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| Gallen and Pearce during Wednesday night's humiliation against Queensland. Both player's futures in the Origin jersey are clouded. |
The New
South Wales captain, Paul Gallen, and halfback of 2015, Mitchell Pearce, both find
themselves in curious predicaments following Wednesday night’s loss to
Queensland. Gallen is nearing the end of a polarizing career that has spanned
almost 15 years at the top level of Rugby League. Pearce is in the middle of
his career, at the claimed prime position of the average ten year window Rugby
League players are said to have in the game. Both players have recognitions
and awards for what they have done on the football field but they are facing
intriguing situations that will have path-determining effects on their future
in Rugby League.
The might of
the Queensland State of Origin team over the last decade has had a significant influence
on both Paul Gallen and Mitchell Pearce. They have continually had to turn up
and be defeated and at times humiliated by the power of the future-immortals led
Maroons side. I
n what must be a soul-deflating couple of months each winter,
Gallen has played in nine origin series’ since 2006. He has won only once.
Without disrespecting Gallen, that is an incredibly sad record to hold. He must
have felt so much pain over that length of time, year after year coming away
with nothing. It appears Gallen developed through this time a feeling that
everyone was against him, with Queensland often getting the rub-of-the-green on
contentious game-defining decisions that would break the motivation and soul of
the New South Wales side.
Playing with Cronulla, who are often considered to be
a shambolic club that haven’t won anything, ever, and that realistically, not
too many people care about, has not helped this feeling of being ripped off,
under the pump, written off and soul-sucking sense of losing, or not getting
anywhere. Gallen is, or used to be, one of the most penalized players in the
competition. He would always seem to give away a penalty just as his team was
making progress in a game, and just about every time he would argue the penalty
with the referee. He is often seen in pleading arguments with the men in the
middle, rarely does he accept he gave away a penalty at a key part of the game.
At times, it appears it’s everyone else’s fault, but Paul Gallen’s.
He is now in
some form of limbo as he has not yet signed an NRL contract with Cronulla for
next season. Wanting a one year deal for the 2016 season, Gallen was at the
center of controversy once again before game three after his club coach, Shane
Flanagan revealed Gallen wouldn’t be playing Origin next year. While Gallen
would have loved to have made this public after a NSW series win, he was thrown
under the bus by his coach and had to dispel Flanagan’s comments as wishes
rather than fact.
Whether Gallen does play origin next year or not, his
commitment in a long and loyal 15 years at Cronulla has earned him a contract
at the Sharks but in signing him for just one year, are Cronulla risking future
player development and future salary cap maneuvers. If you’re going to sign
someone for one year, wouldn’t it be with the hope they could actually help you
win a premiership? While Gallen can obviously genuinely do this, the Sharks
just don’t have the roster to make this a reality.
But with some of the most
talented juniors in the country on their books and titles at youth level, maybe
it is time for the Sharks and Gallen to go their separate ways. A transition
from Gallen’s leadership and a fresh start may just be what the Sharks need
after some tumultuous years. Whether it
is next year or the one after, it’s going to happen eventually.
Gallen has stated
before he would love to play overseas in the English Super League and with the
door now open for big money deals in the Northern Hemisphere competition via a
marquee player signing exemption from the salary cap, the Cronulla and NSW
skipper would be ideally suited to guiding a club in Nothern England. A hard,
passionate and determined player, Gallen would thrive in the growing Super
league.
Pearce, has
probably just reached the end of his representative career at origin level. He
made his debut at the age of 19, returned for a stint two years after, and then
played for three years straight before being dropped for last year’s series.
Strangely, he was given another chance by NSW coach Laurie Daley this year
despite the only Blues series win coming without Pearce in the side. With huge
pressure on the Roosters halfback to finally deliver, or at least play a hand
in, a Blues series victory this year, it was always going to be a tough ride
for the now 26-year-old son of Rugby League legend, Wayne Pearce. After going
missing when the Blues needed someone to step up in game one, Pearce put in a
solid performance in game two and many began to think this could finally be the
time he would get the egg of his back. But with the Blues steamrolled on
Wednesday night, and Pearce having little to no impact, it will surely be the
last time the halfback is seen on a State of Origin field. Unbelievably, is has
no become clear that Pearce directed a barrage of banter at legendary halfback
Jonathan Thurston during the first two games. For a bloke who was questionably given
another chance in that arena, Pearce clearly didn’t understand the concept of
going quietly about your business and letting your actions and results speak
for themselves.
But that
doesn’t mean the end for Mitchell Pearce, who is a premiership winner after
being part of the 2013 Sydney Roosters side. It was in this year that Pearce
recovered strongly from his origin loss and ultimately dumping. He was part of
a club that was transformed under rookie coach Trent Robinson, led by a revival
both on and off the field that saw the players coming together through strict
dietary, personal and social sacrifices. Many of these inspired by the elite
athlete and unique individual that is Sonny Bill Williams. There is no doubt
the influence of Williams would have helped Pearce reach the highest
achievement in the game.
Pearce should return to club football, and focus on
nothing but that for the rest of his career. Manly players have has wonderfully
successful careers at club level and missed out on being a representative star.
One halfback that Pearce could consider echoing is former Titans halfback,
Scott Prince. Prince was a premiership winner at the Tigers, but never went on
to feature in representative teams. Despite this, he played 300 games, was
captain of two clubs and won a Clive Churchill medal. On top of this, he was
one of the most humble and likeable players in the game.
Pearce will
no doubt continue his playing career with the Sydney Roosters for many years to
come, and will quite possibly achieve more success at club level, but for now
it looks like he won’t be found in a representative side. But this presents enormous
opportunity for Pearce to show what he is truly made of, and chance for a
determined fightback. But barring leading the Roosters into a Grand Final, it’s
difficult to see him playing State of Origin again.
Gallen faces
some tough personal decisions on his playing future, and with the Cronulla
Sharks his career club, it’s hard to see him accepting an NRL contract with any
other club. He will either be given and accept a deal at the sharks or shift
abroad. His future with the NSW side will also be at the forefront of his
future in the NRL, if he had of won the series on Wednesday night, he probably
would have stepped away from Origin and dedicated himself to the Sharks for a
final year. But no one likes to go out a loser and if he plays in the NRL next
year, it’s likely he’d have another crack with the Blues. That is, if the coach
decides to select the ageing forward.
As always in
Rugby League, only time will tell.