FRIDAY’S Super League semi-final will be the last time veteran former skipper James Graham will run out on St Helens soil - as the end of an illustrious playing career on both sides of the world draws to a close.

It makes the thought of losing at this stage of a challenging and disjointed season even more unthinkable.

Plenty of rugby league afficionados beyond St Helens will want Graham - and Wigan’s Sean O’Loughlin for that matter - to carry their shields out for one more final battle.

And Saints will need all of Graham’s big match experience, garnered in the heat of the battle from finals series in Super League and the NRL, for one last push.

And Graham, who came to Saints for a swansong after they lost Luke Thompson to the NRL has two more massive games in him.

Saints boss Kristian Woolf does not expect the old warhorse to leave anything in reserve ahead of retirement.

He said: “James Graham has got all the accolades he has in the game because of what he has done over such a long period and what he has been able to do in big games like this.

“His experience is going to be invaluable – and we have got a few like that.

“Jammer obviously knows he has not got long in his career.

“What we know is that we will get every bit of passion, effort and the absolute best he has got this weekend.

“Then provided we go through – he will give us exactly the same next week.”