Official Wade Graham

[Jigsaw]

My observation was from when he started here to the player he is now.

He has settled in very well,

I agree with you there Gil and after last night my man love grew massively for Graham. The guy has grown 10 fold from what he was when he arrived here. But is a reason for this the fact he wants to earn his spot in the team? Is it because he knows he has the likes of Kelly biting a his heels who already got re-signed?

If we re-sign him now does he put his full effort in next year and still give that little extra each training session? Does he give ever thing he has in pee season?

Just putting it out there. If we held off on Albert Kelly do you think he would of been on the piss getting in trouble and still not back in firsts?
I dunno I think we throw out re-signIngs to fast sometimes let the player work for it.

 

[sharkyboy]

How about that ball he threw. Farrerk I think he's my new fav. Besides stapo of course

 

[Gil]

I agree with you there Gil and after last night my man love grew massively for Graham. The guy has grown 10 fold from what he was when he arrived here. But is a reason for this the fact he wants to earn his spot in the team? Is it because he knows he has the likes of Kelly biting a his heels who already got re-signed?

If we re-sign him now does he put his full effort in next year and still give that little extra each training session? Does he give ever thing he has in pee season?

Just putting it out there. If we held off on Albert Kelly do you think he would of been on the piss getting in trouble and still not back in firsts?
I dunno I think we throw out re-signIngs to fast sometimes let the player work for it.

I agree, let the player work for a contract.

The good thing is we have players that have to work for a contract with players nipping at their heals.

I would like to think that Graham is worthy of that spot based on this years effort. So I would like to see him here for a while.

 

[goodbyepenrithhellosharks]

I agree with you there Gil and after last night my man love grew massively for Graham. The guy has grown 10 fold from what he was when he arrived here. But is a reason for this the fact he wants to earn his spot in the team? Is it because he knows he has the likes of Kelly biting a his heels who already got re-signed?

If we re-sign him now does he put his full effort in next year and still give that little extra each training session? Does he give ever thing he has in pee season?

Just putting it out there. If we held off on Albert Kelly do you think he would of been on the piss getting in trouble and still not back in firsts?
I dunno I think we throw out re-signIngs to fast sometimes let the player work for it.

I am as biased as all **** jig, but I can guarantee you, the kid will give a 100% at all times and is settled and mature off the field

 

[Ibanez]

I still remember when I saw him one night at Fiddler last year. Big bloke, TV doesn't do him justice I reckon.

Definitely been a bright spot in our underpeforming team.

 

[goodbyepenrithhellosharks]

How about that ball he threw. Farrerk I think he's my new fav. Besides stapo of course

I have seen him throw that same ball a dozen times at the pennies.Difference being williams was prepared to hug the line, our other wingers have not

 

[Jigsaw]

How about that ball he threw. Farrerk I think he's my new fav. Besides stapo of course

Mate that ball was just as good if not better then some of Haynes pass. God it was magic.

And I hear what your saying byebyepenrith but I need to see it personally before I myself can say. "hey give this guy a contract now"

 

[Fitzy2513]

I like listen to different people and fact this in with my own observations. Elliott stated that he was a huge loss to Penrith, said on NRL on Fox a few weeks ago. Add this to the fact Gal highlighted his committment and enthusiasm as said on one of the free to air footy show, again a few weeks ago.
Now he is improving each game and as someone commented
on here previous that at the same time in their Career, wade is in front of Bird.
A bloke like Wade who can play 6/7/11/13 with the improvement he has shown, needs to be wrapped up sooner rather then later.

 

[sharkyboy]

A bloke like Wade who can play 6/7/11/13 with the improvement he has shown, needs to be wrapped up sooner rather then later.

:Yes:

 

[Henchmann]

I like listen to different people and fact this in with my own observations. Elliott stated that he was a huge loss to Penrith, said on NRL on Fox a few weeks ago. Add this to the fact Gal highlighted his committment and enthusiasm as said on one of the free to air footy show, again a few weeks ago.
Now he is improving each game and as someone commented
on here previous that at the same time in their Career, wade is in front of Bird.
A bloke like Wade who can play 6/7/11/13 with the improvement he has shown, needs to be wrapped up sooner rather then later.

Absolutely, he is as tough as nails and his defense is great. Add in his talent, enthusiasm and versatility (although I prefer him 5/8) then you want make sure he is looked after in the longer term.

 

[gosharkies]

i think graham would better suited to lock, i think he has to potential to develop into a bird style player. i think we are missing kelly's creativity. i think with graham at lock & townsend & kelly in the halves we would be a lot more dangerous in attack. i think we should try this out before the end of the season.
cause we have nothing to lose we are no chance of making finals.

 

[CHOGM]

I'm starting to think Graham needs to stay at 5/8. If it ain't broke don't fix it. He was a tower of strength last night. Kelly will need to show he can do the same. Be a leader. Would Kelly be better used like they use Presto at the Titans or barba at the dogs for a while? On the bench as impact instead of a back up hooker?

 

[HrvatskaDomovino]

Graham is not in the same mold as Bird IMO. Bird was not a very good 5/8th because his passing, kicking and play-making (in regards to that position) were substandard. His move into the back-row released him to just run the ball with his great footwork and offloading ability. He was able to construct line-breaks in and around his runs as he showed a couple of times in SOO.

Graham is different: he has great play-making skills. When he gets on the edge with bodies in motion he has a great sense and judgment in regards to how to play on the vulnerabilities of the defence (he plays what's in front of him). He can run, play the short ball and back up in support or throw the long ball.

It'd be a huge mistake to move him to lock if that meant he was used primarily as a ball-runner, taking away he's great play-making ability on the edge. If he does what he's doing now and retains the same role with a different number on his back but acts as a third play-maker in the team then all well and good. If we didn't have to accommodate Kelly than I would definitely retain him at 5/8th (he's as pure a 5/8 as they come).

Re: Elliott's regret - BS. He was left out of the team for Burns and wasn't even used as a lock or bench player. He forced him out of the club and in no way "lost" him.

 

[Henchmann]

Nice post again HD,
what if Townsend just misses out and Kelly comes back in at HalfBack? I could live with that as long as Kelly's kicking game improves. we also don't need to move Gal, which I'm dead against.

 

[HrvatskaDomovino]

Nice post again HD,
what if Townsend just misses out and Kelly comes back in at HalfBack? I could live with that as long as Kelly's kicking game improves. we also don't need to move Gal, which I'm dead against.

Kelly did a lot of long kicking earlier in the season but didn't seem to showcase any short kicking skills. Perhaps if he developed that aspect of his game he could be an option.

My one worry though is that it could stifle his natural game if he has to focus too heavily on organising the team much like it affected Graham's game when he was at halfback. Both Kelly and Graham are players who I reckon like having the ball fed to them.

Townsend is the most natural halfback of the three and it fits his game better when he's leading the team around with the kicking duties being his primary responsibility.

Gallen is a second-rower IMO. I don't think it would affect his game if he had the 11, 12 or 13 on his back.

 

[Fitzy2513]

see that's it exactly. It's nothing to do with the numbers on the back, it's the role within the team. Kelly, smith one side, Wadeo, Gal the other with Chad a traditional first receiver. All options covered.

 

[ragin]

Now he is improving each game and as someone commented
on here previous that at the same time in their Career, wade is in front of Bird.
A bloke like Wade who can play 6/7/11/13 with the improvement he has shown, needs to be wrapped up sooner rather then later.

Yes that was me that made that comment. I remember bird at 21... He was still a fringe first grader. Wade at 21 is bigger, more skillful, has more experience and is a better defender than bird at 21.

Probably will turn out to be a another sharks legend if we are smart enough to keep him.

 

[HrvatskaDomovino]

see that's it exactly. It's nothing to do with the numbers on the back, it's the role within the team. Kelly, smith one side, Wadeo, Gal the other with Chad a traditional first receiver. All options covered.

You're on to something.

I was thinking much the same. Graham seems to do the majority of his work on the left edge ATM. Kelly you'd have on the right where coincidentally he's done most of his damage. However, perhaps have him in roaming role at his discretion throughout the game. In the Penrith game he was lethal with his speed backing-up in the middle of the ruck.

 

[DeathMoth]

see that's it exactly. It's nothing to do with the numbers on the back, it's the role within the team. Kelly, smith one side, Wadeo, Gal the other with Chad a traditional first receiver. All options covered.

Exactly. Peeps are always pissing on about what number is on a players back without taking into account what role they're actually playing. People often say 'move Gal to prop' etc when he's already doing a props role and then some extra on the edge.

Having three playmakers on the field could be incredibly dangerous in attack and because Wade is a good defender we wouldn't be understrengthed in defense.

I'd lock him up now, if he gets any better he'll be wanting more coin. Not that we shouldn't offer it to him, but if we can keep some coin free for some off contract backs next year we'll be laughing.

Imagine Wade, Kelly and Chad and Gards (if he sorts his **** out) with the kind of forwards we've been fielding and a bit more class out wide...we'd have a ****ing solid side.

 

[HrvatskaDomovino]

Exactly. Peeps are always pissing on about what number is on a players back without taking into account what role they're actually playing. People often say 'move Gal to prop' etc when he's already doing a props role and then some extra on the edge.

I'm starting to favour Gallen being named at prop. I agree he plays much the same role no matter where he's named, however, listing him in the second-row has tended to clog-up those positions whilst Cordoba, Mannah and Tautai (all whom I don't mind) are named as the extra prop. It would affect his game the least if he was named at prop compared to the others. Tagataese, Tupou, Bukuya and Frizell all excel on the edge whereas if they were named at prop their natural games would be bludgeoned. On the other hand Gallen passes before the line, has a good offload and a good work rate. If he could improve his prop play by hitting the advantage line at pace more often and run different angles in order that he isn't as physically dominated as he was in SOO than we could have a winner.