Hugh Joseph McGahan[ McGAHAN, Hugh Joseph 1982 - 90 - Kiwi #566 nzleague.co.nz] (born 15 November 1961)[Joseph Romanos, p. 76.] is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer, and coach who represented New Zealand.
His son, Matt McGahan, is a rugby union professional.
Playing career
Educated at St Peter's College, Auckland, the tall Māori backrower of Ngāi Tūhoe descent was an
Otahuhu Leopards junior and played in the Auckland Rugby League competition under coach
Graham Lowe. He later moved to
Sydney to play for Australian club
Sydney Roosters from 1985. In 1987 the
Sydney Roosters captain was named the
Dally M backrower of the year. The following year McGahan was co-recipient of the Adidas Golden Boot Award with Peter Sterling. In his final season with the
Sydney Roosters McGahan took over as captain-coach following the dismissal of
Russell Fairfax. He played in over 100 matches for the club from 1985 until his retirement at the end of the 1991 season. Following his retirement from the club, McGahn was a director of both
Sydney Roosters the leagues and football club.
Representative career
McGahan represented New Zealand in 53 tests. He was the captain in 17 of those test matches.
[ He once scored 6 tries in a test match against Papua New Guinea.
]
He toured the United Kingdom in 1983 with the New Zealand Māori side.
In 1987, McGahan jointly won the prestigious Golden Boot award along with Parramatta Eels and Australian Peter Sterling. The award is given to the player judged to be the best international footballer of the year. As of 2013 McGahan is the only second row forward, and one of only two forwards (Melbourne Storm Cameron Smith in 2007 being the other), to have won the Golden Boot.
Later years
In the 1991 New Year Honours, McGahan was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to rugby league.
McGahan went on to sports management roles in the United Kingdom and back home in New Zealand and successfully built his own management company, which he still runs today. In 1999 he was the Auckland Warriors football manager.[ New Zealand Rugby League Annual '98, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 1998. p.58]
In 2006 McGahan coached the Waitemata rugby union club. The side made the Auckland Rugby Union grand final.[ League star a rugby coach Tamaki and District Times, 9 August 2006]
Controversy
On 5 November 2007, McGahan and former All Black Doug Rollerson, appeared in the Auckland District Court on charges of alleged fraud. A small group used an elaborate scheme of invoices and accounts to defraud sports organisations out of charity money. The group was accused of supplying Touch New Zealand, the North Harbour Rugby Union and Team Harbour Limited with false invoices.
Further reading
-
-
Joseph Romanos, "Hugh McGahan", 100 Māori Sports Heroes, Trio Books, Wellington, 2012, p. 76.
-
The Encyclopedia Of Rugby League Players (By Alan Whiticker and Glen Hudson),
