Wade Graham

Wade Graham (born 25 October 1990) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row, five-eighth and lock for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL. He has played for Portugal and Australia at international level.

Wade Graham
Personal information
Born (1990-10-25) 25 October 1990
Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia
Height186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight96 kg (15 st 2 lb)
Playing information
PositionSecond-row, Five-eighth, Lock
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2008–10 Penrith Panthers 42 10 0 0 36
2011– Cronulla Sharks 201 37 0 2 138
Total 243 47 0 2 174
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2012–19 Prime Minister's XIII 2 0 0 0 0
2013–15 NSW City Origin 2 0 0 0 0
2016–17 Indigenous All Stars 2 0 0 0 0
2016–19 New South Wales 6 0 0 0 0
2017– Australia 8 4 0 0 16
2019 Australia 9s 4 0 0 0 0
As of 26 October 2019
Source: [1]

Graham previously played for the Penrith Panthers between 2008 and 2010 in the National Rugby League. He has played for the City Origin side, New South Wales in the State of Origin series, the Indigenous All Stars and the Prime Minister's XIII.

Background

Graham was born in Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia and is of Indigenous Australian descent - from Bundjalung people.[2]

Playing career

Graham played his junior rugby league for Blacktown City and attended The Hills Sports High School before being signed by the Penrith Panthers. Graham played for New South Wales under 16's and 18's,[3] as well as the Panthers Harold Matthews and SG Ball teams. Graham started the 2008 season in the NYC for the Penrith Panthers before being called up to the first-grade squad, still as a 17-year-old in high school.

2008

In Round 15 of the 2008 NRL season, Graham was called up to make his NRL debut for the Penrith Panthers at five-eighth against the St George Illawarra Dragons in the 13-12 loss at ANZ Stadium.[4][5] Graham finished his debut year in the NRL with him playing in 8 matches for the Panthers in the 2008 NRL season.

2009

In Round 4 against the Wests Tigers, Graham scored his first NRL career try in the Panthers 42-22 win at Penrith Stadium.[6] Graham finished the 2009 NRL season with him playing in 22 matches and scoring 5 tries for the Panthers.

2010

On 24 June 2010, Graham signed with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks starting from 2011 with a desire to play regular first-grade football from the preference for the halves combinations of Travis Burns and Luke Walsh by the Penrith coach Matthew Elliot limited the number of games he could have played.[7][8] Graham finished the 2010 NRL season with him playing in 12 matches and scoring 4 tries for the Panthers.

2011

In Round 1 of the 2011 NRL season, Graham made his club debut for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks against the Canberra Raiders at halfback in the Sharks 40-12 loss at Canberra Stadium.[9] In Round 4 against the New Zealand Warriors at Owen Delany Park in Taupo, New Zealand, Graham scored his first club try for the Sharks in the 26-18 loss.[10] Graham finished the 2011 NRL season with him playing in all the Sharks 24 matches, scoring 6 tries and kicking 2 field goals.

Graham lining up for the Prime Ministers XIII in 2012

2012

On 26 May 2012, Graham extended his contract with the Sharks for a further two seasons to the end of the 2014 season.[11] Graham finished the 2012 NRL season having played in 15 matches and scoring 6 tries.

Graham was invited to represent the Portugal national rugby league team in the 2012 Cabramatta International Nines tournament.[12]

2013

On 29 April 2013, Graham was among the first of many Sharks players to be interviewed by ASADA, where controversy ensued regarding his attending the interview in casual attire.[13] Graham was selected for the NSW City team in the 2013 City vs Country Origin match off the interchange bench in City's 18-12 loss in Coffs Harbour.[14] In Round 17 against the Wests Tigers, Graham played 100th NRL career match, scoring a try in the Sharks 36-22 win at Remondis Stadium.[15] Graham finished the 2013 NRL season with him playing in 23 matches and scoring 2 tries for the Sharks.

2014

In February 2014, Graham was selected in the Sharks inaugural 2014 Auckland Nines squad.[16] On 14 April 2014, Graham extended his contract with the Sharks for another 3 years to the end of the 2017 season after knocking back a $500,000 a season offer from the South Sydney Rabbitohs.[17][18] On 22 August 2014, Graham became one of the Sharks players to accept reduced bans from the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority for his role in the 2011 Sharks supplements scandal.[19] Graham finished off the 2014 NRL season having played 19 matches and scoring 5 tries.

2015

On 31 January and 1 February, Graham captained the Sharks in the 2015 NRL Auckland Nines, after originally selected captain, Luke Lewis, was ruled out with injury.[20] On 3 May, Graham captained New South Wales City against New South Wales Country, playing at second-row in his team's 34-22 loss at Wagga Wagga.[21][22] He co-captained the Sharks alongside Michael Ennis for a period whilst Sharks regular captain Paul Gallen was sidelined due to injury. Graham finished the 2015 season having played in all of the Sharks 26 matches, and scoring 4 tries.[23] On 15 December, he was named on the interchange bench for the Indigenous All Stars due to play the NRL All Stars team on 13 February 2016.[24]

2016

On 13 January 2016, Graham was named in the emerging New South Wales Blues squad.[25] On 13 February 2016, Graham played for the Indigenous All Stars against the NRL All Stars, playing off the interchange bench in the 12-8 loss at Suncorp Stadium.[26]

Graham made his debut for New South Wales in game 3 of the 2016 State of Origin series, after having originally been selected to debut in Game 2, however being ineligible due to a suspension resulting from a high tackle on Jonathan Thurston in the Sharks Round 14 win over the North Queensland Cowboys.

On 2 October Graham was part of the Sharks side that won the 2016 grand final to claim the club's first ever premiership.

2017

In 2017, Graham was selected for the 2017 State of Origin series. Graham was part of The Cronulla side which finished 5th at the end of the season. On September 10, Cronulla played North Queensland in the first week elimination finals and suffered a 15-14 shock defeat.[27][28]

2018

In 2018, Graham was not selected for NSW by coach Brad Fittler for the 2018 State of Origin series due to being out with injury for most of the first half of the 2018 season.[29] In week one of the 2018 NRL finals, Graham was taken from the field in the first half during Cronulla's match against Eastern Suburbs with subsequent scans revealing the player had torn his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruling him out for the rest of the season.[30]

2019

Graham made his return for Cronulla in Round 13 against Parramatta, which Cronulla won 42-22.[31] Graham was selected for Game 2 of the 2019 State of Origin series where he starred in New South Wales' 38-6 win at Perth Stadium.[32][33] Graham was retained for Game 3 of the series, which New South Wales won 26-20 at ANZ Stadium. It was the first time since 2005 that New South Wales had won back to back series.[34][35]

Graham was limited to ten appearances for Cronulla in the regular 2019 NRL season, where the club finished 7th. Graham played in the elimination final loss to Manly at Brookvale Oval.[36]

On 30 September, Graham was named in the second row and as captain of the Australia PM XIII. On 7 October, Graham was named in the Australian team for the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s, as well as the upcoming Oceania Cup fixtures.

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References
  1. "Wade Graham - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  2. http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2016/02/10/graham_s_journey_of_.html
  3. "Junior Rugby League News, Schoolboys rugby league news, nyc, toyota cup, nsw junior rep's". Ourfootyteam.com. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  4. "Wade's a study in toil and talent". Theage.com.au. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  5. "Electrifying Duo Set for Debut". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  6. "Panthers Stun Tigers". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  7. Chris Barrett (23 July 2010). "Wade Graham to join Sharks". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  8. "Sharks Sign Penrith's Wade Graham". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  9. "Undermanned Raiders Thrash Sharks in One-Sided NRL Opener in Nation's Capital". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  10. "Warriors Record First Win of the 2011 NRL: Season Defeating Cronulla". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  11. "Wade Graham Knocks Back Penrith Offer to Stay at Cronulla Sharks". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  12. "Blake Austin explains how playing for Portugal came about". loverugbyleague. 7 February 2019.
  13. "Cronulla Sharks Forward Wade Graham Facing Fine for Fashion Disaster". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  14. "Country Overcome City in Close Clash". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  15. Glenn Jackson. "Cronulla Sharks beat Wests Tigers". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  16. "Squads For Auckland Nines". Rugby League Week. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  17. "Sharks Re-Sign Stand-In Captain Wade Graham for a Further Three Seasons". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  18. "Rabbitohs Recruitment Drive Hits Another Wall as Wade Graham Opts to Stay with Cronulla Sharks". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  19. Brad Walter. "Cronulla Sharks players accept doping bans". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  20. "Luke Lewis Ruled Out of Cronulla Sharks Squad with Knee Strain". Dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  21. "Country and City Origin sides announced". NRL.com. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  22. "Country overcome City in seesawing affair". NRL.com. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  23. "Custom Match List". Rugby League Project. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  24. "Teams named for NRL All Stars match". NRL.com. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  25. http://www.nrl.com/daley-names-2016-emerging-blues/tabid/10874/newsid/91337/default.aspx
  26. Chris Garry (13 February 2016). "World All Stars defeat Indigenous All Stars 12-8 at Suncorp Stadium". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  27. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-10/nrl-finals-cronulla-sharks-north-queensland-cowboys-scorecentre/8886596
  28. https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/state-of-origin/nsw-backrower-wade-graham-reveals-what-makes-state-of-origin-a-different-beast/news-story/4adc84e2311d695754b6e4dd3bf808cb
  29. https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/06/07/cronulla-sharks-co-captain-wade-graham-not-giving-up-on-his-origin-recall/
  30. https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/scans-confirm-acl-tear-for-sharks-graham-20180909-p502ni.html
  31. "Cronulla Sharks' Bronson Xerri burns Parramatta Eels in NRL rout". Stuff.co.nz.
  32. "Latrell Mitchell dumped as NSW make seven changes for State of Origin Game 2". Guardian. 17 June 2019.
  33. "Fitness no issue for Graham as NSW consider Cleary replacements". NRL.
  34. "Emotional Blues legend Wayne Pearce opens up on his son Mitchell's battle". www.news.com.au.
  35. "New South Wales beat Queensland to win back-to-back series". BBC.
  36. "Under-strength Sea Eagles send Sharks packing". NRL.
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