Paul Gallen has urged No Limit promoter Matt Rose to seek out rugby league’s most feared enforcers for his December farewell, with the heavyweight convinced he could “smash” every current NRL player.
On the eve of his Origin Rumble headliner against Queensland favourites Justin Hodges and Ben Hannant, Gallen has vowed to knock both men cold before then shifting focus to a current NRL star.
Despite promising to ice both Maroons violently on Thursday night – including Hannant within two minutes – the 41-year-old insists No Limit will still have no problem finding an NRL star willing to throw down in his farewell fight.
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“Because I was a rugby league player for 20 years, I know what they’re like,” Gallen told Fox Sports Australia this week. “You put a dollar in front of them, they’ll jump.
“And I know I’ve got a reputation for being tight arse, too.
“But I can tell you all NRL players love money. So if they (No Limit) put the money up for a player to fight me I have no doubt somebody will jump at it, no doubt at all.
“They won’t struggle to find someone.”
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So as for which NRL enforcer excites him most?
“Whoever they put in front of me,” Gallen shrugs.
“I’ve got no issue fighting any current NRL player because there’s not a skerrick of doubt in my mind that I’ll smash every one of them.”
While he may have softened on the ‘kill’ promise made at Tuesday’s chaotic press conference, Gallen still intends on taking just five rounds to finish both Hodges and Hannant.
Told the latter plans to host his usual Gold Coast radio program at 5.30am Friday morning, Gallen laughed: “Well, he’ll have a headache.
“But it won’t be too bad.
“If he enters the ring at 10pm, he’ll be unconscious by 10.02.”
Gallen also promised the same for Hodges, the old Kangaroo team-mate who grabbed him by the throat at Wednesday’s weigh-in.
“Hodgo was just asking if I was ready to go to sleep,” Gallen laughs. “Told me I was looking tired and ready to go to sleep.
“I’m not sure what the problem is.
“When I was up here promoting the fight a few weeks ago, I said g’day and shouted him a coffee.”
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Prior to his fight late last year with Darcy Lussick, Gallen said he feared for the safety of his footballing rival.
Asked if it was the same this time around, if there was concern about seriously hurting either Hodges or Hannant, Gallen replied: “Nup.
“I’ll try to do it.
“Darcy never carried on like these two have. Never carried on like a fool.
“And Hodgo, he has been adamant for ages about getting this fight … sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for.
“But I’ve said all I need to. I just need to get into the ring and fight now.”
While plenty of Australian heavyweights have called Gallen out recently, the Cronulla premiership hero said he now wants to bow out against another footballer after having faced the likes of Justis Huni, Mark Hunt and Lucas Browne.
“Where I’m at now, it’s all about entertainment,” Gallen said.
