Nate Myles may disagree but Paul Gallen says some forwards should be thanking him for throwing the infamous State of Origin punch that ensured the NRL banned the biff.

While Gallen reckons the NRL’s reaction to his fisticuffs with Queensland prop Myles in their 2013 Origin clash had been “over the top”, the ex-NSW captain believes it has since made some forwards better players.

Gallen’s one-sided clash with Myles lasted barely 30 seconds but its impact is still being felt.

The NRL launched a crackdown on fighting in the aftermath, much to the old-school Gallen’s initial disappointment.

“What came out of it was a little bit surprising, I thought it was a little bit over the top,” Gallen told Wide World of Sports.

“I used to watch State of Origin as a kid and see the first fight, there was always dust-ups in Origin.

“I think that was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. Sure enough, the fighting in rugby league was cancelled after that.”

But Gallen believed the NRL’s hard-line stance had made some forwards better players, letting them run the ball without fear of reprisals.

“I think it has helped some forwards,” he said.

“I think some forwards in the game who may not have liked that side of the game or may not have been willing to do anything when it came to that side of the game, I think it’s made some of them better players because of that, I really do.

“There’s no risk of someone slapping them or punching them in the head or having a real go at them on the field.

“That part of the game’s gone, so it has made some players better.”

Still, Gallen was unsure whether banning the biff had made the game better.

“It’s a real fine line. Has it ruined the game? Has it taken something away from the game? I don’t know,” he said.

“If it’s better for the game as a whole, as far as getting kids to play the game … then I’m fine with it (ban).”