Re: So Jammer's off then : Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:14 am  

Whilst the end result wouldn't come as a great shock to any of us, there are no quotes or anything in the article. Until one of the clubs confirm a deal, it's just rumour.

If James Graham left us we would be screwed. We'd have to recruit some top quality props to replace him as he does the work of two excellent forwards. Not only that, but he wears his heart on his sleeve. He gives everything for this club and that enthusiasm and passion aren't easy to replace.

Re: So Jammer's off then : Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:04 am  

"No player is irreplaceable".

-- Jack Gibson

Re: So Jammer's off then : Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:50 am  

Mugwump wrote:

"No player is irreplaceable".

-- Jack Gibson

he didnt know James Graham though.

Re: So Jammer's off then : Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:24 am  

Good luck to him if he goes. He'll find it's no better than Maghull though

Re: So Jammer's off then : Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:21 pm  

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

he didnt know James Graham though.

No. But he did know Wally Lewis, Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling, Paul Sironen, Wayne Pearce, Steve Mortimer, Noel Cleal, Eric Grothe ...

Re: So Jammer's off then : Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:34 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Scully certainly wasn't at that level by the time he left. We lost him in installments.

Joynt retired and again wasn't all that hot when he retired. Perelini was a fine player but again we'd had the best of him. Fairleigh and Lyon were outstanding overseas players, but you never keep those players for long anyway.

I certainly don't remember us losing a player at 24 that will hurt us like this will. The closest I can think of is Connolly but he was hardly essential.

I dont know - I remember watching Alan Hunte and a few others make pretty poor replacements in the number 3 shirt when we lost Connolly - we suffered but we survived and it started to look up again ONLY when we invested in some quality players like Goulding, Newlove and Gibbs. The big problem we have in losing Jammer is if we think we can replace him with someone like Emmitt or Bryn , then were in the sh*t

Re: So Jammer's off then : Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:36 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

No. But he did know Wally Lewis, Brett Kenny, Peter Sterling, Paul Sironen, Wayne Pearce, Steve Mortimer, Noel Cleal, Eric Grothe ...

It's alot easier to throw a quote like his around when your looking at the NRL talent pool.....

Re: So Jammer's off then : Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:41 pm  

Mugwump wrote:

"No player is irreplaceable".

-- Jack Gibson

Perhaps not, but the problem is that we've been a prop short for four years now anyway even with Jammer in the side (we've been getting away with it in the main because Jammer is in the side). If he were to leave we would need to sign two absolutely top quality prop forwards, and given our inability to secure one over the last four years I wouldn't be too confident.

Re: So Jammer's off then : Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:43 pm  

But FWIW the Australian press has a habit of making up a load of old cock whenever it feels like it, so I'd hang fire before hitting the panic button.

Re: So Jammer's off then : Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:03 pm  

No1 Saint wrote:

It's alot easier to throw a quote like his around when your looking at the NRL talent pool.....

Jack Gibson (BOW to your phucking KNEES when I utter his name) knew more about RL than the entire collection of posters to this forum put together (excluding me, of course).

He's right. Graham is not irreplaceable - provided McManus has his head screwed on. It may be a case of buying like for like (Graham is one of our highest earners, so it's not like we'll be short of cash), or we may have to strengthen in other positions - perhaps split the money between a veteran Aussie or Kiwi prop on the verge of retirement (something like Fairleigh) and a young, promising and BIG southern hemisphere back row forward. Or split the money between two simply GOOD props. Or take the riskier option of trying to lure a genuine hot-shit stand-off to pair with Eastmond and hope their combined talents can offset the loss of forward power. There are always ways and means. You just need to be smart enough to spot them. IS McManus smart enough?