LUKE GALE has brought the curtain down on his rugby league career.
After 18 seasons as a professional rugby league player, the 36-year-old will go into coaching Wakefield Trinity’s academy from 2025 onwards.
In doing so, Gale will hang up his boots following Saturday’s Championship Grand Final clash with Toulouse Olympique.
Despite spending the early part of his career in the lower tiers with Doncaster, Gale has only recently dropped to the Championship – first with the Keighley Cougars and then Wakefield.
But, with such a long season as a Championship player – including 1895 Cup, Challenge Cup and Championship fixtures – Gale is thankful to be calling it a day at the end of 2024.
“It is tough in the Championship. Obviously, Super League is a lot quicker but in the Championship, we are on week 49 of the full season,” Gale told League Express.
“We started 49 weeks ago and that in itself is why I’m retiring to be honest! I don’t think I could do another week!
“It’s a bit like football in the Championship. I’m an avid Leeds United fan and it’s like a war of attrition but sometimes Leeds just fall off at the last moment.
“That’s what the Championship in rugby league has been like this year. We started eight weeks before everyone else, the Super League Grand Final ended last week and we are still going.”
If Gale helps Wakefield win the Grand Final on Saturday, it will be Gale’s first success at a showpiece Grand Final event during his career, after lifting the Challenge Cup with Leeds Rhinos.
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