NSW’s most successful State of Origin coach Phil Gould believes Paul Gallen shouldn’t be selected in the Blues side for game two, even if he is 100 per cent fit.
Gallen made a successful return from a hip/glute injury in Cronulla’s upset win over Sydney Roosters on Sunday, after an eight week spell on the sidelines that included NSW’s loss in Origin I last month.
The Sharks’ skipper is a certainty to be named Blues captain for Origin II at the MCG on June 17, when coach Laurie Daley names his side early Tuesday morning.
But Gould, who coached NSW to a record six Origin series wins, said on Channel Nine’s commentary of Gallen’s comeback NRL game that he hasn’t earnt his place in the Blues side for the do-or-die encounter.
“I don’t understand this desperation to rush Paul Gallen back,” Gould said.
“He hasn’t played for a while, he isn’t match fit.”
Gould then inferred Gallen’s time as a NSW player was over.
“He has done his job for NSW, he has done his job,” Gould said.
Prior to Origin I, Gould pushed for Daley to focus on youth in his selection policy, claiming NSW had the opportunity to record a number of interstate series wins back-to-back against an ageing Queensland side.
Ryan Hoffman, 31, alongside Gallen, 33, one of the Blues’ elder statesmen, is another Gould believes has had his time as a NSW representative.
Gould, a two-time first grade premiership-winning coach led NSW to Origin series wins in 1992-94, 1996, 2003 and 2004. He earned the Blues a drawn series in 2002.
His only series loss was to Paul Vautin’s side in 1995.
Gavin
Guest
Good old "Puss Mould" i meant Gould, thinks he knows everything, what an idiot! Did he say Darious Boyd shouldnt be rushed back either????
Renegade
Roar Guru
Haha thanks for the laugh frank... needed that, being back at work after a long weekend :)
Fairdinkum
Roar Rookie
Yippee captain hog is back and along with Jackson,Cordner & Hodkinson there goes the chance for the blues to run in tries. Too much of the same in the backrow & the bench for my liking. NSW will be hoping the brilliance of B Morris,Dugan or the chance of Jennings picking up a loose ball to score points. Just a question is Semi Radrada available for NSW? if so put him in ahead of Hopoate.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
If you want a metre eater,then you bring back Gallen. He chewed up over 200 against the defence of the roosters on sunday.He can offload at times ,with three defenders hanging off him.Fully fit,he can be inspirational as a leader ,encouraging the rest of the team.Gallen caught Tupou in full flight on Sunday with a bottler. Gould mention Rooster's Tupou as a failure in SOO1?
Niall
Guest
Correct mate, Much respect for Fulton but its a new generation now
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Or Franz Ferdinand Smith?
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
What about Wayne Thomas Franks?
frank the tank
Guest
Tyson Frizell is one, Tariq Sims and Shaun Fensom. Two brutes or a tackling machine take your pick. As a qlder please select Gallen (preferably in the starting side) rather than these young animals so don't listen to Gould ok? What would he know? And by the way the only nsw forward that is good enough to make the qld team is Luke Lewis - but you guys feel free to not select him.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Considering QLD won last game without Gallen playing then I would suggest NSW are better off with him in the side, considering they won with him playing all 3 games last year
Renegade
Guest
"ahead of a young, hungry, faster and fitter forward " Really, where is this so called player....? Go on and name one, i feel like a good laugh...
Squidward
Roar Rookie
He's definitely done something to spark the irrational hate for gallen
Brumby Jack
Guest
You're spot on Ronald. EJ on the other hand you're kidding himself. Your saying its ok for the Blues to select a drug taking, grub of a loser who reverts to whinging and whining whenever he loses (which is almost all of the time) ahead of a young, hungry, faster and fitter forward who can take the Blues into their next 5 or 6 years? No wonder QLD will dominate this years series and win it 3-0. Daley will go backwards by selecting Gallen. Gus Gould is right. And who are the brains at NSWRL who says it is alright to select a committed doper as captain of his State anyway? Im sure he wouldn't be in a lot of past Blues Legends teams...
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I never understood why he would do that tbh. He didn't have the ball, and was apparently doing it because of some things Myles had done (which gal himself also specialises in) 10 minutes prior to it. A brain snap to say the least.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I'm waiting for the day we have a young star name Harry Irvine-Valentine. Or any combination of names leading to HIV
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Yeah, I can't remember too many Gallen-type players in those Gould-coached teams of yore...particularly in the early 2000s. Gus seems to rate tough players but also smart players. Tough mentally who won't put their teams under pressure with poor decision making.
LachyP
Guest
I think you have hit the nail on the head with his captaincy, except for one thing. If I was NSW coach I would have dropped him on principle after game one in the 2013 series for throwing those punches on Nate Myles. Why put yourself in a position where you might be sent off, especially as a captain and when you are winning? It isn't a show of strength, it's a show of stupidity and shows Myles that his grubby tactics work. He should have been dropped for the series and had "never to captain NSW" put on his form. You pick a captain for their head not for their heart.
Edward Kelly
Roar Guru
That's 20 years ago, with different players and a very different style of play. I'm no fan of Gus the grumpy commentator and his agendas.
Bonza
Guest
Gallen, Bird, Watmough and co represent the tough yet dumb style of footballer NSW / Fulton has persisted with for pretty ordinary results. Gould has been there and done it so knows what he's on about. I agree 100%, time to start picking footballers with skill but to do that Bozo Fulton must stand down as selector.
soreloser
Guest
Gallen didn't look too good for my liking yesterday against the Roosters, he was huffing and puffing, he was going down after every hard runup and he even did that with his first runup at the start of the second half. Gallen is not fit enough for SOO II and especially for this deciding one. I agree with Gould and Gallen at best should be on the bench, if they want to give him a go. But the best one that I've heard was when Ch9 interviewed Gallen and asked him about his match fitness and him going down to catch his breath, to which Paul said 'no, I'm OK I just went down to try and slow the game down' yeah Paul for sure, that is the oldest excuse in the book.
Jackson Henry
Roar Guru
Yep, I was going to say the same thing.