ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti, ɡˈæləɡɚ wʌz wˈʌn ʌvðə fˈɜːst əvə səksˈɛʃən ʌv ˈɔːl blˈæks tə swˈɪtʃ kˈoʊdz tə ɹˈʌɡbi lˈiːɡ, fˈɑːloʊɪŋ hɪz ˌʌndɚstˈʌdi mˈæθjuː ɹˈɪdʒ, hˌuː sˈaɪnd wɪððɪ ˌɛnˌɛsdˈʌbəljˌuːˌɑːɹɹˈɛl mˈænliwˈɔːɹɪŋɡə sˈiː ˈiːɡəlz ˈoʊnli ɐ wˈiːk bᵻfˈoːɹ.
In 1990, Gallagher was one of the first of a succession of All Blacks to switch codes to rugby league, following his understudy Matthew Ridge, who signed with the NSWRL's Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles only a week before.