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| Smyler | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 3 2017, 10:53 AM (450 Views) | |
| big mac returns | Jan 3 2017, 10:53 AM Post #1 |
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Senior Player
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With the Festivities I didn't get chance to post about about Smyler hitting 300...........what an achievement, I'm first to admit when he first came onto the scene i didnt see much in him, however hes more then shown me what i know and now im one of his biggest fans. done so much for us and can always be relied on, not many have careers like him these days. true Saintsman and still looking great. |
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| Wibble | Jan 3 2017, 11:56 AM Post #2 |
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Senior Player
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He is not the flashest of players but he has probably won more games for Saints than anyone in recent memory with his great kicking and reliable solid passing. It must be remembered that although he does not often do the flash thing and take the ball on himself he does put the ball in the right place for others to look good. When we were tearing up everyone in the League and Europe and scoring trys for fun who was at 10? When we won the league who was at 10? People like to blame the 10 when things go wrong but for me, he is still doing a great job and those inside him still get the ball delivered to them with plenty of options. I do however like a playmaking 12 outside him like Harry and JJ. Gives us the best of both worlds. |
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| ElmaFudd | Jan 3 2017, 01:48 PM Post #3 |
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Been an an anchor for Saints congratulations Stephen 300 apperances is a great achievement. A few more in him yet I think. |
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| Bernie15 | Jan 9 2017, 12:29 PM Post #4 |
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1st Teamer
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I can't think of a more fitting tribute to a player that has persevered the way he has. Despite all the criticism that has been thrown his way by some 'armchair experts' and the Lamb/Geraghty experiments that went awry, that lad has endured all that in a very dignified way and stuck to his guns. Kudos to him, and may we see many more than 300. |
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| flanker | Jan 9 2017, 06:56 PM Post #5 |
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Yes he's an excellent player and a 100% pro. If only everyone else were as consistent or dedicated. I wouldn't agree regarding Lamb, Geraghty and Townsend though. They were weren't 'experiments' but leading 10s. Myler didn't cope well with rotation as far as I could see and the club couldn't cope with their talents. We may be doing the same with JJ but he plays well at 12 too. He may be off though to play 10 regularly elsewhere? |
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| happyclapper | Jan 9 2017, 07:08 PM Post #6 |
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Who mentioned Townsend? Surely he is accepted as a Saints legend? I think all of Lamb, Geraghty and Myler are confidence players and need a run in the team. Unfortunately for Lamb and Geraghty they are flair confidence players so when the chips are down it's more obvious whereas Myler would still knock the ball over. I'd like to think JJ knows he's lined up to replace Myler long term, or at least I hope he is, and therefore it's worth sticking around. I'm hoping Jim gives him game time over the next couple of weeks. |
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| flanker | Jan 9 2017, 07:33 PM Post #7 |
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My recollection is that Townsend was hit and miss at the Saints and didn't get a run at 10. I'd therefore group him with the others? |
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| ElmaFudd | Jan 9 2017, 08:07 PM Post #8 |
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He did enjoy passing to his invisible chum. |
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| happyclapper | Jan 9 2017, 08:32 PM Post #9 |
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Was with Saints for three seasons from 95-98, played 64 times. I'd say that's fairly consistent. |
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| big mac returns | Jan 10 2017, 10:18 AM Post #10 |
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Couldnt handle the talant of Lamb/Geraghty wow thats the funniest thing ive heard in a long time, they were both awful!!! hence they are both at the bottom two clubs doing nothing special. Geraghty has shown glimpses but Lamb is all round bad. |
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| happyclapper | Jan 10 2017, 11:35 AM Post #11 |
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Think awful is a bit harsh but they weren't good enough to remain. They were players who very much fit Jim's criteria, they were playing well at bottom half clubs so Jim took a punt on them. The weren't good enough to make it at Saints and have gone back to bottom half clubs. Same applies to Joel Hodgson. Playing well now for Newcastle but not good enough for us. |
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| Wibble | Jan 10 2017, 12:15 PM Post #12 |
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Senior Player
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I agree with you HC, people only remember the occasional moments of brilliance that may or may not have won a game. They do not miss the large number of bad passes, passes to the opponent, kicks miles off target that kept us from being a winning club. I dont think its fair to blame Myler for not being able to rotate well with others, all players suffer when they are not match fit. Obviously a long run of games helps everyone get used to each other. The main problem was how different our 10s play the game. It causes confusion if everyone has to memorize two sets of attacking/defending patterns based on who is at 10. (massively over simplified i know) What we need is someone very similar who can perform the same jobs to a good standard (If this is the game plan we want to stick with). We are not currently blooding a 10 in that specific channel but we are following another excepted rout of playing them at 12 and giving them a share of the kicking/distributing duties. The benefit of this approach is that if for example JJ moves to 10 and Harry comes into 12 both have been getting game time and will be up to speed, those players need to work harder to adjust to the new position at 10 but everyone else should be able to stay the same. There are obviously good reasons to just let your backup 10s play at 10 though and i expect to see more of this in the cup matches. I dont think everything is perfect and a lot of this depends on 1) JJ staying 2) Harry keeping on improving and 3) Olver getting back to fitness and becomming as solid a player as Myler is and being happy to pick up game time in the LV= until Myler eventually retires. The Alternative of course is we spend a load of cash to bring in one of the very few top class 10s on the market who may or may not fin in with our game style and the direction the coaches want to know, so basically i have no idea... Just glad Myler is with us still. |
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| big mac returns | Jan 10 2017, 02:28 PM Post #13 |
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in terms of what we do at 10 going forward........ ultimately Smyler will eventually play less games. so this all depends on whether JJ stays. and whether Olver improves. at the mo i dont thing olver has the handling skills to be a top 10, but hes only 22, JJ is 24 and far better in this regard. Mallinder should i think become our first choice 12, If JJ becomes our first choice 10 then our kicking game (for the posts at least) dramatically becomes worse. If JJ leaves then we need a new 10 definitely, and if its George ford ill think we'll struggle as harry becomes our first choice kicker. |
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| Wibble | Jan 10 2017, 02:38 PM Post #14 |
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Senior Player
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Although you need a natural ability, beyond that most of the best kickers just practice a LOT. you see them on the pitch for an hour before a match getting used to the conditions, you see them most days outside normal coaching sessions putting in the time and effort to build the muscle memory. Harry has one thing that Myler does not, and that is range. He is quite acurate over the longer distances so we should (in the short term) use that skill, in the long term if he wants to be a kicker he should just keep working on it. My preference is JJ at 10 and harry at 12 in the future with the switch over from Myler happening more and more over the next few seasons, but that depends on JJ and if he stays. If not then i would trust Olver to develop. We wont know until we try, if it fails then i expect us to go looking elsewhere. |
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| happyclapper | Jan 11 2017, 11:14 AM Post #15 |
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I think between JJ and Harry we should be able to have a kicker at 70%. They may get as good as Myler over time with practice. But it's not just practice it's game practice as well as they need the game experience and pressure. Even Larry missed some sitters. |
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| flanker | Jan 12 2017, 11:34 PM Post #16 |
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Chronic reporting that his contract's been extended. |
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| happyclapper | Jan 13 2017, 12:54 AM Post #17 |
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Senior Player
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Whose contract Flanker? C&E says Myler in contract already and JJ out of contract and being talked to: “Stephen Myler is in contract, so he will be with us next year,” Mallinder said. “But JJ (Hanrahan) is out of contract so we’re talking to him at the moment.” Read more at: http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/mallinder-reassures-saints-supporters-about-new-signings-1-7769856 |
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| Wibble | Jan 13 2017, 08:45 AM Post #18 |
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We need both. But very happy we have Myler for at least one more year. Wish there was more noise about his testimonial. The club seem to have been getting quieter on these since Smiths. If i was saints i would use the good PR a lot more. |
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| flanker | Jan 13 2017, 09:58 PM Post #19 |
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The list that was circulated had Myler 's contract expiring this year so I assumed Jim saying he'll be here next year meant it had been extended? |
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| happyclapper | Jan 14 2017, 12:42 AM Post #20 |
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Article says: Saints have yet to announce any contract renewals, but it is understood some of the current squad have already put pen to paper. Read more at: http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/mallinder-reassures-saints-supporters-about-new-signings-1-7769856 If Myler was on a list of out of contract players I can only assume it was a mistake... |
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| big mac returns | Jan 14 2017, 06:00 PM Post #21 |
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rumour is Hill is off, wouldnt be surprised based on his performance today, the boy cant scrummage! |
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| happyclapper | Jan 15 2017, 02:10 PM Post #22 |
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The old man told me that Clark is old news and he heard it ages ago. Apparently his attitude in training rubs people up the wrong way... Re Hill, remember he was up against a monster pack yesterday, and once Castres first choice went off we did well in the scrums. It wasn't helped by the ref failing to spot their blatant feeding and no hook at all! |
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| big mac returns | Jan 18 2017, 08:22 AM Post #23 |
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Cruden signs for Montpellier, what's odds we were after him..... |
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| ElmaFudd | Jan 18 2017, 02:30 PM Post #24 |
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It was rumoured Mac but never in with a serious shout. |
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3:39 PM Jul 11