Saints player of the season : Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:25 pm  

With only one round of the regular season to play, who do you feel as been our best player for 2013?

I'm going to go for Jon Wilkin. He might not have been exceptional but he's been very very important for us. I dread to see what we would have done without him!

He's a Backrow who's been asked to lead the team around the park, he's been asked to be a ball player, he's been asked to offer us a kicking game and while he's not been great at all those things, he's done a job that nobody else could have done. It's not like he's played there with another natural experienced half either, he's player there with the likes of wello and Hohaia.

My biggest fear was Wilkin getting Hurt as we'd be stuffed! He's put his own game to one side for the benefit of the team. This being a World Cup, this could cost him a spot.

He's still kept up his defensive work as well.

He's not the best player at the club, he's certainly not a halfback and I personally wouldn't pick him next year in my team but in 2013 he's been the "most important" player for saints.

Re: Saints player of the season : Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:27 pm  

I'd be inclined to agree.

Re: Saints player of the season : Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:32 pm  

A very difficult one to pick seeing as most performances have been average.

Lomax and Roby have been hampered by injuries and therefore have not really got into a run of good form unfortunately. Lomax looked really good in his first few games at 1 but didn't do it over a long enough period of time to be called player of the season.

I see what you mean with regards to Wilkin being probably our most important player of the season. But having said that, the quality of his performances haven't actually been particularly wonderful.

Manu, Turner, Soliola and Jones have all been good in patches. Swift and Percival have bags of potential and I think Luke Thompson and Anthony Walker will turn into good players for us also.

Based on it being his first season at this level and the fact that he's our top metre maker despite not playing as many minutes as our other props, I'd go for Alex Walmsley as our player of the season.

Re: Saints player of the season : Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:35 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

A very difficult one to pick seeing as most performances have been average.

Lomax and Roby have been hampered by injuries and therefore have not really got into a run of good form unfortunately. Lomax looked really good in his first few games at 1 but didn't do it over a long enough period of time to be called player of the season.

I see what you mean with regards to Wilkin being probably our most important player of the season. But having said that, the quality of his performances haven't actually been particularly wonderful.

Manu, Turner, Soliola and Jones have all been good in patches. Swift and Percival have bags of potential and I think Luke Thompson and Anthony Walker will turn into good players for us also.

Based on it being his first season at this level and the fact that he's our top metre maker despite not playing as many minutes as our other props, I'd go for Alex Walmsley as our player of the season.

Who else could have filled in like Wilkin and done the Job he's done ?

Re: Saints player of the season : Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:38 pm  

Perry

Re: Saints player of the season : Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:39 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

Perry

That name shouldn't be on this thread

Re: Saints player of the season : Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:47 pm  

St pete wrote:

Who else could have filled in like Wilkin and done the Job he's done ?

Nobody mate. Hence why I haven't criticised him. My post wasn't meant as a slant on Wilkin. I've agreed with you that he's been our most important player in terms of filling the pivotal positions and taking on extra responsibility.

But in terms of being impressed with quality of performance, Walmsley wins it for me.

Re: Saints player of the season : Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:50 pm  

St pete wrote:

That name shouldn't be on this thread

Sorry could not help myself, although there were a few contenders (Gaskell, Lance, Howarth etc)


If I'm being serious there are a few choices that I'm tossing up, I keep coming up with Sia.

My reasons are that even when we where struggling early in the season he was still a class act and at times our only go forward player.

Manu has made a late bid in the running but does not get it as he has had a few questionable rounds.
Roby out too much with injury.
I get the point of picking Wilkin too, yes for all the reasons you have already said, but in terms of necessity rather than because he has stood out as a performer. (would certainly get the miss congeniality award).

If it was a Saints MOS award, I'd go with Sia and Wilkin picking up the players player of the year award.

Re: Saints player of the season : Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:50 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

Nobody. Hence why I haven't criticised him. My post wasn't meant as a slant on Wilkin. I've agreed with you that he's been our most important player in terms of filling the pivotal positions and taking on extra responsibility.

But in terms of being impressed with quality of performance, Walmsley wins it for me.

I don't think big Alex played enough mins to get player of the year but he's had a great first season.

Sia was on fire before his injury and looking odds on for winning it again this year but he's missed half the season.

Shows how poor we've been that we are scratching around for a name.

Re: Saints player of the season : Sun Sep 01, 2013 4:53 pm  

St pete wrote:

I don't think big Alex played enough mins to get player of the year but he's had a great first season.

Sia was on fire before his injury and looking odds on for winning it again this year but he's missed half the season.

Shows how poor we've been that we are scratching around for a name.

That last sentence has really depressed me haha!

Back to Walmsley, I agree he hasn't played massive minutes but is still our top metre maker which says a lot about the impact he has had in the time he has been given on the pitch.