The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that the Canterbury Bulldogs are keen to extend the contract of English forward James Graham, and that the Warrington Wolves are keen to lure the former England captain back to Super League.
I’ve been told that if Graham was to return to Super League, it would be to his old club St Helens. As always though, money talks..
Graham has been a very handy addition to the Bulldogs forward pack, starting most of his games off the bench. The Bulldogs have moved to re-sign as many of their current squad as possible in recent months.
If the Bulldogs were unable to re-sign Graham I tend to think another NRL club would snap him up before a Super League club would. The difference between the NRL and Super League salary cap is huge, and is growing wider every season.
To sign Graham a Super League club would have to bank on him being home sick, or simply find a way around the Super League salary cap to get him in board.
Personally, I think he would be stupid to leave the Bulldogs.
One big issue facing the Bulldogs is whether or not Ben Barba will be with the club next season. He has been linked with a move back to Queensland and Barba himself has hardly filled Bulldogs fans with any optimism with some of the comments he has made about his future.
While I tend to think fullback is one area that just about every team can find decent talent to fill, Barba’s ability to light a game up is rare. If the Bulldogs lose him, even in the so-so form he is in right now, it would be a huge blow to the club.
