Origin hero and Cronulla Sharks Paul Gallen talks about his real inspiration - his kids

ORIGIN captain Paul Gallen inspired NSW on Wednesday night but yesterday he revealed that what inspires him are his children.

ORIGIN captain Paul Gallen inspired NSW on Wednesday night but yesterday he revealed that what inspires him are his children.

“I knew we had to win because Kody likes to run on to the pitch afterwards and he can only do that when we win,” said Gallen yesterday.

“If we lose I just get cranky and storm off.”

Luckily for the football mad three-year-old, his dad led the Blues to a historic win and picked up the man of the match award into the bargain.

While Kody charged around the pitch, his five-year-old sister Charly was fast asleep in the stands.

“She doesn’t care about football at all,” laughed Gallen, who spent yesterday afternoon watching her play netball.

It has been a tough two years for Gallen and his club the Cronulla Sharks, who have had to endure the ASADA supplements investigation.

“I guess that has made me think that mental health is a serious issue. It’s been hard for everyone here and if it had not been for one particular trainer and some really good family I — well it’s been tough,” he says.

Those issues prompted the 32-year-old to front the NRL’s State of Mind campaign on depression with Queensland’s Nate Myles.

He is getting his “game head on” for the Sharks game against Manly tonight. And he has his eyes on a series whitewash — it has been 14 years since NSW won all three Origins.

“I really want to be picking up that cup after a win,” he said. And Kody wants to be right there with him.