James Graham may have to live with parents as he returns for St Helens stint
JAMES Graham is ready to come home – literally – after rejoining St Helens to finish his career.
For the England prop admits he may have to quarantine himself and his family at his parents’ house after flying back from nine years in Australia.
The 34-year-old returns to the UK on Monday to resume his love affair with the club that made him on a deal for the remainder of the season after leaving in 2011.
At the moment, he is ‘all in’ to bring the curtain down with glory in 2020 – but would not rule out going on one more year until the World Cup in England.
More immediately, though, he has to decide where he may have to spend two weeks once he sets foot on home soil.
And it may mean living back with mum and dad John and Dianne in Liverpool.
Graham, who admits he had thought about coming back for next season, said: “I think you have to self-quarantine at a designated address, so we might have to bunk down with my mum and dad for a bit!
“I spoke to them before I made my decision but they didn’t affect it, they respect me enough to know that I didn’t need to go to them for any advice on it
“They absolutely let me make my own mind up but I’ve spoken to St Helens and said, ‘I’m all in for this year,’ then we’ll see what comes with it after that. My body’s feeling pretty good.”
Graham is ready for a ‘new’ phenomenon once he gets back, watching boyhood idols Everton at a normal time rather than staying up until the middle of the night in Australia or checking how they got on as soon as he wakes up.
He also congratulated Liverpool for winning the Premier League title – but the teeth were definitely gritted!
But this is definitely no farewell tour for the sake of it, he is definitely coming back with an aim of getting his hands on the Super League trophy again.
It will see five of the side on his last appearance for the club – 2011’s Grand Final – get back together as Tommy Makinson, Jonny Lomax, James Roby and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook also played.
And while he is proud to see how they have gone since, particularly the first two, he is refusing to get caught up in the emotion of matches – even one more derby with Wigan.
Graham added: “I’m not putting Wigan above anything else and when I was first at Saints, I’d never do that.
“I know how much of a big thing derby day is for the fans and I love the fact there’s so much dedication and passion and what it means to the communities.
“But as a player, you just take things one game at a time. I’ve only ever tried to do my best.
“I’ve got pretty special bonds with Tommy and Jonny. They were almost the babies of that 2011 team and I’m so proud at how they’ve progressed – Tommy’s gone on to be a Golden Boot winner and Jonny’s holding down a regular spot in the England team.
“I’m looking forward to being regular team-mates and standing alongside them again. I know the quality they bring and I’m excited to play with James again. The way he keeps going is unbelievable, he’s a special player.”