Paul Gallen has sided with the NRL amid heavy criticism from Canterbury coach Dean Pay over the governing body’s salary cap rules for players injured in representative fixtures.

The Bulldogs will be without five-eighth Kieran Foran for at least the first four months of the 2020 season after the veteran suffered a serious shoulder injury playing for New Zealand in November.

In another major blow for the Belmore club, forward Chris Smith will miss the entre campaign after suffering an ACL injury playing for the Indigenous All Stars on Saturday night.

Under current NRL rules clubs are entitled to a maximum $350,000 in salary cap relief when a player goes down injured while on rep duties.

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The Bulldogs have already been granted maximum relief for Foran, however the 29-year-old is set to earn $1.2 million in 2020.

Pay took aim at the NRL’s policy in an interview with News Limited after Smith joined Foran on the sidelines.

But retired Cronulla captain Gallen backed the NRL’s hardline stance, declaring the onus is on clubs not to overpay for marquee players.

“The key to it is, not paying too much money for those players,” Gallen told WWOS Radio. “… Not paying overs to get those players to your club, making sure those players want to be at your club for the right reasons.

“Therefore, you don’t have to pay too much money for them, therefore the back-up that comes in can do the job, probably not as good, but can certainly fill the space there.

“I’ve got to say I don't agree with those comments (from Pay).”

Gallen added: “Every club wants rep players in their club.

“They all want to buy rep players, they want representative players there to help with the culture of the place but also because they’re the best players.

“When you buy (those) players you know they’re going to be playing for NSW, Queensland, for Australia, New Zealand or whoever it may be.

“Injuries are part and parcel of the game, if you want to buy (those) players, if you want the best players and they get injured playing rep footy, look I just think it’s bad luck. I really do.”