Recharged Gallen ready for finals shot
Sep 3, 2017 - 5:32 PM Cronulla captain Paul Gallen has sounded an NRL finals warning with a barnstorming performance in the Sharks' last-round win over Newcastle.Gallen warmed up for the elimination final with Brisbane by posting a mammoth 272 metres, seven offloads and five tackle busts in the 26-18 victory.
"He was outstanding. The score kicked out at one stage, and I was going to give him an early mark, but he doesn't like getting early marks," coach Shane Flanagan said.
"He went over to the left edge, he probably hasn't played left edge for three or four years, and did a great job over there. He was fantastic."
Gallen, who also set up a line break and a crucial try for debutant Jesse Ramien, was substituted midway through the second half but returned to finish a 73-minute stint.
"He didn't need to come off. Even though he is 40, he can still play 80. We gave him a spell today and he had to go out because Jayson Bukuya had an injury," Flanagan said.
The 36-year-old Gallen, who played in all 24 regular-season games for the Sharks this year, credited his form to his retirement from the representative arena.
"Not having the stress of rep football has been huge. As much as I loved it and everyone wants to play rep footy, my time was up and I retired from that last year," Gallen said.
"I really noticed the weight lifted off my shoulders and just worrying about the club made it a whole lot easier for me personally.
"But it's all about where we are now, and that's going into a semi-finals series.
"We didn't finish top four, where we wanted to finish, (where) we thought we could finish, but it's a new competition next week. The most important game of our season is coming up."
Source: AAP
No one has shouted yet.
Be the first!
Be the first!
Related News
- Holmes to remain Sharks No.1: Flanagan Dec 5
- Brailey signs with NRL Sharks until 2020 Nov 26
- Moylan our five-eighth for now: Flanagan Nov 9
- Sharks blast Bennett over false Bird claim Nov 3
- Sharks not commenting on Pearce NRL talk Nov 1
- Gorman leaves Sharks, linked with Manly Oct 29
- Skipper Gallen earns Sharks award Sep 18
- Sharks' Maloney refuses to blame NRL refs Sep 12
- Ill-discipline costs Sharks' title defence Sep 10
- Cowboys end Sharks' NRL title defence Sep 10
- Flanagan's lists ref errors from NRL final Sep 10
- Paul Green piles more pressure on Sharks Sep 9