‘Won’t let anyone retire me’: Gagai’s vow after heated Latrell battle
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There were more than a few eyebrows raised earlier this year when Brisbane elected to sign Knights veteran Dane Gagai for next season.
After all, Gagai turns 36 in January and has less football in front of him than he does behind him, after a career that has spanned 16 years in the top grade.
Dane Gagai salutes the Knights fans. Getty Images
But after watching him go toe-to-toe with Latrell Mitchell in Friday’s elimination final and come out on top in a 20-10 victory over South Sydney, that choice became clear.
The pair were involved in a first-half melee where both men, in particular Gagai, were lucky to not find themselves in the sin bin for striking.
The former Rabbitohs teammates went at it for the entire 80 minutes and in the end it was Gagai who got the better of his younger rival.
Mitchell himself said Gagai could play for another two years, and it’s hard to argue with that after the way the former Maroons star stepped up.
Speaking to media post-game, Gagai was quizzed about the first-half incident and whether he took his battle with Mitchell personally.
“It was just a heat of the moment thing and he’s obviously sticking up for his teammate ... I wasn’t gonna let him push me around,” he said.
“That’s the beauty of our game, when you get competitors like that. We know what Latrell brings to a team – I 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 things he’s doing outside of footy in the community, but on the field we compete and that’s what I love about footy.
“We all know what Trell does, he’s a big-game player and he’s a superstar of the game, but I just had to focus on preparation throughout the week.
“I’m always going to compete and I look forward to the opportunity of coming up against players like that. They obviously bring the best out of you because if you have a little micro slip, they can punish you pretty quickly.
“I don’t think it was an individual battle within myself personally, I was just more thinking about what I can do to help the team out.”
Gagai has played 337 first grade matches and has showed no signs of slowing down – in fact, he is having one of the best years of his career.
With six tries, 11 try assists and 111 tackle breaks and for the year, Gagai has been one of the form centres in the competition, while his big-game experience aided his young Newcastle teammates in the sudden-death final against Souths.
Latrell Mitchell and Dane Gagai had a running battle. Getty Images
But it’s not lost on Gagai either that his next game in the red and blue jersey could be his last, before returning to Red Hill – the place his NRL career began.
“I obviously know that if we lose, then that’s it for me here at the club – but I’m not looking at it that way,” the Broncos-bound centre said.
“I’m chasing a premiership and I wanna win a ring. I’ve been playing for 16 years now and I’ve been in one grand final and lost that.
“I don’t really listen to what other people are saying. I know within myself, my abilities, what I’m capable of and I won’t let anyone retire me when I’m not ready.
“I still feel like I’m playing good footy, my body feels good, I still love the game, I still love competing. Once I lose either the passion to play the game or the body can’t perform and keep up ... I’m gonna keep playing this beautiful game.”
While it was Gagai and captain Kalyn Ponga who got a lot of the accolades, the Knights’ upset win was spearheaded by some of the fresh talent in the squad.
Jermaine McEwen was arguably the best player on the field, Francis Manuleleua was at his rampaging best just a fortnight after dislocating his elbow, while prop Coby Hopwood filled the shoes left by the suspended Jacob Saifiti.
Jermaine McEwen was a man possessed on Friday. Getty Images
Gagai said the depth and belief within the four walls will hold Newcastle in good stead next week, when they meet either the Dolphins or Warriors.
“I’ve had plenty of great wins, but I think the beauty about us at the moment is we’re all confident in the next man up mentality,” he said.
“That’s what makes great clubs, you’ve seen it with Penrith, you’ve seen it with Melbourne over the years, I had it when I was over at the Bunnies.
“The trust we have within each other in the playing group gives us the confidence to be able to go out and play our style of footy.
“I’m just loving every minute of it and hopefully we can do something special, especially for the fans who turned up [in Sydney].”
