I can, and I did

Graham is clearly not 100% at the moment. I'm sure he wanted to play and put his hand up to do so. Brave or foolish? (Probably a combination of the two IMO).

However, I was talking about this on the drive home after the match on Saturday. What concerns me most about it is that if Graham was going to be playing for Saint Helens next season I don't think they'd be risking playing him at the moment (big game or not). It appears to be a bit hard nosed on their part to seemingly be prepared to get him out on the field at potentially high cost.

If this continues, I'd be amazed if he played any role for England this Autumn and at this rate he'll be jetting off to Australia a broken man.

Hopefully one day he will lose the power to his gob.

we all dislike players from other clubs and wont get into who dont like at wigan, graham got hurt bad at Cas week before, and it was obvious to see as he tried to hit the tackle bags he was hurt, he wouldnt have missed the semi at any cost, hes a scouser

I'm sorry, but as brave as it may be and as heart-breaking as it would have been for him to miss the semi-final, I really believe that the management should have simply TOLD him that he couldn't play.

I appreciate that you want to have your best players on the field, but no game is worth risking a player's permanent health for.

I sincerely hope that this was simply a case of weak management, caving in to the player's insistance that he was OK to play, rather than a deliberate ignoring of the risks due to Graham not being with them next year.

They need to give the lad the rest of August off from the sounds of it and just hope he can be fit for the play-offs.

Well, like I said, Wigan fans can mock, and they do, and in doing so show what total lack of class they have.

He played on injections having been advised by medical staff that the disc had slipped back into place during the week but he was still suffering spasms. The injections were in his neck. He wasn't forced to play. He is a trusted member of the team and it meant a great deal to him to play. That is between him and the Saints staff.

Both Leon Pryce and Jon Wilkin had the same injury last season. They both had to have operations to fix the injury and neither has suffered as a result. James Graham might have to have the same operation at some point or he might not have the problem again.

Players do play injured but they are never forced to (these days anyway). Not at Saints anyway. Keiron Cunningham played with injury to his arm for years. It's always done under medical advice and care, and after much discussion. I doubt very much he will play on Friday but he may do.

u cant have a go at us, we are suggesting that the team should be looking after their players.
its darft a player playing with a slipped disk,
idiotic!
cant belive that fans of saints are supporting a player putting his life/family life/ and possible paralyisis on the line.
granted injuries are part of the game but if it is all true about graham its just daft.
shouldnt have played not in a state like that.

If this is correct then it seems amazing that he was picked in the first place and then allowed to remain on the field.

Are you sure this is right? Leaving aside the obvious medical and health and safety issues, do you really want a player who is far from 100% playing in a cup semi final against the best team in the league?

Check tackles and metres made........

If he acts like that in the NRl the refs wont do him, the props on the other team will

I think its stupidity playing with that injury.

Saints fans can say "he convinced them he could play" all they like, if he had a slipped disk and wasnt 100% then they should not have had him playing they should have ignored him. Who isnt gonna do all they can to play in a semi against the old enemy?

Saints were very lucky not to end up ruining this guys life tbh.

I don't know the particulars of Graham's injuries, but the sad story of Ian Knott will always come to mind for me when I hear about pain killing injections and the back: www.rflbenevolentfund.co.uk/comm ... -ian-knott **Sorry didn't realise this was already pointed out on the previous page**

I don't know the particulars of Graham's injuries, but the sad story of Ian Knott will always come to mind for me when I hear about pain killing injections and the back: www.rflbenevolentfund.co.uk/comm ... -ian-knott **Sorry didn't realise this was already pointed out on the previous page**

If the injuries Graham has are anything like described I simply can't understand why Saints allowed him to play. His body was not fit for 80 mins of RL.

I'm just looking at his situation and comparing it to Morley's. It was said of him that he was desperate to play in the QF v Wigan. Listening to Tony Smith on the radio/tv it was obvious that Morley had been told, irrespective of his wishes, he wasn't playing from his own health's point of view.
I don't doubt for a minute either that Smith was equally desperate for Morley to play. Someone at Warrington though, probably Smith, made the decision he wasn't playing and that was it, end of! A decision made in the player's best interests.

Graham might be a Saints player and pain at times but I wish him well and hope he soon overcomes his injuries.