There is another enduring memory for Paul Gallen about his True Blue teammate Andrew Fifita to go alongside his loud and hearty laugh.
Fifita celebrates his 250th NRL game on Saturday night when the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks play the North Queensland Cowboys in week one of the finals – his 18th NRL finals game.
But the former NSW skipper remembers that 68th minute try Fifita scored to help the Sharks to their maiden NRL Premiership in 2016.
“That’s the one that I’ll never forget – many people won’t forget,” Gallen told nswrl.com.au
“But I can remember him many times with that crab-like run across field, getting close to the line and then next second he’s brushed through the defence and scored a try.
“He’s just one of those classy players. When he was at his peak, I thought he was one of the best ball-runners in the competition for two or three years.
“So that Grand Final try was great but there were a few others.”
There was also the one in Game Three of the 2016 State of Origin series when Fifita scored the opening try to help set up NSW’s 18-14 win over Queensland – Gallen was captain that night.
“For me I also liked the effort he put into his game away from the field. He’s always had talent and energy,” Gallen said.
Fifita asked Gallen, when he returned from the 2012 Four Nations series, how he stayed on top of his game for so long. Gallen told him: “Be fitter than everyone else”.
“I remember the 2013 pre-season and Andrew worked and trained like a freak,” Gallen said.
“We were doing 1.6km time trials and here’s this 120-kilo player beating everyone but our winger Beau Ryan.”
Fifita was Dally M Prop of the Year in 2013.
His 250 NRL games have been mostly at the Sharks. He started his first grade career at the Wests Tigers playing 39 games before moving to the Shire in 2012.
Fifita not only played 10 games (two tries) for the NSW Blues, he is a dual international with Tests for Australia (six) and Tonga (five).
“He’s a bit different in being unusually loud at training but he’s a genuinely nice guy – totally different person to what people think because he doesn’t drink, doesn’t gamble and is a devoted family man,” Gallen said.
“He’s also been a tremendously talented footballer.”
