NSW captain Paul Gallen is officially available for State of Origin selection next year after finally reaching an agreement with Cronulla.
Gallen has agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Sharks and has the option of playing on until the end of 2017 after the NRL club bowed to the inspirational skipper’s demands on Wednesday.
Being free to continue his representative career had been a sticking point in the long-running negotiations, with the Sharks wanting the Test star to focus solely on helping the club break its infamous premiership drought.
Gallen has now not only won that battle, but also been given the green light to box in the off-season and secured a three-year ambassadorial role with the Sharks following his retirement.
Turning 34 next month, Gallen accepts he may not even be picked for NSW again after the Blues’ record 52-6 loss in this year’s series decider.
But it’s the principle that matters and the veteran enforcer is delighted Sharks chief executive Lyall Gorman relented.
“Look, If I’m fit and I’m playing well enough, I definitely want to play. That’s for sure,” Gallen said.
“(But) that was one thing I said to Lyall. We’ll argue in a couple of weeks over something that we don’t know is even going to happen.
“Obviously we were beaten by a pretty large margin and the team may change next year.
“I just felt that it should be my decision that I’m able to play – or that I put myself in a position that I’m able to play – and obviously now it’s up to (NSW coach) Laurie Daley.
“If he thinks I’m the best player for the spot, then I’ll be there.”
The 251-game forward, who debuted for Cronulla as a teenager way back in 2001, never wanted to leave the Sharks but conceded for a brief period about a month ago he contemplated looking elsewhere.
“It was tough at the time. I’ve been here a long, long time,” he said.
“I started my career here and I want to finish it here.”
Gorman on Wednesday acknowledged the Sharks leader deserved that opportunity.
“He’s an icon of the game, not just our club,” Gorman said.
“But he’s certainly behind only ET (Andrew Ettingshausen) in terms of number of games for our club.
“And there’s no doubt that he will go down in the annuls of history as one of the absolute greats and immortals over time.
“So it’s a great day for the club.”
Gallen won’t decide until next year whether or not he continues with the Sharks for a 17th season in 2017 – or heads to the English Super League.
But he still loves the game and insists his body remains up to the rigours physically.
“When you look at the games and how I’ve played them, I think bar Corey Parker I don’t think there’s any player in the league who is able to do what Corey and I do,” Gallen said.
“That’s play 80 minutes in the middle of the field and make as many tackles and as many runs that we do.
“As long as my body holds up, there’s no reason that I can’t keep going.”
Zedman
Roar Rookie
A tough uncompromising footballer that players would prefer to play with than against. Agree with Squid that he's changed his game and Ennis has helped immensely.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Yeah get your point but nah... He has still got plenty to offer. Just look at his performances and influence on the team this year....sure he has niggling injuries but he is worth his value in gold when on the field - a year late is still a couple seasons away. Again though, I'd prefer if he retired from rep footy and focused purely on the sharkies.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Fullback, centre, whatever. The point is spending the money on Gallen has gotten them nowhere, and they should have taken the opportunity to head in a different direction. As Bennett has shown, better to get rid of a player one year early then one year late.
Renegade
Roar Guru
They've got a quality halves pairing heading their way....
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Bad move by the Sharks. If they had to sign him then make it at a reduced rate. What success has spending big money on him brought the club? Nothing. He is lost to Origin every year and has become very injury prone. They should have used some of that money to forward pay a few players, freeing up money in the cap to go after a quality half or something the following year.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Gallen is a metre eater against the tightest of defences.He can offload with the best of them.He can at times hog the pill a little too much,when players are in a better position to use it to the team's advantage.That is a minus. The Sharks have won games without him,however having him on deck provides the team extra confidence and impetus ,in both attack and defence. He was about the best NSW forward in S003. Rather have him in my club/side than against me. Ennis complements Gallen well.A good signing renewal IMO.
Renegade
Roar Guru
"He has lost form".... I love it when people write baseless stuff. No forward in the comp has been better than him this year and he gets injured a lot because he is old and his body has copped a hammering for the past 15 years. I agree with you that he should give up rep footy though.
dayer
Guest
must be your love child to love him that much .... waste of money if sharks are paying overs .. he has lost form since his supplies of that power aide was exposed .. he is in withdrawal stage, as you can see that he gets injures a lot and has lost the extra "power'. he should give up SOO and repay the sharkies fulltime .
At work
Roar Rookie
What exactly does an ambassadorial role entail, is it a way to keep him playing at the club on less money next season to then be topped up in retirement, as it won't be counted in the salary cap? Or is just another way Rugby League clubs do their best to go broke. He's been doing a fair bit of media work with Triple M so I imagine he'd go straight into something like that after he stops playing
Greg
Guest
It's not only his numbers that count. Players like Fifita and Tagatese grow an extra leg with Gal on the field ripping in to them, Gal will sledge his own team mates about soft runs or tackles and without him on the field some players become lazy.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Shame for those 2 in wasn't introduced earlier
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Ennis had been a godsend. They look that much sharper with him. Would be buy of the year barring Blake Austin
The eye
Guest
never have a bad thing to say about gal or lewie..the rest are open slather
Emcie
Roar Guru
Thanks guys, always good to get a point of view outside of your own bubble
Don
Roar Rookie
I think your comment about him not suffocating play with posession going to him too often is an apt one squid. What it often came back to is a hooker and halves who will not overrule his call and play the better option. I think with Ennis you have a guy who can see where the ball should go and if Gal isn't there, more often than not he doesn't get it. With stop gap guys like John Morris and toilers like Robson running the show, if Gallen was there or abouts then he gets the ball every time. With Ennis, Jack Bird, Chad Townsend, Maloney (at halfback probably), Luke Lewis and Wade Graham, there is no need for Gallen to dominate posession and he certainly shouldn't get priority.
maximillian
Guest
Workaholic middle forwards capable of big minutes like Gallen & Parker will be worth their weight in gold when they drop the interchange down to 8 next season. With that in mind I think he will get selected for Origin again next season barring injury.
Renegade
Roar Guru
He is an icon of the club.... Puts his heart and soul in every week and is still the best forward in the game. I would've preferred he retire from rep footy as he has nothing else to prove at those levels but it's his decision - the way he is playing he can probably go another two years at club level
Squidward
Roar Rookie
The origin priority thing has been a bit frustrating in last 3 seasons But most I hear from seem to love him and even if he seems to favour origin he always seems to put 100% while in the sharks Jersey putting in those insane 200+m/20runs/35tackle/3offload numbers every time without fail And doesn't seem to suffocate the play anymore and do everything for the team now he has Lewis/Graham/heighno/fifi and some better backs unlike those years with isemonger/Fraser Anderson/Adam cuthbertson/grant millington in the forwards. Shudder. And I'll always respect him for the way he shoulder the load for the asada scandal without too much complaint. He, Morris and wade Graham kept that team together. And is one of the more interesting people to listen to that triple m bring in on weekends to talk footy. He'll have a grandstand named after him
Emcie
Roar Guru
Honest question, how do sharks fans rate gallan as a club player? I've got a couple mates that support them and their views on gal (which aren't exactly favourable) seem to be very different to how the club see him. Just wondering if their opinions are a result of living in qld or if they echo the general sentiments of sharks supporters everywhere.
Samtwocan
Guest
Hopefully QLD pick him .