Ashes Third Test, Headingley

Australia lead the series 1-0 after winning the first Test at Edgbaston and drawing at Lord's.

The Aussies will be without former captain and the best batsman in the world after Steve Smith was ruled out with concussion following a Jofra Archer bouncer that struck him on the neck in his first innings at Lord's.

Marnus Labuschagne is expected to fill Smith's spot like he did at Lord's when he entered the fray as Test cricket's first ever concussion substitute where he scored an admirable 59 runs, helping to steer Australia to a draw on the final day.

It's expected that Peter Siddle will drop out of the side to allow for the return of James Pattinson who was rested for the second Test. Mitchell Starc seems destined to remain on drinks duty.

England meanwhile are expected to name an unchanged 11 although they may tinker with the make up of the batting order. Joe Root has struggled at first drop, while Jason Roy has failed to make the switch from opening in the ODI team to becoming a Test opener. Root is expected to move down to four with Joe Denly jumping into the number three position.

Many are talking about the effect of Jofra Archer's entry into Test cricket. Interestingly, his debut performance lands him as just the 312th best bowler on debut with overall figures of 5/91. He need only look across at his opponents in Pat Cummins (7/117) and Josh Hazlewood (7/142) who had better debut figures.

The Headingley pitch is rumoured to be a slow deck that will crumble and break up towards the end of the match. An interesting decision by the ground staff there given Australia's Nathan Lyon has been collecting wickets for fun and spun the English into knots in the first Test.

As always the toss will be important and Tim Paine will be hoping his luck continues. This will likely be a bat first pitch because no one will be looking to bat last on a decaying deck.

Play starts at 8pm AEST tonight so get your picture-in-picture going or set up a second screen to make sure you don't miss the first ball while watching the Eels belt the Dogs.

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Kramerica replied to SuperEel 22's discussion Parramatta, NRL to investigate images of rising Eels star
"xxoo :)"
2 hours ago
Jack replied to LB's discussion Eels interested in Barnett
"Pass "
3 hours ago
fake midget pseudoachondroplasia replied to LB's discussion Eels interested in Barnett
"You say 32yo isn't ancient but he would turn 34 only 1 month into his first season if we sign him for 2027. Also plenty here said Koloamatangi wasn't worth a 5 year risk despite a 5yr contract seeing him through to age of 33 or 34.
With the young…"
3 hours ago
fake midget pseudoachondroplasia replied to LB's discussion Eels interested in Barnett
"He was granted a release for his child illness so Newcastle would be favourites as that is where his family is closest.  But  they spent all their cap on Dylan Brown and Ponga..  Not sure the issue with Barnetts child but one would think Westmead…"
3 hours ago
Hell On Eels replied to Hell On Eels's discussion The Eels v Lomax: Timeline and Key Questions
"Moses SC asks the court: "Did Tripp make it up? Or who's telling the truth (Tripp or HQ)?"
Tripp, the Storm boss, made an implied threat towards the Eels saying the NRL could punish the Eels if it held firm on Lomax by issuing a salary cap sanction,…"
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Hell On Eels replied to Hell On Eels's discussion The Eels v Lomax: Timeline and Key Questions
"Will V'landy's will be asked to testify? He's already had his bird return once due to air-con challenges. Abdo? They could confirm it's all a misunderstanding, and they never had any intentions of doing what Storm said they were going to do."
5 hours ago
Clintorian replied to Hell On Eels's discussion The Eels v Lomax: Timeline and Key Questions
"They should be shitting themselves, they thought they could just walk all over us and we wouldn't do anything about it, dodgy cunts."
5 hours ago
Randy Handlinger replied to Hell On Eels's discussion Iongi: Recent Illicit Substance Scandals vs NRL Sanctions
"Got any priors for players done for weed. I don't recall any.
Unlike weed, everything on that list is a class A. drug.
 "
6 hours ago
Randy Handlinger replied to Hell On Eels's discussion The Eels v Lomax: Timeline and Key Questions
"Thanks Pato. It's 4o4. Does it say Tripp has not been asked to appear on the first? They can't make him but they can tear him up without reply if he doesn't attend
 "
6 hours ago
Randy Handlinger replied to Hell On Eels's discussion The Eels v Lomax: Timeline and Key Questions
"Yeah Super, that's what I thought.
Pato was saying "unavailable to appear until 13th March. So Lomax won't be playing for Storm until Rd3 at the earliest if they get a result in their favour."
I thought he was saying it had been moved to 13th
 "
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ParraPride replied to Hell On Eels's discussion Iongi: Recent Illicit Substance Scandals vs NRL Sanctions
"He'll be fine it seems like an old picture."
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Eli Stephens replied to SuperEel 22's discussion Parramatta, NRL to investigate images of rising Eels star
"it's a year or 2 ago 🤣"
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Randy Handlinger replied to SuperEel 22's discussion Parramatta, NRL to investigate images of rising Eels star
"What the fuck is he actually doing in that Photo? I don't understand.
Did he splash it with bubble-bath?"
7 hours ago
LB replied to LB's discussion Eels interested in Barnett
"Lol media reporting Titans, Knights and Broncos and all close to home 😂"
7 hours ago
Randy Handlinger replied to Hell On Eels's discussion The Eels v Lomax: Timeline and Key Questions
"This warms my cockles. I've said a few timess that we need to re-arrange their days for them. Make them do things that they have not planned and would rather not do. We have done this well with Ugly Pete and it's not going that great for him. Making…"
7 hours ago
Kurupt - Your Mums Favourite Thug replied to SuperEel 22's discussion Parramatta, NRL to investigate images of rising Eels star
"Fake news fake news, that's not even Iongi. I mean you can't tell it's him right?"
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