Galloway’s return pays off
Cracking the Manawatu¯ Turbos was Johnny Galloway’s main priority when he returned to his home patch this year.
The 24-year-old flanker will start his fourth game for Manawatu¯ in their away clash against Southland in Invercargill tomorrow and the Turbos will be feeling good after their first win of the season, 31-25 against Northland last week.
The Turbos should back themselves to do the job against Southland, who haven’t won a game since October 2016.
A police constable, Galloway has been away from Manawatu¯ for three years. He moved to Hamilton in 2016 with his partner, who is a nurse, and played for Melville alongside Sevu Reece, who is now an All Black wing.
Galloway was at police college in 2017 then was posted to central Auckland and played club rugby for Eden.
‘‘I came back here to try and have a crack at [the Turbos],’’ Galloway said.
‘‘I wanted to come back and give it another crack and I’m enjoying every minute of it.’’ He believed the move had paid off and he was happy living in Feilding with his partner and being near to family.
A lock-cum-loose forward when he was at Palmerston North Boys’ High School, Galloway has turned into an openside flanker in the past two years, playing No 7 for Eden, College Old Boys and now Manawatu¯ . ‘‘I don’t mind playing any of the loose forward positions, but seven is where I’d like.’’
Since the Turbos have gone fulltime he is on leave without pay.
Galloway was happy with how he went against Northland and he hoped they could carry the momentum from the win into the Southland game. ‘‘The boys ... were a bit relieved to get the win.
He wasn’t reading too much into Southland’s form. He said Southland would be hurting after a string of losses and a win wouldn’t be far away for them.
Manawatu¯ won this clash 38-26 in Palmerston North last year and Southland haven’t beaten the Turbos since 2015 in Invercargill.
Manawatu¯ ’s
Manawatu¯ Turbos:
starting team is
15 Sam Malcolm, 14 Andrew Taylor, 13 Hamish Northcott, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Adam Boult, 10 Otere Black, 9 Jamie Booth (captain), 8 Brayden Iose, 7 Johnny Galloway, 6 Nick Crosswell, 5 Liam Mitchell, 4 Fraser Stone, 3 Samu Tawake, 2 Sam Stewart, 1 Fa’alelei Sione.
16 Nick Grogan, 17 Fraser Armstrong, 18 Sione Asi, 19 Sione Tuipulotu, 20 Rhys Pedersen, 21 Griffin Culver, 22 James Tofa, 23 Te Rangatira Waitokia.
5.05pm tomorrow.
Reserves:
Kickoff:
unchanged from the win over Northland.
Prop Fraser Armstrong has recovered from his groin injury and is on the bench in place of Paulo Leleisiuao.
Lock Tom Hughes won’t feature after rupturing his Achilles tendon last week and is replaced by flanker Rhys Pedersen, who has recovered from a hamstring injury. Rob Thompson was initially named to start in the midfield, but was ruled out with concussion after a head knock at training yesterday.
Meanwhile, Palmerston Boys’ High School fullback Ruben Love has been selected in the New Zealand secondary schools side and Feilding High School lock TK Howden and Manukura prop Joseph Gavigan were named in the New Zealand Barbarians secondary schools team.
Both teams play a game of three halves in Palmerston North on September 26, then both will play Fiji Schools and Australia under-18 in Hamilton.