GRAHAM UP FOR HIS GRAND FINALE Woolf’s golden oldie is ready to roar against Wigan

JAMES GRAHAM expects to come through a concussion scare to finish his stellar rugby league career on a fitting stage in Friday’s Grand Final.

The St Helens front rower had to leave the field in the first half of Friday’s semi-final win over Catalans and then failed his head injury assessment.

But coach Kristian Woolf says he has suffered no symptoms since – giving Saints a significant lift ahead of the clash with Wigan in what will be Graham’s final game before retiring.

Woolf said: “James Graham will be fine. There’s a seven-day protocol and you’ve got to tick the boxes every day and he hasn’t finalised that yet.

“But we’re very sure that he’ll be right to play. He has to first have no signs of concussion or carry-over symptoms before he starts the protocol, which was certainly the case.

“There’s a step each day then in terms of returning to exercise without any symptoms, some contact training. James has to pass some cognitive stat tests to make sure his alertness and everything else is back to where it needs to be. The last tick of the box has to come from the doctor.”

Graham rejoined his boyhood club in July after almost a decade in the pressure cooker of the NRL with Canterbury and St George Illawarra.

He will return Down Under to take up a career in the media after the showdown with Wigan, but Woolf says Graham’s contribution this year has been significant.

Woolf said: “He’s been a terrific player at this club and in Australia for a long time.

“And he deserves every accolade he gets.

“He’s a bloke that gives you ab s o l u t e l y everything he can in terms of passion, effort and what he throws into every training session and game.

“There couldn’t be a better example forwards.”

Saints hooker James Roby y first

BEE’S KNEES Graham is set to be fit and raring to go as he looks to end on a high for young came across Graham, 35, as an opponent in junior rugby league in the town.

The pair mirrored each other’s rise through the ranks at St Helens and on to international recognition and will line up alongside each other one final time on Friday.

Roby said: “Jammer hasn’t changed – he was always big, aggressive and angry... and what you see is that you get.

“He always stood out as a youngster, he was always the star player when we met and we had to get stuck into him.

“He carried that all the way through his junior years and getting to know him when we were growing up. He’s just a fantastic bloke and a little bit different as well.

“He has a unique blend, he’s a Scouser but his dad’s Cumbrian and it all adds to his personality.

“It’s been a privilege and an honour to play alongside him.”