Dane Gagai could quit Knights as Rabbitohs table $2.1 million deal
THE Knights face a huge battle to retain Dane Gagai, with a rival club emerging as frontrunner to sign the Maroons star on a $2.1 million deal.
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MAROONS star Dane Gagai is on the verge of quitting Newcastle after receiving a $2.1 million offer to play alongside Origin teammate Greg Inglis at South Sydney.
The Courier-Mail understands the Knights are facing an uphill battle to retain Gagai, with the Rabbitohs favourites to snare the Origin ace.
Souths officials are privately confident they have got their man after tabling a three-year offer to Gagai worth at least $700,000-a-season.
Gagai has an option in his favour for next season but is weighing up whether he wants to stay with a Newcastle side that has finished with the wooden spoon for the past two seasons.
The 26-year-old has been exploring his options on the open market and several clubs have formally expressed interest including the Roosters and premiers Cronulla.
But the Rabbitohs believe they are the frontrunners for Gagai’s signature, with the lure of playing alongside Maroons star Inglis a key factor for Newcastle’s best outside back.
Proudly Aboriginal, Gagai has looked up to Inglis as an indigenous role model since his NRL debut in 2011 and is relishing the prospect of playing with the Souths skipper.
The Sharks were hopeful of snaring Gagai, but with Souths in the box seat, the premiers are now targeting Melbourne’s Will Chambers and Dragons Test star Josh Dugan.
Rabbitohs bosses have held talks with Gagai over the past few weeks as coach Michael Maguire looks to implement a contingency plan for Inglis.
Inglis, who turns 31 in January, snapped his ACL in March and is entering his twilight years in the code.
The Rabbitohs are trying to ease Inglis’ workload in the backfield and view Gagai as an offensive pressure valve who can switch between fullback and centre as he did in Newcastle’s upset win against Canberra on Sunday.
Gagai’s manager Steve Gillis said the Maroons incumbent had options but was in no rush to decide his future.
“It’s a decision he’ll have to make himself when he’s ready. I couldn’t put a time frame on it,” Gillis said.
The acquisition of Gagai would be a major coup for the Rabbitohs.
The former Broncos young gun has scored 32 tries from 121 NRL games and has ascended to the Origin arena despite the weekly battles he is enduring at club level with the Knights.
Gagai has scored five tries in just four games for Queensland — including a hat-trick in Origin II last season — and is set to clinch a centre berth for the series opener on May 31.
Gagai has played every game for the Maroons on the wing but incumbent centre Justin O’Neill is facing the axe after a poor start to the season at the Cowboys.
Maroons coach Kevin Walters confirmed he is considering shifting Gagai infield for Origin I after watching his attacking forays at the Knights.
Originally published as Dane Gagai could quit Knights as Rabbitohs table $2.1 million deal
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