James Graham is a poor excuse for a captain

James Graham should be sent back to England. He is one hell of a grub on the football field.

Yes Lee, that's the modern game. I clearly remember Ron Coote being interviewed back in the '90s on the Sunday footy show in the Legends of League segment and they showed a clip from a Souths-Manly gf, '68 I think it was. A Manly player stomped on a South's player's face right in front of the ref and he simply awarded a penalty. To which Coote said, "in those days you had to practically kill someone before you'd get sent off in a gf."

Sorry north. Sometimes I forget myself, and the fact that Rugby League is no place for well balanced thought. I shall, in future, save it for the Rugby Union forums :-D

You may say that Graham has cost the dogs a few decisions but he has given the dogs plenty of go forward and contributions to winning games. I would say Graham has contributed to wins for the dogs with his passion and motivation. He has smashed the opposition into submission legally that is. His style of play is tuff and what some see as illegal is just plain outright tuff and uncompromising stuff. Its early days to decide if Graham ids captain material. But from memory he was the England Captain so he has had the experience and it seems that he is considered good enough to captain his country. It maybe a case of him learning to curb his passion in the right places. But I dont think there is any better man for the job with the dogs. I think people are going over board here just like they say Graham did. Look at when Thurston had a go at the refs for those decisions when the cowboys were robbed. Well thats what Thurston thought anyway. He was calling the refs and official match fixers. He was bagging the officials and nobody said one thing. He wasn't fined or suspended because he was the Australian 1/2 and the NRL officials didn't want to rock the boat after they realized they may have got it wrong. Yeah Graham over reacted but I think most people would under those circumstances. It was a highly emotional game that was a grand final replay between two competitive teams. The way the events unfolded in that last 2 minutes would have made anyone feel like they were robbed. The ref may as well have kicked the goal for em.

Lee. You erudite individual you, how dare you make sense.

Harrigan was the poster child for arrogance and bad decisions, the game would do well to forget about him.

"intimate playing roster preferential knowledge"

You don't care for rugby league, Richard - you describe it as "a great sleep inducer on a Friday night". Don't let it bother you and don't bother those that like the game.

Refs will never be able to enforce the rules exactly as the rule book outlines said rules, at least not by todays standards anyway, regardless of whether the refs director has an impressively large sack, or not! I just think there are too many modern day ammendments to so many 100 year old rules that each referee can apply the same rule in a different way according to his own discretion and interpretation to each and any given incident. Neither the rules, nor the refs, are to blame. As far as behviour goes, well we ALL want to win, but only one can...the rest have to suck on it for at least a week. Players and fans get passionate and emotional, it's bred into us from about 7 years old. Can't blame the fans, I too probably would've chucked a bottle. I am a Bulldog fan. Watching the game on my phone far, far away from the game itself, it was all I could do to not throw my phone down in disgust after the penalty was given. I was there, in the outer at Lang Park, the night Wally got marched, I was 15 and not old enough to hold a full XXXX beer can, otherwise I would have chucked one too (actually there were thousands of empties at our feet so we hurled them instead). It is because of that very night nearly 30 years ago that all we've had to throw at refs is lightweight plastic. In my opinion the fans should not be banned. They could be charged with littering perhaps, but not much else. The ref should have been watching where he was walking. The NRL, the clubs and the event organisers know that there is a chance that there will always be at least ONE complete fuckwit at any one event that ruins it for everyone. If they would simply hire competant security for areas where refs and players are at the highest risk they could concievably avoid all incidents. But, you know, pragmatism like that might cost a couple of bucks...lets save the money now and take the risk that no-one gets hurt. I mean the destitute NRL coffers are probably down to their last few billion dollars.

When I heard JG was taking the captaincy I thought the same thing as when Sam Thaiday got It for Brisbane. It was going to make the coach a genius or an idiot. As it turns out Sam took it on his shoulders well and his attitude as captain improved immeasurably. I would have picked Parker. Happy to say I was wrong on that count (still would have picked Parker). With the dogs I would have picked Hodko. And happy to say I was right. Surely you want your captain to be an 80 minute player. This practice of dual captains and vice captains is rubbish. One player from each side talks to the refs for the the full 80 unless injured.

I have reached the sad conclusion that any post/comment on this website is frequented by respondents with an IQ lower than their shoe size. This was supposed to be an item regarding the behavior of the malcontents following the Souths/ Canterbury game. The subject was the behavior of the player, crowd,officials and supporters as a result of the reactions of all concerned. I am unable to find a balance from the "ROAR" respondents that in any way address the problem. 90+% of all comments fail to address the dilemma. The main problem is not the individual behavior of a number of people at the game but the surrender of control by the match officials. Their rulings were correct however they did not enforce their authority when it was most needed. This will be an ongoing problem until the NRL appoints a director of referees who has the "Balls" to demand that officials firstly read the rule book and then enforce it to the letter of the rule. These stand over tactives will be eradicated within two rounds. Next Problem.

Ah, I see what you did there....

Remember when Sam Thaiday pulled a referee's shirt? Or those times Thurston went off at the refs during the finals last year and the year before? I don't understand why there wasn't similar hysteria for those incidents.

What about the penalty for a strip on Inglis when he clearly dropped it. Now I know that sometimes they make mistakes in this area and it's a lottery, but when the score is 16-14 with not long to go, you don't give that penalty unless you are 100% sure it's a strip. Clearly he wasn't that sure because Inglis just dropped it on the replay. So why on earth would he give that penalty to even the game up?

Thanks dude, I think so too. Love the bloke.

I thought you were being sarcastic to start with. Do you not remember Thurston doing this plenty of times in the past? I don't even think Graham swore did he. Thurston has on numerous occasions. Is it because Graham looks scarier than Thurston or is because it's the Bulldogs? Because Graham has done it and the media has jumped on board everyone thinks he should lose captaincy and be given time for dissent, it's ridiculous. Thurston has never been given time and Sandow was not even suspended when asking the refs if they were paid(and I think also swearing in the process). I don't think Graham acted great but everyone is carrying like he's the first to do it and should be hung out to dry. Same as with the fans incident, that was absolutely disgusting I agree, but there was a recent incident at Brookie where refs had bottles thrown at them and a fan spat on Barba. Also there have been bottles thrown a few years back at a Bunnies game. If it's the Bulldogs though the media come out in force every time. They've tried so hard to get the Dogs stripped of competition points since the incident. The media still has way too much influence over the naive sheep.

Do you guys reckon the Bulldogs are the first team to treat a ref inappropriately or something?

Graham is a great player, tough as old boots and apparently a terrific bloke off the field. However he ain't no Captain and Fridays antics confirmed that, he's just too much of a hot head. He doesn't have the temperament to lead a team, let him play and leave it at that. It appears the Dogs are sticking by him as skipper but this is a mistake, they could save face by announcing a new skipper in Aiden Tolman or my left field choice - Josh Morris.