was) up at 6am, at work by 6:30 until about 4:30 – 5:00 o'clock, building houses in Toowoomba and I loved it, I absolutely loved it. "I worked with my mates every day, and I was outdoors - it was good. "(Cricket) was always a dream, never a reality so I just went about my carpentering. "I was actually sitting down with my TAFE teacher to sign-off my final papers for my apprenticeship and I got a phone call from Brett Jones (General Manager, High Performance) from Queensland Cricket to tell me I had a rookie contract for the upcoming season. "It was pretty cool how it worked out, and then from there on it’s just gotten bigger and bigger." It was April 2016 when Doggett took that life-altering call and, even allowing for the seismic shift wrought upon Australian cricket following the sandpaper scandal, to have vaulted from second XI club bowler to potentially taking the new ball in a Test is extraordinary. After all, the first time he took the field in a senior match featuring his home state he was pitted against Queensland, wearing the colours of the Cricket Australia XI in the 2016-17 iteration of the domestic one-day cup competition. And when he was named alongside explosive opener D'Arcy Short as part of the National Indigenous Squad earlier in 2016, it meant his first selection at representative level since he was picked for the Darling Downs South-West Queensland training squad at age 14. However, an honour of far greater personal and cultural significance awaits should the wiry right-armer again defy expectation and earn a Baggy Green cap on the notoriously unresponsive decks at Dubai and Abu Dhabi during the coming weeks. While more than 600 men and women have worn the national uniform in Test cricket, only two of Indigenous Australian heritage – Faith Thomas and Jason Gillespie, both also fast bowlers – are among that number. Doggett, who along with his brother travelled to England earlier this year as part of the Aboriginal XI men's and women's teams that commemorated the 150th anniversary of the inaugural tour to the UK, is acutely aware of the wider significance his Test selection would carry. "That would be special, and I know that I'd have the backing of all my mob and all Indigenous cricketers around Australia, so it would be pretty special to be able to represent them," Doggett said. "That (Aboriginal XI Tour) was unbelievable, commemorating 150 years of the first touring party, and retracing their footsteps. "We had the opportunity to represent one of the boys who went on the original tour – I was Twopenny (traditional name Murrumgunarriman). "Just to learn their story and what they did, and the courage it took for them to get on the boat and travel over to England was pretty powerful stuff. "It's important to be proud of our culture, and to give someone for... young Indigenous kids to look up to and make them realise it (top-level cricket representation) is not that far away. "I know that me and D’Arcy have come through the Imparja Cup (Indigenous championships) system playing cricket for the Australian Indigenous side before we were ever contracted, so that pathway is definitely getting young cricketers up and coming." Doggett’s "mob", as he has learned through extensive genealogical research of his mother's family in recent years, are the Worimi people whose traditional homeland was the coastal region around Port Stephens, 175km north of Sydney. The Worimi were among the first Indigenous nations beyond Sydney Cove to have direct contact with the European settlers, and within a century of colonisation their number had dropped from an estimated 400 to fewer than 50. In the course of tracing his maternal ancestry back to his great-great grandmother, Doggett has faced some confronting truths about Australia's relationship with its first peoples, and he recognises the opportunity that sport provides to potentially mend some of those historic social rifts. An example arose during this year's Aboriginal XI Tour when the men's and women's Indigenous squads met up with the Australia men's ODI outfit at Lord's, where Justin Langer’s team was preparing for their ODI series against England. With the three groups gathered in the visitors' changeroom within the historic Lord's pavilion, Langer proposed an impromptu chorus of the men’s team victory anthem 'Beneath the Southern Cross' in a voluble show of shared patriotism and kinship. "We talk about the power of storytelling, and that's a great part of Australian society," Langer explained to cricket.com.au about the moment three touring teams became one at cricket’s home. "We were in the changing room and they asked me to say a few words, and all of a sudden I had this idea to sing the team song together, and it was gold. "I love the team song and it's not very often you sing it when you haven't just won a Test match or an ODI series. "So to actually sing the team song, men and women with the Indigenous (group) and with the current ODI side, the men's Australian team, was a really special moment." Certainly, it was a highlight of the Aboriginal XI campaign for Doggett, along with the opportunity to re-create some historic photographs from the original 1868 tour as well as inspect artefacts from that landmark event of 150 years ago that are usually held within glass display cases at the Lord’s Museum. He also hung on wisdom dispensed by Gillespie, now coaching English county team Sussex when the Aboriginal XI played a T20 match at Hove. If Doggett is to follow Gillespie's on-field achievements and become the second man of Indigenous heritage to represent Australia in Tests, it would seem unlikely to happen in the upcoming two-Test series against Pakistan. Not due to any shortcomings in Doggett's bowling, widely regarded as among the fastest in Australia's contemporary first-class ranks and which brought him 28 wickets at 27.71 from his seven Shield appearances last summer. Rather, it is the fast-bowler-unfriendly conditions expected in the UAE – so benign that Pakistan have axed their strike bowler Mohammad Amir, who took just one wicket in his more recent Tests at Dubai and Abu Dhabi – that will ensure Australia's attack is built around spin. With Doggett primarily included as injury back-up for Australia's fastest bowler, Mitchell Starc. If, however, circumstances move as quickly and unexpectedly as they have for the former carpenter over the past couple of years, he will be well prepared for the trial that awaits. Since winning a rookie contract, and then being upgraded to a full-time member of Queensland’s senior squad, Doggett has worked closely with bowling coach and former Test seamer, Andy Bichel. Throughout his playing career, Bichel was renowned as a supreme endurance athlete who – like his young protégé is known to do when he returns home to Toowoomba – would strap on the tool belt and engage his passion for building work in between cricket commitments. Bichel also met his match in the extreme heat of the Emirates in 2002 when Australia played two Tests against Pakistan in Sharjah and, after completing an over in temperatures that exceeded 50C on the wicket block, he walked dazedly in the opposite direction to his fielding position before being directed towards medical help in the changerooms. Doggett boasts similar athletic prowess and has proved himself among the fastest in the Bulls' squad for their mandatory 2km time trials at training. He was also judged to have "so much pace to burn" by another ex-Test quick, Brett Lee, who made a guest appearance at Australia training in Dubai before the first Test, which starts on October 7. Doggett has been clocked bowling around 145kph, a similar speed to Starc at his peak, and Lee believes that with a few tweaks to the Queenslander’s raw action that could be pushed further to around 150kph. "I don't know if it's express,” Doggett said in self-deprecatingly describing his style of bowling, which he admits to modelling on South Africa great Dale Steyn from whom he received some tips when their paths crossed in Adelaide two summers ago. "I think we bowl very similar – fast feet, and we get through the crease quite quickly. "So that's someone who I've tried to emulate a little bit and look at how he goes about it. "He swings the ball and gets nice shape on the ball, and obviously his aggression. "I do try and bowl fast and try to

With Australia's World Cup defence less than eight months away, time is running out for national selectors to finalise their best team for a crack at a sixth title in the UK next year. And given Australia have won just two of their past 16 ODIs in a run of form that has seen them drop to sixth in the world, competition for spots is heating up. While many of Australia's leading players are on Test duty in the UAE, those chasing higher honours have been given the perfect audition in the form of the JLT One-Day Cup. And with an ODI assignment against South Africa just a month away, these are the players who have surged into contention for that series with the Proteas. The batsmen Chris Lynn (Queensland) M: 6 | Runs: 437 | Ave: 87.40 | SR: 118.10 | 100s: 2 | 50s: 3 | HS: 135 In his first one-day cup in five years, Lynn has justified the long-held belief that he can be Australia's x-factor for their World Cup defence. One of the most dynamic T20 batsmen in the world, Lynn has shown an impressive ability to adapt his power game to 50-over cricket, notably in his century against NSW when he took 10 deliveries to get off the mark and brought up fifty from a sedate 61 balls before exploding late in his innings. If he can continue to win the biggest battle of all - against his own body - he appears certain to feature in the one-day squad next month. D'Arcy Short (Western Australia) M: 4 | Runs: 360 | Ave: 90.00 | SR: 145.74 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 1 | HS: 257 After some solid returns on his first ODI tour in the UK and the 'A' series in India that followed, Short has sent a reminder that he remains one of the most devastating batsmen in Australia when he's in good touch. His barely-believable score of 257 against Queensland broke all sorts of records and a continuation of that form will have him well-placed to hold onto his spot for the South African series. And the fact he's a solid fielder and a handy bowling option could get him the nod in a tight call against those in the chasing pack. Ben McDermott (Tasmania) M: 5 | Runs: 379 | Ave: 94.75 | SR: 91.32 | 100s: 2 | 50s: 2 | HS: 117 Four years after making his state debut for Queensland, McDermott has finally capitalised on his enormous potential with his most consistent campaign at domestic level. Scores of 56, 117, 28, 102* and 76 were crucial in Tasmania's top-two finish and has put him in the discussion for higher honours. Whether or not he's done enough to unseat the ODI incumbents and beat out the likes of Lynn and Short remains to be seen, but this tournament has been a huge step forward for the talented right-hander. Jake Weatherald (South Australia) M: 6 | Runs: 261 | Ave: 52.20 | SR: 103.98 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 2 | HS: 106* After a preseason in which he said consistency was one of his main focal points, the fact Weatherald has combined knocks of a century and two fifties with three scores of less than five would be of great frustration for the left-hander. But what isn't in doubt is his immense talent and the fact the 23-year-old appears destined for higher honours at some stage in his career. A match-winning century first-up against NSW, a team top-score of 79 against Tasmania and a quickfire 69 against the Bulls have been the highlights of his campaign and while it might not be enough for ODI selection just yet, he's definitely in the discussion.

Hard-hitting batsman Aaron Finch has been appointed captain of Australia's T20 side for the upcoming three-match series against Pakistan in the UAE. Mitch Marsh and Alex Carey have been named joint vice-captains, while Chris Lynn has also been selected for the series starting in Abu Dhabi on October 24. The 14-player squad features uncapped Tasmanian batsman Ben McDermott and welcomes back South Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa and Warriors quick Nathan Coulter-Nile. Squad: Aaron Finch (c), Mitch Marsh (vc), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Darcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitch Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa. Finch is the No.1 T20 batsman in the world and is part of a leadership trio that mirrors the Test team. Queenslander Lynn has recovered from a shoulder complaint and has been in red-hot form in the ongoing JLT One-Day Cup. The dynamic batsman, who is best known for his exploits in the T20 arena, has hammered 437 runs from six innings at an average of 87.40 in the 50-over competition. McDermott has played 19 T20s in the KFC Big Bash League and boasts a strike rate of 145.78 and an average of 34.60. The 23-year-old shot to prominence in January last year when he hammered a match-winning 114 from 52 balls as Hobart Hurricanes defeated Melbourne Renegades, and has posted two centuries for the Tigers in the JLT Cup. Coach Justin Langer said the new captain and vice-captains were part of the same selection process used to identify the leaders of the Men's Test team. "Firstly, I’d like to acknowledge Aaron, Mitch and Alex on being announced as the new captain and vice-captains of the Australian T20 squad," Langer said. "They are outstanding young men and extremely talented cricketers. To be endorsed by their peers, and to then back it up with powerful presentations, just showcased their leadership qualities and vision for Australian cricket. "Aaron has already captained Australia in the recent T20s we played in Zimbabwe, and I’ve been extremely impressed with his impact on the Test squad over here in the UAE. We know he’s an exceptional player, and he’s arguably the most in form T20 player in the world at the moment. "As we outlined when he was selected as joint Test vice-captain last week, Mitch has experience captaining Australia A and WA, and he’s an extremely popular member of the team. He’s a very talented and humble young man who leads through his actions and shows genuine care for his teammates.

Test-batsman-in-waiting Travis Head has backed an overhauled middle-order to put their own stamp on Australia’s new-look side as questions linger over exactly how many new faces there could be to face Pakistan. A light training session on Thursday in Dubai three days out from their first Test match since the ill-fated South Africa series saw nine of the 15-man squad train outdoors, as Australia ramp up preparations for the first Test to be played in sweltering heat. Opener Matthew Renshaw resumed batting in the nets after a hefty blow to the head saw him substituted out of the tour match against Pakistan A. Coach Justin Langer said on Tuesday that selectors would have to weigh up whether he’s had enough recent match practice to be right for the series-opener. Marnus Labuschagne looms as Renshaw’s replacement should he not feature, with the South African-born batter spending some one-on-one time with Langer at the ICC Academy nets at the end of Thursday’s session. Head, who along with opener Aaron Finch is a certain starter for Sunday’s first Test barring a late mishap, said that he hadn’t yet received an indication over where he’ll bat. The left-hander was deployed at five in the recent tour match after Renshaw was substituted out, with Usman Khawaja promoted to partner Finch at the top of the order, the Marsh brothers batting at three (Shaun) and four (Mitch) ahead of Head and Labuschagne at six. If that line-up remains the same to face Pakistan, it will mean every member of Australia’s incumbent Test top six that faced South Africa in Johannesburg will have either been dropped or moved spots. Joe Burns (who opened against the Proteas in Australia’s most recent Test) and Peter Handscomb (who batted four) were not selected for the UAE tour. It would also mean none of the three batters (Renshaw, Burns and Glenn Maxwell) flown over to replace the trio banned in the ball-tampering controversy, nor the squad’s original auxiliary batsman (Handscomb), would be in the side to face Pakistan. The challenge facing Australia's batsmen can't be overstated; their best two players are missing through suspension (David Warner and Steve Smith), as is one of their first-choice openers (Cameron Bancroft), and only one member of the 15-man squad has a Test century to his name on the subcontinent (Shaun Marsh). There were however encouraging signs in their only tour match ahead of the two-Test series, with Head hitting 90 not out to seal his own spot and underline a dominant batting performance on a turning pitch and facing a strong Pakistan A pace attack. "If we can continue to do what we've been doing over the last couple of weeks here with that middle order group, and especially the way we played in the tour match, there's no reason why we can't do that in the two Test matches in the next couple of weeks and really put a stamp on it," Head told reporters at the ICC Academy on Thursday. "We're here to win games of cricket. It's really exciting for the core bunch of guys in that middle order to really step up and do the job." Head sympathised with the likes of Hansdscomb and Glenn Maxwell but suggested the players picked in their stead are all in form. "It's always tough for spots and those guys are unlucky to miss out and have been in really good form but in the tour match we were 4-(494)," Head continued. "Guys are in form, it's always tough to get in the Australian cricket team and the fight for spots is always up. "I know I'll walk out on Sunday if I play and perform and win a game of cricket for Australia. That's my priority, that's what I'm thinking about and I know all the batters are thinking that way. "That's the really exciting part, that's the challenge of it and I know we've got the right people here to do that right now." Michael Neser and Peter Siddle appear to be vying for the other spot up for grabs in the first Test, with both to bowl during a heavier training session on Friday.

The possibility of four brand new Baggy Green caps being handed out in Dubai this weekend serves as a stark reminder of the recent upheaval in Australian cricket. Aaron Finch and Travis Head have all but been confirmed to make their Test debuts in the first Test against Pakistan and they could be joined by uncapped Queensland duo Michael Neser and Marnus Labuschagne; Neser is the frontrunner to edge out Peter Siddle as the second fast bowler while Matthew Renshaw's disrupted preparation could see Labuschagne earn a call-up. Should all four be handed their Baggy Greens on Sunday, it would represent the first time Australia have fielded four debutants in a Test since the World Series Cricket split more than 40 years ago. And putting aside the unprecedented turmoil of that period, and Tests immediately following both World Wars, it would be just the third time in a century that Australia have taken four new players into a Test. The reasons for the multiple new faces in the UAE have been well-documented; the suspension of three top-order batsmen and the absence of injured quicks Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins means five first-choice players are unavailable, while new coach and selector Justin Langer has been unsurprisingly keen to make some changes at the start of his new era. The fact this series is being played on the dry surfaces of the UAE instead of the pace-friendly conditions encountered on Australia's last tour in South Africa has also played a role. But the fact four debutants is such a historical anomaly in the 812 previous Tests Australia have played underlines the challenges faced by Langer's re-shaped side. Australia played seven debutants in their first Test following both World Wars - in Sydney in 1920 and Wellington in 1946, each match coming after an eight-year gap between Tests - and there were six new faces for the opening Test of the 1977-78 season, the first after the nation's best players jumped onboard the World Series Cricket train. A total of 12 players made their debuts in that five-Test series against India - six in the first Test, two in the second and four in the fifth - as they attempted to cover the enormous holes left by the exits of the Chappell brothers, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh. Twenty years earlier, the man who led Australia's undermanned Test side through the mire of that WSC split - captain Bob Simpson - made his own Test debut in Johannesburg alongside Ian Meckiff, Lindsay Kline and Wally Grout in the first of five Tests against South Africa. There were several reasons for the mass change in that 1957-58 touring party. Australia's previous Test campaign had come in vastly different conditions on the subcontinent more than 12 months earlier, while a third consecutive Ashes defeat in 1956 led selectors to boldly make radical changes including axing star quick Ray Lindwall and installing Ian Craig as the nation's youngest ever captain. Star batsman Neil Harvey also missed the opening Test due to injury. And more than two decades before that Jo’burg Test came the only previous instance of Australia naming four debutants; the retirement of former skipper Victor Richardson, an injury to star opener Bill Brown and the controversial axing of 45-year-old spinner Clarrie Grimmett led to four new faces being picked for the start of the 1936-37 Ashes series. The rareness of picking four new players does come with a good omen for the current side; the five previous campaigns in which Australia have selected four debutants in a single Test has led to a series victory for the Australians. Making it six from six would be the perfect start to Langer's new era. Australia playing four or more debutants in a Test (since 1918): 1920: Against England in Sydney - Herbie Collins, Johnny Taylor, Nip Pellew, Jack Ryder, Jack Gregory, Bert Oldfield and Arthur Mailey debuted (Australia's first Test since 1912) 1936: Against England in Brisbane - Jack Badcock, Morris Sievers, Ray Robinson, Frank Ward debuted 1946: Against New Zealand in Wellington - Ken Meuleman, Keith Miller, Colin McCool, Ian Johnson, Don Tallon, Ray Lindwall, Ernie Toshack debuted (Australia's first Test since 1938) 1957: Against South Africa in Johannesburg - Bob Simpson, Wally Grout, Ian Meckiff, Lindsay Kline debuted 1977: Against India in Brisbane - Paul Hibbert, David Ogilvie, Peter Toohey, Tony Mann, Steve Rixon, Wayne Clarke debuted (Australia's first Test since WSC split) 1978: Against India in Perth - Graeme Wood, Rick Darling, Bruce Yardley, Ian Callen debuted

Despite being knocked out of the JLT One-Day Cup by wet weather and one miserly run, Blues coach Phil Jaques can find plenty of positives in his side's 50-over campaign. Entering Thursday's qualifying final against Victoria equal on points but behind by 0.02 on Net Run Rate, NSW needed a win to advance in the tournament, but persistent showers resulted in the match being abandoned without a ball bowled. It meant the Blues were eliminated from the competition, but had they scored one more run in their loss against Victoria in the group stage it would have denied the Vics a bonus point and seen NSW finish higher on the ladder. Jaques' charges also had a chance to leapfrog their southern neighbours on NRR by tracking down Queensland's 296 in 44 overs on Monday, but reached the victory target 10 balls too late. Those missed opportunities have come back to haunt the Blues, who had momentum on their side after two impressive wins in a row to finish the group stage. "Everything you do at the start of the tournament you feel it's not as relevant, then by the end of the tournament it's all relevant," Jaques told cricket.com.au. "We had a few numbers around but we didn't know the exact numbers (against the Bulls). "We were ultimately trying to chase 300, trying to get it as quickly as we could, and the Net Run Rate was disappointing to miss out by so close. "The game against the Vics we didn't play very good cricket as we probably didn't play good cricket for those first couple of games. "We built some momentum through the tournament and the last couple of games I thought we played some really solid cricket. "We were really building towards something and unfortunately we missed out by a few runs." While the hurt of elimination was still raw, Jaques said the performances of his uncapped players were shining lights for the Blues. "A few guys in their first campaign and really stepped up," he said. "Guys like Jack Edwards, Daniel Sams and Chris Green amongst other seasoned campaigners. "Moises (Henriques, veteran allrounder) had some fantastic results as well. "I thought there was some real positives to come out of the tournament. "We found out about some players, some really good things to build on in this season and beyond and it really sets us up for a strong Shield season." Prior to the season, Jaques preached how the Blues – despite fielding an inexperienced squad – would still be held to elite standards and emphasised the importance of building a strong culture of unity. After starting with two comprehensive losses to Western Australia and South Australia in Perth, which was followed by the heavy loss to Victoria, Jaques' new philosophy was tested early. But the coach said he was impressed by how his troops stuck together and rebounded with two important wins as the tournament progressed. "I thought there was a few wobbles in the first couple of games but I really enjoyed the character and the fight in general at certain stages," he said. "To be two for not many and then chase down 300 the other night (against Queensland) was a really strong showing. "To get bowled out for 240 at North Sydney Oval is normally game over on a wicket that was very good and one we felt we were 80 runs short on against Tasmania. "But we bowled really strongly to bowl them out for 150-odd. "There was some good character showed at times and that's testament to the closeness of the group and the work they've done through the winter on building that culture of being elite and never being out of the contest. "It wasn't perfect, we didn’t play great cricket the first couple of games but we showed improvement over the course of the series and that's really positive." He concluded: "We always knew it was going to be a bit of a learning curve, this tournament. "We still had expectations to win and perform. "We're NSW, we have those expectations. "To start none from three was an interesting situation and a good learning one from a coaching perspective. "But I really enjoyed the team fought and stated together and built some momentum at the back end. "It's just a shame we couldn’t show it in the finals."

Travis Head won't quite believe it until he's got a Baggy Green on his head, but the South Australian is confident he can translate his limited-overs form to the Test arena. Head admits it's a "weird feeling" to have publicly been anointed by coach Justin Langer as a certainty to debut in the series-opener but to still have to wait until Sunday for his name to be inked onto the team sheet. “It's nice to have the confidence from the coach and the selectors,” said the 24-year-old, who has had successful stints over the winter with Australia A on their tour to India and in the UK at Worcestershire. “Once that team's picked, I'm just making sure I'm really relaxed and calm, and continue to do the stuff I've been doing really well over the last couple of months. I feel like I'm batting really well and bowling really well and can contribute to Australia. “It's a weird feeling knowing that I'm really ready to go and I'm trying not to think about it too much.” His extended family are on the way to Dubai to share in his special moment and he could have as many as three teammates also making their debuts alongside him in a new-look middle-order. Notably picked ahead of the likes of middle-order players Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell, Head is confident he's ready to step up to Test level. In 2015, Head, aged 21, became South Australia's youngest ever captain but he now admits his batting approach against the red ball has needed time to mature. At the time the left-hander did not have a first-class century to his name but after breaking through in his 36th game, his last three Sheffield Shield seasons have yielded seven tons to justify the faith the Redbacks put into the prodigious young talent. Running parallel to his red-ball challenges and successes over that period has been his progression as a limited-overs cricketer, becoming an integral part of Australia's one-day side over in recent years. He scored his maiden international hundred against Pakistan last year and Head says his mindset in the whites won't be a whole lot different to if he was wearing yellow. "I don't have much difference between white and red ball. The shift for me is just being able to do it for longer periods of time," continued Head, who scored an unbeaten 90 in the recent tour match against Pakistan A to secure his spot in the Test side. "I naturally haven’t changed the way I play between all formats, I've been quite aggressive and quite positive. "The shift is being a little older and realising if I spend time out in the middle and bat for longer periods of time, I'll be able to score runs. That's been the major shift. "JL (Langer) has been fantastic in the short period he's been coach with me. "It (his technique against spin) has developed over time, it's nice to find that consistency in the game. I think there’s still more upside and I can continue to get better." South Australia's improved domestic performances under Head's guidance have seen an increase in Test caps going to Redbacks, though the last three (Chadd Sayers, Joe Mennie and Callum Ferguson) have each played just the one Test. "It's a boyhood dream to play for Australia, we've had a couple of guys do it in the last couple of years," Head said. "They've only had a limited opportunities but it's still (an achievement). It's an amazing time to be around and amazing experience. To join that group is nice. "Fingers crossed it happens."

After several "lacklustre" years of Twenty20 cricket, allrounder Ellyse Perry is confident Australia are poised to peak at the right time in next month's World T20 in the Caribbean. Australia will seek a 3-0 series whitewash in the final game of their Commonwealth Bank Women's T20I series against New Zealand at Manuka Oval on Friday night, having already secured their first 20-over series win against their trans-Tasman rivals since 2012. The World T20 begins on November 9 and Australia – who won three titles in a row before losing the 2016 final to West Indies – will be vying for their first piece of ICC silverware since 2014. "I think we've been building over the last 12 months or so and really trying to identify our key style of cricket, exactly the way we want to play and the roles of every individual within the squad," Perry told SEN's Afternoons with Andy Maher on Thursday. "I think we have some real clarity around that now which is good, because I think we had a couple of pretty lacklustre years really leading up to that, especially in T20 series. "In a year when we have a World Cup, to have started the way we have in this series and played some great cricket is brilliant. "It's the start of a long year and the most important thing is we play well at the right time over in the West Indies. "But it's been pleasing (so far) I think, we've had contributions from everyone across the board at various times which has been awesome to see and more than anything, we've just really enjoyed playing as a team together." Despite the dead-rubber status of Friday's game, the impending World Cup adds plenty of interest to the Manuka Oval fixture, which Australia a chance to unleash uncapped quick Tayla Vlaeminck and New Zealand searching for form after losing six of their past seven T20Is. "We have been playing some really good cricket and it's nice to get a series win on home soil," Australia skipper Meg Lanning said on Thursday. "We know our best game is still out there so that's what we'll be chasing Friday night." Meanwhile, White Ferns captain Amy Satterthwaite said the mood in the New Zealand camp remained buoyant despite the series defeat, as they focus on building towards the tournament in the Caribbean. "(The mood is) actually really good, having lost first two game puts us in a position that we didn't want to be in at all but the mood's really positive and I think we have to keep one eye looking forward to the World T20," Satterthwaite said.

THE WESTERN Bulldogs have finalised their coaching structure for 2019, with Daniel Giansiracusa given the reins of the club's VFL side, Footscray. Giansiracusa became a Dogs assistant coach upon his retirement at the end of 2014 and had most recently been in charge of stoppages and set plays. "As part of his coaching pathway, it is important for Gia to coach his own senior team," coach Luke Beveridge told westernbulldogs.com.au. "The timing is now right for him, and for the club, to provide the support he needs to help us be successful at both AFL and VFL level." Steve Grace, who had been in charge of the VFL team, will look after the senior side's midfield. Joel Corey held that role last season but will take up the vacancy left by Giansiracusa as stoppages and set plays coach. Steven King has been promoted to a senior assistant and will continue to control the defensive systems and backs while Ash Hansen has also taken another step, put in control of offensive systems, as well as the forwards he led this year. Development manager Rohan Smith, opposition and development coach Jamie Maddocks and fellow development coach Jordan Russell make up the rest of the coaching panel. "With the changing landscape of the game and the various time constraints, it is necessary to restructure our workflows and maximise our opportunity to make us successful," Beveridge said. "We are fortunate enough to have an established coaching group continue to support and develop our players for 2019."

THE AFL community's long-held suspicion that Brownlow medallist Sam Mitchell was returning to Victoria to coach under Alastair Clarkson at Hawthorn is now a reality. Mitchell's manager, Peter Lenton, of Lenton Sports, confirmed on NAB AFL Trade Radio on Friday night that his star client would be back at Waverley Park next season. But Lenton refuted suggestions Mitchell's new contract would include a succession plan for him to eventually take over from Clarkson. "I'm comfortable to say he will be at Hawthorn next year," Lenton said. "There's been ongoing dialogue throughout the year … it's not ideal, obviously, given you're there with a four-year commitment once he left Hawthorn to go to West Coast (in 2016). "His set of circumstances has meant he will return home and he will go to Hawthorn. "Nothing can be official until a release is documented and we will work through that with West Coast and they're well aware of that." The Hawks are yet to make an announcement, but may do so at their best and fairest function on Saturday night. West Coast is unlikely to stand in Mitchell's way after he listed family reasons for why he wanted to move back home. AFL.com.au first reported in July Mitchell's intention to leave the Eagles only halfway through a four-year deal, the first of which he spent as a player before serving as an assistant in 2018. The likelihood of the 35-year-old returning to Hawthorn increased when only a fortnight later his old club announced that six-year assistant Brett Ratten would "explore new opportunities". Ratten has since accepted a job at St Kilda after previously working with the Hawks' midfielders. Mitchell spent his first season as a coach working with the Eagles' on-ball brigade and was a champion midfielder himself, so he seems likely to slot into Ratten's former role. Hawthorn announced two other coaching changes this week, with Max Bailey replacing Chris Newman as Box Hill's VFL coach and Newman stepping up to be a Hawks assistant. There were murmurings before Bailey's appointment that Mitchell might assume the Box Hill job. Mitchell played 307 of his 329 AFL games for Hawthorn, where he played in four premierships, was a five-time club champion and earned selection in three All Australian teams.

GEELONG forward Daniel Menzel will be forced to wait until the end of the NAB AFL Trade Period to learn whether he will continue life as a Cat. Despite Chris Scott's wishes to retain Menzel on a one-year deal after a blistering start to the season, the 26-year-old remains without an offer on the table. Available to move to his club of choice as an unrestricted free agent, Menzel had been canvassing opportunities before heading off on holidays on Friday. "We'll get through the Trade Period and see what happens from there," list boss Stephen Wells told AFL.com.au of Menzel's status. "He's out of contract and who knows what's going to happen in Trade Period. Daniel's an unrestricted free agent and at the end of Trade Period we'll reassess everything. Menzel's agent Adam Ramanauskas yesterday told RSN Radio he was scouring the market for a two-year deal for Menzel, with no offers yet forthcoming. Like Menzel, teammates Jackson Thurlow and Jordan Murdoch remain in search of new homes for 2019 with no guarantees from the Cats. Kicking 15 goals in the first five games, Menzel then succumbed to a groin injury that flared after it was injected on advice by the Cats. He returned to play the final eight consecutive games of the season for 12 majors, but failed to reach the heights of his impressive opening. "If you'd asked me 12 months ago I would've said, 'Yep, lock him down for the next year'. So that'll be the plan again," Scott said after Menzel booted five goals against St Kilda in round four. "But I think everyone's crystal-clear when it comes to Dan, and I feel for him, but he just can't expect that any club's going to commit to him for the long term. "Because there are just so many doubts over his body, and none of them are his fault. It's just the unfortunate situation he's in. "But I'd love to have him committed for 2019." While Menzel awaits an answer, the Cats' forward line will welcome Western Bulldog Luke Dahlhaus next season, the 2016 premiership player committing to a four-year deal on Friday. He could be joined by Sydney's Gary Rohan after Wells confirmed Geelong's intent to secure his services. "If that deal can be done then, yes, we would like Gary playing for the Cats next year alongside Luke Dahlhaus and whatever we bring through the draft," Wells said. Wells also put to bed any talk midfielder Mitch Duncan was exploring a move away from the club. "I haven't heard those rumours at all," Wells said. "Mitch Duncan will be a Cat in 2019 and beyond. He loves the Cats and we love him playing for us." Geelong has already delisted six players this off-season: Aaron Black, Stewart Crameri, Ryan Gardner, Cory Gregson, Matthew Hayball and Timm House.

Australia will field three debutant batsmen in the first Test against Pakistan, captain Tim Paine confirmed Saturday, in a major overhaul of the side's top order. Marnus Labuschagne will join Aaron Finch and Travis Head in receiving Baggy Greens on Sunday morning in Dubai, with Matthew Renshaw the major omission from those within the 15-player squad. Peter Siddle has pipped Michael Neser for the second seam-bowling spot, joining fellow quick Mitchell Starc along with spinners Nathan Lyon and Jon Holland. Australia XI for first Test: Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitch Marsh, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Tim Paine (c), Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland. More to come