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James Graham

redVinme

redVinme

Juniors
Messages
2,494
Dennis Papaioannou

Dennis Papaioannou

Bench
Messages
2,866
BLM01 said:
Touche..but will always support a player being able to have his say....even if under instructions or dont agree with his opinion.....as we all able to have one
That and playing for our club being on our side of the trenches. the club I love... is where I stop
When we start getting into performance then its open slather
Click to expand...
With due respect - what Graham is touting on TV seems to be very staged.
Here is a man that has been coached by the very best coaches in the business.
Hasler at the Dogs and Bennett for the England Team.
How can he stand in front of the camera and say to league fans with hand on heart that McGregor can coach?
McGregor can coach? Compared to who?
"5 minutes from a preliminary final" - that's all we here about.
People have short memories. I don't.
What about the weekly premiership grind and managing the fortunes of our football team?
What about the merciless floggings that the fans have had to endure intermittedly even when we were higher up the ladder?
Some of those floggings are U-N-F-O-R-G-I-V-A-B-L-E and no amount of spin from Graham or Kent or the Illawarra Mercury will ever wash those stains from our history.
A message to Graham and Co. just stop treating the fans like morons and be honest about McGregor.
The guy CAN'T coach.
He isn't qualified to be anywhere near FG.
Be honest and have integrity when you address the club's fans.
As one of our fellow posters once eloquently said "no use putting lipstick on a pig"
 
Last edited:
B

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,034
Dennis Papaioannou said:
With due respect - what Graham is touting on TV seems to be very staged.
Here is a man that has been coached by the very best coaches in the business.
Hasler at the Dogs and Bennett for the England Team.
How can he stand in front of the camera and say to league fans with hand on heart that McGregor can coach?
McGregor can coach? Compared to who?
"5 minutes from a preliminary final" - that's all we here about.
People have short memories. I don't.
What about the weekly premiership grind and managing the fortunes of our football team?
What about the merciless floggings that the fans have had to endure intermittedly even when we were higher up the ladder?
Some of those floggings are U-N-F-O-R-G-I-V-A-B-L-E and no amount of spin from Graham or Kent or the Illawarra Mercury will ever wash those stains from our history.
A message to Graham and Co. just stop treating the fans like morons and be honest about McGregor.
The guy CAN'T coach.
He isn't qualified to be anywhere near FG.
Be honest and have integrity when you address the club's fans.
As one of our fellow posters once eloquently said "no use putting lipstick on a pig"
Click to expand...

What you say is true in principle and we all know the facts and proof is in the performances, of course though.....every interview and press conference is staged.
As I have always said you cant expect the players these days to be real open and honest in public about their own nest...it serves them no purpose, no matter how frustrating it is for the fans hoping for real private justifications for our thoughts.
It wont happen...it will never happen ...a player publicly bagging his coach... so I hold no ill feeling to players or what they say publicly which is what I was reply to here...telling Graham to shut his mouth.!
They are told what to say mostly, they are not playing us for fools, the journos...well that is another thing.
We should get over all that.... and focus on what our clubs, management, recruitment and coaches say is more real to the point.
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
grahamj-17120231rc.jpg


NINES


Graham to captain, Widdop picked for England
Author
Brad Walter NRL.com Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Mon 7 Oct 2019, 08:34 AM
walterbrad-head.png

St George Illawarra prop James Graham has been named as England captain for the upcoming World Cup Nines after being one of six NRL players in Wayne Bennett's squad for the tournament at Bankwest Stadium.

Graham will be joined in the 16-man squad by Dragons teammate Gareth Widdop, Raiders pair Elliott Whitehead and Ryan Sutton, South Sydney prop Tom Burgess and Sydney Roosters winger Ryan Hall.

Canberra-bound halfback George Williams has also been selected for the World Cup Nines, which will played on October 18 and 19 and feature 12 men's teams and four women's teams.

Graham, Widdop, Whitehead, Burgess, Hall and Williams will also be selected for November's Great Britain Lions four-match tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, which also includes a Test against Tonga in Hamilton.

Canberra forwards John Bateman and Josh Hodgson are also expected to be in the 24-man Lions squad, which will be named after next weekend's Super League grand final between St Helens and Salford at Old Trafford.

No members of the Super League grand final teams were considered for the World Cup Nines squad, which also includes former Warriors fullback Sam Tomkins, who now plays for Catalans.

England will also field a women's team at the World Cup Nines, along with Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

England's men's side has been drawn in a qualifying group with Wales, France and Lebanon, with the winner advancing to a semi-final.

England World Cup Nines squad
  • James Graham (St George Illawarra) (captain)
  • Tom Burgess (South Sydney)
  • Daryl Clark (Warrington)
  • Jake Connor (Hull FC)
  • Ryan Hall (Sydney Roosters)
  • Ash Handley (Leeds)
  • Jack Hughes (Warrington)
  • Reece Lyne (Wakefield)
  • Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield)
  • Ryan Sutton (Canberra)
  • Sam Tomkins (Catalans)
  • Jake Trueman (Castleford)
  • Liam Watts (Castleford)
  • Elliott Whitehead (Canberra)
  • Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra)
  • George Williams (Wigan).


For ticket and travel packages for the Downer Rugby League World Cup 9s Sydney 2019, head to nrl.com/tickets.


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/10/07/graham-to-captain-england-world-cup-nines-squad/
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
graham.jpg



DRAGONS


Graham achieves childhood dream with Great Britain captaincy
Author
Dragons.com.au dragons.com.au
Timestamp
Tue 15 Oct 2019, 04:01 PM

Inspirational St George Illawarra Dragons prop James Graham will captain the Great Britain Lions in their historical tour of the southern hemisphere, in what the passionate Englishman describes as "extremely humbling".

Graham is the only member of the 24-man squad who has previously played for Great Britain, winning five caps in 2006 and 2007 as a 19-year-old.

Despite now edging into his mid-30s, Graham hasn't lost any passion for the famous Lions, recalling his childhood ambition of one day playing under their banner.



"It's obviously very emotional for me,” Graham said. "Having Great Britain back, some of the older lads and I in the group grew up with the ambition or dream to play for Great Britain.

"Obviously that’s changed with England coming in, but for me I can remember watching Great Britain against Australia, the Jonathan Davies try at Wembley.

"Watching players like Paul Sculthorpe and Andy Farrell, players of that ilk. That's where you want to be."

grahamgb.jpg

Graham representing England in a 34-20 victory over Australia in 2010
Already the most-capped player for England with a record 44 matches for his country, Graham is in line to complete a rare half-century of Test caps this autumn.

Being the most experienced and hardened player in the squad, Graham was as humble as ever and apathetic to bearing the responsibility of captaining his country.

"It's bitter-sweet as well, in an ideal world Sean (O'Loughlin) would be fit and available, and Sam (Burgess) is unavailable as well. Those two probably would have had it ahead of me but that’s not to be,” Graham said

"Though with the candidates still available, people like Gareth Widdop and Josh Hodgson, who captained Canberra to a grand final, it's pretty humbling to lead up the team.“

Born in soccer-crazed Merseyside, Graham's dream was to always play rugby league and it didn't take long before Graham's passion for the sport eventuated into a professional career, debuting at just 17 for St Helens.

Wayne Bennett, the Great Britain and England head coach, said of Graham: "No-one plays with more pride and passion than he does for his country, I can tell you."

Great Britain will play four Tests on consecutive Saturdays on their first trip to the southern hemisphere since the 2006 Tri-Nations series.

They will first play against a Tongan Invitational XIII in Hamilton on October 26, followed by two matches against New Zealand in Auckland and Christchurch. The tour will end on November 16 in Port Moresby in what will be the Lions' first Test in Papua New Guinea since 1996.

Additional reporting by Great Britain media manager Phil Daly

Great Britain squad for 2019 Rugby League Lions tour of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea: James Graham (St George Illawarra Dragons, Blackbrook; captain), Blake Austin (Warrington Wolves, Doonside Roos), John Bateman (Canberra Raiders, Bradford Dudley Hill), Tom Burgess (South Sydney, Dewsbury Moor), Daryl Clark (Warrington Wolves, Fryston Warriors), Jake Connor (Hull FC, Siddal), Lachlan Coote (St Helens, Windsor Wolves), Oliver Gildart (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks), Zak Hardaker (Wigan Warriors, Featherstone Lions), Jackson Hastings (Salford Red Devils, Western Suburbs Red Devils), Ryan Hall (Sydney Roosters, Oulton Raiders), Chris Hill (Warrington Wolves, New Spring Lions), Josh Hodgson (Canberra Raiders, East Hull), Jack Hughes (Warrington Wolves, Golborne Parkside), Josh Jones (Salford Red Devils, Blackbrook), Jonny Lomax (St Helens, Orrell St James), Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield Giants, Deighton Juniors), Joe Philbin (Warrington Wolves, Culcheth Eagles), Luke Thompson (St Helens, Bold Miners), Jake Trueman (Castleford Tigers, West Bowling), Alex Walmsley (St Helens, Dewsbury Celtic), Elliott Whitehead (Canberra Raiders, West Bowling), Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra Dragons, Kings Cross), George Williams (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks).


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/201...childhood-dream-with-great-britain-captaincy/
 
Gareth67

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,407
Geeze - i pussed my overalls with happiness when I heard the news and then spilt my hot cup of Lan Choo tea all over me !

Had always hoped that he would make the transition from player to coach . With his wealth of experience and attitude towards winning , he would undoubtedly do a tremendous job particularly with the forwards .
 
Gareth67

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,407
jak said:
lan choo tea, can you still buy it didn't relize you were that old gareth
Click to expand...

Well I am no spring chicken Jak , but the little lady always use to collect the coupons on the back of the tea pack and when she had a few hundred or so we would travel into Campbell Street in the city where she would exchange them for all sorts of goodies to use in the home .

They - the various food companies , tried to make life just that little bit easier in those days , more so for people who were doing it tough . Shame that they don’t do the same now .
 
jak

jak

Bench
Messages
3,067
Gareth67 said:
Well I am no spring chicken Jak , but the little lady always use to collect the coupons on the back of the tea pack and when she had a few hundred or so we would travel into Campbell Street in the city where she would exchange them for all sorts of goodies to use in the home .

They - the various food companies , tried to make life just that little bit easier in those days , more so for people who were doing it tough . Shame that they don’t do the same now .
Click to expand...
yep I remember mum dragging me along as her pack mule,carry the coupons going in carry her goodies on the way out all the way back to beverly hills. at least the hills were smaller 70 odd years ago.thanks for the memories mate
 
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