NSW and Sharks star Paul Gallen has revealed he only ended up at Cronulla because he was "never really given a go" at Parramatta.
Gallen has cemented a reputation as one of the NRL's best back-rowers after rising through the ranks to represent the Blues and the Kangaroos. But the Parramatta junior said he was forced to head south because the Eels - the team he faces at Toyota Stadium today - didn't rate him when he was coming up through the grades.
"I played SG Ball for them, that's it. I'm from the district but I wouldn't call myself an ex-Parramatta player, that's for sure," Gallen told The Sun-Herald. "I wasn't really getting a look-in there and decided to go elsewhere. I wanted to move away from the area and I knew one of the Cronulla trainers at the time.
"That's how it all happened. It wasn't a planned thing. I wanted to move away from the area anyway and I've been here [Cronulla] ever since
and I couldn't be happier."
Gallen is the man the Eels let slip away. He grew up in Greystanes and played for Wentworthville, but was told he wasn't even good enough to make their Harold Matthews team. However, if you think the nuggety enforcer is dirty or will use his snubbing as motivation against his former club today, you're dead wrong.
In fact, if the Sharks don't go on to win the title, he hopes the blue-and-golds will. "I've always got a soft spot for them," Gallen said.
"As far as the Parramatta team goes, the only guy I really played with was Luke Burt in SG Ball. I don't have any real ties to the area.
"But I always hope that if we don't do any good, that they go good.
"I didn't really go for any one team when I was a kid but a lot of my friends go for Parramatta
and my brothers play out that way. It's always enjoyable playing against them."
The Cronulla captain even said his decision to recently re-sign with the Sharks was partly inspired by Eels forward Nathan Hindmarsh.
"For him to stay at one club, it gave me a bit of motivation to stay at our club," he said.
"He's a pretty big person in the game, he's got a pretty big stature and is well respected by the players.
"My old man also wanted me to stay at the one club, it was probably more his idea. If you stay at the one club your whole career and manage to win a competition, it makes it more special."
The previous encounter between the two teams was decided in golden point, with the Sharks prevailing 25-24 in a thriller last August.
On that occasion, Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart was so incensed with the officiating, he punched a hole in the coach's box at Parramatta Stadium. Gallen offered to patch up the damage, gratis.
"The mate I live with is a painter, but he never had to do it - Parramatta just sent Ricky the bill," Gallen said.
"It was a good night for us, Brett Seymour kicked a field goal. He's been in good form, so we'll throw the ball to him again if we need another one.
"We're renowned for having tight games with some teams and that's what has happened with Parramatta recently. It will probably be another close game, especially if it's a dry track.
"We've been working hard on our attack and the Eels have some good attacking players.
"We're not winning pretty but at at least we're winning. There'd be plenty of other teams that would like to be on 20 [competition] points with us.
"The Eels had a slow start to the season but they've done that the last few years, started slow but come good."
