Mos

[BackrowSaint]

As much as it pains me to say it, I think the press votes have the best outcome most of the time. The players often voted tactically.

Move it back to an end of season press panel for me.

[Mike Stephenson]

MS there is not one season when Roby was not as good if not better than them 9`s.
Clark had that good season but even then he was equal not better.
Three 9`s in the last decade!! yet Cunnigham never won it, Roby once, true reflection of the best???
I agree on Hastings, Tomkins and Hardaker in 2015 was very good.
Croft has been as good as Johnny this year not better or stand out.

There's an argument to say Roby has been the best player of the SL era for his consistency and longevity as well as his outstanding ability. I've said that before, but he hasn't always been the standout hooker in each season.

It's the same when Cameron Smith was playing in the NRL. He was outshone by Damien Cook for example in one of his seasons. And of course this happens, can't think of anyone who has been the best in their respective position each year and particularly over such a long period!

I can't remember the exact years... but there was a time when Roby had a serious ankle injury and missed lots of a season.

The years when the side was struggling as I alluded to in my original comments and when that was the case, he couldn't be as effective as he could be without a dominant pack and a quick play the ball.

The time when Saints brought in Tommy lee 'to be the Yin to Roby's Yang'.

Roby himself spoke in the recent feature on his career about his struggles in 2019 with his lateral movement and thinking that he may need to retire because it was impacting on his performance.

On Lomax, as good as he is and he deserves so much respect for coming back from all the serious injuries he has had in his career, he is a level below Roby in my opinion and there have been other halves who have been better than him more often than not. Croft has been better than him this year (overall) and the stats support that too.

Just want to say TT, you are one of the better posters on here and I look out for your posts. Your joke from earlier in the season about Konrad Hurrell carrying a piano in his attempt to score a long(ish) range try with Matty Ashton chasing him comes to mind!

[BackrowSaint]

It's always one of those opinion things and we all judge players kn different attributes and skills which we hold important, but for me, Lomax has been our best player in the last 15 or so years. He's comfortably the best half back and likely the best player in the league with what he brings to our side, but it's things that stats will never show.

[Samphire15]

As much as it pains me to say it, I think the press votes have the best outcome most of the time. The players often voted tactically.

Move it back to an end of season press panel for me.

You may be right, but then again, how many press members actually get a vote, I can't see it being a large number, so looking at the season mentioned in my original post:

2013 - MoS & RLWA PotY - Brough
2014 - MoS - Clark, RLWA PotY - Peacock
2015 - MoS - Hardaker, RLWA PotY - Cuthbertson
2016 - MoS - Houghton, RLWA PotY - Houghton/Ellis
2017 - MoS & RLWA PotY - Gale
2018 - MoS - Barba, RLWA PotY - Roby
2019 - MoS & RLWA PotY - Hastings
2020 - MoS - McShane, RLWA PotY - French
2021 - MoS & RLAW PotY - Tomkins
2022 - MoS Croft, RLWA PotY - Field

[Tallaght Tiger]

There's an argument to say Roby has been the best player of the SL era for his consistency and longevity as well as his outstanding ability. I've said that before, but he hasn't always been the standout hooker in each season.

It's the same when Cameron Smith was playing in the NRL. He was outshone by Damien Cook for example in one of his seasons. And of course this happens, can't think of anyone who has been the best in their respective position each year and particularly over such a long period!

I can't remember the exact years... but there was a time when Roby had a serious ankle injury and missed lots of a season.

The years when the side was struggling as I alluded to in my original comments and when that was the case, he couldn't be as effective as he could be without a dominant pack and a quick play the ball.

The time when Saints brought in Tommy lee 'to be the Yin to Roby's Yang'.

Roby himself spoke in the recent feature on his career about his struggles in 2019 with his lateral movement and thinking that he may need to retire because it was impacting on his performance.

On Lomax, as good as he is and he deserves so much respect for coming back from all the serious injuries he has had in his career, he is a level below Roby in my opinion and there have been other halves who have been better than him more often than not. Croft has been better than him this year (overall) and the stats support that too.

Just want to say TT, you are one of the better posters on here and I look out for your posts. Your joke from earlier in the season about Konrad Hurrell carrying a piano in his attempt to score a long(ish) range try with Matty Ashton chasing him comes to mind!

Kind words thank you, collectively this forum is a saviour for an exiled Saints fan.
I do not watch TV other than RL so the posts from certain people with a bit of inside on the club and NRL supporters as yourself and WWW dovetail the narratives that surround our game for me.
Like all good debates opinions can differ without the need for insults and many on here back up their points with detailed examples.
I am not a member on any other social media site because this provides all I need for Saints and RL.
A world class club with a high class forum by virtue of the fact the mods hardly need to intervene or censor.

That said I still stand by my first view that Cunningham and Lomax suffered or in Johnny`s case still suffer from being too brilliantly consistent. Robes has one MOS and in fairness Barrett was probably unlucky not to get it that year but the No9`s who have won it since were only as good as not out performing him. On his 500 game documentary Wilkin said Roby was playing brilliantly during the baron years saying "trust me you were brilliant in them games." I thought his ankle surgery was when KC was still playing and Tommy Lee was brought in much later, to keep the miles off the clock.
One thing from that documentary that did hit home was even international athletes get surgeons that once the standard operation does not work need to find the right man. Our physio sourced a surgeon who cured his problem after the first surgery was unsuccessful.
Scully had micro fracture surgery that was unsuccessful despite spending nine months out then spent most of the next season being told it will settle and rehab every week whilst only running straight lines as a SR during the games. Scully sourced his own surgeon to finally fix it, there is a lesson there for everyone.