Hugh McGahan
Encyclopedia
Hugh Joseph McGahan MBE
(born 15 November 1961 in Auckland
, New Zealand
) is a former rugby league
footballer and coach who represented New Zealand
. Since retirement he has worked as a rugby league newspaper columnist and a football manager.
, the tall Māori backrower was an Otahuhu Leopards
junior and played in the Auckland Rugby League
competition under coach Graham Lowe.
He later moved to Sydney
and played in over 100 matches for the Australian club Eastern suburbs
from 1985 until his retirement at the end of the 1991 season
. In his final season with the Roosters
McGahan took over as captain-coach following the dismissal of Russell Fairfax
. In 1987 the Roosters
captain was named the Dally M backrower of the year. Following his retirement from the club, McGahn was a director of both East's
the leagues and football club.
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
. In 1988 McGahan, won the prestigious Golden Boot award, an award given to the player judged to be the best international footballer of the year.
for services to rugby league
. That year he also served as caretaker coach of the Eastern Suburbs Roosters
. In 1995 he was one of the initial inductees of the NZRL's Legends of 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.
In 2006 McGahan coached the Waitemata rugby union
club. The side made the Auckland Rugby Union grand final.
and Team Harbour Limited with false invoices. McGahan pleaded guilty and in May 2009 he was sentenced to 270 hours of community service.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born 15 November 1961 in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) is a former rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer and coach who represented New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
. Since retirement he has worked as a rugby league newspaper columnist and a football manager.
Playing career
Educated at St Peter's College, AucklandSt Peter's College, Auckland
St Peter's College is a Catholic college for year 7 to 13 boys . The school, located in Auckland, is one of the largest Catholic schools in New Zealand and is an integrated school under an integration agreement entered into by the Catholic Bishop of Auckland and the Government of New Zealand in...
, the tall Māori backrower was an Otahuhu Leopards
Otahuhu Leopards
The Otahuhu Leopards are a rugby league club based in Otahuhu, New Zealand. The club competes in the Fox Memorial competition run by the Auckland Rugby League. They are coached by Peter Caccioppoli. Between 2000 and 2003 they also competed in the Bartercard Cup.The team are the current holders of...
junior and played in the Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
competition under coach Graham Lowe.
He later moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and played in over 100 matches for the Australian club Eastern suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
from 1985 until his retirement at the end of the 1991 season
New South Wales Rugby League season 1991
The 1991 New South Wales Rugby League Premiership season was the eighty-fourth season of professional rugby league football in Australia. This year the League experimented with a draft system for the first time....
. In his final season with the Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
McGahan took over as captain-coach following the dismissal of Russell Fairfax
Russell Fairfax
Russell Lance Fairfax was an Australian professional rugby league footballer and coach of the 1970s and 80s....
. In 1987 the Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
captain was named the Dally M backrower of the year. Following his retirement from the club, McGahn was a director of both East's
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
the leagues and football club.
Representative career
McGahan represented New ZealandNew Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
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
Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team represents Papua New Guinea internationally in the sport of rugby league football.In Papua New Guinea, Rugby league is highly popular and is regarded as the country’s national sport. The national side are known as the Kumuls...
. In 1988 McGahan, won the prestigious Golden Boot award, an award given to the player judged to be the best international footballer of the year.
Later years
In 1990 McGahan was honoured as a Member of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for services to rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
. That year he also served as caretaker coach of the Eastern Suburbs Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
. In 1995 he was one of the initial inductees of the NZRL's Legends of 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
1999 Auckland Warriors season
The Auckland Warriors 1999 season was the Auckland Warriors 5th first-grade season. The club competed in Australasia's National Rugby League. The coach of the team was Mark Graham while Matthew Ridge was the club's captain.-Milestones:...
he was the Auckland Warriors football manager.
In 2006 McGahan coached the Waitemata rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club. The side made the Auckland Rugby Union grand final.
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 UnionNorth Harbour Rugby Union
The North Harbour Rugby Union , commonly referred to colloquially as North Harbour or simply Harbour, is a provincial rugby team which competes in the ITM Cup , the successor to the country's former domestic competition, the National Provincial Championship .-Area:Harbour Rugby encompasses a...
and Team Harbour Limited with false invoices. McGahan pleaded guilty and in May 2009 he was sentenced to 270 hours of community service.