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Seeing as the season is well and truly over for eight teams (plus another four, but they'll come in a few weeks), there is no better time to have a look at the 2009 season, and the season ahead, for the bottom eight teams.

Hawthorn - 9th (Predicted 2009 finish - 1st)

Well, not a lot went right for the Hawks this year. Whether through injuries, bad form, premiership hangover or a reflection of true talent, the Hawks became the first team since Malcolm Blight's Crows in '98/'99...

5. West Indies are a terrible gauge

There was much talk before the first test that players such as Graeme Swann and Ravi Bopara should be picked based on their performances against the West Indies, or, at least, they would do well, because they showed they have the talent to do well in test match cricket.

Now, that may have been the case 25 years ago, but times have changed considerably since then. The West Indies are the second worst team in the world, and any great...

So the head of the ICC has suggested four day tests has he?

Spare me. Having Twenty20 being bleated out all over yonder was bad enough, but the mere thought of test matches becoming a day shorter because of Twenty20 is nigh on sickening.

James Sutherland has said that 'the concept was not a "developed thought", but indicated the willingness of cricket's leaders to modernise the game'. Really now? Wasn't Twenty20 modern enough for you?

And, if...

The second Test between England and the West Indies is already heading towards an inevitable conclusion.

The only thing to blame for the lack of contest is the pitch. It is, yet again, flat and devoid of life. This is becoming a common occurrence worldwide, and it is starting to make Test cricket feel like a drag, which, in the face of T20s, is not a good thing (thank goodness for the recent Aus/Saffas tests).

We don't want to have lifeless pitches worldwide. That was the...

In my last blog I made a prediction on the 25 players that would get Australian contracts.

I only got 3 wrong.

None of Shaun Tait, Bryce McGain or Phil Jaques made the cut, while Brad Hodge, Cameron White and Graham Manout made it in.

I was quite happy to see that the selectors chose some new or newish faces, in particular that of Graham Manou.

The full list is here:

http://www.sticksports.com/showthread.php?t=27706