Brisbane Coach Wayne Bennett has praised Paul Gallen ahead of the Cronulla captain’s 300th NRL match against Bennett’s Broncos to be played at Suncorp Stadium tonight.

The slanging match over Jack Bird between Bennett and Sharks Coach Shane Flanagan has taken the spotlight in recent days but Bennett took the time to compliment Gallen.

“He’s made plenty of enemies along the way and he’s made plenty of friends. That’s what a good forward should be about,” Bennett said.

While on opposite sides of the Tweed, Gallen and Bennett have never been scared to speak their minds keeping plenty of journalists in work in the process.

“He’s also got a strong enough personality to have self-confidence in what he says and what he believes in.”