Ex Leeds Rhinos man set for the big screen in surprise career twist

Over the years Leeds Rhinos have had plenty of Australian talent come through their ranks and during Rhinos’ ‘Golden Generation’ era it made plenty of sense for NRL talent to head to Headingley in an effort to pick up some silverware that they could take back down under.

One such man was a mountain of a man in prop Keith Galloway with the six foot five inches tall bruiser representing the Rhinos in 2016 and 2017 as he picked up 43 appearances for the side.

30 of those appearances came during the 2016 campaign but he starred less in 2017, although he did head back down under with a Grand Final medal in his back pocket despite not playing in the game.

A former Australia and New South Wales rep Galloway is no doubt one of the sport’s tough men and so the transition into acting is something that would come as a surprise to many.

Strangely enough though it isn’t the first instance of this with George Burgess also having taken up acting, the former England and South Sydney Rabbitohs star having linked up Rabbitohs co-owner Russell Crowe in a feature film of Crowe’s.

Back to Galloway and it’s now being reported by ‘The Mole’ for Wide World of Sports that he’s set to make the career change to take up a role on the big screen.

He’s set to play a classic ‘bad guy’ in a former Wests Tigers’ teammates’ upcoming film ‘Lickerish’ which will be on screen in early 2024.

On the project Galloway told Wide World of Sports: “Mate I’m a wharfie now, so this was completely out of my comfort zone but I’ve got to say I loved it.”

“I was in a gun fight scene in a bikie clubhouse so it was all action.

“It’s not a big part but it’s a start. Who knows? Hollywood may come knocking,” the ex Rhino joked.

The Wests’ teammate in whose film he is featuring in is Kyle Lovett, formerly of Leigh, and Lovett explained what had set about his transition towards film making.

“I played a season with Leigh in England after the Tigers and did an acting course in Manchester,” Lovett explained.

“Playing first grade football was a dream come true and this is a new dream – I’ve always loved writing and the movies.

“The film has a (Quentin) Tarantino feel … it’s all shot in Sydney and I play a character who burns the candle at both ends.

“It’s an action drama with bits of sex and drugs.

“Funding is hard – I put my own money in and was blessed to have two investors.

“Once we got the go ahead, I reached out to Keith as we were old footy buddies. He played a great cameo and it could be the start of a whole new journey for him.

“I told Keith on set he was a real natural. He has a presence. I can definitely see him having a career in film.”