The 2005/06 End of Season Poll - Part 3


Not God, but good...

By Mark H
July 9 2006

And here's the final part of the End of Season Poll for 2005/06. Many thanks to all that voted, and we start, this time round, with Audrey's boy... 

Player of the Year not named Matthew Burke...(and why)
Geoff Parling 46.15%
Mike McCarthy, Ben Woods 15.38%
Colin Charvis, Andy Long, Micky Ward 7.69%

Again, I'm not surprised at the winner, Parling having a season par excellence.  Nice to see Mike McCarthy up there considering he was criminally ignored for the first half of the season. 

Geoff Parling:
…He's come on so far and I can see him getting so much better yet.
...really stepped up...proved himself worthy of a first team position.
...one of the main consistents in such an inconsistent season
…for his superb achievement throughout the season
...his solid lineout work and good work in the loose.
...he's beginning to fulfil some of that obvious potential
...I'm hoping for an even bigger season from him next year
...he has been awesome and proved he is a great player for the future
...shows the club is doing something right through the Academy
…stepped up this year
...most entertaining player when receiving MOTM awards... :)
Mike McCarthy:
…Macca, consistent performer who always gives his all 
Ben Woods:
…Forced his way into the starting XV and I just like his nonsense style.
…excellent first season in the 1st team squad, a lot of promise
Colin Charvis:
…shown great strength in the forwards and always gives his all.
 
Andy Long:
…Most Improved Player question, Andy Long
 
 
Worst Away Match (and why)

Wasps, Bristol 19.23%

Bath, Saracens 15.38%

Leicester, Didn't attend any, None, Gloucester 7.69%

 

A miserably wet day in Wycombe, and just a miserable day in Bristol, top the poll.  The fact that no fewer than six games feature is a good indicator of how woeful some of the away performances were.

 

Wasps:

...We didn't show up even for ten minutes. Horrid weather too.

...Awful day, crap inaccessible ground, and an hour's wait in the pouring rain to get onto the Park and Ride bus.

 

Bristol:

...Once again Bristol looked the better side

...I was really hoping that we'd stand up and fight for this one.

...I would also like to note that other than L’Aquila, this was the coldest ground I have been to all season!

 

Bath:

…we didn't turn up - most unusual for an away game this season.

…as we were on top and with less greed by a certain player we would have won the match, it was a turning point for me, as if we had won that match we could have pushed for top 6.

 

Gloucester:

…only because of a certain someone gloating after the match.

 

Miraculously, I only managed to see good ones!

 

Leicester:

…for THAT conversion.

 

Saracens:

…Having our pack so publicly annihilated by Saracens on Sky TV wasn't nice.

 

 

Marks out of 10 for the Coaches (and why)

 

Average of 3.35, highest 5.5, lowest 0.  Ouch.  Take Peter Walton out of the equation and it would have been a lot lower.

 

…Walton 7 (for while got the best out of what he was given), others 4 at best

..Walton gets a 7 – the difference in the forwards once he’d replaced Nessie was obvious. Rob as backs coach gets 4 since the backs have deteriorated in the latter half of the season. That makes an average of 6.5 I think!

…Again 5/10.  I feel that RA has had a rough ride this season and I can see that he is trying to develop a team for the future.  When we play well we can be absolutely mesmerising with great flair and lovely touches.  But when we are bad........  Again we need more consistency and the whole team need to know that we are behind them 110%.

…Hmmm. 4.5. There have been moments when you can see the progress that was being made, but then the lessons learned seem not to be remembered.

…a collective 4. Peter Walton did well

…4  The introduction of Walton seemed to improve our line out for a while, but then that went pear shaped again.

…3, good place in the league, but elementary mistakes such as the substitutions (especially front row) are not learned from, hooker and scrum half selection has become a lottery again, and they think we can compete with this squad and only 1 or 2 signings next year.

…2, another poor season and most poor performances have been down to strange team selections and completely wrong gameplans

…Well Walton has done a good job but the rest of them should seriously be looking at themselves. I believe it's time for RA to let someone new take over. On the whole I'll give the coaches 2, purely for Walton.

…2 as been served up the same old same old (I don’t care about this stupid 5 year plan, does it involve being relegated next season???

…0 for achieving nothing and dishing up the same hopeless tactics every week.

…Walton excepted, Zero, nuff said

 

 

Player you'd most like to see wearing a Falcons shirt (and why)

 

So many names, you could actually field a team!

 

1 Any French forward 0.5/13

2 Keven Mealamu 1.33/13

3 Carl Hayman 0.33/13

4 Donncha O'Callaghan 0.25/13

5 Paul O'Connell 1/13

6 Owen Finegan (the 90s version) 1/13

7 Richie McCaw 2.5/13

8 Lawrence Dallaglio 0.25/13

9 Byron Kelleher 1.5/13

10 Dimitri Yachvili 0.33/13

11 Brent Russell 1/13

12 Jonny Wilkinson 1/13

13 Stirling Mortlock 0.5/13

14 Lote Tuqiri 0.25/13

15 Dave Walder 1/13

 

Bench: Danny Grewcock 0.25/13

 

Don't want much, do you?

 

…Forward: Paul O’Connell. Best lock currently playing.

…Back: Stirling Mortlock.

…Can’t choose between Byron Kelleher to put some fizz in at 9 or  Keven Mealamu so that we could have a hooker who can throw as well as look good in the loose.

…Richie McCaw - best openside in the world

…A French forward, it would mean RA's reign is finally over. Other than that, Richie McCaw. The guy is immense.

…Jonny Wilkinson!

…Richie McCaw - 2 reasons best in his position, and being girly for once in my life not bad to look at, and I owe him a pint after he put his match winnings behind the bar in the bar I was in after the Christchurch test match.

…Seriously or not? Oh what the heck - Doncha O'Callaghan / Lovely Lawrence / Danny Grewcock / Lote Tuqiri / Owt else cute in shorts... that way when we play like a pile of pants next season at least I'll have something to distract me from the poor performances on the pitch.

…Carl Hayman or Kevin Mealamu, someone to bash up the opposition front rows.  In the backs, has to be Dmitri Yachvili, a genius who for me looks to have everything and can even kick.

…Dave Walder.  Like Robbie Fowler returning to Liverpool.

…Owen Finegan (late 1990's version).

…Paul O'Connell/ Kevin Mealamu

…Ohh, tough one, would like to say Dan Carter, but that could mean Jonny taking a back seat so will go with Byron Kelleher.

 

This season, better, worse, or the same as expected (and why) 
Worse 76.92%
As Expected 15.38%
All three 7.69%
 
Can't argue with that...

…much worse, I expected at least Heineken Cup, and the squad looks like it will be weaker next year.

…Worse.  I can’t say I was expecting a top 3 finish, but out of the 12 matches I have been to I have only seen 4 wins !

…Worse but then I always start the season fairly optimistic - I think amnesia must set in over the summer!

…Worse: we’ve got a great squad but lack the coaches to get the best out of them. With the talent we have, we should be knocking on the door of the top six, but lack that killer instinct to close games out.

… worse, our squad is weaker and the opposition are getting stronger.  And we haven't got a chance with RA still in charge

…Much much worse, we were told to expect far better than this by the men at the top.

…All three.  We have just not performed consistently enough - great one match then poor the next.

… mmm let me think worse, at beginning of season I was optimistic but that soon was sapped out of me.

…7th was my pre-season prediction, so as expected. But what a curate’s egg of season!

 

 

Where will we finish next season?

 

Bottom, bottom half 23.08%

Top 4, 5th, 6th, 7th, 11th, Bottom 3, "It's on the last game" 7.69%

 

Realism has kicked in...

 

…Optimistically, we’ll have a top six finish and qualify for the Heineken Cup. Realistically, we’ll be fighting it out at the bottom with the other strugglers.

…If I'm honest, relegation is a real danger. Bottom 3 for sure.

…I said earlier that I don't think we should be afraid of any team in the Premiership and there are signs that some great rugby is trying to break out in the team, so if we can get it right more often and cut out the silly mistakes I see no reason why we shouldn't be challenging for Heineken Cup places next year and who knows even the play-offs for the Premiership.

…unless we make some wholesome changes worried will be bottom.

…can't nail one position, but I think unless major signings are made, our last game won't have just pride at stake.

…I hate to say this but bottom table if not relegation looks likely for next season.  Okay so hopefully we have a fully fit Jonny back, but with Jamie and possibly Spud and Jonny disappearing for 6 nations duty (and not forgetting the build up to the World Cup) I fear we are going to be very very shaky!

…If the team and coaches learn from that patch of form at Christmas, top six. Otherwise (and going by the yoyo performances towards the end of the season, that's more probable), lower half and flirting with danger far too much.

…Top half (just). Had we won home matches against mid-table sides, we would have been there this year, with a Heineken Cup place. All it needs is a functioning line out, and better decision-making with the ball. London Irish are a shining example of what can be achieved. I don't think they have any more talent in their squad than we will have next year.

 

 

Who should be captain next season (and why)

 

Matt Burke 84.62%

Phil Dowson 7.69%

Jonny Wilkinson 7.69%

 

As we asked this question before God’s appointment to the job, that's alright then...

 

Matt Burke:

…only man for the job.

…Matt Burke. Nuff said.

…God.  Who else!

…Burke, leads by example, always up for it and has a great influence on the younger players.

…as I've already said he leads by example and won't be going off on international duty.

… we really need a forward as captain to boss the pack, but I can’t think of a suitable candidate. Burkey has the experience to do the job but it’s difficult for a fullback to do the job effectively. Jonny may or may not play all that much so we can’t rely on him … Difficult question this one but I’d have to plump for Phil Dowson (assuming full fitness) or Burkey.

…a true leader and we need his tangible influence on the pitch

…He's a leader on the pitch and a great bloke off it. I could think of no-one better to captain our club.

…Either Jonny or Matt Burke because they are both inspirational and wonderful players who can lead the team by example to great effect.

…true leader and he has the squad’s respect

…The obvious candidate – also he won’t be off with international duties.

 

 

And finally, two extra points made by a couple of the respondees:-

 

In general, do we really have that much to be down about? Another year of GP rugby awaits. There's a whole crop of good young players getting better all the time : Williams, Parling, Buist, Woods, Tait, Flood, Shaw, Elliot, Phillips. There will as usual be a lot to play for.

Here's looking forward to a hopefully great 2006/7 season when we can show everyone what we can really do!!

 

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