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James Graham

Gareth67

Gareth67

First Grade
Messages
8,407
Old Timer said:
His career was over wen we signed him.
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No , he was nearing the end of his career , but it was not over by a long way .
His first season he injected that much needed ‘ will to win ‘ into the Dragons and led our pack with whole hearted efforts - something that had been missing since the Bennett era.

Now , the man is undoubtedly on his last - very tired legs - and imo will more than likely not see out the year . We can only hope that there is another forward who will stand tall and lead the way unflinchingly as Graham has done since he first pulled on the Big Red V .
 
Blood&Bandage

Blood&Bandage

Juniors
Messages
201
Gareth67 said:
No , he was nearing the end of his career , but it was not over by a long way .
His first season he injected that much needed ‘ will to win ‘ into the Dragons and led our pack with whole hearted efforts - something that had been missing since the Bennett era.

Now , the man is undoubtedly on his last - very tired legs - and imo will more than likely not see out the year . We can only hope that there is another forward who will stand tall and lead the way unflinchingly as Graham has done since he first pulled on the Big Red V .
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Well said
 
Old Timer

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,938
Posted this in LL thread as well.
In light of today's news re LL and last weekends international fixture anybody out there who still thinks the James Graham signing and continuing option has panned out well for us?
So much for mentoring our young blokes they are getting shafted because he and his like have been at the club.
Our next sponsors need to be retirement homes and undertakers.
 
SaintPauli

SaintPauli

Juniors
Messages
1,179
We all agree Graham is in his likely final season.
His body is as they say ! "used up and broken"
I hope the Dragons have a plan for a forwards leader beyond Graham and 2020.

Frizzel - is up in the air with contract ?
Vaughan - potential
De Belin - who knows?
 
R

redandwhite4evr

Juniors
Messages
1,827
Old Timer said:
His career was over wen we signed him.
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I once was James Graham's No 1 fan- his passion and enthusiasm was infectious- however his views on concussion are embarrassingly ignorant and after his latest (of many) concussion against the Kumuls, I believe the onus is on the League to prove to Graham, SGI and us, the fans, that he is fit to play on.

In 20 years, if he develops CTE, Parkinsons or some other Neurological disorder, he may sue SGI and/or the NRL Best that the NRL goes on the front foot and has him- and any other player in a similar situation to him- medically assessed before 2020.

While some would say this is discriminatory as the League does not force a player with non brain injuries to undergo a fitness to continue after multiple injuries to, say, a knee- the NRL has deemed injuries to the brain are so serious that special rules need to apply. If that's so, special rules need to apply to long-serving players who have suffered multiple concussions and their fitness to play the game at all.
 
possm

possm

Coach
Messages
15,591
SaintPauli said:
We all agree Graham is in his likely final season.
His body is as they say ! "used up and broken"
I hope the Dragons have a plan for a forwards leader beyond Graham and 2020.

Frizzel - is up in the air with contract ?
Vaughan - potential
De Belin - who knows?
Click to expand...
What an absolute MESS!
 
BBTB

BBTB

Juniors
Messages
915
possm said:
Tap Graham on the medical retirement shoulder. He will be injury prone and run great risk of being permanently injured in 2020 if he plays on.
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Thank goodness..
Been a real soldier..
But surely we're not going be a retirement home, for old players?
Are we, just got rid of
Latimore, how much, can we take?
 
G

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
James Graham may depart the St George Illawarra Dragons next year - but can they afford to lose him?

4 hrs ago
BB13v1vK.img
:copyright: Getty Images
They've already lost superstar Tyson Frizell for 2021, after the NSW and Kangaroos rep signed with the Knights.

Jack de Belin is in no-mans-land due to the NRL's no-fault stand-down policy and the implications of COVID-19 on his court case.

So the question begs - can the St George Illawarra Dragons afford to lose veteran front-rower James Graham next season?

Reports have surfaced in recent days that the club may not re-sign the 34-year old after his current contract ends at the end of this season - and at his age after 400-plus games, that might seem fair enough.


Speaking on Triple M NRL on Saturday, senior reporter James Hooper confirmed that the club are looking at discussing their options with Graham in the coming weeks.


“The Dragons will sit down with James Graham over the next couple of weeks and try to work out whether he wants to continue in Wollongong," he said.

"In all likelihood he will want to keep playing...and he might head back over to the UK and finish in the English Super League.

"He’s a hell of a warrior James Graham…but he has had a couple of head knocks in recent times, so I’m sure they would want to have those sorts of conversations as well."

Since moving to the Dragons in 2018, the Englishman has become a leader both on and off the field for the club, and he certainly brings some intangibles to the organisation.

But since then he has slowed down considerably, and the impact he has as an enforcer on the field is not what it once was.

St George still have the likes of Paul Vaughan, Blake Lawrie and the Sims brothers (Korbin and Tariq) locked in until at least the end of 2021, and Graham's contract is likely a sizeable one.

If Graham were to stay at the club, you would think it would be on less money - but with Frizell departing for the Hunter, they probably need to replace some quality and experience in the engine room.

Names like Christian Welch, Kevin Proctor and James Tamou are all off-contract at the end of 2020 and could be targets for the Red V.

But none of that will be possible until they decide what they are doing with their old warhorse.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/sport/rug...ey-afford-to-lose-him/ar-BB13vabU?li=BB11XTyn
 
Banjo2014

Banjo2014

Juniors
Messages
484
Let Graham Go and for God's sake please do not sign Kevin Proctor.

Oh my God if we weren't on a liquor ban here (Philippines) I would go down and buy a case of beer and a bottle of scotch - don't know what is more frustrating - James Graham signing another contract and commentating on Fox or the bloody Liquor Ban which just got extended until 15th April. Transfer Graham to channel 9 (we don't get 9 here) and Fox can grab Thurston - at least he is happy and has a laugh
 
Overseas dragon

Overseas dragon

Juniors
Messages
2,275
Banjo2014 said:
Let Graham Go and for God's sake please do not sign Kevin Proctor.

Oh my God if we weren't on a liquor ban here (Philippines) I would go down and buy a case of beer and a bottle of scotch - don't know what is more frustrating - James Graham signing another contract and commentating on Fox or the bloody Liquor Ban which just got extended until 15th April. Transfer Graham to channel 9 (we don't get 9 here) and Fox can grab Thurston - at least he is happy and has a laugh
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banjo get yourself a vpn and watch channel 9 whenever you like my oldfriend what part of philippines are you residing in
 
D

dungay dragon

Juniors
Messages
1,032
Overseas dragon said:
banjo get yourself a vpn and watch channel 9 whenever you like my oldfriend what part of philippines are you residing in
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Wow how about the James Graham publicity machine ramping up over the past week .....
First as a players rep , discussing possible player revolt over pay and conditions...
Then , getting plenty of air re a new contract from 2021 here at the Dragons or overseas at the ripe old age of 34 , even before the re jigged season begins here
Once regarded as the Big Dog in the yard , Graham now has a fight on his hands to even secure a starting spot in our struggling forward pack for this season , without worrying about next year .
One would hope that all his energies would presently be trying to re establish our forward pack as one of the most respected in the league , and himself one of the most feared , instead of next years pay packet...
 
B

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
9,035
Banjo2014 said:
Let Graham Go and for God's sake please do not sign Kevin Proctor.

Oh my God if we weren't on a liquor ban here (Philippines) I would go down and buy a case of beer and a bottle of scotch - don't know what is more frustrating - James Graham signing another contract and commentating on Fox or the bloody Liquor Ban which just got extended until 15th April. Transfer Graham to channel 9 (we don't get 9 here) and Fox can grab Thurston - at least he is happy and has a laugh
Click to expand...
Nor Tamou.
But this story tells me he is as good as gone. When the media start talking and publishing questioning retirement trotting out excuses apart from the real facts out of media respect..(that he cant train and play a full season at full throttle anymore with impact)..you know where it is going.
Enjoy UK next year you been a good character and servant to the Dogs and in part the Dragons but under our poor culture you tried so hard to rattle and change.
 
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