Well, it’s Halloween…. again… and here we are in Australia and despite a pandemic that has raged for nigh on 20 months, it appears everyone is dressing up and going out trick or treating once again. So here today, I want to discuss three things with you. Firstly – should Australians be celebrating a Celtic holiday that was popularised in the United States when it has basically zero to do with our culture. Secondly – if you do like Halloween, then surely the only thing you should be doing is watching the Halloween movies, right? And thirdly, if you aren’t into watching movies, then maybe you just need to listen to some music… from Helloween? If any or all of that interests you, please hang around after the podcast intro music for today’s thrilling - or is that horrific – episode.

In the past month, the Netflix South Korean limited series Squid Game has become the most watched show in the streaming platform’s history, reaching unprecedented levels of viewership. Telling the story of a dystopian present, where ordinary people with a need for money are coerced into playing kids games in the hope of a huge prize, but with a problematic future for those that lose those games, Squid Game has become a phenomenon, and has raised discussions around the globe not only of ‘how good is Squid Game?!’, but also of how different versions of the games shown could be used if the series was re-tweaked. On today’s episode, I’ll be discussing – is the show really as good as many people think? – as well as raising a few different games that could be used in a retelling of the story. That’s today’s discussion on Thoughts from the Metal Cavern.

The men's World T20 tournament starts in a few hours, and so it is time to consider two important questions. Can Australia win it? And if not, who will? Today on The Casual Mankadder I give you my thoughts on Australia's squad, how they will line up, and what they need to do to change up their recent poor T20 form in order to have a chance of making the semi-final stage. After that I'll give you my opinion on the favourites from each group, and who I think will make the semi-final stage. All of that on today's episode of The Casual Mankadder.

There seems to be a lot of excitement in some overseas places and also on Fox Cricket who have the exclusive rights, to the beginning of the delayed men’s T20 World Cup, which gets underway tonight Australian time. And while we here at The Casual Mankadder are less enamored about the shortest form of the game at an international level, the first couple of weeks will at least showcase some of the lesser know nations as they try to force their way into the main draw. So on today’s episode we will have a quick look at their prospects, and see if there are any upset in the cards as we run through the teams on show.

Yes, the WBBL starts tonight, and here on The Casual Mankadder, we like to put our money where our mouth is. And then generally lose it. So on today's episode we run through all of the competing teams, and give you a run down on where they will finish this season from 8 through to the number 1.

In the first of a planned 25 years of upcoming episodes, friends of almost 40 years get together on a Saturday and discuss the week in sports, politics, life and covid meltdowns. On today's first episode, these two giants of mediocrity discuss last week's NRL Grand Final, along with rules tweaking, the 17th NRL franchise and Benji Marshall's legacy. Alongside this there is also Toby Green's lengthy holiday into 2022, and just how a new BBL rule could prove to kill off the BBL rather than enhance it. All this and much much less on today's Saturday Session.

As Australia creeps closer to being released from the grip of Covid lockdowns, this week has seen an outbreak on opinions of the fate of this summers men’s Ashes series and just who if anyone will tour for England. Today we discuss both sides of the argument and try to decide if there is a possibility of a compromise in the air.

The women’s Test on the Gold Coast has raised differing opinions on the tactics used by both teams in the contest, but overall I think they have been unfairly judged and I’ll offer my thoughts here as well.

And with the Sheffield Shield in limbo, it’s the WBBL that will dominate cricket viewing throughout October and we have a look at the great opportunity that holds for promoting the women's game at this level. 

Ravi Ashwin has managed to make the news again this week, this time by being solely blamed for taking an extra run after the ball thrown in had hit his batting partner and bounced away from the backup fielder. Not for the first time in his career he was accused of conduct unbecoming of "The Spirit of Cricket". On today's episode I will rant on once again about my feelings of that magical phrase and just how it is able to be twisted to mean just about anything, and suit the causes of one team to the detriment of the other.

The ODI section of the Women's Cricket Series between Australia and India have been completed, and the series is a lot tighter than the score line suggests, and today we'll look at what has been occurring in Mackay. The Sheffield Shield is also (finally) underway, but has already hit a hurdle that may well spell disaster for the Australian summer ahead. David Warner has lost his spot (again) for his team in the Indian Premier League, and could this not only prove to be a stumbling block for Warner himself, but for Ausyralia heading into the World T20? And Moeen Ali has hung up his Test boots, and we discuss whether or not this is a tragedy for England or just pre-meditated.