NRL 2020: Paul Gallen could come out of retirement for injury plagued Warriors
Paul Gallen is willing to come out of retirement to help the Warriors in their hour of need - and former teammate Shaun Johnson says the Sharks legend would be a perfect fit.
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Cronulla playmaker Shaun Johnson says former Sharks teammate Paul Gallen would have “no problems” lacing up the boots again if the New Zealand Warriors came calling while he has criticised the NRL for not allowing his ex-club to loan injury replacement players.
The Warriors’ injury struggles have prompted Gallen to declare that he would come out of retirement to ease the club’s prop crisis if he received a call.
Johnson believes the retired Sharks skipper would excel.
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“We all know Gal, he's a pretty intense trainer and a hard worker,” Johnson said.
“From what I have seen the Warriors boys are doing it pretty tough with some injuries at the moment.
“I think it would quite cool for the game to see something like that happen … if it were to happen, I'm all for it.
“He'd be fine [with the contact]. If it eventuated and it was to happen, I have no doubt he'd be fine.”
The Warriors haven’t let uncertainty around their roster impact their resolve to achieve when the NRL competition resumes next week.
The New Zealanders arrived at their new home base, a gated seaside precinct in Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast, on Wednesday after farewelling their initial Australian hub Tamworth with an emotional haka in the forecourt of their team hotel.
Whether the Warriors sign Gallen or not, Johnson says the club should be given every opportunity to loan injury replacement players.
“100 per cent [the NRL should allow a player to come in],” he said.
“I don't see why or how you can expect them to come over for the good of the game and then something like this happens to just be like 'nah, deal with it'. I think the NRL should be doing what they can to assist them."
Johnson’s plea comes as the NRL will reconsider the Warriors’ request for a loan player with the prospect to be discussed at a commission meeting next week.
The Warriors have been riddled with injuries after utility back Adam Keighran became the third player to join an already full casualty ward in the past week. Of most concern is their middle, where Leeson Ah Mau (pectoral), Jazz Tevaga, Bunty Afoa and Jackson Frei (all knees) have all suffered major injuries. Of those, only Tevaga is a chance of returning this year.
The club’s plight is made significantly harder because they cannot easily fly in from New Zealand players who would usually be reserve graders from outside their top 30.
It means they will likely be forced to call on development players to face St George Illawarra on May 30 or play players out of position.
A request from the club to have loan players from other Australian clubs was denied last weekend given loan players are against NRL rules.
But ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys said it would now be back on the table for discussion at next Thursday’s commission meeting.
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“We are looking at that and that will be decided at the commission meeting on the 28th of May,” V’landys said.
“Needless to say we have a lot of sympathy for the Warriors so we will try and assist where we can.”
Several rival players have also lent their support to the Warriors, hopeful the NRL will make concessions after their efforts to help the competition restart. “They have sacrificed a lot to try and get our job and game up and running,” Canterbury prop Dylan Napa said.
“When it comes to injuries and all that, I think we should definitely be trying to help them out for sure.”