Brent Read - The Australian
3/06/2011 11:11:30 AM
As Paul Gallen prepares to celebrate his 10th anniversary in first grade, the man who handed him his debut a decade ago believes the Cronulla captain has done enough to be rated alongside the greatest players in the club's history.
Former Sharks coach John Lang gave a teenage Gallen his first start against Parramatta on June 3, 2001, kick-starting a career which has garnered nine State of Origin games, 16 Tests and close to 200 first grade games.
Statistics alone, however, don't tell the full story. Gallen has been a driving force for the Sharks through a difficult period, spurning offers from rival clubs and rarely playing a bad game.
Lang believes that alone means Gallen deserves to be rated alongside the Sharks' immortals - Steve Rogers, Andrew Ettingshausen, Gavin Miller, Tommy Bishop and Greg Pierce.
"He is probably unfortunate in his time they haven't had a lot of success," said Lang, who was at the Sharks for eight years and now coaches South Sydney.
"They have had a few good years but there's been a lot of long, cold winters. If you look at the games he has played and the consistency he has been a tower of strength in tough times.
"People tend to remember the guys who played in finals. When you think about it, he would go right up in that top echelon and he's still at the top of his game now (and) he has a few seasons in him yet.
"He's going to deserve to be talked about in that ilk."
Lang remembers being struck by Gallen's raw power and explosiveness - the same qualities which have the Brisbane Broncos on high alert tonight as they travel to Toyota Stadium.
It will be the scene of a double celebration - Gallen's 10 year anniversary and Darren Lockyer's last game in Sydney.
"I remember he had his little brother in the shed after the game," Lang said.
"He made a pretty good impression right from the jump. We hadn't recruited many young blokes but we opened the purse strings and recruited some that year. He was one of them. He was obviously the best.
"He was a strong tackler and a power runner. He was built like he is now at 19. I think what really stood out was that raw power. He was an explosive runner."
Only 29, Gallen still has time on his side. By the end of his career, he could surge past the likes of Rogers and Ettingshausen to become the greatest Shark.
"Paul has had a great career," Lang said.
"He is going to be one of the great Sharks players. He has been a tower of strength in some pretty tough times. I think unfortunately at some stage of his career he was billed as a hitman.
"Sometimes you get billed as that you have to live up to it. Sometimes over the years there has been a bit of frustration there too. He has carried a very big load there.
"He's such an important player to them. Jack Gibson has a saying that you would rather let a player go a year too early than a year too late.
"I think in his case, if I was at the Sharks, I would keep him a year too long. I think he deserves it."
Former Sharks teammate and Australian International, Jason Stevens, says Gallen was always destined for greatness.
"I remember when he made his debut," Stevens said.
"He came onto the field to replace me.
"He told me to p*** off, took the ball and just ran at the defence.
"From there I knew he was going to be a very special player."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...-great-john-lang/story-e6frg7mf-1226068240437
3/06/2011 11:11:30 AM
As Paul Gallen prepares to celebrate his 10th anniversary in first grade, the man who handed him his debut a decade ago believes the Cronulla captain has done enough to be rated alongside the greatest players in the club's history.
Former Sharks coach John Lang gave a teenage Gallen his first start against Parramatta on June 3, 2001, kick-starting a career which has garnered nine State of Origin games, 16 Tests and close to 200 first grade games.
Statistics alone, however, don't tell the full story. Gallen has been a driving force for the Sharks through a difficult period, spurning offers from rival clubs and rarely playing a bad game.
Lang believes that alone means Gallen deserves to be rated alongside the Sharks' immortals - Steve Rogers, Andrew Ettingshausen, Gavin Miller, Tommy Bishop and Greg Pierce.
"He is probably unfortunate in his time they haven't had a lot of success," said Lang, who was at the Sharks for eight years and now coaches South Sydney.
"They have had a few good years but there's been a lot of long, cold winters. If you look at the games he has played and the consistency he has been a tower of strength in tough times.
"People tend to remember the guys who played in finals. When you think about it, he would go right up in that top echelon and he's still at the top of his game now (and) he has a few seasons in him yet.
"He's going to deserve to be talked about in that ilk."
Lang remembers being struck by Gallen's raw power and explosiveness - the same qualities which have the Brisbane Broncos on high alert tonight as they travel to Toyota Stadium.
It will be the scene of a double celebration - Gallen's 10 year anniversary and Darren Lockyer's last game in Sydney.
"I remember he had his little brother in the shed after the game," Lang said.
"He made a pretty good impression right from the jump. We hadn't recruited many young blokes but we opened the purse strings and recruited some that year. He was one of them. He was obviously the best.
"He was a strong tackler and a power runner. He was built like he is now at 19. I think what really stood out was that raw power. He was an explosive runner."
Only 29, Gallen still has time on his side. By the end of his career, he could surge past the likes of Rogers and Ettingshausen to become the greatest Shark.
"Paul has had a great career," Lang said.
"He is going to be one of the great Sharks players. He has been a tower of strength in some pretty tough times. I think unfortunately at some stage of his career he was billed as a hitman.
"Sometimes you get billed as that you have to live up to it. Sometimes over the years there has been a bit of frustration there too. He has carried a very big load there.
"He's such an important player to them. Jack Gibson has a saying that you would rather let a player go a year too early than a year too late.
"I think in his case, if I was at the Sharks, I would keep him a year too long. I think he deserves it."
Former Sharks teammate and Australian International, Jason Stevens, says Gallen was always destined for greatness.
"I remember when he made his debut," Stevens said.
"He came onto the field to replace me.
"He told me to p*** off, took the ball and just ran at the defence.
"From there I knew he was going to be a very special player."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...-great-john-lang/story-e6frg7mf-1226068240437
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