Paul Gallen has returned serve at coach Shane Flanagan who recently told a club podcast that the ageing lock was going to retire from representative football to concentrate on his club duties.

“At first I was pretty disappointed and upset about it,” Gallen told Triple M NRL.

“If it’s going to be announced and it’s true, it should be announced by me.

“All I can do is come out and say I have been immensely loyal to the club. There has only been one player [legendary centre Andrew Ettingshausen] who has played more games than me and he is an outside back.

“I have done everything I can for the club. Part of the reason some of the players have come to the club, guys like Luke Lewis, Wade Graham and Chris Heighington, is because I was there and I don’t have that profile unless I am NSW captain, unless I am playing rep football.

“As Flanno said in his comments, we love having these players at the club but sometimes injuries happen and we have got to suck it up and get on with it. That is probably going to be my response.”