James Graham

[BLM01]

Agree Dennis they , the NRL had themselves makes concussions a priority earlier in the piece , but unfortunately it has now gone off the boil somewhat .

Undoubtedly Graham and even Luke Keary should come under the microscope once again . No one wants to see any player loose their facilities at such an early stage of their lives.

Gaz I can assure you first hand that the NRL have not gone off the boil but are as strict as ever re player concussions all the way down to Juniors and are getting harder and harder re players sitting out games
I reckon the concussions maybe a convenient excuse getting utilised for the media to raise re a respectful retirement
I am not doubting he has had them but so have plenty of long term others still playing and he hinself has said if there was any medical issue or advice from the doctors playing was a risk he would not play out of respect to his wife and kids.
If the NRL got wind of he should not be...he would not be playing

 

[Forbes Creek Dragons]

The power play is exactly why the team has no creativity in attack.
JT would struggle under Mary.
CC

As would anyone but recently I’ve seen numerous occasions where our forwards have put in a great set begging of a repeat set, try or least make the other team ruck it from deep and Hunt or Norman have kicked it dead, out on the full or run it on the last straight at a prop. Our halves pairing are just not getting the job done there are no two ways about it.

 

[Banjo2014]

I'd rather let Graham leave the club entirely - if he stays in a coaching role it just goes back to jobs for the boys.

Tired of him and his propaganda team - read that article in the paper - with Friz gone we may need to sign him - God - the sportswriters are trying to death ride us.

If he wants to stay let him mow the lawns at Scarborough Park or Bexley Oval for the A Grade - better still James Cook field.

 

[Gareth67]

Gaz I can assure you first hand that the NRL have not gone off the boil but are as strict as ever re player concussions all the way down to Juniors and are getting harder and harder re players sitting out games
I reckon the concussions maybe a convenient excuse getting utilised for the media to raise re a respectful retirement
I am not doubting he has had them but so have plenty of long term others still playing and he hinself has said if there was any medical issue or advice from the doctors playing was a risk he would not play out of respect to his wife and kids.
If the NRL got wind of he should not be...he would not be playing

I am very glad that is the case BLMO1 , its most reassuring to know that the NRL has not relaxed its stance . Perhaps more importantly is that should a problem arise , then Graham himself shall act upon it.

 

[brissiedragon]

As would anyone but recently I’ve seen numerous occasions where our forwards have put in a great set begging of a repeat set, try or least make the other team ruck it from deep and Hunt or Norman have kicked it dead, out on the full or run it on the last straight at a prop. Our halves pairing are just not getting the job done there are no two ways about it.

Says it all. We have halves with extensive SOO and International experience and we are last in this stat. Totally unacceptable.

 

[Crush]

Says it all. We have halves with extensive SOO and International experience and we are last in this stat. Totally unacceptable.

View attachment 38089

Ben Hunt is the worst for kicking the ball dead......literally!

 

[Old Timer]

I'd rather let Graham leave the club entirely - if he stays in a coaching role it just goes back to jobs for the boys.

Tired of him and his propaganda team - read that article in the paper - with Friz gone we may need to sign him - God - the sportswriters are trying to death ride us.

If he wants to stay let him mow the lawns at Scarborough Park or Bexley Oval for the A Grade - better still James Cook field.

Played on all of those ovals in the 60's & 70's loved Bexley the most with the picket oval and back then a decent change shed under the grandstand.
Re Graham I agree with you 100% and I have always thought he was a dud signing and still believe that to be true.
Once I thought we could retain him in some coaching capacity but apparently now it's all about Jimmy and that shits me up the wall.
TBH I haven't seen any real improvement in playing ability from any of our forwards since he has been at the club so we owe him zilch.

 

[LINESPEED]

Played on all of those ovals in the 60's & 70's loved Bexley the most with the picket oval and back then a decent change shed under the grandstand.
Re Graham I agree with you 100% and I have always thought he was a dud signing and still believe that to be true.
Once I thought we could retain him in some coaching capacity but apparently now it's all about Jimmy and that shits me up the wall.
TBH I haven't seen any real improvement in playing ability from any of our forwards since he has been at the club so we owe him zilch.

Agree OT re Graham

Some of my fondest memories of 6 years of union playing alongside Greg Pierce for Sydney Tech High were had at Bexley Oval - especially some brutal contests against heavyweights Birrong.

Mum was the Matron of nearby Blairgowrie and saw a few games there, as she did at Hurstville Oval - as Bexley Kingsgrove slogged it out with heavyweights Renown United.

At 94 she too is waiting for Andrew Gordon to act in the best interests of our Club for a change.
She detests the JV concept

A gentle soul, but she loathes Waterboy -

....having lived her prime alongside the likes of Provan & Gasnier it’s not hard to see why ....


PS
While at Sydney Tech High School Gasnier met his future wife Maureen (née Sullivan)
Mum & Maureen were great friends & loved playing table tennis together in her later years. Such a rich history we’ve had.

 

[Dragon David]

Agree OT re Graham

Some of my fondest memories of 6 years of union playing alongside Greg Pierce for Sydney Tech High were had at Bexley Oval - especially some brutal contests against heavyweights Birrong.

Mum was the Matron of nearby Blairgowrie and saw a few games there, as she did at Hurstville Oval - as Bexley Kingsgrove slogged it out with heavyweights Renown United.

At 94 she too is waiting for Andrew Gordon to act in the best interests of our Club for a change.
She detests the JV concept

A gentle soul, but she loathes Waterboy -

....having lived her prime alongside the likes of Provan & Gasnier it’s not hard to see why

Good on her Linespeed. Hope she will see the end of Mary's coaching career at the Dragons and also us winning another premiership.

 

[Old Timer]

Agree OT re Graham

Some of my fondest memories of 6 years of union playing alongside Greg Pierce for Sydney Tech High were had at Bexley Oval - especially some brutal contests against heavyweights Birrong.

Mum was the Matron of nearby Blairgowrie and saw a few games there, as she did at Hurstville Oval - as Bexley Kingsgrove slogged it out with heavyweights Renown United.

At 94 she too is waiting for Andrew Gordon to act in the best interests of our Club for a change.
She detests the JV concept

A gentle soul, but she loathes Waterboy -

....having lived her prime alongside the likes of Provan & Gasnier it’s not hard to see why ....


PS
While at Sydney Tech High School Gasnier met his future wife Maureen (née Sullivan)
Mum & Maureen were great friends & loved playing table tennis together in her later years. Such a rich history we’ve had.

Great post by you champion
New Hurstville Oval as well from doing athletics there.
My dear old mum who turns 90 tomorrow is also a St George stalwart and loathes all things post JV although admits she was happy with the 2010 campaign.
In years gone by mum & dad were often in the company of Len Kelly, Glynn Price, Laurie Doust, Snowy Justice others at the old downstairs members bar at the Taj.
Mum & dad made many a trek to all the footy grounds you have mentioned plus Cahill, KJO, Carss Park and plenty more.
Nothing like a ball going into the canal at 1 of the many fields at Scarborough.
I remember on school sports day going over the Allawah bridge in a double decker bus with 2 or 3 teams on board and the girls hockey team downstairs screaming at us because we wanted to try and rock the bus as far as we could.
Was James Cook high the pre cursor to Sydney Tech?

 

[Dragon David]

Says it all. We have halves with extensive SOO and International experience and we are last in this stat. Totally unacceptable.

View attachment 38089

I have posted a statement from Foxsports news on the Sack Mary thread and I have now posted it on here for your info.

"Linking a player’s salary with his talent rather than his experience is crucial. Targeting gun rookies and moulding them into a ‘Wollongong’ culture is the key. That Wollongong culture cannot be a collage of imported experience.

The Dragon’s fan base have forged a reputation as the most demanding supporters in the competition. From ‘Save our Saints’ to ‘Oust Doust’, their passion is only rivalled by their own unique identity.

Perhaps their recruitment team can take a lesson from that."

 

[LINESPEED]

Great post by you champion
New Hurstville Oval as well from doing athletics there.
My dear old mum who turns 90 tomorrow is also a St George stalwart and loathes all things post JV although admits she was happy with the 2010 campaign.
In years gone by mum & dad were often in the company of Len Kelly, Glynn Price, Laurie Doust, Snowy Justice others at the old downstairs members bar at the Taj.
Mum & dad made many a trek to all the footy grounds you have mentioned plus Cahill, KJO, Carss Park and plenty more.
Nothing like a ball going into the canal at 1 of the many fields at Scarborough.
I remember on school sports day going over the Allawah bridge in a double decker bus with 2 or 3 teams on board and the girls hockey team downstairs screaming at us because we wanted to try and rock the bus as far as we could.
Was James Cook high the pre cursor to Sydney Tech?

Actually OT Sydney Tech began at Ultimo in 1911 & moved to Bexley in 1956, the same year James Cook ( built on the old Moorefield Race Course) opened.

And yes I’ve broken a couple of bones & had a front tooth knocked out on Scarborough.

Scored a try once 50odd years ago in the scoreboard corner of KJO and was lucky enough to get to Sydney a few years back to see Mark Gasnier score in the same spot (I think they flogged Manly that day)
The ground always felt halliowed somehow
- like you were treading on sacred ground.



The sacred number with mum’s good friend.
May Reg & Maureen Rest In Peace

 

[slippery5]

Says it all. We have halves with extensive SOO and International experience and we are last in this stat. Totally unacceptable.

View attachment 38089

Christ,we thought McCrone was bad !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[muzby]

Christ,we thought McCrone was bad !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure it’s a case of hunt kicking that ball dead, more a byproduct of our last tackle go-to being an up & under kick which is easily defused by the opposition..

 

[brissiedragon]

Not sure it’s a case of hunt kicking that ball dead, more a byproduct of our last tackle go-to being an up & under kick which is easily defused by the opposition..

Would be interesting to know the breakdown. How many were diffused bombs in the in goal and how many were kicks that went dead. Still abysmal either way!

 

[muzby]

Would be interesting to know the breakdown. How many were diffused bombs in the in goal and how many were kicks that went dead. Still abysmal either way!

64% diffused
31% dead ball line
4% knock on in goal
1% out on full

 

[redv13]

Even the great Widdop had issues too, loved a kick into opposition legs way too often ‍

 

[Dragon David]

Even the great Widdop had issues too, loved a kick into opposition legs way too often ‍

Exactly. Just too many kicks into opposition legs. So frustrating!

 

[Warabrook saint]

Says it all. We have halves with extensive SOO and International experience and we are last in this stat. Totally unacceptable.

View attachment 38089

Unbelievable

 

[Dragonsamy]

Gaz I can assure you first hand that the NRL have not gone off the boil but are as strict as ever re player concussions all the way down to Juniors and are getting harder and harder re players sitting out games
I reckon the concussions maybe a convenient excuse getting utilised for the media to raise re a respectful retirement
I am not doubting he has had them but so have plenty of long term others still playing and he hinself has said if there was any medical issue or advice from the doctors playing was a risk he would not play out of respect to his wife and kids.
If the NRL got wind of he should not be...he would not be playing

absolutely correct if you're knocked out in the NRL you'll have to be passed by an independent doctor before you can even get back into the games.