Mackay’s top 10 all-time greatest NRL players, named
Across rugby league’s history, Mackay has produced some top-tier NRL talent. In the lead-up to the grand final, Mackay’s greatest-ever players have been ranked. Tell us what you think.
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The biggest stage of all is fast approaching, and Mackay will be well represented on it.
South Sydney’s Dane Gagai will play his last game as a bunny in the 2021 NRL grand final, with a move back to Newcastle confirmed.
In honour of the premiership match on Sunday, here are Mackay’s all-time top 10 NRL players who were produced in the region.
#10 – Josh Hannay
The Moranbah junior was highly touted across the footballing world when he arrived at North Queensland in 1996.
The 16 year old was denied permission to play in first grade, and was made to wait until he was 18 in 1998.
Hannay, a goalkicking winger, set a number of club records across his nine seasons with the Cowboys, including most points in a season (230 in 2003), most points in a match (24 in 2003) and most career points (882).
He played in the losing 2005 grand final where he famously carried a shoulder injury into the match, before moving to Cronulla for the 2007 season.
Hannay played a total of 153 games in the NRL for 49 tries, as well as completing 343/498 conversions.
He played in two State of Origin games, one in 2003 and one in 2006, and won both.
#9 – Ben Barba
A controversial figure in Mackay’s footballing history, but the talent he had on the pitch was undeniable.
Barba played 168 games across his NRL career, scoring 99 tries.
After starting his career at the Bulldogs, Barba made the switch to Canterbury where he enjoyed the best football of his career.
Barba cleaned up at the Dally M Awards ceremony in 2012, collecting the player and fullback of the year, as well as the Provan Summons Medal, Peter Frilingos Memorial Award, RLPA and RLW Player of the Year awards, and RLIF fullback of the year.
Controversy embroiled the latter years of his career, with Barba suspended indefinitely after testing positive to cocaine in 2016.
He switched to rugby union in 2017, but he lasted just four months on his French team RC Toulonnais before he was sacked.
After playing for St Helens in England in 2018, he returned to North Queensland Cowboys in 2018, but he was released in 2019 and banned indefinitely after Townsville police investigated him for the alleged assault of his partner.
That investigation resulted in public nuisance charges to which Barba pleaded guilty to two counts in May 2019, and was sentenced to 150 hours of community service.
In August 2020 Barba pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, beaching bail conditions and failing to complete a community service order after punching his brother-in-law.
He was fined $1500 and was also ordered to pay $1000 to the victim.
In 2021, he represented Mackay in the Foley Shield team, and has played in the Rugby League Mackay and District for Carltons Devils.
Barba also played for Eastern Swans in the Mackay AFL league and led the league in goals scored, and also played soccer for Mackay Rangers in the Mackay Premier League.
#8 – Shannon Hegarty
Hegarty was a hard-running centre who played for Mackay Brothers and St Patrick’s College player before signing for Sydney Roosters in 1999.
He was the starting centre in the 2000 grand final loss against Brisbane Broncos, and scored the first try in the premiership win against the Warrior in 2002.
He also played on the wing in the Roosters’ 2004 grand final loss to Canterbury-Bankstown.
Hegarty played 173 NRL games and scored 64 tries, with 109 matches (52 tries) for the Roosters.
After six seasons with the Roosters, Hegarty made the switch to South Sydney, where he spent four seasons before joining North Queensland Cowboys for one season.
Hegarty also played four games for Australia and three State of Origin matches for Queensland.
#7 – Brett Dallas
A speedy winger, Dallas began his career at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
He became Queensland’s youngest State of Origin player at 18 years, 225 days old, and went on to play 10 matches.
Dallas missed out on the 1995 premiership after suffering a knee injury the week before.
He played 76 games for North Sydney Bears from 1996-1999, scoring 46 tries, before moving to England to play for Wigan Warriors after the merger with Manly-Warringah.
He played 119 games in the NRL for 64 tries, as well as 177 in the Super League for 107 tries.
Dallas played for Australia six times, scoring nine tries including two on debut, and played 10 State of Origin games.
The rugby league great has recently faced court for a string of charges, dating back to 2019.
He was caught stealing a $50 jumper on CCTV cameras while on a return to prison warrant.
Dallas pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including aggravated ice possessing and stealing, and was handed a three-month wholly suspended sentence.
#6 – Dane Gagai
The South Sydney star will play in his first grand final, and his last Rabbitohs game, when he runs out on Saturday.
Gagai made the switch from Newcastle to South Sydney for the 2018 season, and will move back to the Knights following the 2021 season.
He has scored 68 tries from his 225 career appearances, including at least 10 in each of his past three seasons for the Rabbitohs.
Playing for Souths Sharks in Mackay as a junior, Gagai is the face of sugar city football for the grand final weekend.
#5 – Daly Cherry-Evans
The Manly captain was actually born in Redcliffe, Queensland, but Cherry-Evans moved to Mackay at 12 years old.
He played for Mackay Brothers in the RLMD, and went to St Patrick’s College during his high school years.
Cherry-Evans signed a contract to play for Manly-Warringah’s under-20s team in 2008, where he played 36 games across two seasons.
The halfback made his NRL debut in 2011, and has now played 261 games for the Sea Eagles, scoring 71 tries.
Cherry-Evans also captained Queensland in the 2019-2021 State of Origin series, and has played 13 games for his state and 15 tests for Australia.
#4 – Elton Rasmussen
The Mackay forward first played representative football for Australia, touring with the Kangaroos in 1959-60 and debuted against Great Britain.
After playing against France in 1960, Rasmussen played with St George and won five consecutive grand finals from 1962-66.
Rasmussen was also on field for Australia during the 1968 World Cup, where he played a role in his country’s victory against France.
He played 21 games for Australia across a 10-year career, and he scored 21 tries during his eight years at St George.
#3 – Martin Bella
Mackay Councillor Martin Bella started to receive attention in the footballing world playing in the Foley Shield competition.
Bella made 235 appearances across the NSWRL and ARL for a number of teams, including North Sydney, Manly, Canterbury, North Queensland and Gold Coast.
His 46 matches for Canterbury were his most successful, with Bella’s Bulldogs making the grand final but lost to Canberra Raiders.
The prop was recognised with selection to Queensland’s State of Origin side between 1987 and 1994 but Bella only received four Australian test caps.
#2 – Dale Shearer
One of Sarina’s many talented footballers, Shearer enjoyed a successful career in rugby league.
The centre was a member of Mackay’s second successful Foley Shield team in 1984, before he signed with Manly-Warringah ahead of the 1985 NSWRL season.
Shearer also spent time at Brisbane, Gold Coast, South Queensland, Sydney and North Queensland.
He played 194 games across the NRLW, ARL and NRL during his career, scoring 78 tries
Shearer impressed representative selectors on the pitch, earning 26 appearances for Queensland in the State of Origin and 20 for Australia.
He mainly played as a winger in his representative career, and was named at wing in the Indigenous Team of the Century.
#1 – Wendell Sailor
An explosive winger who garnered plenty of interest from his time spent playing in Sarina, Sailor joined the Broncos in 1993.
Sailor was an unused reserve in the Broncos grand final win over St George in his first year, before breaking into the starting side in 1994.
He played 189 games for Brisbane across nine seasons, scoring 110 tries and winning four premierships.
Sailor moved St George Illawarra for two years and played 33 games for the Dragons.
He finished his career with 222 appearances and 127 tries.
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