Paul Gallen
Paul Gallen is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and retired professional boxer. He played as a and forward and captained the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL to their maiden NRL Premiership in 2016.
He is a former captain and representative of the New South Wales State of Origin team. He has also been the vice captain of Australia and played his whole NRL career with the Sharks, with whom he won the 2016 NRL Premiership. He was the NRL's oldest player playing in 2018. He shares the Australian first grade record for most seasons played in the NRL with Cameron Smith at 19 seasons.
Background
Gallen played his junior rugby league for the Wentworthville Magpies and was in the Parramatta Eels junior system playing the S. G. Ball Cup before being overlooked by the Eels. Gallen later signed with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Speaking about being let go by Parramatta, Gallen said "I was never really given a go, I wasn't really getting a look-in there and decided to go elsewhere. I wanted to move away from the area and I knew one of the Cronulla trainers at the time, I played SG Ball for them, that's it. I'm from the district but I wouldn't call myself an ex-Parramatta player, that's for sure".Playing career
2001–2003
In June 2001, Gallen made his NRL debut for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks against the Parramatta Eels in round 15 at Toyota Park. Cronulla lost the match 36 to 6. He made one more appearance that season in the final round, where the Sharks were victorious over the Brisbane Broncos 24–16.Gallen scored his first ever try at first-grade level during round 14 of the 2002 season - against the Canberra Raiders. Gallen made 21 appearances in his second season at first-grade level for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, scoring one try during the season.
During the round 11 match against the Newcastle Knights, Gallen was sent off by referee Paul Simpkins after a high shot on Sean Rudder. Gallen made a total of 17 first-grade appearances for the club in 2003, scoring five tries in the process.
2004
In the opening round of the year, against the Wests Tigers, Gallen was involved in a fight which saw him suspended for two weeks after the NRL Judiciary found him guilty of a contrary conduct charge. The judiciary decided that he had "instigated and tried to go on with a fight involving Wests Tigers prop John Skandalis". He also sustained an elbow injury during the match which ruled him out until round six of the competition. Gallen was the only player in round one to contest his charge.In round 11 against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Gallen scored an impressive two tries in his sides 30 points to 28 victory.
In June it was announced that Gallen had extended his contract for another three seasons.
In the 2004 season, Gallen made a total of 19 appearances for the club and scoring five tries.
2005
In round 24, Cronulla-Sutherland scored their biggest ever victory, scoring a 68 points to 6 win over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, with Gallen scoring a try.Cronulla finished in seventh place and therefore qualified to be involved in the finals series. They were drawn against the second placed side, which happened to be local rivals the St. George Illawarra Dragons. In the match, Gallen managed to score a try for Cronulla, however it was not enough to save the Sharks from losing the match 28 points to 22.
Gallen was presented the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks chairman's Award in 2005 by the club's President Barry Pierce after his impressive season where he led the NRL in both hit ups and off loads. At the 2005 Dally M Awards, he was also nominated for the position of "Best Lock". However, he lost out to Manly lock Ben Kennedy.
In the 2005 NRL season, Gallen played a total of 25 games in first-grade for Cronulla-Sutherland and in the process scored six tries.
Gallen ran 3,920 metres with the ball in 2005, more than any other player in the competition.
2006
Before the season started it was discovered that Gallen was suffering from a bulging disc in his lower back. After having surgery he wanted to return to action just a week after having the surgery done. He ended up making his comeback within nine weeks which amazed Cronulla's medical staff as it was predicted it would take much longer than that.Gallen won his first ever representative jersey when he was selected to play for City in the annual City vs Country match. In June, Cronulla coach Stuart Raper pleaded with the New South Wales selectors to give Gallen an opportunity to prove his worth at State of Origin level. Raper stated that "Gallen's been consistent for us over the past 18 months and if NSW hiccup on Wednesday night...he'll certainly be knocking on the door." After missing out on selection in the first game, Gallen was again not selected for the second match. However, after New South Wales was thrashed by Queensland, the NSW selectors made drastic changes to their team. Gallen was selected to play in the third and last match, which was to be the State of Origin decider, where Queensland came from behind to win 16–14.
Gallen was selected to play in the annual Prime Minister's XIII squad to play Papua New Guinea at the end of September. The Prime Minister's XIII defeated Papua New Guinea 28 points to 8 at Port Moresby but Gallen failed to be selected for the Australian Tri Nations squad. At the end of the season, Paul Gallen won the Sharks' supporters player of the year award
In September 2006, just days after he was voted Cronulla supporters player of the year, Gallen announced that he was considering leaving Cronulla despite having a year left on his contract. Gallen stated that it wasn't the club or coaching staff that made him consider leaving the club but rather the fact that "I just want to play semi-final football". Gallen also stated that he was "looking for a fresh start and a fresh challenge".
In 2006, Gallen made 18 appearances in first-grade for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, scoring seven tries for the club.
2007
Due to his claims at the end of the previous season that he wanted out of the club, there was much speculation about Gallen's future at the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks before the season started as his contract was set to expire at the back end of the 2007 season. There were rumours that he would walk out on the club after his contract expired as well as other reports in the media that Manly would sign him as a long-term replacement for a recently retired player, Ben Kennedy. However, Gallen decided to stay at the club, putting to rest the rumours in the media, by signing a four-year deal with Cronulla, meaning that he would stay at the club until 2011. Gallen reportedly turned down a $1.4 million offer from Manly in favor of a $1.1 million deal. Manly confirmed that they were interested in signing him, however Manly denied that they ever made an actual offer for him. Gallen stated that he decided to stay at the Sharks because he was inspired by Nathan Hindmarsh, who had recently signed a contract with the Eels in the aim to be a one-club man. Gallen also cited the fact that he wanted to win a premiership with the club because "you'd be remembered for your whole life here in Cronulla if you were part of that first-ever premiership" as well as the fact that his "old man also wanted me to stay at the Sharks."In a pre-season trial against South Sydney, Gallen had to be taken from the field with an injury to his ankle. After undergoing an MRI scan on his ankle, Cronulla physio Matt Green stated that "the scans have revealed ligament damage but the injury is not as bad as first feared." The injury kept Gallen out until round four of the season when he made his return against the St. George-Illawarra Dragons and he made his first start of the NRL season a week later against the Wests Tigers but only because he was taking painkilling injections before the games. In round 6, against Canberra, Gallen set up a try for Ben Pomeroy before he was forced from the field due to injury during the second half. However, the injury wasn't serious and he was cleared to play in the following round against Newcastle.
It was announced that Gallen had been selected for City to play in the annual City vs Country match but he was later forced to withdraw due to another ankle injury which he sustained in round 7 against Newcastle. The injury was not serious enough to keep him out for the next NRL fixture against the New Zealand Warriors, but the club doctors believed that his right ankle could not handle playing in the City vs Country match as that would have meant playing three games in the space of six days.
In the match against the Brisbane Broncos in round 9, Gallen put in another impressive performance, setting up a try in the process. A week later in the match against Canterbury, Gallen sealed the 30–20 points victory with a try in the dying stages of the match. For his effort against Canterbury-Bankstown, Gallen was voted as the man of the match. The following week in round 11, Gallen again scored a try in a losing effort against the Sydney Roosters.
On 11 June, in round 13, Gallen sparked controversy in the local derby match against St. George Illawarra at Oki Jubilee Stadium in which Cronulla triumphed 20 points to 16. Gallen was accused of taking a dive after copping a high shot by Richie Williams. After the referee awarded the penalty Gallen rose to his feet and winked at his teammates. Gallen defended the incident claiming that he "was hit in the head and it hurt". St. George-Illawarra coach Nathan Brown hit out at Paul Gallen claiming that he "is a tough player, that wouldn't have knocked the top off him." Also in the match, Gallen was placed on report for a head high tackle on Ben Creagh. However, Gallen did manage to set up the first Sharks try for Mitch Brown.
In the days following the game, Gallen continued to come under scrutiny. Gallen explained "We've got a motto here at the Sharks: do whatever it takes to win. That's what I've always done. I'm never going to stop doing that." Gallen continued "we won the game. That's all I care about."
In round 14 against New Zealand, Gallen was again put on report by the referee after a head high tackle on Patrick Ah Van. The judiciary charged him with a grade one careless high tackle which in turn meant that he was suspended for the game against South Sydney in the following round. Cronulla had the bye in round 16 which meant that Gallen had not had the previous two weeks to prove himself for selection in the third game of the series in State of Origin. Despite this, Gallen was rewarded for his impressive season to date with a call-up to the New South Wales side for the third State of Origin match, although New South Wales were already 2–0 down in the three-game series.
Before the third game of the Origin series, Gallen declared that he "can't wait to be running out and getting booed, I love that sort of stuff. It would mean everything going up there and beating them." After New South Wales had lost the first two games, there was talk that New South Wales lacked passion and Gallen stated that "everybody was sick of hearing it." Just over ten minutes into the match, Gallen put a high shot on Tonie Carroll. Gallen, who was also helped out by his teammates, then got into a fight with the opposition. Speaking of the incident after the match, Gallen stated that he and Greg Bird "came here saying that if anyone touches any of us, we're putting it on. I knew it would be a penalty but I knew it would also fire the boys up – it's good for the game."
Gallen was impressive in just his second State of Origin match. In the 55 minutes of the match that he was involved in, he made a total of 127 metres gained as well as making 15 tackles. But even after Queensland lost their lock in the first minute, both their wingers during the middle of the game and numerous other injuries to players who could not come off due to no more replacements, NSW could not get more than a two-point lead until the 72nd minute where they scored two tries, Gallen setting up the final New South Wales try for Hazem El Masri, which in the process capped off an 18 points to 4 New South Wales victory.
After the round 18 loss to the Sydney Roosters, Gallen was charged by the NRL judiciary for a "grade one contrary conduct offence" after he head-butted Roosters' player Shane Shackleton, and was subsequently banned for one match.
Round 22, against third-placed Parramatta Eels, saw the Cronulla club snap a seven-match losing streak in golden point extra time. It was later reported that after the match that Gallen was involved in an incident with Reece Williams at winger Dustin Cooper's house. After consuming what was said to be "too much alcohol", teammates and good friends Gallen and Williams were involved in a fight. Coach Ricky Stuart stated that although it should not have happened, that there was nothing serious about it as it was only "a scuffle".
At the conclusion of the NRL Premiership, Gallen was rewarded for his fine season with a call-up for the Australian squad in a one-off test match against New Zealand on 14 October. However, it was announced barely a week before the match that Gallen had to be pulled out of the squad due to a "shoulder injury", with his replacement being Melbourne Storm's Dallas Johnson.