It is a photo not many thought they would see again – Cronulla Sharks captain Paul Gallen in the gold and blue of a City Origin jersey.
The former NSW captain has come out of representative retirement and will skipper City against Country in the final installment of the historic fixture.
City against Country has been played annually since 1928 but this year’s match, to be played at Mudgee next Sunday, will be the last ever, ending 89 years of tradition.
Gallen has only played for City once in 2006 before going on to play 32 Tests for Australia and 24 Origin games for NSW and said he was honoured to captain City in the last City-Country clash.
“I was picked on the bench in 2006 and haven’t really had the opportunity to play for City since,” Gallen said.
“I remember the game. We were beaten on the bell but I had a reasonable game myself. It was the game that spring-boarded my rep career and I was fortunate enough to play for NSW and Australia after that.
“This fixture allows players on the cusp of an Origin call-up the chance to perform on the big stage and push their claim for a spot in Laurie Daley’s NSW side. Having lost my only game for City I’d love to lead the side to victory. There will be a number of potential Origin candidates who I hope to pass on my experience and knowledge to.”
It is a big weekend of representative football next weekend with Australia’s Kangaroos and Jillaroos to play New Zealand in a double-header in Canberra next Friday night.
Cronulla pair Valentine Holmes and James Maloney along with St George Illawarra duo Tyson Frizell and Josh Dugan have been included in a 20-man Australia squad for the Kangaroos’ Anzac Test against the Kiwis.
Holmes and Dugan have been named to start in the backline, while Dragons forward Frizell is listed to come off the bench.
Maloney has been named as 19th man and will provide cover for North Queensland five-eighth Johnathan Thurston who has been out with a calf injury.
The match is a one-off Test but players will already have one eye on the World Cup at the end of the year and be out to impress Australia coach Mal Meninga.
Meninga said Kangaroos selectors had looked to reward those who played in Australia’s successful Four Nations campaign at the back end of last year.
A trio of Cronulla Sharks players have been chosen in the Jillaroos squad.
Ruan Sims, Corban McGregor and Maddie Studdon have been named in the 25-woman squad, with the trio joined by another former Cronulla Caringbah player, fullback Sam Bremner, as players look to impress ahead of the women’s rugby league World Cup to be played at Southern Cross Group Stadium in November.
There will also be three international matches at Campbelltown on Saturday night, with a number of NRL players in action.
England, with Sharks’ forward Chris Heighington in their squad, will play Samoa, while Papua New Guinea face the Cook Islands and Fiji Bati take on traditional rivals Tonga.