Player George Gatis

[EnterFien_old]

HUDDERSFIELD SIGN GEORGE GATIS
Wednesday 29 Aug 2007 09:13
by (Press Release)
Source: www.giantsrl.com

Huddersfield Giants have beaten several NRL and Super League clubs to the signature of New Zealand Warriors hooking star George Gatis. The 29-year-old has been a stand out player for a Warriors team that many are tipping as dark horses for the NRL title. Gatis has signed a two-year deal with the Giants and is excited to be joining for the 2008 season:

"Playing in England is something I've always dreamed of doing, I'm happy with the form I'm showing for the Warriors right now, so I felt this would be the right time to give it a go in England. I believe I've proved myself in the Australian NRL, and now I'm determined to prove myself in Super League, because that has always been a deep personal ambition of mine.

"It's a fresh and exciting challenge, and I can't wait to get over there. I did have the chance to go to other clubs, but I was impressed with the talks I had at the Giants, and I'm impressed with the quality of the squad. For example, Paul Whatuira is a class act in the Australian NRL, so for the Giants to be able to sign him for next season immediately convinced me this was a club worth joining."

Head coach Jon Sharp believes his club have again snared a top class performer in the face of high profile competition:

"He's a great signing for us and I'm delighted to have got him. George had offers from a number of top clubs, and to choose us is another indication of the growing standing in the game of Huddersfield Giants. I obviously took a very long look at him during the recruitment process and I can't wait to use him here. He's very athletic, with great attacking skills and a solid defence. He's also a very highly accomplished kicker out of dummy-half. The options he will give us are fantastic."

News sent by: www.giantsrl.com

The Warriors said that they would not resign Gatis because he didn't want a 2-year deal yet he has signed for two years in the ESL.

 

[Viking_old]

It would be a money issue. George signs for one year on lower money, proves he's worth more during that year and renegotiates. Warriors would have wanted to sign him up long term on a lower money. Good luck to him at the Giants.

 

[Esoj_old]

yeah I think money had a big part to play in the warriors decision. they seem to have been wanting him to sign for less but he didn't want too. good luck to him at the giants.

 

[MarkW_old]

There are no doubt a number of contributing factors for George no re-signing with the Warriors.

If he were playing with the run of form he's had in the latter part of the season back when he was in negotiations with the club, they might have made him a different offer. As it turns out, George has really kicked on since then and the situation has probably turned to his advantage in being signed by Huddersfield - good on him.

When the Warriors initially signed Gatis he was on about 60k (as was Luck). No doubt they bumped his pay up a bit this year but I'll bet it is about half of what he can earn in the UK.

I think he's also looking forward to hanging out with guys like Webby again while he's over there

 

[Esoj_old]

also he is getting on a bit won't have too many years left in the game so good time to head over to england make some nice cash and then move on to other things. good point about his form too he defintly has picked it up in the second half of the year.

 

[sebastian_old]

I hope George kills it in the ESL, i really do. I also hope he manages to lose the "Fish & chips boy" tag as he is above that nickname now.

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

Yes it does make one wonder but no doubt I think the money had some factors (it always does). However all the best to him and I really hope it works out.

 

[Kav_old]

Yet another one gets away at the peak of his form.
He is also a likeable chap with humble origins.

Unbelievable.

Kav

 

[Jesbass_old]

ONE-TIME Warriors crowd favourite George Gatis is set to hang up his boots at the end of the season.

Gatis, after being cut from the club last year, signed a deal with Super League outfit Huddersfield.

He only lasted half the season before choosing to return home to Townsville in North Queensland earlier in the year to help run his family fish `n' chip shop.

In a strange turn of events, Gatis, who returned to Australia with league far from his mind, has been handed a surprising lifeline by the Cowboys and is now back playing in the NRL.

But despite feeling he is still up to this level, Gatis has admitted he will call time on his career at the season's end.

"I certainly didn't come back to Australia with that (a return to the NRL) in mind," Gatis told Sunday News from his shop in Townsville.

"I came back solely to focus on my business and to concentrate on getting that right.

"Since I've been back in Townsville, I got a bit of a sniff to play league again for the Cowboys as a stopgap measure for them.

"They've had injury problems and suspensions and a spot has become available."

Gatis made his belated NRL return for the Cowboys against the Eels in round 20 and his second appearance last night.

He is on a per-match contract with the club and isn't putting his hand up for a longer-term deal beyond this season.

"I don't have too much of a view beyond this season at this stage," said Gatis.

"I just see myself helping out the Cowboys until the end of the year.

"Hopefully I can get a handful games under my belt but then that will just about wind me up I think.

"I don't really see myself playing on beyond this season.

"I think my footy has just about run its course.

"I'm in a position right now where my body is still very able and it isn't from an injury point of view that I'm thinking of hanging up my boots.

"Business is getting busier and busier and it's getting very hard to juggle fulltime training and work to be honest.

"I've made the decision in my head that I will enjoy the rest of the season and then that should just about wind me up."

When the Warriors announced last year that Gatis would not be retained for the 2008 season, fans and some rugby league pundits were disappointed.

In his two years at the club, Gatis impressed with his tough runs out of dummy-half and unquestioning on-field commitment.

"I was very open with the Warriors and I let them know that my business back home was always my first priority," he said.

"From their perspective, they are running a business also and with the way the NRL is now, you need to secure players on long deals to manage the salary cap.

"In terms of the club letting me go, I fully understood why they did that.

"I told them I was a year to year proposition and I guess in hindsight, if I had got halfway through this season I would have had to leave the club and come home to Townsville anyway.

"It would have made no difference whether I was in the UK or New Zealand I would have been leaving halfway through the year and that would have been devastating to leave the boys in the lurch.

"I was certainly comfortable with how the Warriors handled the situation."

Like Gatis, club stars Nathan Fien and Michael Witt could leave the club at the end of the season if offers from overseas surface.

And he says the best way they can express their disappointment is with solid performances on the field.

"For me, a big part of my psyche was leaving with the respect of my team-mates, the coaching staff and also the fans," said Gatis.

"I wanted to leave having played some good football on good terms.

"I felt I did that and it made it a lot easier to walk away.

"For me, it was satisfying to see that some fans were disappointed in seeing me go as opposed to calling for my head.

"They will be motivated to finish the year on a high."

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sundaynews/4641379a19773.html

 

[blain91_old]

dam, i wanted to more of georgey, great player for us last year. good luck to the man

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

well all the best with the big business Georgie boy!!

 

[Esoj_old]

he was definitely a good player. good to hear he left the warriors happy and there was no bad blood in that split. enjoy the rest of the season georgey

 

[Jesbass_old]

In the midst of league madness, (Sonny William Williams, the Brett White Australia/Ireland selection saga), isn't it nice to see an article with a league player who has his head screwed on right? :lol1:

Good luck to him. He earned himself a lot of fans over here.

 

[Iafeta_old]

One of my favourite players. I think, perhaps with a bit of hindsight, that Gatis was probably the better buy than Nathan Fien. Just a nice direct organiser, complementing him with Henderson's energy would have been very interesting.

Good luck George, I'm glad the club gave you a chance again and I appreciated your club efforts here.

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

In the midst of league madness, (Sonny William Williams, the Brett White Australia/Ireland selection saga), isn't it nice to see an article with a league player who has his head screwed on right? :lol1:

Good luck to him. He earned himself a lot of fans over here.

Agreed, one of the small, smlal minority who's head is not caught in the clouds!

 

[Kid-Dynamite_old]

Does anyone know why he didn't play for the Cowboys last week VS the Roosters, he was named to start and then when I saw the teams he was out of the 17 completley!
I was gutted cos I wanted to see him play again!

Anyway.........

A really likeable bloke, and my favourite Greek for sure!
Very under rated player as well!

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

Yeah was guttered about that too, damn it.

 

[Jesbass_old]

Agreed, one of the small, smlal minority who's head is not caught in the clouds!

Actually, not all that many have their heads in the clouds. The Warriors, as an obvious example, are an extremely humble bunch for the most part, and I'd wager that this would be the case for most one city teams: Canberra, Newcastle, Brisbane, North Queensland, Gold Coast, Penrith. (I'm not sure about Melbourne, but you'd probably have a fair idea.) I'd imagine that most of the players sho get caught up in the hype and the media would be Sydney-siders, because that's where the majority of the hype and media are found, and thus they're more susceptible to it.

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

Actually, not all that many have their heads in the clouds. The Warriors, as an obvious example, are an extremely humble bunch for the most part, and I'd wager that this would be the case for most one city teams: Canberra, Newcastle, Brisbane, North Queensland, Gold Coast, Penrith. (I'm not sure about Melbourne, but you'd probably have a fair idea.) I'd imagine that most of the players sho get caught up in the hype and the media would be Sydney-siders, because that's where the majority of the hype and media are found, and thus they're more susceptible to it.

Most of the Melbourne guys are very good there is no doubt, but I accept that sometimes on their bad days they can a bit..off. I've never really had an issue with any of them except one. in Inglis

 

[mt.wellington]

128. GEORGE GATIS
Last update

General - 2015 Warriors Where Are They Now?

113 Matt Jobson - ??? 2008 QLD Cup Easts Tigers Managed to track him down. Working as a valuer at LMW Hegney, Gold Coast, Australia. Below is his LinkedIn profile and what LMW are all about... https://www.linkedin.com/pub/matthew-jobson/31/b44/ab8 https://www.lmwhegney.com.au/home/w6/i2/

nzwarriors.com

Our last update saw George Gatis running the family fish and chip shop Simple Tops Seafood Bar in North Queensland, Australia.

I could go on but he's a prison officer in Townsville, North Queensland.

He goes into it in some detail at the 1:14:00 mark and well worth a listen for the next 5 minutes after.

​

1:36:00 mark he talks about his work again.

​

For obvious reasons we arent going to find a site with his staff profile on it...