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Interesting the article mentions Welch, Proctor and Tamou being off contract.James Graham may depart the St George Illawarra Dragons next year - but can they afford to lose him?
4 hrs ago
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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
We have such a bad name, among the players, & managers.
With our new CEO and possibly Flanagan at coach maybe Millward would have a better sales line to spin.
But that's hyperthetical. What if the horse didn't stop to shit.... it would have won the race....
I'd say Welch should be a good replacement for Graham. Graham's salary should be enouth to cover the recruitment of Welch.
Heidi and I are now unemployed and moved back from the States due to Corona - we now have a small condo in Balibago - 5 minutes drive from Clark International and 3 minute walk to the bars. (not that I am allowed to go)
Welch.... He's already knocked us back...
There is no reserve grade and why would you pay a guy 700k to play ressies
Why would we pay Graham 700k.
The only way someone like Welch would leave the Storm under Bellamy's coaching is if there was an unwritten assurance that Mary was gone by next year and Flanno 's suspension would be lifted to allow him to coach 1st grade -or Bennett was coming. Long odds on any of these happening.
or there fathers
Over their.
