We all knew this day was coming but it doesn't make it any easier. - I'm still gutted. However he has been such a fantastic player for us I can only wish him well. Pity he wasn't going to play for the other Saints in the RedVee but I am sure he will be a good ambassador for English/British RL when he turns out for his new club. Thanks for everything Jammer and I hope we can send you off on a high.

Ah well he was no good any way.

Eastmond carried him through most of last year.

Gutted he's going but glad for Graham

Good luck and I'm sure he will carry on performing to his best for the rest of the 2011 season

Australia is shi$. He'll be back with his ginger tail between his legs by this time next season. He won't fit in, he dances with old women rather than battering them and is too nice to be associating with that gaggle of rapists, arsonists, gangster wannabes and drunkards.

We must also remember that despite hailing from the region Graham was not a St. Helens lad. I've always thought non-local players are more likely to move because they do not have quite the same emotional connection. A St. Helens lad will have St. Helens relatives making it just that bit harder to move (not least because of the peer pressure they are likely to exert).

Eastmond is another (and possibly better example). He had already uprooted himself from his region just to play for Saints. And he certainly has no emotional connection to the club beyond professionalism (or lack thereof).

Of course, there are exceptions (namely Scully). But I think it underlines the crucial importance of junior development centred around local lads.

I agree with that but it's also a question of circumstances. Roby, for instance, is a local lad but he's also married and stuff and says he couldn't be happier than he is at present, staying put with his family and playing for Saints. I'm not aware of James Graham having a family here? So while I agree with you on the point about truly local lads, I don't think that alone would necessarily keep a player at Saints.

I probably know how you feel, it was horrible to see Sam Burgess leave.

Better than seeing him leave to play in SL for another team, but to see a world class homegrown player leave isn't nice.

Good luck to him though, it will definitely benefit the England team.

I never said it would. The point is a local lad is less likely to want to up sticks and go than someone who isn't from the area or already transferred in from somewhere else.

Gardner and Wilkin have been around for a while now.

Can't imagine the club have had to battle of the temptations of the NRL or RU in respect of these two though...

And? I thought I made it clear that NOT ALL domestic imports will want away just as NOT ALL local lads will want to stay.