Poms in Oz: Graham slammed over greasy tactic
James Graham has sparked outrage in the NRL after being criticised for using too much Vaseline.
Pundits and commentators of the game in Australia have slammed Graham’s greasy tactic, after the former St Helens prop ran onto the field in Friday’s clash against the Gold Coast Titans with the backs of his legs smothered with the petroleum jelly.
Phil Rothfield slammed Graham for using the product, before contradicting himself in the Australian version of the Daily Telegraph.
Rothfield said: “Graham looks like he’s smothering himself with three jars of the stuff.
“Players have worn Vaseline for as long as I can remember. Ray Price used to cover his face in it and Arthur Beetson liked to use it in the old days.”
Rothfield has called for the NRL to step in and prevent Graham from using too much on his legs and body.
Graham’s Bulldogs side fell to the Titans in Friday’s match, losing 25-14 at Suncorp Stadium in the last of a double header.
Prior to the Bulldogs’ defeat Jack Reed’s Brisbane side were stunned by Manly as David Williams snatched away an unlikely win.
Reed had scored the first of Brisbane’s five tries. Corey Parker set up Ben Hunt, who offloaded to Reed to finish a well worked play.
The try was Reed’s fourth this season, and has so far played consistently for the Broncos appearing in all 10 games.
Gareth Widdop’s Melbourne Storm fell to their first defeat of the season losing to Cronulla Sharks 12-10.
Widdop started at stand off for the Storm but could not prevent the Sharks from keeping the two points at Toyota Stadium. It was Cameron Smith’s missed conversion that proved to be the difference between the two sides.
South Sydney’s Sam Burgess returned from injury in his side’s round nine match against Cronulla, but the Rabbitohs were given a bye in round 10 of the competition.
Luke and George Burgess were also absent, with the Toyota Cup reserve side also having a bye.
Gareth Ellis and Chris Chris Heighington also sat out round 10, as the West Tigers were also given a bye.
Catch the NRL on Premier Sports this weekend.
Ellis and Heighington’s Wests Tigers take on New Zealand Warriors, starting at 10.30am on Friday.
At 6am on Sunday morning St George Illawarra welcome Sam Burgess and the Rabbitohs to WIN Jubilee Oval, while on Monday morning at 10am James Graham is back in action as the Bulldogs host the in-form Cronulla Sharks.