‘Put the bullet via’: Head rips Aussie legends after ‘canine s***’ name

‘Put the bullet via’: Head rips Aussie legends after ‘canine s***’ call-up criticism forward of first Check

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Courtney Walsh in South Africa from Fox SportsOctober 7th, 2026 10:17 pm

Travis Head has issued a stinging broadside at former Australian greats for being too eager to “put the bullet” via representatives of the present Check workforce forward of the highly-anticipated sequence in opposition to South Africa starting on Friday.

The dual-Allan Border Medallist’s rebuke came after former star opener Matthew Hayden’s stinging critique of the selection of Nic Maddinson on a podcast earlier this week.

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It additionally follows some sturdy criticism from an array of former players concerning the Australians efficiency in opposition to Bangladesh in Darwin, with Head determined to make some extent.

“I think it’s unfairly judged a fair bit from a group of past players, pretty much that put the bullet via a number of players, which I think is unfair,” Head said.

“But that’s what they’re paid to do. Some of them want a job, so they go after us, and that’s totally tremendous. This group is powerful sufficient to take care of these kinds of things. That’s how it’s.

“It’s unlucky generally to have some of that feedback from a technology of players that now we have big respect for, however that’s the caper.”

The divide between the present crop of stars, which have received 14 of their past 17 Exams despite a dip in the batting averages of several high order stars, dates again to Justin Langer’s axing as coach.

Hayden was amongst these bemused that Langer, who he opened the batting with, was moved on in what was said to be a player-driven marketing campaign again in 2022.

In his newest missive, he declared Australian cricket was “selling the greatest pile of mediocrity that we’ve seen in a technology of cricket”.

“If we continue to put that out and anticipate {that a} bloke averaging 35 is going to average 55 in Check match cricket, George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide, you might be dreaming,” he said on the All Over Bar The Cricket podcast.

“I will simply put it that simply. You’re frigging dreaming. And you might be piling up this canine shit explanation, and you might be, for my part, disrespecting first-class cricket.”

Several former champions, including those who broadcast the cricket for Kayo Sports, have noted the strain players including Marnus Labuschagne are under after a run of outs.

Head said he might perceive why past players including Hayden needed to stay up for their former coach, but also burdened the present technology were dealing with trickier pitches.

“They’re a very proud bunch of guys who went via a bit of a sticky scenario … a number of years again the place they stood up and were fairly proud about considered one of their own,” Head said.

“But in saying that, we’re enjoying for the same cause. We now have big respect for it.”

Head noted with bemusement the requires him to return to No.5 after lacking out in the Bangladesh sequence, saying his record when opening has been sturdy.

“I’ve laughed at a fair bit of it because if a traditional opening batter had pushed out the identical sort of numbers in his first 20 innings, I think he can be fairly protected and not talked about in the way in which that it has been talked about,” Head said.

“But I think that that’s a bit of the media lately: it’s not so much a great day, bad day (evaluation). It’s a number of headline stuff.

“(I) had an important summer (however) missed out that first day in Darwin and I’m no good at it again? In order that doesn’t hassle me in the slightest. If folks need to read it and are comfortable and not having a dig (so be it), however individuals are going to click on on it if it’s drawing the road via someone.

“I’ve played more than sufficient to know that that happens. Extra of that may occur on Friday if I open the batting and miss out. The same query marks. Vice versa, if I play effectively, they’ll probably nonetheless assume I should go to 5. But that’s as much as you guys.”

Supply: www.foxsports.com.au