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James Graham requests St. George-Illawarra allow his immediate return to Super League.


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34 minutes ago, HKR AWAY DAYS said:

Seems a strange time to ask for a release when you're playing and the SL doesn't have a restart date. Are we certain he is asking for a release?

He has said not, but it doesnt suit.  That, together with a 'rumour' = the truth on the forum.

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1 hour ago, Hela Wigmen said:

I’d be surprised to see it being any other club but Saints given he’s a massive Saints fan, a fan favourite, this will mean he will be near family and we’re in need of a prop given Luke Thompson’s early departure to Canterbury. 

I’m not enthused by the signing of Graham. He’s 35, he’ll cost a packet and I’m not sure on his ability any more, especially after so many years of hammer he’d have taken in the NRL. 

 

My sentiments entirely 

we had some great years with him but his best days are behind him now

signing him out of nostalgia would be a mistake and similar to Everton feeling obliged to sign Rooney at the end of his career

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Surprised at the timing, but always expected this to be his last year in the NRL and a likely return to SL for a few seasons.

James Graham is a pretty honest individual, and i wouldn't at all be surprised if he himself has thought his days in the NRL were coming to an end and has seen this as an opportunity to make the switch before his performances are seriously questioned.

One of the best to have gone over to Australia. And despite his best years being behind him now he'd still have an impact at any SL club he joined. Though quite clearly its not going to be anyone other than Saints.

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2 hours ago, JohnM said:

If the story is true, I find it really  dissapointing.  He played really well at the weekend.

Why is it that so many British players who join NRL clubs end up back here, where the post career opportunities seem so limited.

Probably for the same reasons that over the hill Aussies end up here.

I hear that it is possible to return to Australia when you have finished playing, but I may be wrong.

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4 hours ago, JohnM said:

If the story is true, I find it really  dissapointing.  He played really well at the weekend.

Why is it that so many British players who join NRL clubs end up back here, where the post career opportunities seem so limited.

Same as Overseas players who are at the end of their NRL careers, a last decent contract when they are no longer good enough for First Grade NRL.

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True Jammer's not the player he was at his peak but he's still averaging nearly 100m a game while playing only 40 odd minutes. His workrate is still up there with most props and his defence is as good as ever, he's just lost a yard of pace and probably can't manage 80 mins anymore.

Jammer & Joel Thompson are much more the kind of players that Woolf likes in the forwards, tough, hard workers who give 100% week in week out

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Why would he want to return to the UK, though? Is he married with kids etc?. Given everything that is going on right now here, the UK is a failed state (according the political sub forum, so it must be true) Coronavirus is endemic, it would seem, the game is at its lowest ebb for many years, we are all doomed etc etc etc. He'd be far better off staying in Aus.

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I can’t understand why he’d want to come back to the uk given the lifestyle available in Australia, he’s got a young family hasn’t he? 

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13 minutes ago, Phil said:

I can’t understand why he’d want to come back to the uk given the lifestyle available in Australia, he’s got a young family hasn’t he? 

There could be a whole host of personal reasons we have no insight into.

As an example, maybe he doesn't want his kids growing up 9,000 miles away from their grandparents. 

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As far back in the game as you want to go Britain has been a retirement home for aged Aussies to top up their pensions in a less testing environment, same goes for Brits who have played over there, a few year's out to grass in the English game if they want it. You could probably count the Aussies who have returned home to a meaningful career on the finger's on one hand. The relative financial standing and strength of each competition dictates this and until we can if at all level things up, which I think would  require their game to fall as we don't have the wherewithal or nous to strengthen ours, it will continue to be the case.  The days of Sterling, Kenny, Lewis, Ella, Grothe, Ettinghousen etc playing over here in the prime of their careers was a time when the game there was going through turmoil after the Humphreys fiasco and clubs were in deep financial troubles, allowing player's to boost their earnings with a lucrative off season here helped them to keep player's and collect a fee from English clubs too.

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Jammer's gone back to Saints for a 6 month swansong to finish his career at his schoolboy club. He's on a modest wage and helps his old club out short term while they look to replace Luke Thompson. He's off back to Australia at the end of the year. Everybody wins.

Also, I think people will be surprised by James Graham when he returns. Playing in one of the best teams in a comp as opposed to one of the worst will take a lot of pressure off him. He won't have to carry Saints like he did the Dragons - he isn't done yet!

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I highly rate Graham and would always  have him in my team.   Circumstances would dictate the team that would chose him and which he would want.  Two obvious circumstances are age and cost. Third is the need.

Saints are the obvious one and who immediately need a prop.

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27 minutes ago, Gav Wilson said:

Jammer's gone back to Saints for a 6 month swansong to finish his career at his schoolboy club. He's on a modest wage and helps his old club out short term while they look to replace Luke Thompson. He's off back to Australia at the end of the year. Everybody wins.

Also, I think people will be surprised by James Graham when he returns. Playing in one of the best teams in a comp as opposed to one of the worst will take a lot of pressure off him. He won't have to carry Saints like he did the Dragons - he isn't done yet!

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What James Graham really wants is to transition into coaching from what I have heard and read earlier in the (NRL) season. Now with Head Coach instability at both St George - Illawarra and at the Canterbury Bulldogs that route at one of his old NRL clubs is closed off. However if he was to return to a Player-Coach role at St Helens that could pay off for Saints for he can still do a 20 minute shift off the bench each half in the Super League and act as a mentor for some of the younger players before transitioning full time in either 2021/ 22.

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8 minutes ago, THE RED ROOSTER said:

What James Graham really wants is to transition into coaching from what I have heard and read earlier in the (NRL) season. Now with Head Coach instability at both St George - Illawarra and at the Canterbury Bulldogs that route at one of his old NRL clubs is closed off. However if he was to return to a Player-Coach role at St Helens that could pay off for Saints for he can still do a 20 minute shift off the bench each half in the Super League and act as a mentor for some of the younger players before transitioning full time in either 2021/ 22.

Its something I've heard that it's about getting into coaching and he has a position lined up for next season,  though that's not necessarily at Saints.

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1 hour ago, Dunbar said:

There could be a whole host of personal reasons we have no insight into.

As an example, maybe he doesn't want his kids growing up 9,000 miles away from their grandparents. 

Whist there may well be such reasons, he has to think forwards and upwards.

We have four grandchildren between the ages of 28 and 8. As grandparents we want them to make and take the best decisions for THEM for future.  We'll be dead inside the next 10 to 15 years probably so we would regards it as a mistake to stay in the UK just because of us.

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8 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Whist there may well be such reasons, he has to think forwards and upwards.

We have four grandchildren between the ages of 28 and 8. As grandparents we want them to make and take the best decisions for THEM for future.  We'll be dead inside the next 10 to 15 years probably so we would regards it as a mistake to stay in the UK just because of us.

I didn't realise you were James Graham's Dad..............you learn something every day on here

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There's a good chance Jack De Bellin will be back next week if his case is thrown out on Monday, that would cover Jammer and might see his opportunities limited anyway.

Pretty obvious this would have been his last season in the NRL and he may have wanted to see it out to get the send off he deserves, especially with no confirmed restart for SL. Situations can dictate otherwise though.

Not sure he'll be a great addition on the field for Saints but apparently his influence off it is immense in terms of team spirit, developing young lads and pushing people to improve. I imagine he'll cost a pretty penny unless St George still pay some of his wage for the remainder of the season. Doubt he'll be worth what Saints end up paying but will be good to see him in SL for a season.

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1 hour ago, DoubleD said:

I didn't realise you were James Graham's Dad..............you learn something every day on here

Don't you just! I normally charge, but on this occasion, I'll waive my fee just for you. 

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