Dragons 2018: Graham taking young-guns to the next level

Like clockwork, when a Dragons field session ends, veteran prop James Graham makes his way down to the far end of the park and works through his extras.

It was a solitary exercise when he first arrived in Wollongong but it’s something he rarely does alone these days, a member of the Dragons next generation inevitably tags along.

On Wednesday it was Hame Sele. It’s an illustration of why the Dragons were so keen to bring the Englishman to the club – though Graham himself thinks very little of it.

“If I feel like it, or if I feel it’s necessary it’s good to have a little trot to throw the cobwebs off,” he said.

“[Wednesday] was a lighter day and we’ve got a longer turnaround. We’ve got some short ones coming up and then we’ve got the bye so I thought why not.

“It was five minutes of a little bit of extra running, it’s not really worth mentioning.”

He may not think much of it, but people notice, especially the club’s younger brigade, including Blake Lawrie who’s accompanied him on those trips to the eastern corner.

“I’ve done a couple of times but geez, it’s a bit tough,” Lawrie said.

“He does everything away from the football paddock that no one else sees. He should get a lot more credit than what he does.

“From when he got here the first week you take little things away from him. His line-speed, his kick pressure, his push, his talk... I could give you a whole list it's just outstanding.”

It's enough to make Bulldogs fans weep, with Graham's leadership playing no small part in the Dragons surge up the ladder this season, winning eight of their first nine games before last week's defeat at the hands of the Rabbitohs.

Having slid out of the finals race from a similar position last season, red v fans could be forgiven for feeling a sense of deja vu but Graham – who was part of the Bulldogs side that bundled the Dragons out in round 26 last year – put the loss down to the normal ebbs and flows of an NRL campaign.

"These aren't tough times. If they do come I’m sure we’ll handle it but I don’t think we’re there yet,” Graham said ahead of his side's clash with Canberra in Mudgee on Sunday.

“One loss is probably jumping the gun [for concern]. I tend to stay away from what other people are saying.

“I know we went to New Zealand and lost [in round seven] and then we backed up with a win. We need to try and replicate that. 

“It’s an old saying, a week’s a long time in sport. Despite the fact we lost on the weekend, there was still a lot of good to be seen out of it and a lot that we can turn into positive things.

“It’s a roller coaster, and it will be for every team, every season. Things change within a week you look at some teams and big injuries, that changes the course of how a season goes..

"Ultimately you want to try and peak in August-September and maybe early October.”

Lawrie is the only change to coach Paul McGregor's 17 for Sunday's clash with the Raiders in Mudgee. Origin hopefuls Jack de Belin (hip) and Ben Hunt (corked thigh) were on limited duties through the week but will play at Glen Willow Oval barring any late mishaps.