NRL news 2024 | Chad Townsend signs with Roosters; Chad Townsend-Paul Gallen feud; Cronulla Sharks premiership

Sharks great Paul Gallen has moved to clarify comments around his “falling out” with premiership teammate Chad Townsend.

Gallen caused a stir on Saturday when he revealed on 2GB’s Continuous Call Team that the two “don’t get on” before describing his signing at the Roosters as a “surprise”.

Despite the success of 2016 when the Sharks won their first ever premiership, both men clearly don’t share a close bond.

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Gallen revealed an argument years ago led to the animosity.

“You have arguments with blokes over time and that’s just part and parcel of life,” he said on Nine’s 100% Footy.

“You don’t always agree with people over certain things and me and Chad had a bit of an argument a few years ago and haven’t spoken too much since, but what’s happened happens.”

Townsend will join the Roosters as back up to Sam Walker and Sandon Smith after signing with the club last week.

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Gallen doubled down on his take of the recruitment decision, describing it as “weird”.

“When I got this job, I’ve always maintained I’m going to be honest in my opinion of the game and I do think it’s a weird signing for the Roosters, it’s not a normal signing for the Roosters to sign a 34-year-old halfback with one year to go when you’ve got blokes like Sandon Smith and (Sam) Walker there,” he said.

“I just thought it was a weird signing.

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“When I was asked about it on radio people were like, ‘hang on a second aren’t you mates?’

“We had a falling out a couple years ago, but there’s no beef there, we’re big boys, we can have an argument and move on and we’ll just leave it there.”