Battle of the clutch finishers: Ade Gardner vs Les Quirk : Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:13 pm  

One is a reformed Francis Meli, whilst the other made Andy Currier his biyatch.

: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:44 pm  

Quirk because he could score trys from further than 20 yards out.

He also had the size 6ft 2inch 14 stone. So should be able to handle the cross field kicks and other big lads running at him.

: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:49 pm  

quirk for me I think but don't think the to much in it.

Ade has played in some very good saints teams but quirk played in some poor saints teams but les is just bit better for mine.

: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:56 pm  

Quirk was a superb winger. Just lacked that explosive "off the mark" speed that would have made im international class. He was a very good finisher, solid enough in defence, but the main thing he has over Gardener was the ability to a man and score tries from distance. He would probably adapted very well into superleague if he'd been a few years younger.

: Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:13 pm  

Quirk, deadly from a full 3 metres out.

His last minute screamer v Hull (I thinK) and his legendary try v Widnes in the CC Semi has sealed his place in Saints folklore.

: Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:20 pm  

It took Quirk a few seasons before he finally blossomed (although IIRC he chalked up two hatricks in his first year). He was always a lethal finisher with the unerring ability to take two or three defenders into the corner flag without being pushed out (as Currier discovered). Certainly, the last-minute cup-semi winner againt Widnes must automatically be included in any 100 Great Saints Moments complilations. But in later seasons he really throttled up the afterburners and there was rarely a match in which he didn't fly off on some seventy or eighty metre run. The try he scored against Wigan in the cup semi was something else.

What was it that Murphy said - "If he's got two bad knees I'll have both of them"?

: Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:30 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

It took Quirk a few seasons before he finally blossomed (although IIRC he chalked up two hatricks in his first year). He was always a lethal finisher with the unerring ability to take two or three defenders into the corner flag without being pushed out (as Currier discovered). Certainly, the last-minute cup-semi winner againt Widnes must automatically be included in any 100 Great Saints Moments complilations. But in later seasons he really throttled up the afterburners and there was rarely a match in which he didn't fly off on some seventy or eighty metre run. The try he scored against Wigan in the cup semi was something else.

What was it that Murphy said - "If he's got two bad knees I'll have both of them"?

Quirks 70 meter breaks and most of his trys came from good centre play by lockers

: Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:33 pm  

True. I know Quirky still feels hard done by over the club getting rid of him. It's a shame he never made 100 tries. One of my favourite all-time players.

: Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:41 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

True. I know Quirky still feels hard done by over the club getting rid of him. It's a shame he never made 100 tries. One of my favourite all-time players.

He scored a cracker against the pies in a semi final at old trafford and a class 80 meter against hull at home in last min to win the game

: Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:27 am  

Quirk by a country mile.

If my memory serves me right I think his tries in the '89 cup semi set a new record of him scoring in ten consecutive matches.