NRL grand final: Cronulla Sharks' Paul Gallen says winning premiership would be bigger than Origin

Updated

Would winning the NRL grand final with Cronulla be a bigger deal for Paul Gallen than State of Origin? In a word: yes.

Gallen, the captain of New South Wales, has endured plenty of heartbreak at the hands of Queensland, as well as a single, glorious, long-awaited success in Origin football.

But he says even Origin, with all the blood, sweat and tears that entails, would pale in comparison to finally landing the big one with the Cronulla Sharks.

"It would probably be even more special, I think," Gallen said.

"Origin is Origin and it's great, it's the best arena to play on — and after what [New South Wales] went through, so many years of heartache, to get that was unreal.

"But at a club which you spend more time at than you do with your own family, it will maybe just top it. I'll have to let you know on Sunday!"

Gallen has endured a lot in his time at Cronulla — he has spent his entire 278-game NRL career at the Sharks since 2001 — but a maiden premiership for the club seemed a bizarre possibility just a few years ago.

Mired in the supplements saga that also engulfed AFL club Essendon, Gallen said he and many of his team-mates were in a dark place at the height of the scandal and could never have dreamed of being on the cusp of NRL glory as they are now.

"At the time, playing football and winning grand finals was the furthest thing from our mind," he said.

"We weren't in a good place, I think a lot of you guys know that. But that's all done now.

"We rebuilt last year, we're here this year with a great squad, a really good mix of youth and experience.

"Them dark days are gone, it's all good times ahead for us and hopefully it finishes the year with a grand final win."

Topics: nrl, rugby-league, sport, cronulla-2230, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, melbourne-3000, vic

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