GALE’S FORCE COULD BE FELT
Scrum-half believes he could be fit in time for Castleford’s duel with Saints
DREAM TEAM scrum-half Luke Gale believes he could be fit in time to guide Castleford Tigers to a maiden Grand Final on Thursday – despite being told just a fortnight ago his season was over.
The England international was one of six Castleford players named in the Super League Dream Team yesterday along with captain Michael Shenton, Zak Hardaker, Greg Eden, Mike McMeeken and Grant Millington.
However, despite his superb year, the only question on everyone’s lips was whether he would be ready to face St Helens in the West Yorkshire club’s semi-final having had emergency appendix surgery just 13 days earlier.
Gale, who trained with his colleagues yesterday morning, said: “I hope so. It’s a case of taking each day as it comes and it’s progressing slowly, but surely.
“I’ll do a late fitness test on Wednesday and, hopefully, I’ll get the green light to play.
“I’ve not trained too much to be honest. I’ve been doing my own thing and pushing it day by day; it’s a steady progression. I haven’t ramped it up yet, but, hopefully, I get the go-ahead.”
However, despite initially being told it was indigestion, Gale revealed how he thought his whole year, not just his title hopes, was over after a later prognosis.
He is expected to lead England’s World Cup challenge in Australia next month, but explained his panic when hearing that dream was ‘over’.
The 29-year-old said: “It was a day off and I’d gone to a new gym in Leeds.
“It was a tough session, and afterwards I felt a bit strange. I felt quite sick and I just put it down to the gym session, to be honest.
“I went for a meeting with my agent, but after about 30 seconds I had to leave.
“I went to hospital about six at night. It was ridiculous, the pain. It had steadily got worse through the day.
“I rang the physio initially and told him what it was, and he prescribed me some Gaviscon. He won’t thank me for that.
“But then he rang 111 and I was hooked up to a drip. It wasn’t nice. I saw the doctor straight away and she said I’d need an operation that night. It was a real shock.
“I didn’t have a clue what it was. I thought maybe some food poisoning.
“But she was pressing on my stomach, doing some tests and she said my season would be over and I wouldn’t be going to Australia for the World Cup.
“I remember laying on the bed thinking, wow, everything I’d done this year had all come to an end.
“But, a couple of hours later, thankfully, someone else came in – and assured me it wasn’t that bad.
“It was hard to take for that two hours, mind.”
Gale, named in the Dream Team for a third successive season, has missed the last two games for League Leaders’ Shield winners Castleford, but is determined to be ready for Thursday.
“Before they went in, they didn’t know how it would go, but it came out best-case scenario,” he said, regarding the operation.
“It all went to plan and the doctors said three weeks – but in rugby league we tend not to listen to doctors. I’m feeling fit and healthy again.”
Hull FC prop Chris Green returned to action against Castleford on Friday, around three weeks after having his own appendix removed.
Gale – shortlisted for Man of Steel along with Hardaker and Hull’s Albert Kelly – is expected to have the final say on his inclusion.
“I think it’s down to myself,” said the former Bradford Bulls captain, who does not expect a bench place to be an option.
“If I’m 100 per cent and I won’t let the boys down, I’ll play.
“I’m looking forward to Wednesday and Thursday and, hopefully, we’re ready to go.
“It’s quite a common thing, isn’t it? It’ll be two weeks and two days on the day of the game since it happened, but we’re all different as individuals.
“All I can do is play things day by day.”
Castleford coach Daryl Powell intends to include Gale, who broke the club’s points-scoring record for a season this term, in the 19-man squad he names today but will not make a final decision for another 24 hours.
“He’s had a run today,” Powell said. “He hasn’t had any contact so we’ll wait until Wednesday and make a decision after seeing how he comes through the final session. He’ll be close I think.”
St Helens coach Justin Holbrook, who says Jonny Lomax will be fit to return to stand-off after missing the win at Salford with a slight calf strain, expects Gale to play.
“I think he should play and I hope he does,” Holbrook said.
“He’s had a great season and he really deserves to play in a semifinal.”
Saints were relieved last night when the match review panel decided prop Alex Walmsley – a surprise omission for some from the Dream Team – did not have a case to answer for use of a forearm in that win over Salford.
The England hopeful is, then, free to face favourites Castleford, who are seeking a first-ever championship title having finsihed 10 points clear of secondplaced Leeds Rhinos but have lost twice to Saints in 2017.
Meanwhile, eight players made their Dream Team debut, including Huddersfield Giants prop Sebastine Ikahihifo, St Helens’ centre Mark Percival and Leeds hooker Matt Parcell.
Members of the media vote for their best players of the Super League season and Castleford, having finished top for the first time in their 91-year history, understandably secured a major representation.
Challenge Cup holders Hull FC had two players included – standoff Kelly and winger Mahe Fonua – while Wigan Warriors and England captain Sean O’Loughlin secured his sixth Dream Team appearance.
Australian second-row Ben Murdoch-Masila became the first Salford Red Devils player to appear since former Halifax, Huddersfield and Hull KR winger David Hodgson in 2006.
Players tend not to listen to doctors. I’m feeling fit and healthy again. Luke Gale, on how he hopes to return to action for Castleford Tigers this Thursday.