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Paul Gallen is Cronulla's heart and soul
By Josh Massoud | March 31, 2009 12:00am
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THIS is what makes footy great. Filthy at losing Sunday's titanic local derby, Sharks skipper Paul Gallen storms into the dressing room and tells it straight.
"This feels like s . . .," Gallen broods.
"Boys, I want you to remember how bad this feels. There's nothing more I hate than losing - especially to those c . . . ."
At that very moment, Gallen was Cronulla.
Witness the packed hill and carnival atmosphere at Kogarah on Sunday and try convincing anyone that footy's heart doesn't beat to a tribal drum.
The game needs its sunbathed suburban grounds as much as it needs players like Gallen who personify their clubs.
Say what you want about Gallen. Call him a grub, a thug, or a mug.
But no one can deny he is a member of a rare and dying breed who enter the arena with something extra beneath their jersey.
Gallen doesn't just play for himself. He plays for his club and all it represents. Cronulla hate St George, ergo so does Gallen. He didn't even grow up in the Sutherland Shire, but as Sharks captain he has adopted the cause with the same fervour that sent David Hicks off to fight alongside the Taliban.
And that's why Cronulla can't afford to lose Gallen. Ever. Should the Sharks let him go, they'd be waving goodbye to a small and irreplaceable part of themselves.
Newcastle felt the same when Danny Buderus went to England. Ditto for Manly in the wake of Steve Menzies.
The importance of one-club players can't be overstated. They are the bedrock of tribalism that is being eroded every year by the shifting sands of the professional era.
Canberra must keep Alan Tongue. Brisbane can't lose Darren Lockyer. The Eels have to re-sign Nathan Hindmarsh. And Cronulla need Paul Gallen now more than ever.
The NRL would dearly love to bottle their commitment and loyalty. It should start tomorrow by offering clubs better salary cap incentives to keep the players that keep the fans coming back.
source http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,25265666-5016527,00.html
By Josh Massoud | March 31, 2009 12:00am
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THIS is what makes footy great. Filthy at losing Sunday's titanic local derby, Sharks skipper Paul Gallen storms into the dressing room and tells it straight.
"This feels like s . . .," Gallen broods.
"Boys, I want you to remember how bad this feels. There's nothing more I hate than losing - especially to those c . . . ."
At that very moment, Gallen was Cronulla.
Witness the packed hill and carnival atmosphere at Kogarah on Sunday and try convincing anyone that footy's heart doesn't beat to a tribal drum.
The game needs its sunbathed suburban grounds as much as it needs players like Gallen who personify their clubs.
Say what you want about Gallen. Call him a grub, a thug, or a mug.
But no one can deny he is a member of a rare and dying breed who enter the arena with something extra beneath their jersey.
Gallen doesn't just play for himself. He plays for his club and all it represents. Cronulla hate St George, ergo so does Gallen. He didn't even grow up in the Sutherland Shire, but as Sharks captain he has adopted the cause with the same fervour that sent David Hicks off to fight alongside the Taliban.
And that's why Cronulla can't afford to lose Gallen. Ever. Should the Sharks let him go, they'd be waving goodbye to a small and irreplaceable part of themselves.
Newcastle felt the same when Danny Buderus went to England. Ditto for Manly in the wake of Steve Menzies.
The importance of one-club players can't be overstated. They are the bedrock of tribalism that is being eroded every year by the shifting sands of the professional era.
Canberra must keep Alan Tongue. Brisbane can't lose Darren Lockyer. The Eels have to re-sign Nathan Hindmarsh. And Cronulla need Paul Gallen now more than ever.
The NRL would dearly love to bottle their commitment and loyalty. It should start tomorrow by offering clubs better salary cap incentives to keep the players that keep the fans coming back.
source http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,25265666-5016527,00.html
