He’s one of the most exciting young players in the Western Rams region and on Sunday afternoon Luke Gale will start in the Group 11 top grade for the first time.
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Gale, part of the Western under-18s side which took out this season’s Country Championships, has been called in after Chris Daley underwent surgery on Thursday for a long-standing knee injury.
Gale, a known back-rower, will take Daley’s place in the centres and coaches Steve McLellan and Zac Rennick have no concerns about his ability to do the job against the Parkes Spacemen.
“We’re confident he’ll handle it,” McLellan said.
“We lose a lot losing Chris Daley. He’s good with the ball, he’s tough and strong in defence but Luke brings his own things.
“He’s a powerful ball runner and that’s what we want of our centre and he won’t be playing that much different, he’s just one position wider.”
He’s a powerful ball runner and that’s what we want of our centre.
- Steve McLellan on Luke Gale
Gale has a contract with the St George Illawarra Dragons and the NRL club is keen to see their player in the first grade competition.
McLellan admitted the biggest loser in the situation was Raiders under 18s coach Hale Gordon, but he was keen to see Gale take his chance in the top grade.
“They (Dragons) have a got a high opinion of him and we do too,” McLellan said of Gale.
“Not just as a footballer, just as a person too and we want to help him on that pathway.”
Gale’s inclusion is one of two changes to the Raiders side with new recruit Kepu Nathan coming on to the bench and Ryan Wheeler dropping out.
Macquarie hosted Parkes in a trial match last month and the Raiders won that one courtesy of a try right on full time.
While both sides will look different at Caltex Park on Sunday, McLellan said that result was proof of the Spacemen’s quality.
“We fully expect them to be tough to beat,” he said.
“We had a trial and got up on the bell but both teams have changed a bit. But they’ve shown they’re strong across all four grades and won all four, like us, in round one.”
There is talent throughout the Parkes side, which defeated Narromine 56-32 in round one, McLellan said his side is in a positive mood.
“We had a meeting on Wednesday night and we were saying it’s only early days but there’s a really good buzz around the club,” he said. “At training on Tuesday the League Tag side had 100 percent attendance, the 18s was 100 percent, there was probably too many in reserve grade and we were only missing one in first grade and he lives out of town.”
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
