Dane Gagai reveals why he stayed with the Knights

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listo

Darren Albert
Not sure how to post links with an iPhone, but in the fox nrl app there's an article on Dane explaining why he stayed. It was nice to read something positive about the club.
 
Dane Gagai reveals why he knocked back Wayne Bennett to stay with Newcastle Knights


  • CHRIS GARRY
  • THE COURIER-MAIL
  • JUNE 29, 2015 12:00AM

QUEENSLAND’S newest rookie Dane Gagai has revealed why he is among a select few people to say no to Wayne Bennett.

Gagai has been one of the NRL’s in-form centres this year and was Newcastle’s best in a losing effort to his former club Brisbane on Friday night.

He will debut for the Maroons in Game Three, playing on the right wing, just 18 months after his Origin career was thrown in jeopardy when he skipped an Emerging Origin training session.

Gagai has since matured on and off the field, thanks to the influence of Bennett.

Yet Gagai still had the guts two months ago to call the man who gave him a lifeline at Newcastle and tell him he wasn’t coming home to Red Hill.

Gagai said it was hard to make the call because when the Broncos sacked him in May 2012, Bennett was there to pick up the pieces.

“I have to give credit to Wayne. He brought me down to the club before the cut-off date after the Broncos didn’t want me,” he said.

“I was playing for Redcliffe Dolphins in Cairns against the Pride and I was at Cairns airport and Wayne called me and said ‘If I put you on a flight to come to Newcastle and play for us this weekend against the Broncos, how would you feel?’

“I said ‘Are you serious’?“He said, ‘Does it sound like I am joking’.

“So I packed my bags as soon as I could and left for Newcastle.

“I only came halfway through the season and I thought I would be an outsider but the boys made me feel so welcome.”

His love for the Newcastle team meant Gagai stayed loyal and re-signed with the Knights until the end of 2017.

He was all but certain to sign for Brisbane late last year when his brother Jacob left Newcastle for Red Hill.

Then he realised he couldn’t leave the tight-knit playing group at the Knights.

“I have matured a lot in the last year. I used to stay up all night watching movies and not sleep,” he said.

“Now I have a routine and feel so much better, The key factor to staying here is I am enjoying footy.

“The playing group made me feel welcome. In my first week here I thought to myself ‘This is my home’.”


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ewcastle-knights/story-fni3fbgz-1227419115891
 
Good to hear that he's happy here. He's been great this year after an average season in 2014. I'm stoked that we re-signed him especially when we were seemingly long odds to do so. If we get Hodkinson and a decent forward I'll be more than happy with our retention and recruitment for next season.
 
He's been great for us this year, he needs to learn to pass to aku though! If he did that against the Broncos aku was over untouched twice.
 
Well I'm sold! Anyone who shows loyalty to us I'm happy to promote in my approved players list :lol:
 
Think he could be legit unless he was being offered 200k by the Broncos haha, players go to play for Wayne for less remember? Heh
In two years though he could be that marquee signing the Broncos chase after again with or without Bennett there.
 
Must be a pretty bitter pill to swallow when he sees the two side's positions on the ladder.
 
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