I've always thought that Graham was in a small, select group of England forwards who could cut the mustard in the nrl. MacManus shouldn't be worried (except for the effect on Saints). When they get back they'll be better players by far.

Mcmanus is right. Its not the fact Saints are losing Graham, it's the fact that Super Leagues best players are looking for a way out. Graham is the start os many.

The way things are going all our best forwards will end up in the NRL and all the best backs will end up in Union. Watching Chris Ashton score a double vs Australia showed what is available to you if you switch codes.

As a Saints fan i understand both Graham and Eastmond are leaving Saints after next year to the NRL and Rugby Union respectively. This is not only a loss to Saints but for the whole of the SL competition. I for one will not pay my hard earned cash to watch second rate Overseas players run around in MY competition. Thornley made his Sale debut tonight, he was a star in the making for Wigan.

Up the money to keep star players and reduce the quota massively.

Bollox....let them go.
14 teams of 30 players...420 players.....if the UK can't produce them, then the games f()cked anyway


Aussies have been pinching islanders for ages and it's coming home to roost now.......stick with the programme......Graham can replace Stevo on SKY in 20 years

This is, ultimately, the crux of the problem isn't it? Not that Graham is demanding more than St Helens can pay, not that he is demanding a more competitive environment, but that he is looking for a better lifestyle. Quite frankly, can anybody blame somebody for thinking that Bondi is probably a better place to live than Blackbrook? I believe that Gareth Ellis turned down a bigger offer from Leeds in favour of a move to Wests - put simply, Australia offers a lifestyle that the UK doesn't.

I can't see what the RFL can do about that, other than to introduce more European teams to try and speed up global warming?

Dont think I could cope with another 20 years of Stevo

Please let Graham come down under I'm still trying to convince people in Australia he is the best prop in the business today.

Lots of English forwards would cope with the NRL; not so many backs would.

How ironic now he moans, didnt see him speak up when Leeds and Bradford lost players

I find it quite amusing that clubs are worried and yet do sweet FA about it.

It's called FORWARD PLANNING and is used quite extensively in business, but seems to be an alien concept to sport in general in GB.

Perhaps that is the reason why the national teams are such world beaters amongst the few sports that have utilsed the concept.

We were hearing this ten years ago when Morley went to Australia and Robinson and Harris went to union.

The RFL set up that Club GB thing to make sure Cunningham stayed in league and was available to play for GB (ironic)

Yes a few players did go to union...Chev Walker, Gareth Raynor, Karl Pryce, and then we lost Sibbit, Thorman and later Ellis to the NRL, but the game survived.

I'm sure McManus would be celebrating for the good of the game if the salary cap was lifted and Simon Moran was able to outspend the Saints so Eastmond and Graham signed for Warrington, rather than being lost to another competition.