The Craic - Player of the Season

By Griff
May 23 2008

At the end of the season there's a bit of book-keeping to be done. Each week the denizens of The Craic vote on the Man of the Match for that week's game. The winners are recorded in the Fixtures/Results list and the season progresses. At the end of the season the awards are counted and the man with the most awards wins The Craic - Player of the Season.

It's a different approach to most End-of-Season awards as they rely on memories of the people voting and will, in most cases, be more influenced by late-season performances rather than graft throughout the entire term.

The results aren't massively scientific but they do throw out some interesting trends (and, if I'm being completely honest, it provides me with an excuse for an off-season story that stops the site being taken off-line by the SportNetwork "two-week rule).

This season we have had some 31 matches and they have provided 15 different candidates for the award. To get a single award is an achievement for the player, they have to have shone above those around them, and we're not an easy lot to please. Especially as the team appears to be making big leaps forward away from relegation-battle obscurity and into the harsh glare of the media afforded to the contenders for silverware. This is shown, this year as we awarded the MotM award to "Nobody" on three separate occasions.

Results:
One MotM:

Eoghan Hickie

Given the importance of Eoghan's contribution this term he can consider himself unlucky.

Tomas De Vedia

Tomas was our leading try-scorer this year, one award shows that we're not swayed simply by finishing but you can;t help but feel he should have had more.

Nick Kennedy

Interesting that Nick the Ball, who has recieved much praise this season and has secured a coveted place in the England side has stood-out to us on only one occasion.

Gonzalo Tiesi

Gonzo leaves us for Quins, we simply haven't given him the game-time he wants and only one MotM award reflects this.

Paul Hodgson

Competition for the scrum-half shirt seems to have kept 2005/6 Craic PotS Paul Hodgson in the also-rans too.

Ross Broadfoot

It's nice to see new-boy Ross Broadfoot getting a mention in dispatches, with any luck we can keep hold of him next year and bring his game on further.

Seilala Mapusua

Maps has been massive - especially towards the end of the season. Unfortunately for him when he was good so were a few others. I'm sure he'll feature heavily in the future.

Two MotMs:

Steffon Armitage

I have to admit if you'd asked me before I did the count I'd have said Steffon was in with a shout for PotS. The larger Armitage has certainly won some fans this season. He's perhaps been unlucky to have come into a run of form at the same time as the rest of the back-row or he'd have bagged more awards.

James Hudson

Jimmy was really keen to make an impact but Nick and Bob kept him out for a very long time. It's to the man's credit that he kept focused and, when the chance came, he really took it. Mr Kennedy may be Englishman du jour at the moment but he'll need to watch his back from Jimmy as he's showed us he can be at least as good as Nick when he gets the nod.

Three MotMs:

Richard Thorpe

Ah the Thorpedo. Too small for a number 8, apparently. He seems to disagree and has put in some massive performances this year. Notably against real quality opposition this remarkable young man has shown that he doesn't take reputation as a marker to let the guy play. A real talent for the future.

Nobody

See, I told you we were a tough crowd these days. I'm sure you can guess but these three were awarded early-doors before the team had really shown its tue potential. It could be said that these three are the reason we're not in the HC next season.

Peter Richards

With Peter's arrival we have genuine competition for the 9 shirt. Between him and Dodge we have real class, Warren Fury is no slouch either. Three true international scrum halfs has to be a club record. Peter has been the most consistent of the three and that is reflected here.

Four MotMs:

Peter Hewat

Peter joined late into the season and came with a huge reputation. He struggled early on to fit into the team with his kicking, especially, not seeming to travel well. Since then he's shown us why the reputation was well-deserved. Bringing a real cutting-edge to full-back he's really shaped our back-line, possibly more than he's been credited for. Peter has dominated many a game and deservedly shares the runner-up slot.

Topsy Ojo

Given Topsy's early-season form it is truly amazing that he is also PotS runner-up. That he stuck-in there and played through the doldrums is a credit to him. At one point in the season both Bob Casey and Nick Kennedy had scored more tries than Topsy but the lightning speed, magical step and new-improved tackle-breaking soon redressed that anomaly. Topsy is now one of the best wings in country (with a real shot at "the best") and has deservedly played himself into the England set-up.

This year's winner of The Craic - Player of the Season is, with six MotM awards...

Declan Danaher

In a season when our back-row has truly stepped-up young master Danaher has ruled-the-roost. Dec has always been a class player but he has had a poor run of form over the past few years. After a much appreciated early career Dec seemed to trail off and then hit a run of injuries which left him out of the LI team and heading for obscurity. Last season, howeevr he made a late return to form and continued that this year finally dominating in the loose in the same way he did early-on. That the back-row has really fired this season is certainly, at least partially, down to DD's resurgance. It's nice to see such a club favourite get the award after so long a service, Declan and the Danaher family are a corner-stone of the LI church. It is interesting that, for once, the PotS award mimics the LISC equivalent. Well done Declan, and keep up the good work!

The Craic - Player of the Season

Posted by: The Craic www.londonirish.org (IP Logged)

Date: 23/05/2008 11:01

The Craic - Player of the Season