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       #Post#: 137565--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Let's get some perspective
   DIR By: JammyGit
       Date: May 3, 2025, 2:13 pm
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       --- Quote from: T-Bone link ---
       >
       > Delighted for saints. They play great rugby. Also lovely to
       see Leinster choke again. Marcus' chances of going to Oz suffer
       another blow.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       Would have thought Marcus was in competition with Prendergast!
       #Post#: 137574--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Let's get some perspective
   DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
       Date: May 4, 2025, 3:19 am
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       --- Quote from: Mandator link ---
       >
       > Saints performance and ours against Leinster-puts that in
       perspective. Our coaching team should show the video of the game
       to our team-twice! They are just above us in the table.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       Laurie should make the Coaching Team watch the video before they
       get any breakfast.
       #Post#: 137626--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Let's get some perspective
   DIR By: Saintquin
       Date: May 6, 2025, 1:09 pm
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       --- Quote from: JammyGit link ---
       >
       > Only followed on text but Fin should be nailed on already tbh.
       He's really good!
       >
       > Saw some clips of some tries - Prendergast is the worst
       defender I can remember playing top level rugby, joke shop
       stuff.
       >
       > Awesome by Saints - funny reverse of last season where we beat
       a UBB side fresh off marmalising Saracens, Saints go and beat a
       Leinster side who'd humiliated Quins and Glasgow. Didn't think
       they'd get close but Leinster really have a complex these days
       and are mentally a bit fragile at the business end of things
       despite their ridiculous squad and financial backing. I assume
       saints played out of their skin!
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       A bit like Ireland. How strange!
       #Post#: 137648--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Let's get some perspective
   DIR By: Twickersquin
       Date: May 7, 2025, 5:02 am
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       For what its worth I feel we have been severely weakened in the
       front row, the loss Collier ,Louw and this season Marler has
       seriously hurt us the only replacement of those three I would
       rate is Baxter and his form has tailed off this season. In the
       backs we have lost Marchant and Esterhuzien who imho are two of
       the best centres in world rugby and neither have been
       satisfactory replaced, those are the main reasons why this
       season we are not competitive on a regular basis . There have
       been a few highlights Beating the cheats home and away being the
       most memorable but in the whole it has been dire, we are not
       even living up to the tag of the entertainers any more !!
       #Post#: 137694--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Let's get some perspective
   DIR By: thatchapcarnell
       Date: May 8, 2025, 5:24 am
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       --- Quote from: Twickersquin link ---
       >
       > For what its worth I feel we have been severely weakened in
       the front row, the loss Collier ,Louw and this season Marler has
       seriously hurt us the only replacement of those three I would
       rate is Baxter and his form has tailed off this season. In the
       backs we have lost Marchant and Esterhuzien who imho are two of
       the best centres in world rugby and neither have been
       satisfactory replaced, those are the main reasons why this
       season we are not competitive on a regular basis . There have
       been a few highlights Beating the cheats home and away being the
       most memorable but in the whole it has been dire, we are not
       even living up to the tag of the entertainers any more !!
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       All of those listed were close to or nailed on international
       quality players and to lose five in two seasons is a hammer
       blow. But it can't have been entirely unexpected and the
       scouting or mechanisms in place to replace them with quality
       signings just hasn't been there and someone has to bear
       responsibility for that or explain why it wasn't possible either
       logistically or financially. I think some better comms at the
       end of the season alongside some contrition would go a long way
       to placate fans anger.
       #Post#: 137695--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Let's get some perspective
   DIR By: JammyGit
       Date: May 8, 2025, 5:38 am
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       It's worth remembering that with the COVID contracts coming to
       an end and various cap issues, most sides lost a lot of big
       names and weren't able to replace like with like.
       #Post#: 137698--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Let's get some perspective
   DIR By: never sleep
       Date: May 8, 2025, 6:19 am
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       I think that Marler leaving mid-season was unplanned.
       Also - I'm not sure that the club could have planned for Big
       Andre leaving mid contract.
       #Post#: 137703--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Let's get some perspective
   DIR By: poorfour
       Date: May 8, 2025, 8:24 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: never sleep link ---
       >
       > I think that Marler leaving mid-season was unplanned.
       > Also - I'm not sure that the club could have planned for Big
       Andre leaving mid contract.
       >
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       They will almost certainly have had a plan to replace them at
       the end of their respective contracts... which looks like it was
       based on bringing through the likes of Baxter, Hobson, Anyanwu,
       Waghorn & co.
       The early departures of Andre and Marler will have thrown a bit
       of a spanner in the works. In the case of Marler, I think a
       factor in his decision would have been Fin being ready to step
       up, but in practice it means Baxter has had to carry more of a
       burden than would have been expected.
       One of the biggest things on a DoR's mind is succession
       planning, but if you think through what it takes to balance a
       squad and academy of c60 players within the cap and ensure that
       the players you expect to be the future of the club are ready to
       take over at the right time, there are a lot of moving parts to
       manage and even the best plan relies on a little luck.
       In 2020-21 we got lucky. Marcus had already come through ahead
       of schedule and when we lost WEv and Brown, Kenningham and Green
       were able to step up.
       This year, not so much.
       #Post#: 137729--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Let's get some perspective
   DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
       Date: May 9, 2025, 1:48 am
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       "....The early departures of Andre and Marler will have thrown a
       bit of a spanner in the works...."
       Stop picking on never sleep.
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