I agree on both fronts

Yeah must admit Sam Tomkins is phenomenal. Probably will win it.

Not according to Phil Clarke last night in the build up or did I imagine that?

He broke the record against Hull KR did he not? (I may be wrong, I got the info from the Saints board).

The record was 4,104 by Terry O'Connor from 24 appearances. Before last nights game James Graham had made 4,417 from 23 appearances. Jamie Peacock was next this season on 3,456 from 24 games. Adrian Morley was on 2,821 from 21.

To put Graham's effort into perspective his front row comrades have made 1,539 (Hargreaves) and 352 (Cayless).

Saints IMO are sacrificing Graham's career longevity for the sake of saving a few quid over the last few and next few seasons. If he carries on doing 4,000 metres a season he'll be goosed by 26.

I think the word you are looking for is LAID !!!!

According to Clarke in the pre match build up last night:

The record is/was held by Jason Flowers from 1999 with a total of 4,589 metres.

Graham was sat second on the All Time season list with 4,587 metres

Third was Terry O'Connor on 4,104 metres in 2005

Bizarrely [url=http://www.superleague.co.uk/statistics_player.php?season=2009&stat=metres&hs1=2009&hp1=263&hs2=2009&hp2=216this site[/url shows Graham on 4,417 metres (170 metres short of Clarke's figures and yet they both claim to be supplied by Opta (Optrex more like)

Perhaps it was the record for a forward I was reading about? Makes sense as Flowers wouldn't have done much hard graft, his was probably just running kicks back. Wasn't he a fullback?

Either way, even if we take the lower figure if he plays against Catalans he'll have broken Flowers' figures. He must have done 75m last night with ease leaving him only that to do against Catalans at home. He averages 192 metres so he should do it no problem.

certainly. It appears you need some assistance with appreciation of quality rugby players.

How about his try haul? Leading the league by a landslide over every other player including every other winger? He's certainly has benefited from playing outside Senior (what happened to the perceived wisdom of opposition fans that Senior wasn't creative btw). However, I have seen all of his tries this year and I suspect you haven't and many were not laid on a plate by Senior. Want examples? His 2nd one on Friday when he put Gardner on the floor with a sublime step. Want another? His game changing try from a kick in last year's grand final. Remember that game? Oh, and he's scored more than twice as many as Gardner. Gardner plays outside a half decent centre doesn't he?

Want me to quantify further? How about his work rate. He's the 4th leading metre maker in the whole league. Almost double the metres of Gardner.

How about offloads? More than four times as many as Gardner.

Runs from dummy half? More than double than Gardner.

Shall I go on? Tackle busts, marker tackles, clean breaks? Hall ess all over Gardner.

Hall has been head and shoulders above Gardner and every other winger in the competition this year.He's done so much more than score lots of tries and is so much more than just an ordinary player outside a great centre (that's Ade Gardner). If he fits the criteria for Young Player of the year (not sure he does) he should walk it however much Eddie and Stevo may be in love with Tomkins or Eastmond
Oh, I nearly forget. You wanted an explanation
as to why Hall was better than Meli.

He can catch.

If it's the same one I'm thinking of he was a full back at Castleford.



Clarke's figures were quoting the same source so they should be in tandem in which case Graham needed 2 metres to break Flowers record in last night's game. I'm sure he'll have managed that with his first touch.

Although that does depend which version of the Opta stats we're going by this season.

hall can beat a man, and catch a high ball respectively

Hall is clearly better than Gardner, no doubt about it. Probably the best winger in SL at the moment.

I still don't rate him that highly though. He's a good finisher and very solid, but compare him to a true world class winger and he comes up short. He doesn't worry you, you don't pick the team sheet up and worry about Hall.

It's a sad indictment of the England team that he is our best option.

Actually I think that's a mistake that Leeds are happy opposition teams are still making.

Nah. Ryan is tall and big and fast. Well, lots of teams have at least two out of three of those characteristics in their wingers. Wingers are supposed to be fast so generally it's a good idea to keep the ball out of their hands as much as possible. I'd say your real threats are an on form Rob Burrow and Sinfield if he's kicking well. Let Rob Burrow loose and he's like a scampering mouse. Sinfield can play endless happy games on the pitch with his kicks.

it was voted by the players last year

Graham's total yardage is impressive but his metres per carry does not stack up so well. That is a big indication that Saints are over reliant on his workrate but are reducing his effectiveness and possibly risking burn out if they don't share the load more

I believe the word is OWNED

[url=http://www.saintsrlfc.com/teamShort List for Man of Steel here[/url

Quality my man!.....sheer quality

Good post.

top man!!

I wonder if Graham's lack of sportsmanship on Friday will have cost him the chance of up to 17 (25?) votes in the player's poll for MoS.
Does anyone know how the voting works?
Are players barred from voting for their team mates?

They should be. They always used to be in the original days of the award when voting for the 1st Division player winner.

Long said something about it on Friday but it was in his native tongue or at least not in any English that I could understand.

Didn't Sean Long say something like "I can't vote for him again" when interviewed on Friday and asked the question about Graham?