Paul Gallen has been called up to play for City against Country

PAUL Gallen is set to step out of representative retirement and play for City but a State of Origin comeback is not on the table.

Shark's Paul Gallen is considering coming out of rep retirement. Picture: Gregg Porteous

• NRL DAILY: Live rolling league coverage

• REYNOLDS: Grub will give Tigers back their bite

THE words Paul Gallen and stress-free are rarely combined to describe the ageless leader.

Finally at peace in both life and football, they are the words which help explain the 35-year-old’s honour in receiving City Origin coach Brad Fittler’s phone call and why an unlikely comeback in this year’s State of Origin series with NSW, is far from reality.

Pulling on the blue-and-gold jersey he first wore in 2006 under Tim Sheens, Gallen has stepped-out of representative retirement to lead Fittler’s City Origin side against Country in the last-ever instalment of the concept at Mudgee on May 7.

It was Fittler who planted the seed in Gallen’s mind about playing for City during a phone call last month.

Brad Fittler has asked Paul Gallen to represent City. Picture: Gregg Porteous

“I was a bit hesitant and I just wanted to see how I was feeling and how the body was going and how I was playing,’’ Gallen said.

“And so when he (Fittler) rang me again a couple of days ago, I spoke to my wife about it and she said; ‘yeah go for it.’

“We’ve got a good relationship me and Flanno (Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan), he knows where I put the club and he so he left up to me.

“It feels good, I’m excited.’

Standing alongside Gallen at Thursday’s City-Country jersey reveal, NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley was adamant there had been no dialogue between he and the former Blues captain about an Origin salvo.

TEAM LISTS: All the late mail for Round 9

CRAWLEY FILES: The refs system is failing

And while predictably Gallen said “it would be hard to knock back if Laurie asked me to come back for NSW,” the slacked shoulders and beaming smile, indicated much more about Gallen’s unwavering ability to rank behind fullbacks Tom Trbjoveic and James Tedesco, for most metres in the NRL.

“I’ve just been really enjoying the way I’ve been playing at Cronulla. I’ve been really happy with my performances,’’ Gallen said.

“Ron Massey use to ring me last year and say ‘I’ll judge you on your performances, not on your age.’’

“And I suppose that’s where I’m at. Judge me by what I’m doing on the field, not my age.

“Let’s be honest, it’s not like I’m just going to walk back into Origin.

“No one owns a NSW spot or jersey.

“I don’t know what to think about Origin because I’m just enjoying my club footy so much.

“It’s like the stress has gone out of the game for me after winning the grand final.

Gallen will captain City in the final clash with Country.

“Just pulling back and enjoying club football, I feel stress-free at the moment so I don’t know whether I want to put myself back under the pressure.

“I don’t have to deal with that level of (Origin) promotion anymore, because as you’ve seen Origin is a massive beast.

“Not having to deal with that and also the critics saying whether I should be around or not, that’s contributed to playing well and having a relaxed feel for the game again.

“And playing for City, it means a lot, it’s my first ever rep jumper and now I’ll be in the last one ever.

“There’s a lot of history in the game and I remember City-Country a kid. I went to school with NRL referee Grant Atkins and I’m pretty sure his dad played for City.

“So to be able play in the last one is a big deal.

“I’ll be out there to win, help the team and play my best.’’