By Martin Morgan

Last updated at 12:04, Monday, 25 June 2012

Don Gailer has slammed the attitude of Ben Karalius after the young scrum-half asked to leave the Recre.

Whitehaven's Ben Karalius

Whitehaven agreed to release the ex-St Helens junior, and Gailer declared he had played his last game for the club.

“I’m tired of dummy-spitters who drop their lip, kick stones and walk away. Good on them. We don’t want them here,” the coach said.

Karalius started 13 of Haven’s opening 15 games this term, all at scrum-half. But he was unhappy when utilised off the bench for the first time, as a hooker, in Haven’s win over South Wales earlier this month.

Gailer paired Karalius and Carl Rudd in the halves early in the season, switching long-serving Rudd to loose-forward after ex-England international Jamie Rooney’s arrival in May.

But he returned Rudd, who has won his battle this term to contain a long-term knee problem, to scrum-half for the win over South Wales, where he produced a storming effort. Karalius made an impact off the bench at dummy-half but made it clear he wanted to return to the No 7 role.

Gailer added: “He was trying to take the shirt from a player who has scored 1,000 points for this club and another who is 10 points off 3,000 for his career. You have to learn your trade before you can say where you should be.

“Maybe he will find something else in new pastures but he’ll have to work hard wherever he goes.

“I offered to try to get him to play hooker, so then he could play nine, seven, six or sub. But he wanted to swim in fast waters before he learned how to paddle. He won’t be back.

“Ruddy has worked hard to get in great shape and full credit to him. He has probably been the backbone of our team so far, and he’s the No 1 seven in the club. And Rooney is definitely the No 6.”

First published at 11:28, Monday, 25 June 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk