It didn’t attract massive headlines but perhaps our rugby league media feels it has bigger fish to fry.
News that Englishman James Graham had signed on with the Bulldogs for another four years was massive, probably bigger than many realise.
I believe Graham is one of the best English imports we have ever seen in this country and four more years can only mean starch and stability for the Canterbury club which, to me, looks to be building up to another premiership.
Partnering this ‘energiser bunny’ in the pack with the sublimely talented Andrew Fifita should excite the Bulldogs faithful for next season and way beyond.
Graham is two, maybe three players, rolled into one.
His work-rate in any game is truly phenomenal.
I love watching him hammer the ball up when nothing seems to be on. It could be the first minute or it could be the last. No trouble for this blond bombshell, if there is a metre to be eaten this guy is a glutton in footy boots.
The former St Helens star is much, much more than a front row work-horse. There are sublime ball skills in his arsenal and he is also willing to go that extra yard in defence.
I say he is pretty much the best and most valuable front rower in rugby league today. Whenever he runs onto the field you know exactly what you are going to get: total commitment.
This is Graham’s third season with Canterbury and the prospect of four more should have the Bulldogs faithful dancing in the streets of Lakemba and Belmore.
In the time I have covered this game, I have seen the likes of Great Britain’s Mal Reilly, Phil Lowe, Cliff Watson, Adrian Morley and Ellery Hanley excel in the forward pack and James Graham has the potential to be as good, or better, than any of them.
It is his insatiable work-rate that sets him apart from all comers.
He is the type of player who feels he must be involved in the game. The stats guys love him and he is a coach’s dream.
Graham is obviously loving life at Belmore and looks to be the type who deserving of a premiership ring.
“I’m really delighted to be honest, to be able to have the next four years here is great,” Graham said.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to stay. I’m really enjoying my time here, we play some good footy and it’s great that I’ll be a part of this side for an extended period.
“Home will always be home but Sydney and Canterbury are home for now and I feel very settled here.
“It’s a good bunch of blokes, a lot of characters in the rooms and it’s good to know that I will be a part of that. There is a lot more we want to achieve.”
The news comes less than a week after Australian and New South Wales star Andrew Fifita announced he will join the club for the start of next season.
Brick by brick, the Bulldogs are cleverly building a team with NRL title written all over it.
James Graham will be its cornerstone.
The Hoff
Guest
De$ got T-rex from manly mate. LMFAO the rest won't become Dogs , try somewhere else
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Yep and it was a sharks side minus 8 reg players and is i think more so now a club in turmoil
Mantis
Roar Guru
Is Fifita the most unnecessary signing ever? The one thing the dogs had going for them were props, it would have been much better splashing the cash on a fullback, or a single second rower that is not overrated
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
I use the saying, when the Bulldogs are winning, everybody is winning. Think it will catch on?
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
1995. Dogs need a fullback, get Rod Silva mid season. Premiership glory!
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
Well we have taken players before mid season. Many clubs have. Just about hoping the right situation comes up. With the Warriors losing, who knows, I still hold out hope for the Fish to join our club. He has an x-factor about him that running off the Bulldogs forwards would see him grow another leg. The guy certainly knows his way to the try line, I'm pretty sure it was 9 tries he scored in a NSW Cup match once, I don't care how bad the opposition was, it's still something that is pretty amazing to do and shows he knows his way to the tryline. I don't want Hoffman at all, watched both his matches this year, and he isn't the answer. I would consider him a slight improvement on Perrett. If the warriors gave us Locke, I could live with that.
paul
Guest
Sorry tim hear wt yr saying but not buying into it. Fifita at 850k is madness and can see resentment building at the dogs next year. To win a comp you need 8 to 10 kids in the side from juniour development. I dont see that at the mo at the dogs. It took the roosters many yrs to work this out but but juniour development with 2 or 3 outside top notchers at the the right price is the key to succcesss.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Fair enough Scott. I do rate big Sam I just think there's a level of hyperbole around him that is bordering on the ridiculous. Minor things he does on the field get blown out of proportion. There's no way he was man of the match against the Roosters. His presence in the social pages, the fairy tale of the four brothers playing together, the romance with Rusty have all inflated his presence and standing in the game. Unless the rabbits win this year Sam will leave behind a legacy of being a good but grubby player, who won nothing at club or test level. I can't recall Sam leading any team in a gritty backs to the wall victory in a big game. I'm surprised that you put any credence in Sam winning the so-called 'battle' against Sonny Bill??? That battle only really exists in the media...they cross paths on the field only a couple of times in each game. SBW has two NRL premierships, a rugby world cup and a super 15 title or two to his name (I won't mention his boxing). I'd say Sonny has convincingly won any 'battle' between the two. In some ways I'd say the 'battle' sums up the difference between the two players. Sam looks the goods in Round 1. Sonny gets the job done at the business end of the season. Where's Sam then? Yes George's stats are up there and yes I'd have him in my team as well, but he needs to do it for more than ONE season to be compared to be compared to all time greats like Reilly, Lowe, Hanley, etc.
EM
Guest
Not spewing anymore, replaced him with an origin and test player ;-)
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
You have had a Barry (Crocker) Let me say this to you. I rate SBW the BEST forward I have ever seen and I have said that since 2005, and I have seen Sam play v Sonny Bill now 4 times and Sam has won the battle 3 times. You are on drugs if you dont think Sam is a champion forward, and yes, I dont only put him in that group but rate him above them with the possible exception of Hanley. The scary thing is that Sam could be even better if he improved his handling and got the dirty stuff out of his game, but you could say that about all the great poms. George stats wise if up there now. His only weakness is his tackling technique which will come. His go forward is as good as I have seen and he has a high work rate. When he learns to count to 5 and improve his passing game he will be amazing. I wont him in my team any day.
Knight Vision
Guest
The second most creative salary cap management after the Roosters. Paying overs for a front row forward though .... Waaaay over. Better to get 2 top class play makers about to hit their prime -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Rod
Guest
I'm not sure about Des, I thought what he did in 2012 with the dogs was impressive, but I ask Manly fans what there thoughts on Tooves are, because he has done incredibly well with Manly, who on paper are not as strong as what Des had. Personally either Des has outsmarted himself with his latest recruitment or he is a genius . Time will tell or maybe the cap is on the way out
sheek
Roar Guru
Tim, It's difficult to pick the best English import, but I'm thinking Mal Reilly (Manly) might top the list, followed by Tommy Bishop (Cronulla) or Dave Bolton (Balmain). Reilly was quite phenomenal in his four years with Manly (197-74), bringing the same brutality & brilliance to Sydney league as he displayed in his performances for the Lions. Ellery Hanley is unsurpassed for his short stint with Balmain (8 matches), & slightly longer stint with Wests (13 matches). But that short stint with the Tigers was unsurpassed for high quality over two months.
sheek
Roar Guru
Tim, I agree. Lookout for the Bulldogs in 2014. After being runners-up in 2012, last year was an aberration, brought about by one certain player not being able to keep away from another player's missus, which caused all sorts of in-fighting, as you would imagine. Now that the player who was the source of that discontent has left, perhaps the Dogs can get their minds back on the job. I think right now, Des Hasler is the best NRL coach in the business. He has plans, he has ways & means to bring it all together for the Doggies when it matters at the sharp end of the season. Remember, it's a long season. Just as surely as the Melbourne Cup isn't won in June, the NRL premiership isn't won in March, or April, or June.... (I trust my prediction fills you with joy, Ryan)
Doggyrob
Guest
The game will be so fast that we will need a specialist very fast dummy half runner, supported by fast mobile forwards that can get up and back in the line quickly. With that game plan, having overpriced halves is not such a priority. The name of the game will be speed.
Basto
Guest
A more suitable article title would have been... "My man crush for James Graham".
Christian D'Aloia
Roar Guru
I think it'd have to be Kasiano and maybe Eastwood that goes. I would have said Tolman, but he's only recently resigned. As for Ennis, it'd be sad to see him go, but Lichaa offers too much more than him in attack. Maybe a one year deal for Ennis so that he can groom him into the position?
Xav
Guest
Eh second rate? Reynolds is knocking on the door of SOO and TH is massively underrated as a half. I do agree that FB is a huge concern.
Muzz
Guest
It could be Latez Michael Ennis as he is off contract.
Muzz
Guest
Next year is already hotting up and it's only early days 2014. Who do you think the Dogs will release if under cap pressure? Take a look at the "Gallen not worried" part of this article for the so called informed estimates of current Dogs player salaries. http://www.smh.com.au/sport/andrew-fifita-explains-why-he-spurned-south-sydney-rabbitohs-and-sydney-roosters-to-sign-with-canterbury-bulldogs-20140315-hvivs.html