Bulldogs sign England captain to three-year deal

[oval]

Bulldogs sign England captain to three-year deal April 27, 2011 - 11:46AM


The Canterbury Bulldogs have signed England captain James Graham to a three-year deal starting in 2012.

Graham has played nine seasons with St Helens and won the Man of Steel award as the best player in the English Super Leagu ein 2008.

Graham captained England in the 2010 Four Nations tournament after Jamie Peacock and Adrian Morley were ruled out with injury.

The 25-year-old prop said he was keen to test himself in the National Rugby League.

“The decision to leave St Helens has been by far the biggest decision of my rugby reague career,” Graham says.

“I've been on the books with Saints [St Helens] since I was 11 years old and I grew up supporting the club. I love the place and I never wanted to play against them, and as such I didn't consider any other Super League options.

“Testing myself in the NRL is something I've always wanted to do, and the Bulldogs just seemed right from day one.

“They [the Bulldogs] made it clear to me that they saw me as a big part of the future of the club and I'm looking forward, after a successful finish to my time at Saints, to linking with the club at the end of the year.”

Graham joins fellow English stars Sam Burgess (Souths), Gareth Ellis (Tigers) and Gareth Widdop (Storm) in the NRL.
smh.com.au

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...eeyear-deal-20110427-1dvt3.html#ixzz1KgkVqWWy

 

[cyborg]

great news

 

[oval]

Hope it means the Bulldogs stop chasing Will Hopoate....

 

[SDM]

They had some cap space left from when they let Sherwin go in 2005

 

[Canard]

Looking forward to see him play at this level.

The "drain" is starting to go the other way now in terms of quality not quantity, Im guessing the exchange rate helps with this.

 

[ByRd]

Great signing, cant wait to see him in the blue n white

 

[God-King Dean]

b n b

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

That should almost be their $8m under the table cap filled up

 

[Patorick]

Who's next?

Jon Wilkin?

 

[CMUX]

b n b

x2

 

[BunniesMan]

The Bulldogs, unlike the rest of the comp, don't have a salary cap.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Great signing for them. Would have loved him at the Tigers, though I'll be just as happy if we get Blair.

Good to see quality English players coming over here. Three of the best here in Burgess, Ellis and now Graham.

 

[taxidriver]

ryan tandy must have been on mega bucks

 

[Outlaw Pete]

It's a pity the cynicism of posters doesn't extend to Schubert or Gallop. Channel Island bank accounts anyone !

 

[851]

Great signing for them. Would have loved him at the Tigers, though I'll be just as happy if we get Blair.

Good to see quality English players coming over here. Three of the best here in Burgess, Ellis and now Graham.

x2.

 

[Doga]

\\\\/\\\\/\\\\/jealous merkins

 

[Smartman]

A fantastic forward pack next year, probably the best in the league!

 

[jonno_knights]

Great signing for them. Would have loved him at the Tigers, though I'll be just as happy if we get Blair.

Good to see quality English players coming over here. Three of the best here in Burgess, Ellis and now Graham.

Widdop too in time, although he wasnt exactly poached from the ESL like these 3.

 

[Lambretta]

They've lost the opportunity to re-sign Jimal Idris on $70,000 so they offered it to Graham instead

He'll be a bit disappointed when he gets here and realises that $70,000 is in fact LESS than 70,000 quid.

Still, pints of Tetley bitter aren't included in the salary cap, so he'll be as happy as a pig in shit really.

 

[Bulldog Force]

Funny how short-minded people are.

In 2012...

• No Idris
• No Ryan
• No Tandy
• Certainly more will finish up after 2011, the likes of Roberts and co come to mind

We signed, we're happy, all you haters and unproven salary-cap whinges, BURN :lol:
BTW, has anyone even stopped to think how AWESOME this is for the NRL? We now have 3 big name forwards in English football playing in our comp.