NRL 2021: Broncos keen to lure Dane Gagai back to Red Hill
He’s the Maroons star who was controversially booted by the Broncos just six games into his NRL career – but now Brisbane want Dane Gagai back.
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Brisbane have formally expressed interest in Dane Gagai with the off-contract Queensland Origin and Souths flyer leaving the door ajar for a return to the Broncos.
News Corp can reveal the Broncos have made moves to poach Gagai from the Rabbitohs as the Maroons centre prepares for his shot at redemption against NSW in Origin II this Sunday night at Suncorp Stadium.
Despite being in the best form of his career, Gagai remains without a club for next season, with South Sydney chiefs juggling salary-cap pressures that could see the Queensland ace squeezed out of Redfern.
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There is a view Gagai should never have been lost to the Broncos with former Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin famously sacking the rookie for a minor disciplinary breach just six games into his NRL career in 2012.
But a decade later, an older and wiser Gagai could embark on a Red Hill resurrection after his management fielded interest from a Broncos club armed with a $3 million salary-cap war chest.
Gagai hasn’t ruled out staying at Souths but the veteran of 17 Origin matches for Queensland confirmed the Broncos are in the mix as he weighs up the best move for his family and football.
“The Broncos are certainly an option,” he said.
“I started my career there.
“Look, I would love to stay at Souths, it’s a great club, but the reality is I have a family to look after and I have to make a decision that is best for me.
“I haven’t ruled anyone out at this stage.
“We are going through the contract process now. There’s a lot of salary-cap issues, not just with Souths but quite a few clubs. They need to work through those things and I’m leaving the contract talks to my manager.
“I am focused on winning an Origin series and winning a grand final at Souths.
“I’ve got three wooden spoons, I’ve been to three prelims (preliminary finals), so it’s about time I won a premiership.
“I’ve seen the younger boys here in Camp Maroon like Tino (Fa’asuamaleaui) with a premiership ring and that’s what I want at Souths.”
It is understood the Broncos have yet to table a formal offer for Gagai as they embark on a roster clean-out headlined by Tevita Pangai Jnr and Matt Lodge.
But Broncos coach Kevin Walters is a fan of Gagai, having mentored him in the Queensland Origin side, and believes he can add some strike to Brisbane’s backline alongside Kotoni Staggs and Adam Reynolds.
For now, Gagai’s immediate mission is hitting back against the Blues after his disappointing display in Queensland’s 50-6 loss in Origin I.
“It wasn’t an ideal preparation for me,” said Gagai, who had a stint in hospital with tonsillitis.
“I wasn’t feeling well, but that’s no excuse.
“At the end of the day, I chose to play and when you are named in the team, you put the jersey on and do your job.
“I didn’t do my job in Origin I and it’s been burning since that game.
“I have to put that performance behind me now, I’m 100 per cent fit this time so I want to be better in Game Two.”
KEVVIE LAUGHS OFF RUMOURS OVER WHY HE LET WALSH WALK
Struggling coach Kevvie Walters has finally explained why he allowed teenage Origin sensation Reece Walsh to walk out on the Broncos in the most embarrassing recruitment blunder in a decade.
And while he is adamant he knew what he was getting himself in for at the bumbling Broncos, Walters believes “every little mistake that’s made I get blamed for.”
News Corp can reveal Walsh gave up on his childhood dream of playing for Brisbane to take up a full-time contract at the Warriors as one of the lowest paid players in the game.
The Warriors increased his salary from a $60,000 development contract to $100,000 to make the switch.
“We didn’t want him to go,” Walters said.
“But he was strong on going. We knew he was talented but I wanted him to play a few more games in Intrust Cup.”
Instead of running around in Queensland Cup, Walsh will become the second youngest and inexperienced player to play Origin when he runs onto Suncorp Stadium on Sunday night.
In a cruel twist, Walters has been subjected to speculation that he was keeping a spot open in his 30-man NRL squad for his own son Billy Walters, who was trying to get a transfer from the Wests Tigers.
And the rumours were that was why he didn’t give Walsh the full-time contract.
Walters laughed it off.
“I was keeping it for Cameron Smith,” Walters said.
“Please, give me a break. How would I stand in the way of any kid for my own son? Please.
“Every little mistake that’s made I get blamed for.
“I’m not the greatest coach in the NRL, but I’m not the worst.
“I knew how tough this job was going to be.
“At the end of the day the Warriors offered to throw him straight in and paid him more money. That’s what happened.”
Walsh has been picked for Origin after just seven games of brilliance for the Warriors, with even Dally M winner Roger Tuivasa-Sheck happy to move to the wing to accommodate the 18-year-old prodigy.
“I’d seen at the Broncos previously that talented youngsters had been given an NRL jersey way too early and before they were ready,” Walters said.
“It didn’t help their development.
“Sometimes an 18-year-old can train really well but then struggle in games, so I had a conversation with him about his pathway through.
“He was adamant he wanted to go. He saw the opportunity to play first grade straight away.
“He’s a good kid and we hope to get him back one day.”
Walsh will earn $100,000 this season but his contract is significantly increased over the next three seasons to around the $400,000 mark.
While Walters has never spoken in depth about Walsh’s departure, the youngster has previously said it was all about the opportunity to start in first grade when he did the deal with sharp-eyed Warriors recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan.
“It was a dream of mine to play NRL for Brisbane,” he said.
“I remember when I was seven years old, I would run around with a Broncos jersey on wishing I could play for the Broncos.
“That’s something I always wanted to do, but then the Warriors came into the picture and they were very clear with the opportunity they could give me.
“I wanted to play first grade, but Kevvie didn’t think I was quite ready. He wanted to hold me back a little bit and they had Jamayne (Isaako) there.”
In the aftermath of a number of signing blunders headed by Walsh and Roosters young gun Sam Walker, the Broncos released recruitment boss Peter Nolan last week as part of a football department shake-up.
‘He feels like he belongs in the Queensland team’
– Fatima Kdouh
Queensland selector Billy Slater said Reece Walsh “was not the answer’’ to fixing Queensland’s Origin crisis.
But speak to those close to the 18-year-old and it becomes clear Walsh believes he belongs on rugby league’s brightest stage.
There will not be a more awkward introduction in Queensland camp than when Maroons legend-turned-selector Slater shakes hands with the Warriors rookie.
Slater was convinced the boom back would not solve the Maroons issues in game two at Suncorp Stadium after NSW thrashed the Maroons 50-6 in Townsville.
Walsh would be the first person to disagree with Slater.
“He’s one of those kids who is going to feel like he belongs in the Queensland team,” Warriors coach Nathan Brown told News Corp.
“He’s not arrogant but he is confident in his own ability.
“I think Reece would understand where Billy is coming from … everyone has an opinion in rugby league. Some said not to pick him or that he’s definitely got to play for Queensland in the future or to pick him now.
“But Paul Green has had to make a decision.
“A decision and an opinion are far different … how that decision turns out will probably have a part on the contest on Sunday.”
After ignoring the advice of Brown, who also wanted to see Walsh held back a season, and Slater, selectors picked Walsh after just seven NRL games to make his Origin debut at No. 1, the jersey made famous by Slater himself.
Now Slater has five days to turn Walsh into Queensland’s ‘answer’ as the Maroons desperately try to level the series on Sunday night.
“I had a quick chat with Reece last night, told him Billy Slater is in there and to learn as you much as you can from Billy,” Brown said.
“He’s a great tool for him, Billy has been one of the greatest ever to play in that position. It’s a great opportunity for him to learn the finer points of fullback play and build a relationship with Billy.”
After weeks of headlines and speculation about Walsh’s selection, Brown revealed the details of the SOS call received from coach Green on Sunday night.
“Greeny me gave us a call … it appears he is their best option, and you have to pick his best option,” Brown said.
“Paul Green is a very good footy coach, he has played Origin and he’s been around the traps and he has done all his homework.
“He has decided Reece is his best option and we are very supportive of that being the case.”
While maintaining Walsh is 12 months from being ready for Origin, Warriors recruitment guru Peter O’Sullivan is backing the youngster to “shoot the lights out” in Brisbane on Sunday, in a similar fashion to his NRL debut in round seven against Melbourne.
“Look, in a perfect world, they would have waited until next year until Reece got more NRL under his belt, that would have been better. But we are not faced with a perfect world at the moment,” O’Sullivan said.
“We know he is confident and going to throw himself into it and put big plays on … I’m sure with his ability he will come up with some good plays.
“He’ll go out there to try and shoot the lights out and we’ll support him.
“We think he is good enough, we’re behind him 100 per cent and we’re sure he’ll give it a good crack.
Walsh announced his NRL arrival with an eye-catching performance which included a try and two try assists.
That showing surprised even O’Sullivan, the man responsible for poaching Walsh from Brisbane.
“It’s probably not the perfect environment to make his Origin debut, but that was probably a bit like his NRL debut. None of us probably thought he was quiet ready but circumstances dictated we put him in and he showed us he was ready,” O’Sullivan said.
“Knowing Reece, he’ll do the same thing on Sunday. Confidence won’t be a problem.”
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