James Graham.

[dragon thomo]

Would be a great signing especially if we can get the last year in the clubs favour.

 

[Pro Dragons]

Graham is a hard working, tough and uncompromising player who hates losing. The Dog fans don't want him to go, that says it all.

 

[j0nesy]

If we sign him for 3 years it will be about as good as Nene.
Promising a lot and delivering little.
Plodding ball hog who will only get slower, will get picked every week, will hang around for 3 years getting his $$$ and we will lose out in respect of our juniors as some will have to go elsewhere to crack a regular spot.
Mann will more than likely be a bench player again next year and only 3 forwards will get spots LAM and 2 youngsters, yet we have at least 4 who need to be there regularly to mature to NRL standard.
Usual short sighted approach if it happens.
On a positive note at least Graham will be able to keep up with Nighty and Lafai and not overrun any pass he might be thrown.

I agree that 3yrs is too long but I don't think Graham is really blocking the progression of any world beaters. We have at least 2 bench spots, maybe 3. But I don't think more than 2 or 3 of our young forwards will become great 1st graders. In my opinion Host is the best and will almost certainly go on to become a consistent 1st grader, I can't see him cracking rep footy though. Sele is inconsistent but has potential, I don't think he's going to be big enough to be a great prop, can see him as a lock and probably a very solid bench player. Laurie hasn't impressed me, he needs to get a lot stronger physically. Leilua oozes potential but has had a poor season and in my view is lazy, he could be the best but could also be the worst depending upon his attitude. Now as for our backs, we have a lot of potential there. Nene and Nighty are blocking their progress.

 

[Old Timer]

Well that's a load of nonsense. Name a prop who has passed at the line as often and as consistently as Graham over the last 5 or so years.

That is exactly my point he has his hands on the ball in far too many plays.
Its not about whether he passes it or not it is the sheer fact that he demands the ball far too often.
If you have a prop getting his hands on the ball from the dummy half as much as he does then you will look just like the Dogs do.

 

[Old Timer]

I agree that 3yrs is too long but I don't think Graham is really blocking the progression of any world beaters. We have at least 2 bench spots, maybe 3. But I don't think more than 2 or 3 of our young forwards will become great 1st graders. In my opinion Host is the best and will almost certainly go on to become a consistent 1st grader, I can't see him cracking rep footy though. Sele is inconsistent but has potential, I don't think he's going to be big enough to be a great prop, can see him as a lock and probably a very solid bench player. Laurie hasn't impressed me, he needs to get a lot stronger physically. Leilua oozes potential but has had a poor season and in my view is lazy, he could be the best but could also be the worst depending upon his attitude. Robson will make it I think. Now as for our backs, we have a lot of potential there.

I actually go my post a little bit wrong the issue is actually worse because I forgot about Sims.
So effectively you have 1 bench space only available for the up and comers.

 

[j0nesy]

I actually go my post a little bit wrong the issue is actually worse because I forgot about Sims.
So effectively you have 1 bench space only available for the up and comers.

Yeah that's true, 1 or 2, because it is not unreasonable to expect Mary to occasionally use the 4th bench spot for another forward. Yeah, that makes the equation a little trickier. But I still don't see any world beaters coming through our forwards.

 

[Old Timer]

Yeah that's true, 1 or 2, because it is not unreasonable to expect Mary to occasionally use the 4th bench spot for another forward. Yeah, that makes the equation a little trickier. But I still don't see any world beaters coming through our forwards.

2018 bench
Lam, Sims, Mann + 1 out of Host, Sele, Leilua, Lawrie, Kerr not too mention anyone else that is around like Robson.
The re-signing of Nighty has also compounded the problem and the inability for Mc Fookknuckle to see that Nene is a dud has made it worse again.
As they say in the classics it's a mess.

 

[j0nesy]

2018 bench
Lam, Sims, Mann + 1 out of Host, Sele, Leilua, Lawrie, Kerr not too mention anyone else that is around like Robson.
The re-signing of Nighty has also compounded the problem and the inability for Mc Fookknuckle to see that Nene is a dud has made it worse again.
As they say in the classics it's a mess.

Yeah, I forgot about Kerr. I reckon he's got some potential but haven't see as much of him as the others. Robson will grab the 4th bench spot in time, he's a goer. There are still opportunities for them to crack first grade if good enough. McGregor is the main issue in progressing and developing these players. I'd be interested in your honest appraisal of the young forwards I mentioned.

 

[Old Timer]

Yeah, I forgot about Kerr. I reckon he's got some potential but haven't see as much of him as the others. Robson will grab the 4th bench spot in time, he's a goer. There are still opportunities for them to crack first grade if good enough. McGregor is the main issue in progressing and developing these players. I'd be interested in your honest appraisal of the young forwards I mentioned.

I really like Host and don't understand why he is in reggies.
Sele has a mistake or 2 in him but certainly has ability and a good motor but is a back row option only.
Kerr hard to know as playing in reggies tells you not a lot in respect of young forwards let alone playing reggies with Head as your coach.
Lawrie is young and struggles bit with the pace of the game but that will come with time. Nothing to say he will be a cracker but he will be a good solid prop and may develop some higher skills but that requires time in 1st.
Leilua to me is still suffering from having all the big wraps from the U/20's and I think he is little immature and hasn't come to grips with the hard work that is really required to make it at the next level. You can see it in his brother as well and it almost looks like being lazy but with no disrespect meant it is a a bit of a Polynesian thing they actually try to play with too much flare far too often with ball in hand and then don't quite man up in defence thus are the issues that plague the Warriors.

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

I really like Host and don't understand why he is in reggies.
Sele has a mistake or 2 in him but certainly has ability and a good motor but is a back row option only.
Kerr hard to know as playing in reggies tells you not a lot in respect of young forwards let alone playing reggies with Head as your coach.
Lawrie is young and struggles bit with the pace of the game but that will come with time. Nothing to say he will be a cracker but he will be a good solid prop and may develop some higher skills but that requires time in 1st.
Leilua to me is still suffering from having all the big wraps from the U/20's and I think he is little immature and hasn't come to grips with the hard work that is really required to make it at the next level. You can see it in his brother as well and it almost looks like being lazy but with no disrespect meant it is a a bit of a Polynesian thing they actually try to play with too much flare far too often with ball in hand and then don't quite man up in defence thus are the issues that plague the Warriors.

OT - what do you think about Hind?
I rate him as a real line bender.

 

[Old Timer]

OT - what do you think about Hind?
I rate him as a real line bender.

Unfortunately I haven't seen enough of the other grades to asses him that well but yes he has some real ability to make life hard for defenders but will that translate to 1st grade only 1 way to tell.
All these names mentioned are testimony as to why Graham for 3 years to me is a dud deal because he surely cannot be our future compared to the names we have discussed.
If it was a 1 year deal with an option our way then I would take the deal but 3 years??????
That to me means we have no confidence in our coaching ability to get a proper transition of our youth into 1st grade and we will therefore be ever reliant on purchasing outside players at the back end of their careers to fill in the gaps in our squad.

 

[j0nesy]

Hasn't Hind signed elsewhere next season?

 

[Dennis Papaioannou]

Unfortunately I haven't seen enough of the other grades to asses him that well but yes he has some real ability to make life hard for defenders but will that translate to 1st grade only 1 way to tell.
All these names mentioned are testimony as to why Graham for 3 years to me is a dud deal because he surely cannot be our future compared to the names we have discussed.
If it was a 1 year deal with an option our way then I would take the deal but 3 years??????
That to me means we have no confidence in our coaching ability to get a proper transition of our youth into 1st grade and we will therefore be ever reliant on purchasing outside players at the back end of their careers to fill in the gaps in our squad.

When I saw Graham running around with his arm dangling limply because he had lost feeling.
That rings alarm bells for me. I read somewhere something about nerve damage.
He missed a lot of game time this year and I really don't know whether he is really fit.
I would also prefer to roll the dice with the youngsters.
Some will not make it but a few will thrive on the challenge of FG.
We only need a couple to get up to speed and problem solved.
The main issue is coaching them and bringing them through.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

The reason why Graham passes so often, whether close to the try line or not, is because it's Hasler's game plan. It has nothing to do with Graham's personal preference as a player.

When Graham was at his peak, he was taking strong carries doing the work of about two players in one. Since Hasler has been obsessed with stats and using forwards as first receivers, Graham's game has gone backwards.
He needs a team like ours where we already have ball playing forwards like De Belin so he can get back to that tough, workhorse type forward that he is so much better at.

 

[jak]

I really like Host and don't understand why he is in reggies.
Sele has a mistake or 2 in him but certainly has ability and a good motor but is a back row option only.
Kerr hard to know as playing in reggies tells you not a lot in respect of young forwards let alone playing reggies with Head as your coach.
Lawrie is young and struggles bit with the pace of the game but that will come with time. Nothing to say he will be a cracker but he will be a good solid prop and may develop some higher skills but that requires time in 1st.
Leilua to me is still suffering from having all the big wraps from the U/20's and I think he is little immature and hasn't come to grips with the hard work that is really required to make it at the next level. You can see it in his brother as well and it almost looks like being lazy but with no disrespect meant it is a a bit of a Polynesian thing they actually try to play with too much flare far too often with ball in hand and then don't quite man up in defence thus are the issues that plague the Warriors.

I think young leilua has been doing the right thing all year he looks a lot fitter better body shape than he had at the start of the year I think he has been told that next years his if he wants it.

 

[The Damo]

That is exactly my point he has his hands on the ball in far too many plays.
Its not about whether he passes it or not it is the sheer fact that he demands the ball far too often.
If you have a prop getting his hands on the ball from the dummy half as much as he does then you will look just like the Dogs do.

This couldn't possibly have anything to do with coaching could it? Surely it's all graham, nothing to do with Hasler?

 

[Old Timer]

This couldn't possibly have anything to do with coaching could it? Surely it's all graham, nothing to do with Hasler?

No doubt some of it is indeed the coaching style but equally there is no doubt there are certain players that like to be on the ball all the time regardless of coaching.
Gallen is a similar style and Sam Burgess to a slightly lesser degree.
Maybe they believe in that captain's courageous stuff or lead by example motto just a bit too much.

 

[sa1nt5]

In relation to Graham being too old too slow too Injured past it etc.... Remember he is still an international prop, and I recall another bloke that was too old too slow too injured and past it his name is Shaun Timmins he had no knees didn't train but still left younger fitter players in his wake. IMO Graham on a 2 year deal with a third depending on his desire to play hard is a no brainer. at the moment the man's desire to win is second to none, who else in the comp has the same mongrel as him I can think of only one player and that is JT.

 

[blacksafake]

Plodding ball hog

He has more skills than Ah Mau who hasn't passed a ball in years.

 

[dragonssamy61]

I really like Host and don't understand why he is in reggies.
Sele has a mistake or 2 in him but certainly has ability and a good motor but is a back row option only.
Kerr hard to know as playing in reggies tells you not a lot in respect of young forwards let alone playing reggies with Head as your coach.
Lawrie is young and struggles bit with the pace of the game but that will come with time. Nothing to say he will be a cracker but he will be a good solid prop and may develop some higher skills but that requires time in 1st.
Leilua to me is still suffering from having all the big wraps from the U/20's and I think he is little immature and hasn't come to grips with the hard work that is really required to make it at the next level. You can see it in his brother as well and it almost looks like being lazy but with no disrespect meant it is a a bit of a Polynesian thing they actually try to play with too much flare far too often with ball in hand and then don't quite man up in defence thus are the issues that plague the Warriors.

Agree OT
That is why thete needs to be a true 2nd grade.
Where young guys can be hardened up for first grade.
The gap between u20s and nrl is huge.
Guys like luch suffers because he was always dominant all though his junior career .
Never needed to be pushed.
I think he is learning that you need to be more dedicated to make it.
So hopefully he will put in a big of season and be ready next year.
Because if he doesn't make soon he may not.