Mackay Indigenous Carnival: Star-studded GH United celebrate success
A GH United outfit featuring no less than five past and present NRL stars took out the Mackay Carnival. Go inside their success, and hear from Dane Gagai on what it meant.
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Inspired by stellar showings from the Gagai brothers, a GH United outfit littered with household names surged to the open men’s title at the Mackay Indigenous Rugby League Carnival.
GH flexed its considerable muscle to down Coastal Balaz 38-10 in what was a reversal of last year’s grand final result.
The team featured Dane and Jacob Gagai, Cody Walker, Josh Dugan, and Josh Hoffman
Understandably thrilled with the triumph, GH United coach Richie Irelandes was equally pleased by the experience of the carnival as a whole.
“Whether we win or lose isn’t the ultimate for us,” Irelandes said.
“It’s about enjoying the weekend and knowing we’ve done our best regardless and we’ve competed.
“We don’t focus on the end result, we focus on enjoying the weekend, family coming together, everybody working hard and putting effort in for each other, and positive results come from that.”
With famed Mackay talent Ray Gagai watching on, his sons Jacob and Dane lit up the Mackay Junior Rugby League Grounds, each playing an instrumental role in the GH United win.
Jacob dazzled with three tries either side of the half, saving his best for last with a long-range effort that saw him slice through the Balaz defence and bounce off one, then two, then three opponents before crossing the stripe.
The Rabbitoh was adjudged player of the final, while older brother Dane also played a strong hand across the weekend and was awarded best back in the final.
“Dane Gagai was our player of the carnival,” Irelandes said.
“Dane’s played a few carnivals with us but his leadership this year was really important.
“Jacob Gagai was also very strong.”
But the Gagai’s weren’t the only brothers to shine for GH, with Kyle and TJ McLean both putting in dynamic shifts and playing a hand in a number of GH tries.
Irelandes was also impressed with his forward pack, spearheaded by Tyson Hodge, who won best forward in the final.
“We always said that our middles were going to determine the results, and our outside backs,” he said.
“It’s hard to single out the middle but our forward pack laid the foundation not only for that game but the whole weekend.”
Fittingly, Josh Hoffman was also among the GH United tryscorers, as the team was created over 14 years ago to honour his mum Grace, and Gail Hine, after their passing.
The team was undefeated throughout the entire carnival, with Irelandes reinforcing they aren’t ‘an overnight success’.
“Josh Hoffman and Dane Gagai were only very young when we started this and we’ve had kids playing for us that were only 10 when we started,” he said.
“It’s a long-time in the making, and we’re starting to see the results these last few years.”
The GH United under-17 boy’s side also travelled through the carnival undefeated to taste success, prevailing over Railways 14-10 in a tense final.
In the under-17 girl’s, GH came up one game short, losing the final to Murri Gummahz 34-8.
‘So special’: Gagai reflects on hometown triumph
He’s played over 250 NRL games, 22 Origin games, and won a Wally Lewis Medal, but that didn’t make Dane Gagai’s Mackay Indigenous Rugby League Carnival triumph any less special.
“It ranks right up there,” Gagai said.
“It’s awesome to be able to come back home to a family, that’s what I love so much about coming home to play in these carnivals,” Gagai said.
“A lot of memories growing up here, started with my juniors here barefoot, the most important thing for me is coming back and being with family, getting the win is unbelievable and I can’t wait to enjoy it with them.”
Gagai took to the field alongside his brother Jacob for GH United, while three other generations of Gagai’s were in attendance watching.
“This is my family, this is who I play for, and this is why I am where I am today in terms of playing NRL and all that stuff,” he said.
“It’s because of my family and their support.
“(This is) probably my best achievement.”
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