NSW coach Laurie Daley says controversial backrower Paul Gallen will remain captain of the Blues for the 2015 State of Origin series. Gallen’s foul-mouthed Twitter tirade directed at NRL officials last month resulted in a fine and prompted talk of him being stripped of the NSW captaincy.
But Daley told News Corp the Cronulla star will stay as leader of the Blues. “If Paul Gallen is fit, he will captain NSW next year,” Daley said. The public backing from Daley comes a few weeks after NSWRL chairman George Peponis did the same.
“The support from everyone involved with the Blues has been unbelievable,” said Gallen, who is currently serving an ASADA-imposed anti-doping ban along with Sharks team-mates from the 2011 season. “We’ve got a really tight bunch and the Blues are building something special. It’s nice to know Laurie is saying I will be captain.”
The NRL suspended $15,000 of the $50,000 imposed on Gallen for the Twitter rant. Gallen was initially slugged with a $50,000 fine after he took to Twitter while on holiday in Hawaii to express his disappointment at the sacking of Cronulla chief executive Steve Noyce.
“Steve Noice [sic] actually cared about players from cronulla’s feelings. Couldn’t say that about any other cunt from Nrl.” Gallen wrote, before later deleting the post.
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