Paul Gallen sticks up for 'dirty player' Blair

An unlikely ally has emerged for Adam Blair in the wake of Gorden Tallis’ scathing attack on the New Zealand forward – Kangaroos hardman Paul Gallen.

Tallis claimed Blair was “one of the dirtiest players” after being charged for his chicken wing tackle on Kangaroo Sam Thaiday, the Kiwi enforcer’s teammate at NRL club Brisbane.

Blair submitted an early guilty plea on Tuesday and will miss Friday’s clash with Manly on a one-match ban for the ugly tackle in New Zealand’s 16-0 Test loss to Australia last Friday night.

But Gallen stood up for Blair, saying the fact his Kiwi rival’s Brisbane teammates later dismissed Tallis’ spray indicated he “can’t be all bad”.

“I think Andrew McCullough summed it up best – he would have him in every team he plays in,” Gallen told Sky Sports Radio.

“I don’t know Adam.

“But if guys like McCullough are going in to bat for him he must be doing something right.

“And he is playing for his country and won grand finals – he can’t be all bad.”

Tallis also claimed Blair used tactics in the NRL not becoming of a Bronco.

“I am disappointed he wears the Broncos jersey and plays like that,” Tallis said.

Gallen tried to put Tallis’ comments in perspective.

“Gordie has given him a fair spray,” he said.

“But Gordie is paid to give an opinion and he generally has one on most things and they can be controversial.”

Brisbane forward Jarrod Wallace laughed off the incident, saying Thaiday would not hold a grudge.

“I am sure they would have had a laugh after the game – they will be right,” he smiled.

Hooker McCullough believed the incident had been blown out of proportion.

“He could have done a lot worse than he did – that’s Test football,” he said.

“Sam is a big boy. He will be fine.

“It gets blown out of proportion a little bit.”

Blair will miss Brisbane’s NRL clash against Manly at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.