Gagai out to write final chapter in 14-year odyssey

The Knights fairytale run from wooden spoon to the final four has taken on even greater importance for Gagai, who will return to Brisbane next year to finish a decorated NRL career with the Broncos. 

The centre was a young pup in an experienced Knights squad in 2013, coach Wayne Bennett recruiting a number of veterans in a bid to bring success back to Newcastle. 

Premiership winner Danny Buderus was lured home from the Super League to help recreate the club's glory years, while Neville Costigan, Jeremy Smith and Beau Scott all followed Bennett from St George Illawarra to the Knights.

The 2013 preliminary final was Buderus' final game of rugby league and the Knights quickly dropped away amid Nathan Tinkler's tumultuous ownership of the club. 

While his own career didn't end with a title, Buderus is currently on Justin Holbrook's coaching staff and Gagai said the club legend has passed on plenty of lessons to the playing squad. 

"He was all about action and leading through his actions," Gagai said. "I've been fortunate enough to play alongside a lot of great players. I debuted under Darren Lockyer [in Brisbane] and then came here with Bedsy, [Kurt] Gidley, Jeremy Smith. 

"There were a lot of great leaders I learned from but Bedsy was among the best. He's one of the nicest blokes you'll meet but he's able to go out there and flick the switch. 

"He's the kindest man on Earth off the field, but then when he gets on the field he demands a lot from his players so that was the biggest thing I learned."

While the 2013 squad was filled with veterans, the current Knights run to the preliminary final has been fuelled by a crop of young stars. 

Gun five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe is just 22 years old, prop Cody Hopwood is 20 and only 17 games into his NRL career, while bench forward Lachlan Crouch made his debut just 12 weeks ago.

Centre Bradman Best is still only 25, halfback Sandon Smith is only 23, and back-rowers Jermaine McEwen and Francis Manuleleua are in the early years of their careers. 

Rather than be overawed by the occasion, the youngsters have relished the bright lights of sudden-death football.

Remarkably, it was the inexperienced Knights who best handled the pressure cooker of 48,000 screaming Warriors fans at Eden Park last weekend. 

Gagai is expecting a similar performance this Sunday in front of a crowd expected to nudge 60,000 at Accor Stadium. 

"The biggest change we've had is we have a few senior players and some young boys growing into leaders," Gagai said. "Then we have all these young boys coming through aspiring to be future leaders of this club. 

"All these young guys coming through aren't just happy being part of the NRL team. They want to win. They're super competitive. 

"You look at Cody Hopwood, he's a starting front-rower, he's only 20 but he's playing with the attitude of this being his fifth year in the NRL. It's exciting times but we can't rely on what's gotten us here, we have to go out on Sunday and perform."

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