Gallen bracing for last game of booing at Suncorp Stadium

Paul Gallen has a message for the tens of thousands of Queenslanders at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night who will boo him for the last time.

The 37-year-old lock is up for his final 80 minutes of jeers and verbal abuse as he pays his last visit to the Sunshine State as an NRL player when the Sharks play the Titans in the opening game of Magic Round.

"Can't wait – great place to go," Gallen said of Brisbane, with just a suggestion of sarcasm.

"It hasn't been the kindest place for me throughout Origin, and I don't know how many games we have won there as a Sharks team, it hasn't been the best place."

The Sharks have played 17 times at Suncorp Stadium and won only four. They were there only a fortnight ago, received a 29-6 drubbing, and Gallen was booed relentlessly.

"Obviously the boos every time I touch the ball … people ask me if I hear it. You do hear the difference in change of noise but I have always said I must have done something right over the years. That's the way I look at it."

And for his final visit, he just wants to say "thank you".

"Thank you, thank you. If you didn't boo me, you wouldn't have inspired me so much and I probably would have retired years ago. So thank you."

It still doesn't change his opinion of Queenslanders, who he famously labelled as having two heads during the 2014 Origin campaign.

"Some of them do, yeah. I do go up there and know I'll get booed all the time," Gallen said.

"When you see them in the street they aren't too bad. They do say 'We hate you but respect you at the same time'. I played the villain, that is just the way it is."

The Cronulla skipper now seems to be filling that role again for a different foe – the Melbourne Storm.

After the Sharks' upset 20-18 win last Friday, Gallen said he was astounded at Storm's lack of penetration in the last moments of the game at PointsBet Stadium. He also said Cameron Smith and Cameron Munster argued over the botched last play.

His comments did not go down well with Craig Bellamy's men when they heard about them on Saturday.

"I said in my comments they are a great team but that last play of the game was un-Melbourne like," Gallen said.

"I don't know why they are getting upset about it. It happened. Go watch the video Melbourne. I am not making anything up here. They mucked it up.

"Knowing Melbourne they will hold onto that until next time we play them [in round 17 at AAMI Park].

"They will stick it up around the change room, and I will be on the chopping block as Bellamy calls it. It is there for everyone to see. There was nothing I said that was derogatory towards them."

As far as Smith goes and the mooted return to help an injury-hit Origin side, Gallen said it would be great for the series but a bad move for NSW's chances of retaining the shield.

If you didn't boo me, you wouldn't have inspired me so much and I probably would have retired years ago. So thank you.

Paul Gallen to Queensland fans

"He could be the difference if he comes back… I am sick of rapping the bloke. But I have said it a thousand times – he is the best player I have ever seen.

"That is an area that I suppose NSW have it over them. If he was to come back it would be a big plus for them." 

As far as the NSW Origin team goes in 2019, Gallen would like to see selectors stick with Nathan Cleary and James Maloney in the halves.

"I am a big advocate for trying to keep them together but they probably have to show something in the next few weeks. It is a big few weeks for them both.

"I don't know if they can leave Cleary out. In the past 13 or 14 years in Origin we have won two series and how many halfbacks have we used – 20 or 25?

"They [Queensland] have probably used half that, maybe eight. I think at some stage we have to stick solid with someone. I think that is probably Cleary," Gallen said.

"If Penrith keep going the way they are going and don't turn it around, then Jimmy may be in trouble with Luke Keary going so good.

"But I am an advocate at the moment for trying to stick solid with them. There are three games to play before Origin is picked and that is a lot of footy."