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Celebrating Gallen and Farah before the state moves on drastically unaffected without them

18th June, 2017
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Paul Gallen won't feature in State of Origin Game 2. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Expert
18th June, 2017
40
1369 Reads

New South Wales should stop to appreciate the invaluable contributions made by Paul Gallen and Robbie Farah before our team makes further headway in their absence.

Much of the state used the glorious Game 1 thrashing of Queensland as an opportunity to highlight negatives and apportion blame, mainly because we’ve become allergic to euphoria.

This meant that instead of lauding the achievements of the 17 men on the paddock as we experienced this foreign sensation apparently called ‘delight’, many emphasised the vital contribution to the win made by Gallen and Farah.

This is obviously unfair, and we should really get ourselves checked out by a professional.

So with the Blues on the cusp of winning a series upon their immediate departure, we should take the opportunity to commemorate the tireless service they provided to a decade brimming with a series win.

History may paint the recent past in a negative light, but Gallen and Farah will be fondly remembered as the gladiators unjustly conscripted to lead the state into countless campaigns of predictable Queensland ambushes.

On many occasions they produced numerous single-handed superhuman performances to restrict the enemy to a reasonably low score, and often the Blues to an even lower one.

But while they will be remembered for leadership qualities that knew no bounds, it is their legacy as revolutionaries that has left an indelible mark on the arena.

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Farah changed the game forever by proving you can be picked from the most helpless position on the first-grade fringes provided the coach is indiscriminately loyal, while Gallen killed off punching.

Paul Gallen tackles Queensland player Nate Myles

(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Many say they will be best remembered for their on-field exhibits of truly terrifying fire and brimstone – sometimes even directed towards the opposition – but it is the unspoken moments in camp that are most cherished.

Teammates were deeply moved by their bristling desire to help others, using the example of Gallen’s single-minded approach to cracking the wifi password in the team hotel by always taking the first, second, fourth and last attempts.

They also lovingly recall Farah’s steely dedication to the battle regardless of the circumstances, best typified the night he tussled with Gallen for choice of movie at a camp bonding activity.

Such was their refusal to concede, it eventually resulted in a television ban which was blamed on Mitchell Pearce.

Theirs was a contribution to the state that is going sadly unnoticed. It is like having our own pair of Tim Glasbys.

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Please take the time to remember the fine groundwork they have laid for the state’s imminent success – a heavenly golden period which newspapers have modestly predicted will last for 10 to 15 series – in which they will have no implication.

They busted a gut for a decade we’d all prefer to forget, and we must remember them, at least until we win on Wednesday night and move on.

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