News ‘Don’t pay overs’: Paul Gallen hits back at Dean Pay over Kieran Foran salary cap relief

djdeep4172

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I hope I speak on behalf of many when sincerely requesting that Paul Gallen keep his mouth well and truly closed on matters pertaining to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Earlier this week, Gallen felt the need to enter into the discussion around the clubs’ long and problematic rebuild, the unfortunate injury to five-eighth Kieran Foran and the blue and whites’ claim for salary cap relief.

The former Cronulla Sharks captain, who now works in the media offering his expert opinions and thoughts on all things rugby league, seemed a little miffed with the A$350,000 salary cap relief coming Canterbury’s way.
That money is compensation for the Bulldogs’ one million dollar man who will be lucky to see the field in 2020. When Foran suffered a serious shoulder injury whilst representing New Zealand in November, significant surgery was the only option if the star pivot wished to play rugby league again.

According to NRL rules, the club is entitled to request compensation and did so. To make matters worse, Chris Smith also suffered a season ending injury in the All-Stars match and the club could well feel somewhat cursed leading into a season that many had hoped would be one of significant improvement.

He doubled down by suggesting that the Bulldogs and other clubs may have in fact contributed to their own situations by paying “overs” to prominent players.

Canterbury coach Dean Pay openly expressed his belief that the NRL could do more to protect clubs that lose star players in representative fixtures; wondering where he is meant to pick up another Kieran Foran for $350,000.

He can’t. However, Gallen had little sympathy, citing the rough and tumble physical nature of rugby league and suggesting that injuries are par for the course, expected and something for which compensation should not be forthcoming.

In an interview with WWOS radio, Gallen made his view quite clear. “Injuries are part and parcel of the game, if you want to buy those players and they get injured playing rep footy, I just think it’s bad luck.”


The irony of his comment was not lost on many, with the Sharks salary cap issues of 2015 and 2017 (they were of course compliant in the premiership year of 2016) an obvious attempt to illegally pay overs to lure quality players to the club.

Moreover, former Sharks coach Shane Flanagan, whilst serving a 12 month ban for his role in the supplements saga, made illegal contact with players and played a role in both recruitment and retention. Hence, not only were the books cooked, they were also partly cooked by a man not permitted to even be in the kitchen.

The broader rugby league community now seems prepared to allow much of the goings on at Cronulla to pass, with Flanagan now returning to the coaching ranks at St George-Illawarra and the 2016 premiership trophy still on the mantle-piece.

Perhaps as a means of diversion, Gallen has chosen to offer his two cents worth in the form of advice to the Bulldogs. Quite frankly, the club should have told him thanks, but no thanks and might we also suggest you have a little dig around the Sharks’ back yard before you storm into ours with your thoughtless words.

Insultingly and in the same interview, Gallen took a veiled swipe at Foran when he suggested that clubs often err by “paying overs” and not establishing clearly that a player is “at the club for the right reasons.”

Obviously the acquisition and eventual departure of former Bulldogs full-back Ben Barba from the Sharks has escaped Gallen’s memory. The sole reason behind that deal was premiership success, with full knowledge of Barba’s troubled past available to the club and ignored by the powers at be.

It seems Gallen’s free advice might be a little “pot calling the kettle black”. It would also be fair to suggest that Sharks utility Josh Dugan may very well be the king of “overs”.

Gallen seems to have slipped nicely into his role in the mainstream media where the odd “dog bash” is par for the course. He will fit in well.

However, it might be more productive if he actually took the advice given by many Bulldogs fans after hearing his comments; kept his mouth closed and worried a little more about keeping his own house in order.
 

bowleggedwog

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Gal loves the sound of his own voice. A drug cheat, he is also captain of a club that got caught cheating the cap for many years. Should have been stripped of the premiership. Cheating big or cheating small is still cheating. A narcissistic headline.
 

CeeEss

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I take zero notice of convicted drug cheats. I will literally turn the tv or radio off when he comes on.
 

Dogtime

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Sharks legend Paul Gallen has hit back at Bulldogs coach Dean Pay, after he suggested the NRL needs to do more in terms of salary cap relief for injured representative stars.

The Bulldogs will be without big money five-eighth Kieran Foran for 2020 after he suffered a shoulder injury during a Test match for New Zealand last year.

The Bulldogs also lost Chris Smith to an ACL injury during last weekend’s All Stars clash.

Canterbury received $350,000 in salary cap relief for Foran but Pay believes it is not enough to cover for the loss of the $1 million plus star.

“No, I don’t,” Pay told The Daily Telegraph when asked if the Foran amount was sufficient.

“We pay them, we prepare them to go and play in the rep teams. They get hurt and we are the ones who get left in the lurch.

“How in the hell can we buy a like-for-like with Kieran Foran?

“When you get rep players and they are playing for New Zealand or Australia, they are not on $350,000.”

However Gallen took exception to Pay’s comments and believes that injuries are inevitable in a contact sport.

“It’s a hard one when they get injured in games like that (All Stars),” Gallen told WWOS radio.

“I have to say, I disagree. Every club wants rep players in their club.

“They all want to buy representative players, they want representative players there to help the culture of the place, but also because they’re the best players.

“When you buy those players, you know they will be playing for Queensland, NSW, Australia, New Zealand, whoever it may be.

“Injuries are part and parcel of the game, if you want to buy those players and they get injured playing rep footy, I just think it’s bad luck.”


Kieran Foran suffered a long-term shoulder injury playing for the Kiwis.Source: Getty Images

Gallen believes the onus is on the clubs to not overextend themselves on one or two players to minimise the damage when a star player goes down.

“The key to it is, not paying too much money for those players, Gallen said.

“Not paying overs to get those players to your club and making sure those players want to be at the club for the right reasons.

“Therefore, you don’t have to pay too much money for them, therefore the backup that comes in, can do the job probably not as good, but can certainly fill the space.”
What weed is Gallen smoking. seriously?? $350k is a token amount unrelated to the value of a representative players worth. Given we have a cap we must have a system that compensates a team for the fair market value, not necessarily the contract value, of a representative player suffering an injury in a rep game. Using Gallens argument all players are created equally. Thats socialist bullshit.
 

wendog33

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I would say majority of league supporters have little to no interest in his views.

One of the most polarising and hated players and why TV stations think that he offers any value to their programs, beats me. I guarantee Queensland viewers would turn off the TV quicker :grinning:
I take zero notice of convicted drug cheats. I will literally turn the tv or radio off when he comes on.
 
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