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Since the somewhat inevitable Queensland victory in State of Origin at Suncorp last week there have been a lot of things said about the NSW side – not many of them complimentary.
Legend Phil Gould accused senior players of being selfish and there have been calls for change throughout the squad from despondent fans and professional commentators alike.
One of the big debates has been around whether Paul Gallen deserves to play in Game 3. Gallen is going to retire from Origin this season and with the final game taking place in Sydney it would be an apt finale.
There are those who look at Gallen’s years of service to the Blues jersey and feel strongly that NSW and the selectors owe him that one final run out. They point to his tireless effort running headlong into battle against arguably the greatest rugby league side to ever play the game.
To lose ten out of 11 series is heartbreaking. To fight hard in 24 Origin matches across that 11-year period is courageous. To lead a weaker side match after match, year after year, takes something quite special.
For many Gallen has been the heart of NSW for a long time and they look at Game 3 as a fitting way to send him off into the history books with applause and praise. But that’s not how everyone feels.
There are plenty of people who are sick and tired of the Maroon dominance. One series win in 11 years is… well it’s just incredible. Incredibly bad.
Yes, the Queenslanders have a team that is littered with talent – a team that at one time or another has been able to submit a team sheet that includes names such as Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Sam Thaiday and Petero Civoniceva could be assumed to be someone’s fantasy 13. But to struggle for competitiveness in 33 games is worrying.
Gallen has been the figurehead of NSW during this time.
Many point to the fact that Gallen has become more two-dimensional in the past few years. Sticking the ball under your arm and charging into a wall of Maroon is brave for sure, but is it what NSW need? Some argue not.
Others are looking to the future and saying, “we’ve lost this series. So let’s blood some new players and get them a taste of Origin now and have them ready for 2017.” Blues fans have had to become talented at looking to the future over the last decade so it’s not surprising many are calling for a cull of Gallen and players like him before the Sydney match-up.
Of course there are also those who are saying that Gallen is just not up to it any longer. They look at the form of the Sharks and see how they are not relying upon Gallen as much as NSW do. They see a team that is winning and winning well.
Of course the NRL is not the same as Origin, and Cronulla are not the Blues. But that doesn’t stop the discussions over a couple of beers calling for Gallen to be dropped.
There are lots of arguments on both sides. Coach Laurie Daley seems to have already made up his mind and has said that Gallen will play in Game 3. He’s right to do that and here’s why…
It’s got nothing to do with sentiment or what Gallen deserves. It’s got nothing to do with form. It’s all about strategy.
This series has gone. It’s about the future and 2017. It’s about finding a way to break the Maroon grip on Origin. Queensland have better players – no argument there. So the difference has to come from somewhere else. And it has to come from unity, brotherhood and a bond that all NSW players feel ties them together like a blood pact.
The talent gap between the two states is vast at the moment. To bridge it the Blues have to come together and have a conviction and shared vision that is stronger than ever before.
And this is where Gallen comes in. If Daley chooses not to play Gal in Game 3 then there are plenty of reasons to explain and justify it.
But at the end of the day two things will surely happen: NSW will lose Game 3 and the Blues players that in their camp, effort and loyalty are not rewarded in the long term.
If Daley does play Gallen then the following will happen: NSW will lose Game 3 but the Blues players will create an important chapter in their story. It will be day that they honoured Gallen and ripped in one last time for Big Gal.
Either way, NSW are going to lose. That’s inevitable. Dropping Gallen is not going to change that. So why not take the opportunity to do away with those selfish claims and stories of a divided camp.
Don’t do it for Gallen or for sentiment. Do it for the strategic value. Do it for the gains it will bring to the Blues of the future. Do it so that in 2017 the Blues have a new vigour and bond that might just challenge the Maroons.
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