James Graham (rugby league)
James Graham is a rugby league player for St. Helens of Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative front row forward, he has played his entire professional career to date at St. Helens, winning consecutive Challenge Cups with them in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Graham has recently signed with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs for 3-years, commencing in 2012.[2]
Background
James signed with Saints as a junior in 2000, eventually playing his way through the Junior Academies before making his senior debut against Castleford Tigers in August 2003. Graham has already had leadership experience after captaining the England Academy in a famous series victory in Australia in 2004.
St Helens
The 22 year old prop made a name for himself in Super League XII, making 27 first team appearances and being named Saints’ Young Player of the Year, for his mature, powerful performances which has also seen him named as a contender for Super League Young Player of the Year, with competition from Wigan Warriors rival Chris Ashton. He signed a new contract at St. Helens to tie his future at the Knowsley Road based club until 2011.
Then-Great Britain coach Brian Noble selected Graham in a friendly against New Zealand earlier in 2006 in the Castlemaine XXXX Test in which he made a try scoring debut at Knowsley Road.
He has been named in the Super League Dream Team for the 2008 season.[3]
James won the 2008 Man of Steel award, making him the fourth successive St Helens player to win the prestigious award having beaten rival Jamie Peacock and fellow team mate Leon Pryce. He follows team mates James Roby, Paul Wellens, Paul Sculthorpe (twice) and Sean Long in being named Man of Steel.
He has been named in the England squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[4]
He was named in the Rugby League Writers prop of the year in 2008 and the Rugby League World Magazine the following year in 2009.
He was selected to play for England against France in the one-off test in 2010.[5]
Due to an injury to tour skipper Adrian Morley, Graham was handed over the captincy of England's 2010 Four Nations tournament squad, and in doing so became one of the youngest ever captains of the national side.[6]
2011 could be Graham's final year at Saints as a host of NRL clubs covet his signature. Canterbury Bulldogs and Parramatta Eels are thought to head the list of interested clubs. If a deal is agreed, Graham would become yet another English player based in Sydney's west along with Gareth Ellis, Mark Flanagan (bothWests Tigers) and Michael Worrincy of the Penrith Panthers. Other English players currently in Australia include Sam Burgess and younger brother George Burgess at the famous South Sydney Rabbitohs club owned by Gladiator star Russell Crowe and young stand-off Gareth Widdop at the Melbourne Storm.
On the 27th April 2011 it was confirmed by club officials that St Helens RLFC joint captain James Graham will join NRL side Canterbury Bulldogs when his contract expires at the end of the 2011 season. "We did everything practical to persuade James to stay," said Saints chairman Eamonn McManus. "But we respect his wishes and ambitions. There comes a point where you have to just shake his hand and wish him luck."
Canterbury Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg told BBC Radio Merseyside: "It's a huge coup for the club. He brings not just on-field talent, he brings a huge profile off the field. He also brings some very strong leadership qualities to the club. Having met him last year and the way people talk about him from within the UK, he comes with glowing endorsements."
References
External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Graham, James |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
10 September 1985 |
| Place of birth |
Maghull, Merseyside |
| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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