How NRL greats are driving Gagai’s late-career surge
Scott Bailey |
Dane Gagai has declared he will not let anyone else retire him, with the Newcastle veteran hell-bent on winning a maiden premiership in his 16th NRL season.
Gagai put on a masterclass in the Knights’ 20-10 sudden-death win over South Sydney on Friday night, baiting Latrell Mitchell and completely outplaying his former teammate.
Bound for Brisbane next year after going unsigned at Newcastle, Gagai is adamant there is still more football left in him.
Beyond getting the better of Mitchell in both attack and defence, the 36-year-old chased down a grubber to score a first-half try and set up another four-pointer for Dom Young.
“I don’t really listen to what other people say. I know within myself what I’m capable of and I won’t let anyone retire me when I’m not ready,” Gagai said.
“I still feel like I’m playing good footy. The body feels good. I still love the game. I still love competing.
“Once I either lose the passion or the body can’t perform (that’ll change), but until then I’m going to keep playing this beautiful game and keep trying to win.
“I’m chasing a premiership and I want to win the ring. I’ve been playing for 16 years now, and I’ve been in one grand final and I lost that.”
Gagai is three games away from achieving that, with the Knights defying the odds and an ever-growing casualty ward to reach week two of the finals.
It would be wrong to suggest Gagai is turning back the clock. Instead, the centre is arguably playing better now than in the first half of his NRL career.
As things stand, he is one of just three players contracted to enter a 17th season or beyond next year, alongside Jason Taumalolo and Ben Hunt.
“I was very fortunate and blessed that when I come through, I was watching Darren Lockyer and Justin Hodges. I played with those blokes,” Gagai said.
“Seeing them at the back end of their career and at an old age, not one of them ever looked at it like it.
“Their preparation was second to none. They went out on the field, did their job, worked hard and that just made it easy.
“We had Jeremy Smith here at Newcastle who was still doing unbelievable things for us too … So for me, age is just a number.”
Gagai also insisted there had been no punches thrown between he and Mitchell, after a first-half scuffle.
The bunker reviewed the play at length before officials opted against sin-binning either of the pair.
“It was just a heat-of-the-moment thing, he was sticking up for his teammate,” Gagai said.
“I just needed to be that player for our team. We gave each other a big hug after the game.
“I love the big fella, and especially the thing he’s doing outside of footy and in the community. But on the field we compete and that’s what I love about our game.”
AAP