Gal’s main issue with Roosters among myriad of problems

The dropping of Sam Walker back in April caused significant controversy and the halfback has been unsighted since due to injury.

Gallen said the rotation of halves is just one of a number of issues at the club. 

“There’s a list of problems, I actually sat down today and wrote them down,” he said on Nine’s 100% Footy.

“I straight away thought about their side and where they’re at and their spine, their spine’s been a major part of their success over the years.

“Tedesco hasn’t had his best season … they’ve changed their halves, they’ve had (Luke) Keary, Walker, Sandon Smith, (Joey) Manu and (Drew) Hutchinson, they’ve mixed their hooker around so I feel like their spine’s been mixed around.”

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The Roosters also had to contend with the loss of Angus Crichton early in the season due to mental health reasons, while Joseph Sua’ali’i signing with Australian Rugby also caused angst, as identified by Gallen.

Suaalii call causing drama at Roosters

However, the biggest issue for the NRL legend is a loss of identity. 

“I just feel like with all that said, they’ve just lost what the Roosters are about,” Gallen said.

“The Roosters to me were always a tough, resilient side, very, very tough in the forwards, I just feel like now they’re in the game, they’re in the game to a certain degree then when something goes against them they seem to just fall apart.

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“I really find that when Jared’s (Waerea-Hargreaves) not on the ground, they lack a bit of forward leadership there. I don’t know if they thought some of the younger guys coming up maybe have not come to the level they thought they would’ve but I feel like they’re just not the Roosters.

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“And as I said whenever I played against the Roosters they were an incredibly tough side and incredibly resilient, no matter what you did they’d always be in the fight right till the end, I just feel like at the moment they’re not always in the fight.”

Gallen was also critical of the work of the Roosters halves and hookers with the boot.

“I think their kicking game’s not great … their hookers don’t kick a lot out of dummy half, I feel like their halves haven’t got the best kicking game this year either,” he said.

“That’s a hell of a lot of problems and that’s why they are where they are on the ladder.”

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