A big week for the two Jameses (From St Helens Star)

A big week for the two Jameses

4:30pm Wednesday 26th September 2012 in Latest News

IT is a massive week on both sides of the rugby league world for two former Blackbrook Royals teammates.

On Saturday evening James Roby will need to call upon the skills that have seen him nominated for the Man of Steel award if Saints are to prise open the Wolves defence and book a seventh successive trip to Old Trafford.

Twelve hours later attention will be focused 11,000 miles away where former Saints skipper James Graham will be aiming to join the select band of Englishmen to win Grand Final rings in both hemispheres.

Graham has enjoyed a great season at Canterbury Bulldogs and he will be coming off the bench against Melbourne Storm in Sunday morning’s final.

Saints coach Mike Rush, who signed Graham at Saints, was delighted to see Jammer make the final.

He said: “It is brilliant and I’m made up to see a lad who came through our system get there.

“He played a year up when he was 14/15 and we signed in him in his front room with his mum and his dad.

“For me it is very special because he was one of the very first kids I actually signed.

“To see him and James Roby both doing what they are doing – who both came out of that same team – is fantastic.

“I had a text conversation with Jammer straight after the semi-final and he must have still been in the dressing room. But it is great.”

2007 winner Roby is up against Warrington’s Ben Westwood and Wigan’s Sam Tomkins for Monday’s Man of Steel award.