Gallen says his switch is a wake-up call for props
Glenn Jackson
June 10, 2011
>
**BLUES captain Paul Gallen believes his move to the front row is a sign the other aspiring NSW props need to lift their games**.
>
Coach Ricky Stuart shifted the Sharks lock up front for Origin II next Wednesday night in Sydney, ignoring several seasoned front-rowers and selecting just two specialist props to take on Queensland.
>
The Maroons had a clear victory up front through their rotation in their win in game one, especially starters Petero Civoniceva and Matt Scott, and Gallen believes Stuart's decision should serve as a rev-up for the omitted players.
>
''I've been put there,'' Gallen said. ''They need to lift their game.
>
''It's probably a wake-up call to all the front-rowers in NSW. We have been a bit unlucky with injuries, **Keith Galloway,** [Tom] Learoyd-Lahrs, [Michael] Weyman and blokes like that. Front-rowers need to play footy, they need to be playing week in, week out.''
>
Gallen said that while NSW had been criticised for changing their halves combinations during the five years of Queensland dominance, the front row had also been a problem area.
>
''We haven't really had too many front-rowers [stand up]. That's where Queensland have probably had an edge. [Steve] Pricey and
>
Petero were there for so long, and now Matt Scott and Petero. Ben Hannant's always been around there. Look at the forward pack of the Australian side over the last couple of years. It's pretty much been all Queenslanders, bar myself, 'Choc' [Anthony Watmough] and 'Lewie' [Luke Lewis] every now and then. They probably have got an edge there. I think it's a good opportunity for NSW front-rowers to stand up.''
>
Gallen said he would not have to alter his game significantly, saying he had had stints in the front row for NSW and Australia.
>
''I play tight,'' he said. ''I've played front row for Australia before. In the Anzac Test, I played 50 minutes in the front row. It's not going to be new to me.
>
''I've done it before at this level. In game one I played a lot of the game in the front row. Our front-rowers probably struggled a little bit, so I played a lot up there.
>
''I'm just going to get out there and play.
>
''My game's not going to change much. If anything it's going to be easier for me, because I won't have to chase the ball as much. When I play lock, I do a lot of support inside the halfback.''
>
Gallen spoke to former Blues front-rowers Glenn Lazarus and Steve Roach yesterday, who gave the Cronulla player pointers on his new position.
>
''He [Lazarus] has seen the way I play at club level and in Origin before,'' Gallen said. ''I am on the ball a lot, following the ball around and supporting.
>
''He just said to let it come to me this time, just stay in that zone between the two 20-metre lines and just let the ball come to me, rather than chasing it so much.''
>
Asked if he expected the Maroons to try to trample him, Gallen said: ''They'll probably run at me, but I make my fair share of tackles. I'm not too worried.''
>
Gallen said he expected to be playing more minutes than the specialists props in the team but said it would not affect his captaincy significantly.
>
''I hate coming off the field, but I don't think I'll be playing 80,'' Gallen said.
>
''I think I'll be used more as a normal front-rower, maybe play an extra five or ten minutes than what they would.
>
''All I'm after is a result. If that's the right thing for the team, to get the result, I don't care.''
>
Gallen doesn't expect Wednesday night's clash to be a one-off in the position. His future may lie, he believes, in the front row if the number of interchanges was reduced.
>
''If interchange changes, it probably will be [my future] in two or three years' time,'' he said. ''Not at the moment. I'm there for a necessity.''
What an insult.
Come on sauce lets show them.
Glenn Jackson
June 10, 2011
>
**BLUES captain Paul Gallen believes his move to the front row is a sign the other aspiring NSW props need to lift their games**.
>
Coach Ricky Stuart shifted the Sharks lock up front for Origin II next Wednesday night in Sydney, ignoring several seasoned front-rowers and selecting just two specialist props to take on Queensland.
>
The Maroons had a clear victory up front through their rotation in their win in game one, especially starters Petero Civoniceva and Matt Scott, and Gallen believes Stuart's decision should serve as a rev-up for the omitted players.
>
''I've been put there,'' Gallen said. ''They need to lift their game.
>
''It's probably a wake-up call to all the front-rowers in NSW. We have been a bit unlucky with injuries, **Keith Galloway,** [Tom] Learoyd-Lahrs, [Michael] Weyman and blokes like that. Front-rowers need to play footy, they need to be playing week in, week out.''
>
Gallen said that while NSW had been criticised for changing their halves combinations during the five years of Queensland dominance, the front row had also been a problem area.
>
''We haven't really had too many front-rowers [stand up]. That's where Queensland have probably had an edge. [Steve] Pricey and
>
Petero were there for so long, and now Matt Scott and Petero. Ben Hannant's always been around there. Look at the forward pack of the Australian side over the last couple of years. It's pretty much been all Queenslanders, bar myself, 'Choc' [Anthony Watmough] and 'Lewie' [Luke Lewis] every now and then. They probably have got an edge there. I think it's a good opportunity for NSW front-rowers to stand up.''
>
Gallen said he would not have to alter his game significantly, saying he had had stints in the front row for NSW and Australia.
>
''I play tight,'' he said. ''I've played front row for Australia before. In the Anzac Test, I played 50 minutes in the front row. It's not going to be new to me.
>
''I've done it before at this level. In game one I played a lot of the game in the front row. Our front-rowers probably struggled a little bit, so I played a lot up there.
>
''I'm just going to get out there and play.
>
''My game's not going to change much. If anything it's going to be easier for me, because I won't have to chase the ball as much. When I play lock, I do a lot of support inside the halfback.''
>
Gallen spoke to former Blues front-rowers Glenn Lazarus and Steve Roach yesterday, who gave the Cronulla player pointers on his new position.
>
''He [Lazarus] has seen the way I play at club level and in Origin before,'' Gallen said. ''I am on the ball a lot, following the ball around and supporting.
>
''He just said to let it come to me this time, just stay in that zone between the two 20-metre lines and just let the ball come to me, rather than chasing it so much.''
>
Asked if he expected the Maroons to try to trample him, Gallen said: ''They'll probably run at me, but I make my fair share of tackles. I'm not too worried.''
>
Gallen said he expected to be playing more minutes than the specialists props in the team but said it would not affect his captaincy significantly.
>
''I hate coming off the field, but I don't think I'll be playing 80,'' Gallen said.
>
''I think I'll be used more as a normal front-rower, maybe play an extra five or ten minutes than what they would.
>
''All I'm after is a result. If that's the right thing for the team, to get the result, I don't care.''
>
Gallen doesn't expect Wednesday night's clash to be a one-off in the position. His future may lie, he believes, in the front row if the number of interchanges was reduced.
>
''If interchange changes, it probably will be [my future] in two or three years' time,'' he said. ''Not at the moment. I'm there for a necessity.''
What an insult.
Come on sauce lets show them.
