It’s the feud that had the NRL enthralled last weekend.
Paul Gallen; Rebecca Wilson Photo: Getty Images
It’s the feud that had the NRL enthralled last weekend: fearless News Ltd columnist Rebecca Wilson versus Blues skipper Paul Gallen.
In truth, there’s been no love lost between the pair since early 2013 when Wilson was involved in a series of award-winning stories about banned drug use at the Sharks.
But the animosity never truly detonated until last Wednesday night, when she let fly at Gallen on television for declaring his retirement from Origin, on the assumption he’d be re-selected this year.
Gallen returned serve the next evening; but Wilson had the final say in her hard-hitting Saturday Daily Telegraph column.
She tells us the response from readers was unprecedented. Of the 200 emails Wilson received, 185 were supportive – a welcome change from the usual love/hate ratio.
The newspaper itself is also understood to be using the feedback to review how it intends to portray Origin stories this season.
While Gallen has emerged as a popular commentator on broadcast media, there’s no doubt his image is still suffering from the ASADA fall-out.
For the fourth year in a row, Blues sponsor CUB has opted to feature vice-captain Robbie Farah to appear alongside Maroons skipper Cameron Smith in its annual Origin advertising campaign.
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Josh Massoud and Liam Cox Photo: Channel 7
Earlier On Triple M
Paul Gallen has responded to explosive accusations made about him by Rebecca Wilson, saying that he has no respect for her opinion. Listen to the report below.
Wilson made the comments on a Sky News program last night, and claimed that Gallen was an "attention seeker" who is ultimately a drug cheat and not a hero. See her comments and Gallen's response below.
Gallen's Response.
"Opinion from her means absolutely nothing," Gallen said.
"I take what she says with a grain of salt. She's an idiot as far as I'm concerned. I have no respect for her.
"The drug thing is something I have to accept - it was something that was introduced, supplied and given to us by the club. I have to accept with that.
"Unfortunately everything I do does attract attention...I don't ask for the cameras to turn up.
"I don't have any respect for her opinion and I don't know many people who do.
"She should look in the mirror at some of her past actions.
"I just think she has an agenda against rugby league in general."
Rebecca Wilson's comments.
"He is the greatest attention seeker in the rugby league, and that is saying something," Wilson said.
"Now we're going to go through the whole palava leading up to origin so it's all about him.
"He is a mercinary for the media.
"I don't care what I say about Paul Gallen. He has an asterisk next to his name, he is a convicted drug cheat and all this stuff about him being a hero is, to me, an absolute over-reaction to someone who is a pretty good footballer."
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