Aaron Woods ‘a shadow’ of James Graham, says Michael Ennis

[beastwood89]

Fk off Graham is all about stats
Talking up his mates

Yep just have w go of what he says here.

And see what James hoops says to him.

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Ennis also said Brooks should move to hooker and Reynolds should take his place lol. Graham hasn't been anything flash at the Dragons, Ennis is just talking up his mates like usual.

was thinking the same thing when watching

 

[Kempsey Dog]

i loved the part in controversy corner when hughes was firing up over the club / board talk

 

[Dogna88]

I thought we signed woods for 4 years???

 

[addoujspark]

Ah Mick. 1....its round 3 this week and 2 Graham isnt the reason saints are firing.

Good old Mick must of developed a lot of hatred to the club he once considerd as family

 

[Mr Invisible]

Still bitter that Lichaa replaced him I see.

 

[bowleggedwog]

When it comes to passion and aggression, Woods will never fill Graham's boots.

Apart from season 1 I don't think Graham filled his own boots

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I like Ennis and his loyalty for his boys is fucking solid. But move on mate. I remember people on Kennel saying we should hire Ennis on the coaching staff, but blokes like him are so loyal if your a shit **** like Reynolds you would be kept. I am comfortable with Woods over Graham. Plus he is making out Graham is the reason Dragons are breathing fire, it's all fucking Jack De Belin mainly and Sims in the middle jamming *****, Tyson Frizzell's runs along Paul Vaughn who has a big engine and gets over the advantage line not just drops to the floor like Graham. leeson ah mau has been more valuable than Graham.

 

[Dawgfather]

If you guys take away the emotion when you read Ennis' comments, then you have to agree he is spot on with his assessment.

My initial reaction was also that Ennis is just looking after his mate (Graham).

But consider the context:

- Woods is a marquee signing
- Woods dislodged Graham to the Dragons
- Woods is a starting origin prop
- While Woods has done ok in the first 2 rounds, it's a fair enough comment that he is just 'racking up the numbers' and hasn't yet 'lead from the front'
- It's also fair enough to say Woods needs to roll up his sleeves and prove his worth

 

[alchemist]

Graham was great for us and watching him now run around for the Dragons ain't easy... but it is clear too that he is also past his best... now, did we need to recruit a prop when we already had a rotation including Graham, Klemmer, Tolman and Kasiano, probably not... but if it is simply a player v player comparison, Woods offers more to us at this point in time in both players' careers

Ennis is loyal to his former teammates and probably still has a chip on his shoulder in being moved on in favour of Lichaa

 

[Brizdog]

HE’S the $800,000 per season marquee man who forced James Graham out of Canterbury, but he’s not living up to his price tag.

That’s the belief of former NRL premiership-winner Michael Ennis, who says Aaron Woods is “a shadow” of what Graham has been at new club St George Illawarra in the opening rounds of the season.

Woods linked with the Bulldogs on a rich four-year deal, a move that caused Graham to sign with the Dragons on a contract worth a reported $1.8 million over three seasons.

Upon arriving at Belmore, Woods said he was excited to play the “rugged style” of football the Bulldogs are renown for.

But according to Ennis, who played for the Bulldogs from 2010 to 2014, the Australia and NSW Origin prop is yet to display those traits, and it was clear what the club had lost in Graham.

“It’s evident. Look at the Dragons at the moment,” Ennis told Fox Sports.

“(Graham) has been the heart and soul. (Dragons coach) Paul McGregor has been treasuring what James Graham has brought to that club.

“Aaron Woods, there is so much focus on Woods being a front-rower.

“We know what we get from David Klemmer. He’s aggressive, he welcomes the contact, he takes personal battles against opposition front-rowers.

“Aaron Woods stepping into Graham’s shoes, in the opening two rounds — and it’s only been two rounds, let’s not go too hard — he’s been a shadow of what James Graham has done at the Dragons.

“For me, Aaron Woods at the moment is just knocking out his numbers, but in terms of really leading this Canterbury-Bankstown forward
pack, I haven’t seen that yet.”

Woods has averaged 58 minutes in his first two games, along with 13.5 runs, 115 metres and 27.5 tackles.

Asked whether the bearded prop needed to roll up his sleeves, Ennis replied: “Absolutely. The Roosters really targeted their centre-third the other day and it had great value.

“When your coach comes out over the summer and says ‘I want the Dogs of War back’ ... Dean Pay was one of the household names at Canterbury for his toughness, and he wants to resemble that in his football side.

“I haven’t seen that from Aaron Woods yet, I haven’t seen that in the opening two rounds.

“I want to see him get down and dirty, I want to see him get personal.

“We saw it with young (James) Fisher-Harris and (George) Burgess on the weekend — a young kid standing his ground and welcoming that impact and collision.

“I haven’t seen that from Aaron Woods yet.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/f4f47bc254f914be2b428bd525a96c04

When was the last time Graham bent the line or had a late off load?? Plus woods is younger. Stay out of it Ennis

 

[CrittaMagic69]

All I'm gonna say is that the Tigers wouldn't have beaten the Storm without Packer, and he only had 50 run meters. You need aggression and leadership in the forwards as well as workhorses and meter-eaters. I told you guys last year that Woods isn't an aggressive forward.

We have Klemmer and Jackson that are meant to be the aggressive forwards that hit hard, they just haven't aimed up. Our defensive systems are a mess thanks to Pay and overall our players are just flat and lacking intensity. Slot Woods into the Dragons side are they're going as a good or better than what they're doing now...slot Graham into ours and we're still 0-2 with him adding nothing extra.

 

[GoTheDoggies]

Since Ennis won the premiership he thinks he is the ultimate authority when it comes to Rugby League. He has been talking rubbish about this club for a long time.

 

[addoujspark]

We have Klemmer and Jackson that are meant to be the aggressive forwards that hit hard, they just haven't aimed up. Our defensive systems are a mess thanks to Pay and overall our players are just flat and lacking intensity. Slot Woods into the Dragons side are they're going as a good or better than what they're doing now...slot Graham into ours and we're still 0-2 with him adding nothing extra.

I agree

 

[addoujspark]

I agree

Although it is only round 2 pay needs to inject the youngsters in and give them a crack the hold Hasler left us in isn't great but we do have the youngsters to develope into superstars we just Need to sort out our rotation

 

[GoTheDoggies]

Next year Ennis will be saying Tolman & Eastwood are a huge loss and their replacements are shadows.

 

[Bulldog_NJ]

When Mbye starts following Woods around, looking for the offload, that's when we'll see the true value of Woods. James Graham was a shit **** for us over the last couple of years. Ran sideways, and got in the way of our halves. Ennis is just a salty little **** since he was given his marching orders.

 

[D- voice]

i loved the part in controversy corner when hughes was firing up over the club / board talk

How could any one take notice of this weasel, after he and his brothers handed in their life membership when Gary as the football manager was sacked for refusing to follow his CEOs orders during and before the rape accusation chaos of 2004.
Ever since he has continuously been critical and negative about Canterbury on his radio show. Now he supports his fellow Royal family members to employ people needles to name who were or still are connected to other clubs but guess what Dr George Peponis is not allowed to nominate former premier Morris Iemma because he is a St George fan, what a laugh.
The great Bullfrog his uncle (god rest his soul) would be turning in his grave for leaving such a bunch of family members behind

 

[Dawgfather]

So many people on here seem to be too immature to get past their own emotions when someone points out some truths about their team.

Ennis doesn't call Woods a dud, he simply says that so far he isn't performing like a Marquee, $800k a year, origin prop.

If you don't like the truth, then simply say you don't like the truth - but don't attack the person pointing out the truth.

 

[Bad Billy]

I loved Ennis.
It burns me that someone I loved so much has only hate for the bulldogs.
Fuck the ****.