Ken Nagas
Encyclopedia
Ken Nagas is a former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders
of the National Rugby League
. Nagas primarily played on the wing. He is of Vanuatuan descent.
. 1993 saw Nagas appear in nine games for Canberra where he scored 4 tries.
In 1994 Ken Nagas hit form and he played 18 games and scored 11 tries, many of them length of the field runs, the most famous being against Manly
in Round 7 at Bruce Stadium
in Canberra
when he ran the length of the field to score while holding the ball in one hand, keeping his shorts up with the other and being chased the whole way by Manly winger Craig Hancock
who actually lost ground to the flying Raiders' winger. Nagas went on to play on the wing in Canberra's 36-12 Grand Final win over Canterbury-Bankstown where he scored 2 of Canberra's 7 tries.
Nagas, like the rest of the Canberra Raiders players, signed with Super League
in 1995 and although his great form continued, scoring 14 tries from 19 games, he along with team mates Laurie Daley
, Bradley Clyde
, Brett Mullins
, Ricky Stuart
and David Furner
(other than Nagas, all were players on Australia's
1994 Kangaroo Tour), were left out of 1995 representative teams as only Australian Rugby League
contracted players were selected. Canberra finished equal top on the 1995 ladder with Manly but after defeating rivals Brisbane
14-8 at Suncorp Stadium
, the defending premiers were knocked out in the Preliminary Final by eventual premiers Sydney Bulldogs 8-25.
In the 1997 World Club Championship, Nagas scored six tries for Canberra against Halifax
, a club record. In the 1997 post season, Nagas was selected to play for Australia in all three matches of the Super League Test series
against Great Britain
.
After eleven seasons with the one first-grade club, knee problems forced Nagas to retire midway through 2002.
series. He was also selected as a winger for New South Wales in the 1997 Super League Tri-series
. Nagas played in games I (against Queensland) and III (against New Zealand), scoring two tries in each game as well as the 'grand final' of the series against Queensland.
and Torres Strait Islanders
to have played for Canberra.
He is currently the trainer for the Canberra Raiders Toyota Cup side.
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 of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
of the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
. Nagas primarily played on the wing. He is of Vanuatuan descent.
Canberra Raiders
Nagas, a fullback or winger, started with the Raiders in 1992 with a single appearance on the wing in a loss to the Newcastle KnightsNewcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
. 1993 saw Nagas appear in nine games for Canberra where he scored 4 tries.
In 1994 Ken Nagas hit form and he played 18 games and scored 11 tries, many of them length of the field runs, the most famous being against Manly
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
in Round 7 at Bruce Stadium
Canberra Stadium
Canberra Stadium is a facility primarily used for rugby league and rugby union games, located adjacent to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, the capital of Australia...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
when he ran the length of the field to score while holding the ball in one hand, keeping his shorts up with the other and being chased the whole way by Manly winger Craig Hancock
Craig Hancock
Craig Hancock is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. Hancock played for Manly and Balmain as well as being selected for New South Wales...
who actually lost ground to the flying Raiders' winger. Nagas went on to play on the wing in Canberra's 36-12 Grand Final win over Canterbury-Bankstown where he scored 2 of Canberra's 7 tries.
Nagas, like the rest of the Canberra Raiders players, signed with Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
in 1995 and although his great form continued, scoring 14 tries from 19 games, he along with team mates Laurie Daley
Laurie Daley
Laurie Daley OA is an Australian rugby league football commentator and former player of Indigenous Australian descent. He represented Australia on 26 occasions and has since been named as one of the nation's finest players of the 20th century...
, Bradley Clyde
Bradley Clyde
Bradley Clyde is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who, at the peak of his playing career was widely acknowledged as the best lock forward in the game....
, Brett Mullins
Brett Mullins
Brett Mullins is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and early 2000s. He played for the Canberra Raiders between the years 1990 and 2000. He also represented New South Wales and Australia national rugby league team during his career. He is the son of former...
, Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...
and David Furner
David Furner
David Furner is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Canberra Raiders of the NRL...
(other than Nagas, all were players on Australia's
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
1994 Kangaroo Tour), were left out of 1995 representative teams as only Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
contracted players were selected. Canberra finished equal top on the 1995 ladder with Manly but after defeating rivals Brisbane
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
14-8 at Suncorp Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium...
, the defending premiers were knocked out in the Preliminary Final by eventual premiers Sydney Bulldogs 8-25.
In the 1997 World Club Championship, Nagas scored six tries for Canberra against Halifax
Halifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
, a club record. In the 1997 post season, Nagas was selected to play for Australia in all three matches of the Super League Test series
Super League Test series
The Super League Test series was a three-Test match series between the Great Britain national rugby league team and Super League's Australian national team held during November 1997 in England...
against Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
.
After eleven seasons with the one first-grade club, knee problems forced Nagas to retire midway through 2002.
Representative career
Nagas was eligible to represent New South Wales rather than his home state of Queensland in State of Origin and elected to do so, a decision he later regretted. He played for the Blues in games II and III of the 1994 State of Origin1994 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 1994 Rugby league State of Origin series was the 13th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules...
series. He was also selected as a winger for New South Wales in the 1997 Super League Tri-series
Super League Tri-series
The Super League Tri-series was a rugby league football tournament contested in 1997 between Queensland, New South Wales and New Zealand representative rugby league teams...
. Nagas played in games I (against Queensland) and III (against New Zealand), scoring two tries in each game as well as the 'grand final' of the series against Queensland.
Later years
In 2004, Nagas was named as a member of the Canberra Raider's best AboriginalIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
and Torres Strait Islanders
Torres Strait Islanders
Torres Strait Islanders are the indigenous people of the Torres Strait Islands, part of Queensland, Australia. They are culturally and genetically linked to Melanesian peoples and those of Papua New Guinea....
to have played for Canberra.
He is currently the trainer for the Canberra Raiders Toyota Cup side.
Career highlights
- First Grade Debut: 1992 – Round 22, Canberra vs Newcastle KnightsNewcastle KnightsThe Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
at EnergyAustralia StadiumEnergyAustralia StadiumNewcastle International Sports Centre is a multi-purpose sports stadium located in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home ground of the Newcastle Knights and the Newcastle United Jets teams. It is owned by the New South Wales government and administered by the Hunter Region...
, 30 August - Premierships: 1994 – member of the Canberra team to defeat Canterbury Bulldogs, 36–12, scoring two tries
- Representative Selection: 1994 – game II of the State of Origin series, NSW defeated Queensland, 14–0