NSW skipper Paul Gallen has accused the NRL of sanitising rugby league after implementing a new rule that will see players automatically sin-binned for fighting.
The policy was implemented this weekend with referees being told by their boss Daniel Anderson to send players off for 10 minutes if punches are thrown.
The new policy came following the incident involving Gallen and Queensland prop Nate Myles during the State of Origin opener in Sydney.
Gallen was put on report for striking and subsequently banned for one NRL game, but the 31-year-old hit out at the new sanctions saying it would be hard for a player to not react in the heat of the moment, especially in the cauldron-like environment of Origin.
“I think it’s getting sanitised too much, I really do,” Gallen told Triple M on Sunday.
“Let’s be honest, how many fights have there been compared to games played this year?”
Gallen said he had no regrets about the incident with Myles just before halftime at ANZ Stadium, but was shocked at how much of a talking point it has become.
The Blues skipper took matters into his own hands after claiming Myles had been twisting the legs of his opponents when tackling and leading with his head.
He also insists he should have never been suspended for what happened.
“He physically and verbally challenged me and it was a fight. I can’t believe the carry on,” Gallen said.
“I don’t think I deserved 10 minutes in the sin bin, Nate said something to me and got up and pushed me. What do you do?
“It’s a man’s game. It’s an intense, hard environment where you don’t want to take a backward step.
“There’s no way I would have done that on the street. It’s a totally different environment, it’s a pressure cooker and I can’t believe they are going down that path.”
“Are we going to have melees like they have in the AFL where everyone is pulling jumpers? It looks ridiculous.”
There were no punching incidents in Sunday’s NRL matches which saw South Sydney hold off the Gold Coast 30-24 in Cairns and Melbourne edge out Newcastle 16-14 at AAMI Park.
Souths’ victory consolidated their spot on the top of the ladder thanks to tries from Greg Inglis, Issac Luke, Ben Te’o and Roy Asotasi – and a candidate for try of the season to Dylan Walker.
The Titans almost took the game to golden point late on when Albert Kelly was denied by his older cousin Inglis.
Melbourne fought back from 10-0 down to beat the Knights, who gave a debut to former NSW star Craig Gower.
Billy Slater warmed up for State of Origin game two with the winning try.
martin abba
Guest
i do not disagree with most of th epeople saying galen is the best forward in the world,but he needs to control himself as a captain,look at cameron smith,the way he control himself on the field,exactly like daren locker,thats how a captain should behave and not throwing punches like nobody's care,well done queensland captain,you are a role modal
Gavin Cooper
Guest
Bravo Paul. And I think you will find the majority of Rugby League followers and players will agree with your beliefs. Not those that sit on the sideline an squark away like frightened chooks about something their manhood cant fathom. So now we have a dictator (one person) alone who tells us how "OUR Game" MUST be played.5 will get you ten he hasn't even played any contact, that's full physical contact, sport, or even been involved. I can tell you this much for free, being banged up and relying on TV for my sport entertainment, I watch every game I can, and now with the involvement of pay TV there is much more to watch. HOWEVER.... due to the continual sanitising of the game, some of the games are not worth watching. They state that game attendences are up, well two games last week were way down on expected numbers. An after ten minutes of watching the games for ten mins: I switched off. So a word of warning to the "dictators" Don't run away with your self image, the winds of change can blow anytime without notice, and have done in the past.
Renegade
Guest
Not sure if you missed the news but punching, fighting, etc has been banned by the NRL....
Steve
Guest
One punch can kill. These morons just don't get it. He should have been banned for 10 weeks but the entire thugby league industry is complicit in condoning violence. It's only a matter of time and someone will be seriously injured. It's a tough enough game without the king hits.
oikee
Guest
Gallen still cant admit it is all his fault for revenge acts. He should be fined 100 thousand, told to stay away from the media. They should throw away the key, every time he opens his mouth it costs the game 10 million. Send him to France, at least they wont be able to understand a word he say's, that could be a pleasent change. Talk about denial. No wonder the game cant grow, i bet he does commentry work after he retires, put the game back another 50 years.
Renegade
Guest
Gallen has been named in the RLIF World XIII numerous times throughout his career and has won the harry sunderland medal multiple times as well. You ask people to use their brains and then mentioned Nate Myles in the same sentence as best forward....please GTFOH. And you also condemn the fact that the biff has been eradicated from the game and then have a go at Gallen for attacking him - WTF?! You should take your own advice and USE YOUR BRAIN FFS
AdamS
Roar Guru
And has been rewarded for his years of grubbery by getting his own law! Outstanding. McCaw is the only other I can think of that has achieved that.
AdamS
Roar Guru
:)
Gareth
Roar Pro
I assumed he punched him because once your hand gets within cooee of Myles' gigantic forehead the gravitational pull is almost impossible to escape.
eagleJack
Guest
Nate Myles had an outstanding year last year. But overall Gallen is a far superior forward who has consistently been at the top for the past 7 years.
AdamS
Roar Guru
He punched Nate because for years he has been twisting his leg, head butting him, and stealing his best forward award.
Jo
Guest
Nate Myles only said something to you and pushed you after you gave him a swinging uppercut in the tackle. Like, is this baboon serious? Has this guy lost enough brain cells to actually lie like this? That is seriously repugnant. The whole reason why the biff is being cracked down upon in an unprecedented way is 100% Gallen's fault for attacking Nate Myles in an unprovoked fashion and then by saying he had to stand up to him and then saying the NRL should not use the footage to advertise the game. This person from the dreggs of Sydney Society (Cronulla) through his stupidity has single-handedly scuttled the biff in our game. If he didn't attack Myles for no reason, to then taunt the ARLC and whinge about why he did his actions then we wouldn't even be here!! If you NSW supporters look up to this thug, liar and now crippler of Rugby League then you have something wrong. Gal has on his own caused the whole thing to be ruined for every other player and fan. What an absolute uneducated dipstick. And he is not one of the best forwards... IF he was why did Nate Myles get the RLIF best forward award last year!? USE YOUR BRAINS FFS!!
WQ
Guest
Ah of course thats what it would have been, Ha Ha
Renegade
Guest
Here we go the rednecks are out....
AdamS
Roar Guru
Not a whole lot I imagine.
AdamS
Roar Guru
Maybe she had been twisting his leg and it was time someone stood up to her.
Clevo
Guest
He was rubbed out the game in this country for 18months. He did his time. And was found not guilty any way
WQ
Guest
Is that better or worse than NSW allowing someone to play that glassed his girlfriend?
seven dollers worth
Guest
Gallen is just a Grub. He has no concept that what he did was wrong. Imagine what must go on inside the idiots brain.
WQ
Guest
One off incident, this type of stuff has followed him through out his entire career to date, he is a grub!