By Darraghgirl
July 19 2016

  So the votes are in, counted and verified (thanks again to Clara the Labrador for licking me when I fell asleep). And here are the results of the End of Season Poll 2015-16 Part 1. (Part 2 to follow when Clara has been for a walk!)  

1.       SARACENS PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Well what a choice we had this year and as some of you said, there was an argument for almost any member of the team winning this award. But in the end, with honourable mention to George Kruis, Owen Farrell and Michael Rhodes, you selected in 3^rd place Maro Itoje, and  in 2^nd place Billy Vunipola but your winner, and also Premiership Player of the Season, was Alex Goode.

2.       SARACENS YOUNG PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Despite my suggestion that we should disallow Maro itoje, many of you still voted for him so I decided to split this category into 2!

Saracens young player of the season was once again Maro Itoje

More interestingly, Saracens young player excluding Maro Itoje, came down to 4 players. Again honourable mention for Ben Spencer and Titi Lamositele, but the choice fell between Nick Tompkins and your winner Jared Saunders

3.       SARACENS OLD PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Once again we were spoiled for choice! Some of you went for Chris Wyles, big Jim Hamilton and of course Jacques Burger but in the end it was a head to head between Charlie Hodgson and the clear winner (who in the words of one voter had “the season of his life” ) Petrus Du Plessis

4.       SARACENS UNSUNG HERO AWARD

Lots of worthy suggestions in this new category including Kelly Brown, Petrus du Plessis, Duncan Taylor, Chris Wyles and Hayden Smith. However in equal second place were Michael Rhodes and Richard Barrington but way ahead of the field was your deserved unsung hero: Jackson Wray

5.       SARACENS FIND OF THE SEASON

Interestingly you were almost of one voice in this category. Juan Figallo & Titi Lamositele were mentioned in passing but there was no doubt about your choice of winner Michael Rhodes

6.       FAVOURITE SARACENS PLAYER

Definitely more variation in this category, not surprisingly as we all have our favourites. Brad Barritt, Jim Hamilton, Jacques Burger, Mari Itoje, Owen Farrell, Will Fraser & Billy Vunipola all had their supporters but the top 3 (in reverse order of course) were as follows:- In 3^rd place, smiling Schalk Brits; in 2^nd place, our Premiership Player of the year Alex Goode but this season’s favourite Saracens’ player, possibly attracting the sympathy vote and possibly because he’s just such a fantastic player (no favouritism here!!) is Chris Ashton

7.       WORST DISCIPLINARY PANEL DECISION

Surely there was only 1 choice? Well actually not, some of you went for Owen Farrell’s 2 week suspension following a “dangerous tackle” on Wasp’s Dan Robson but the run-away winner was Ashy’s outrageous 10 week ban for “contact with the eye area” of Ulster’s  Luke Marshall

8.       AVIVA PREMIERSHIP PLAYER OF THE YEAR (NON-SARACENS)

Lots of suggestions here but some names cropped up more often than others! Suggestions included James Haskell, Gareth Steenson, and Thomas “the Tank” Waldrom but your top 3 were (again in reverse order): in 3^rd place, Wasp’s Australian Flanker, George Smith; in 2^nd place, again from Wasps, kiwi full back Charles Piutau but your choice was Exeter and England winger Jack Nowell

9.       INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Another category with lots of suggestions. Richie McCraw, Brodie Retallick, Greg Laidlaw, Marco Bortolami, Maxime Machenaud, Kieran Read, Ben Smith, Nehe Milner-Skudder, David Pocock and/or Michael Hooper (or preferably both) all had their supporters but it came down to a straight fight between the legendary Dan Carter and our own late lamented David Strettle. Casting vote time then – and the award goes to David Strettle

10.   BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE BY A SARACENS PLAYER

Looking at the nominations brought back lots of lovely memories from last season. Brits run in the Aviva Final, Kelly Brown’s one man stand at Welford Road & Owen’s performance at Ulster - all had their merits but again there were 3 outstanding moments which topped the poll. In 3^rd place was Owen Farrell’s performance in The European Final win in Lyon over racing Metro. In 2^nd place was Alex Goode’s one man show against Irish in New York but your choice of the Best Individual Performance by a Saracen’s Player last season was Maro Itoje’s one man demolition of Bath at the Rec

So that's part 1 over, Part 2 to follow......