Gallen's Cheap Shot

There hasn't been a cheaper shot since Les Boyd on Darryl Brohman.

If Paul Gallen thinks that history will remember his cowardly, non-effective cheap shot on Nate Myles as the act of an Origin hero, he is as deluded as the desperate New South Wales officials, commentators and supporters who think that the act was acceptable in their forlorn bid to win a State Of Origin series.

He waited until Myles was pinned in a tackle by two of his team mates to swing a stiff arm into his face. When this had little effect on the Queensland tough man, Gall (Or is that Girl) decided to king hit him when he came up for air. His actions were nothing like other mutually contested Origin fights, they were those of an opportunist with no honour. Surely most observers would have seen this incident as out of kilter with the usual Origin battles, this was not a part of the battle. This was one opportunistic "sneak thief" throwing cheap shots. 

State of Origin is proudly built on Honour, and Gallen and the team officials sorely dented that honour last week.

When you are challenged and disrespected by one of the games legendary tough men, Gordon Tallis, to your face on live television, you then know that what you did was seen by your peers as dishonourable.

Tallis questioned Gallen on "The Footy Show" asking, "If you didn't like the way that he (Myles) tackled your in previous tackles, why then didn't you stand up to him then, Instead of waiting until his hands were pinned to attack him?"  

I've been disgusted by predominately NSW commentators, ex-players and officials who have dismissed Gallen's actions as an Origin incident, and slapped him on the back as a hero. Smiling and laughing about it on every football show I've seen. As they bask in the glory of one game win and driven by their desperate need to win a series, are they prepared to go to any length?

What about the reputation of the game and the message it sends to younger players. While governments and authorities are begging the population to stop endless cowardly "King-Hit" violence on the streets, NRL

officials seem to think it is OK for the NSW captain to make a cowardly attack on another player on national television and then condone it. Then, in another fine example as a senior player, Gallen comes out in the media and is not in any way remorseful, but "filthy" that he got one weeks suspension for it. If this had occurred in AFL he would have spent 6 to 8 weeks on the sidelines.  

What happens in the next state of origin match if others decide to take the cheap way out? Do we condone it and pat them on the back as well? Thankfully, I am confident that that won't happen, as I believe that most players at that level have more honour than Paul Gallen.