Paul Gallen - Help or Hindrance?

[Mark^Bastard]

Snowden's game against the Bulldogs last year was his best and well above yesterday. That was after signing for the Knights but I think before hurting his back.

 

[Weaponhead]

IMO Gallen played tight in the first half yesterday and was effective. He went forward and took juice out of their pack. In the second half when we were chasing points he took it upon himself to become too involved trying to set up plays before the line. He got frustrated and involved himself even more and we saw the result. He is most effective when charging forward and looking for an offload through the line. He is not a natural ballplayer before the line.

The halves need to take control of the team and overcall him. They need to be running the team. IMO - Jeff Robson could do a job for us organising and kicking. We need someone with composure who can get the ball to the right people at the right time

 

[shark12]

Gallen in origan is there to make the hard yards and go through the defence not a ball playing forward. Gal needs to take this attitude into club games and we would be the better for it.

 

[Jigsaw]

Question.

Who is the only currently Australian player in our team?

Personally id move Gallen to 8 and Smith to 13. That way you have both internationals in there correct jumpers

 

[goodbyepenrithhellosharks]

Gal seems to be sill running in 3rd gear, lack of preseason prep, still suffering from stomach bug, upset that carney is steeling his limelight, I honestly dont know.
What I do know is twice yesterday when we were defending our line, he looked like a turnstile and I nearly cryed

 

[Mark^Bastard]

Gal seems to be sill running in 3rd gear, lack of preseason prep, still suffering from stomach bug, upset that carney is steeling his limelight, I honestly dont know.
What I do know is twice yesterday when we were defending our line, he looked like a turnstile and I nearly cryed

Agreed 100%

If any other player let those tries in they'd be dropped.

 

[sharks2010]

I don't get why gall doesn't run decoys close to the line. He will attract 2 or 3 defenders because every team will think it will go to him because it always does then throw it behind him to TC or Gards

 

[goodbyepenrithhellosharks]

I don't get why gall doesn't run decoys close to the line. He will attract 2 or 3 defenders because every team will think it will go to him because it always does then throw it behind him to TC or Gards

exactly, we had a lengthy debate on this last year and our problem stills remains. for me it come down to someone nutting up and saying **** you gal I am not giving you the ball this time.this is fine in theory but seems hard in the prac department

 

[hitman124]

Gallen is the best player I have ever seen. He does however play his best football very tight, just running the ball up the middle of the ground, time and time again, and when it comes to defense, making the hard tackles, over and over. Gallen to 8, Graham to 13.
When you think about it, Jeremy Smith has been very ordinary too.

 

[Gards]

I actually think Gal has been a bit quiet this year and not as involved offensively or defensively. Whether intentional or fatigue.

If Flanno didn't want him to play an involved role in attack you would think that would be the cse . I don't care if it's Gallen, Flanno is the coach and would have told him to stay away from the attack. I'm guessing that convo hasn't happened for whatever reason. Or he's told to stay out unless the team looks to need help...

No question though, Gallen is a great player but probaly just not a great leader in regards to poor win/loss at the Sharks. Any player would struggle here.

 

[BurgoShark]

Agreed 100%

If any other player let those tries in they'd be dropped.

Flanno hardly ever drops anyone.

Last year he dropped Williams for a game, and dropped Matt Wright down during the season, but other than that anyone who got sent down was a fringe player anyway.

The only exception to that would be Pomeroy not getting named half the time then playing anyway, Best sitting out 1 game (which they claim was injury anyway) or Townsend going back down to get NYC finals eligibility.

 

[hitman124]

Gal had a serious stomach problem only ten days ago, it may take some time to come 100 percent again.

I really don't like certain people changing thier tune on such a champion player so quickly.

 

[Mark^Bastard]

Jeremy Smith has been good hitman. He never stands out but he's a good player that does plenty of work and intimidates people.

The problem with Gallen is I think he's the longest serving employee of the club by far, including every significant person that runs the place. In some ways he has every right to act the way he does on the field, but it's definitely an issue.

 

[since1967]

Jeremy Smith has been good hitman. He never stands out but he's a good player that does plenty of work and intimidates people.

The problem with Gallen is I think he's the longest serving employee of the club by far, including every significant person that runs the place. In some ways he has every right to act the way he does on the field, but it's definitely an issue.

Agree with smith. he put bakuya through before bakuya did the double movement. It was right in front of me and i liked the look of what he did (hoping tries somethnig like this more often). From memory he put tupou through before the de gois try last week v the tigers. Maybe the wrong back rower is ball playing?

With Gal MB, Don't you think though that he wants whats best for the club, which is winning games? Surely he can see what he is doing stifles our attack. I have said it before and i'll say it again, carney will win us more games than gal. Carney hardly touched the ball yesterday in any sort of broken play position. Gal needs to be talked too, and he needs to be man enough to put his hand up and say, you know what, yes i do over play my hand, and i will change. It's because he is so competitive, he knows it. He has admitted it before while sticky was the coach.

 

[Jigsaw]

As iv said, Gallen to 8 and Smith to Lock... its our best option.

 

[Mark^Bastard]

With Gal MB, Don't you think though that he wants whats best for the club, which is winning games? Surely he can see what he is doing stifles our attack. I have said it before and i'll say it again, carney will win us more games than gal. Carney hardly touched the ball yesterday in any sort of broken play position. Gal needs to be talked too, and he needs to be man enough to put his hand up and say, you know what, yes i do over play my hand, and i will change. It's because he is so competitive, he knows it. He has admitted it before while sticky was the coach.

Of course he wants what is best for the team. I reckon he goes in knowing that he needs to let the halves run things. But once the team gets into a panic, and Gallen gets into a panic, he cares so much about the club and the team that he just tries to do whatever he can to 'help'. In the heat of the moment he probably sees Carney dropping two balls cold then going missing and thinks oh well I'll have a dig.

I don't think he's selfish, I think he's probably well intentioned.

The answer is for our halves to be good in the first place. The day our halves are on fire and we're in front and Gallen still does that i'll call it a massive issue.

 

[samshark]

There's probably a bit of truth to that MB but he still needs to step away and let the halves take control. At the end of the day Carney and Degois are goint to be more effective with the ball in hand than Gallen.

This is the thing that is stopping Gallen from being a very good player to a great player. Because he hasnt yet worked out what is necessary for him to do as captain to get his side winning.

 

[Catapultluch]

Flanno hardly ever drops anyone.

Last year he dropped Williams for a game, and dropped Matt Wright down during the season, but other than that anyone who got sent down was a fringe player anyway.

The only exception to that would be Pomeroy not getting named half the time then playing anyway, Best sitting out 1 game (which they claim was injury anyway) or Townsend going back down to get NYC finals eligibility.

Lets get real about this. Our problems during the game were not in the forwards. It was in our finishing. Our halves did not work together as a unit. Flanno needs to move Graham to lock, Gallen and Smith at second row, Gibbs, GeGois and Ross up front. Carney needs to be shifted to 5/8 and either bring an attacking/controlling half back such as Townsend, Kelly or Robson in at No 7. Our backline is **** house so until we get some help there, give us a halves conbination that can feed some good early ball.

 

[ABshark]

Gallen is the best player I have ever seen. He does however play his best football very tight, just running the ball up the middle of the ground, time and time again, and when it comes to defense, making the hard tackles, over and over. Gallen to 8, Graham to 13.
When you think about it, Jeremy Smith has been very ordinary too.

Jeremy Smith is an incredible player and had an immense game against the Tigers. To see what he does you have to just focus on him, no one else.

Of course he wants what is best for the team. I reckon he goes in knowing that he needs to let the halves run things. But once the team gets into a panic, and Gallen gets into a panic, he cares so much about the club and the team that he just tries to do whatever he can to 'help'. In the heat of the moment he probably sees Carney dropping two balls cold then going missing and thinks oh well I'll have a dig.

I don't think he's selfish, I think he's probably well intentioned.

The answer is for our halves to be good in the first place. The day our halves are on fire and we're in front and Gallen still does that i'll call it a massive issue.

I reckon its fatigue. Face it, the bloke works harder than any other player in the comp, so he plays tired almost the entire time. His decisions aren't great- that's obvious from his wayward offloads. Its not so much of an issue when he plays tight becuase his role is simplified, but when he goes wide he gets in the way. When it gets to crunch time, he wants the result so bad that he just takes the ball and tries to do it himself. Its great that he wants the responsibility, but he has to trust those around him to get the job done, even if they haven't in the past. Must be hard for him.

To me, it emphasises the lack of direction we sometimes have. We need a halfback who really controls and reads the game well, who gets his backline in shape and tells De Gois when he wants the ball- and gets it to Carney when its time. Lots of blokes going hard and giving everything at the moment, not quite enough control.

Incidentally samshark, I wrote a post here a while ago that went along similar lines but focused more on Gal's record/personality. He's undoubtably an incredible competitor, but do you reckon its because he loves winning? Or because he hates losing? Each offer different perspectives on the game IMO.

There's probably a bit of truth to that MB but he still needs to step away and let the halves take control. At the end of the day Carney and Degois are goint to be more effective with the ball in hand than Gallen.

This is the thing that is stopping Gallen from being a very good player to a great player. Because he hasnt yet worked out what is necessary for him to do as captain to get his side winning.

Agree. He has to trust his teammates. And they have to step up and deserve that faith.

 

[Mark^Bastard]

I'd say he hates losing more than loves winning. You'd have to win more to really love it. He's lost so many of his recent games that it must really hurt, and the wins are often constelation prizes as he'd know the season is over anyway a lot of the time.

It's funny. I saw a stat in an article about tipping saying the Sharks have only won one of their last 8 games without Gallen. But we've lost our last ten games anyway with him so the stat is pointless.