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Paul Gallen and Greg Bird walk while the rest of the team train at NSW Blues Origin training. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited
NEW South Wales is again plagued by a less than ideal preparation heading into a State of Origin match.
Josh Dugan, Jarryd Hayne, Michael Jennings, Josh Morris, Brett Morris, James Maloney, Mitchell Pearce, James Tamou, Robbie Farah, Paul Gallen (c), Ryan Hoffman, Luke Lewis, Greg Bird. Interchange: Anthony Watmough, Andrew Fifita, Trent Merrin, Josh Reynolds, James McManus, Boyd Cordner, Aaron Woods.
After the off-field debacles which hindered the team's build up to Game two, the Blues are now in a race against the clock to ensure a number of key players are fit to take the field come Wednesday night.
None, however, are as important as their gallant skipper, Paul Gallen.
Despite not possessing the match-winning electricity of Jarryd Hayne or the athleticism of Greg Bird, Gallen's titanic performances have been the most consistent part of the Blues' past 7 Origin campaigns, apart from the losses of course.
But, if you believe in omens, some loose statistics and history repeating itself, there is still hope for long-suffering New South Welshman even if Gallen succumbs to his foot injury and is unable to take the field for the game he defined as 'the most important of his career'.
When I first caught wind of Gallen's injury and the possibility he may have to withdraw from the match, I was immediately taken back to the 2004 Grand Final between the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs and the Sydney Roosters; a match the boys from Belmore were able to clinch despite the absence of their stalwart leader Steve Price.
Then it dawned on me, despite Price being one of Queensland's greatest ever front-rowers, the similarities between his story and the plight of NSW's long-suffering captain are remarkably striking.
Price too ventured to hell and back before finally tasting glory.
In 2002 his club was stripped of 37 competition points and ultimately the minor premiership for breaches of the salary cap.
In 2003, after the long process of re-building the club, the team crashed out in the semi-finals to defending premiers the Sydney Roosters.
And in the 2004, whilst in an off-season camp in Coffs Harbour, a number of players were accused of sexually assaulting a young woman.
An incident which brought the wrath of sponsors, police and the media all before a single ball had been kicked in the 2004 season.
But despite what a distraction this off-field adversity was for the team, Price was still able lead his troops to premiership glory only 7 months later.
A feat made substantially more impressive by the fact Price did not line-up alongside his team mates for the decider after surrendering to a medial ligament strain he sustained in the first two minutes of the preliminary-final.
This is the same type of leadership and passion I believe Gallen has inspired his teammates with over the past handful of Origin series.
Gallen has been playing State of Origin since 2006, making him the only man to play in all 7 straight series losses for NSW.
Since taking over the captaincy in 2011 he has lost two nail-biting deciders. He has an Origin winning percentage of only 37% despite averaging the most metres, hit-ups and second most tackles for the past two series.
This season alone, Gallen has dealt with the loss of Blake Ferguson and James Tamou for disciplinary reasons, the injury to Jarryd Hayne which has ruled him out for the decider and the ASADA scandal which has been following him and his club like a bad smell since the pre-season.
He, like Price, has endured the most resounding heartbreak and adversity our great game has to offer, and has still stood tall, refusing to relinquish hope.
This is why his team will prevail on Wednesday regardless of whether he plays.
It is obvious Price's unyielding passion, drive and leadership throughout such turbulent seasons had a profound effect on his teammates and his influence on them throughout the 2004 decider was evident, despite his physical absence.
In the Grand Final, four of the five forwards ran significantly more metres than their season average. In addition, the same four also ran significantly further than they did in the last game Price played.
They stepped up and put in immense performances to not only repay Price for the 12 years of faith and service he had given to the club but to compensate for the mountain of work he would plough through.
The blues will do the same.
The 'do it for Gal' mentality each player will no-doubt carry in the front of their minds regardless of whether he plays will get them over the line.
Just like the Bulldogs, they will channel all the disappointment, pain and embarrassment their captain has endured over the past seven years and conjure up titanic performances to fill his void.
And this is not just wishful thinking; the stats are on my side. As Ben Ikin highlighted in an article earlier this year:
In 11 games this year Cronulla won all three matches Gallen missed (100 per cent) but only three of the eight he played (37.5 per cent).
Over the past two seasons the Sharks have won seven of 12 (58 per cent) without Gallen, but dropped to 11 of 24 (49 per cent) with him.
Over five years, the win percentage shifts from 31.3 per cent with Gallen, to 49 per cent without him.
Some call this coincidence, some see it as Gallen's propensity to put his own agenda above the team, but too me it represents a change in the Shark's attitude.
His teammates feel the need to step up and shoulder their skipper's mountainous workload when he is not on the field.
Resultantly, each player will go out there not only adopting the 'Queensland mentality' to run and hit harder, but to do it more often too.
Also, there is the possibility Gallen is just the jinx and without him we may finally win.
Either way I'm happy.
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