State of Origin 2016: Why Phil Gould is absolutely correct about Paul Gallen

PHIL Gould might have ruffled a few feathers with his comments on Paul Gallen but that doesn’t change the fact that he was absolutely right.

Phil Gould is right about Paul Gallen.

BAG Phil Gould all you want but at least he has the guts to say what the majority of NSW fans have been thinking for a long time.

Now we are heading into a dead rubber in Sydney on July 13 and the early talk is Laurie Daley is still reluctant to make the tough changes so the likes of Paul Gallen and Robbie Farah can get the send off they deserve.

While Gallen and Farah have both served the Blues to the best of their ability, if NSW waste this opportunity we will start next year in an even worse position.

There are certain players we all know need to come into this side.

Will Gallen get a final game for New South Wales.

The likes of Bryce Cartwright, James Tedesco, Joey Leiula and Wade Graham have to be given a chance.

Nathan Peats is another, and Ryan James.

On top of that the experience of playing in a third game without the series on the line would be the perfect way to usher in new leadership.

As Gould said, “it’s as frustrating as hell” watching the same storyline unfold each year.

“Over a period I’ve said I’ve been astonished by the selfishness around this camp and this team and the leadership group and I don’t think it’s allowed the team to evolve and have its own culture and chemistry.

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“It’s always been about a few individuals and not about the state and the team and it’s no good sugar-coating the bitter pill.”

It is worth remembering Gould is the most successful coach in NSW’s Origin history.

Like he said, cultural change won’t happen if we stick with the same dominant leaders the majority of NSW fans have been thinking for a long time.

ROOS CAN’T PICK RADRADRA

SEMI Radradra should not be picked to represent Australia at the end of season Four Nations tournament.

Regardless of whether the Fijian flyer returns to Sydney on Sunday as expected to play out the remainder of his contract with Parramatta until the end of 2017.

The uncertainty exposed throughout the past week should be enough to ensure Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga now heads in a different direction.

While Parramatta have maintained Radradra was always returning to the NRL, even his family admitted there was uncertainty because of the temptation of riches on offer in rugby union.

Semi also told The Daily Telegraph from Fiji during the week that he had still made no decision on his future.

Should Radradra play in the end of year Four Nations?

While Semi is entitled to do what he thinks is in his and his family’s best interests, he should not be allowed to hold the game to ransom in the process.

The fact is he has a contract with Parramatta.

If he does walk away he should not be allowed to return to the NRL.

And even if he does come back this should now end any argument as to his future ambitions of playing for Australia.

There were plenty of people who did not agree with the initial decision to hand Radradra his maiden Australian jumper for the Anzac

Test against New Zealand back in May.

Not only did it rob a young Australian player of the opportunity, but many also viewed it as a blight on the international game because it cost Fiji their best player.

It would be an even greater embarrassment if Radradra was to now play for Australia at the end of the year tournament and then walk out on the game.

Originally published as State of Origin 2016: Why Phil Gould is absolutely correct about Paul Gallen