Player Assessment - Ben H

After the dizzy heights of 2007 where the holy trinity of leading MVP point getter, top goal scorer, and Stallion of the Year were secured, Hodges was always likely to struggle to live up to expectations in 2008. Despite this, he turned in another typically whole hearted season, befitting his status as (I believe) the longest serving Stallion.

Ben started the season upfront before being relegated to the midfield by the emerging telepathic partnership of Tristin and Gus. In the middle of the park he formed a mildly promisisng "little and large" partnership with Paddy, which unfortunately promised more than it delivered - at least in terms of goals, with Paddy failing to net, and Hodges scoring 3. One was particulary memorable however when Ben cut in from the left and using his bad (having seen his left foot his right foot has to be truly awful to be called bad) right foot stuck the ball in the corner of the net from the top of the area. A great goal, somewhat ruined by Ben's insistence of talking about it ever since.

Low point of Ben's season was undoubtedly the pathetic attempt to win a penalty against the Sealords when he collapsed to the ground claiming a ruptured spleen from a knee to the back, despite there being no other player within 5 yards of him. As Paddy knows only too well a dive has to be pretty bad for even your own team mates to laugh at you...

Overall another solid season from Ben. He played in every position except 'keeper or fullback and only really looked uncomfortable at centre back (which may well have had something to do with the conditions at Grenada North). Only one game missed due to a wedding, he once again supplied Steve as a ref which after Jason's 1 minute cameo against Petone can never be undervalued. Overall rating 7 (without supplying Steve it would have been 6.5).

Player Assessment - Paddy

Photo: Paddy teaching the lads how its done.


Photo: Paddy's nuts goes wrong


So, a few weeks back i had this idea of players completing anonymous assessments of other Stallions, judging their season and marking them out of ten. I lost enthusiasm, didn't chase up, can't remember who i contacted as part of the pilot scheme and had forgotten about it - until a response dropped into my inbox this afternoon. And its good. So could be fun - if anyone is keen to have a go at a random Stallion please go ahead and send it my way. The assessment can be funny, take the piss, do whatever you want it to do. It can be much shorter than this. should be fun and quick.

So first and possibly last up is Paddy:

Paddy started the season where he left off last year - as the solid all rounder who we tried to base everything around. He went about his business, never really producing the spectacular though he certainly showed his determination in trying to lift the Stallions up to his lofty heights.
This culminated in the match against Terrace at Melrose, about midway through the season, when he had to slot in at CB for a late arriving captain.

It is probably pertinent to note here that this was in the middle of Euro 2008 when the Netherlands, Spain and Russia were working their delightful magic.

Anyway, within 5 minutes Paddy had the Stallions playing it out from the back, teasing strikers and offloading to our fullbacks who usually wouldn't bother with more than one touch in our own half (with good reason). But now they were one touching and giving and going, just as directed by their energetic, supportive 'new' centre back.

That performance would turn out to be Paddy's crippled leg though, holding him back as now the cap' had now seen his defence could survive without him (in fact better than with him), he took the chance to take Paddy's spot in the midfield. Paddy was ever the good guy and never complained, until the subject of who hadn't scored a goal throughout the season came up.

Paddy may have had a leg to stand on (crippled or not) had he not, just one week earlier, produced a performance in front of goal that Michael Ferrante would've been proud of. 7 slices/hacks/miss-cues/shanks (and $7+ of fines) later and he was trying to rein himself in to ensure young Jack will in fact go to University one day.

No one objected. Suffice to say Paddy is the creative, distributor type of player not so much the lightning bolt from 30 yard type! (And no I don't mean like you Aaron) Paddy's set pieces always promised plenty and if only we had someone other than Hodges who could actually attackingly head the ball we would've netted plenty of goals from Paddy's free kicks and corners.

Concerns? Some pathetic theatrical diving (no doubt to try and get himself a well positioned free kick) and his obsession with 'nuts' calling into question his sexuality...

Rating - 7. Typical gutsy performance, injury free and committed (both on and off the field). But without a goal and plenty of opportunities it's hard to get any higher. Maybe season 3 will be a charm aye Paddy?