Jacob Gagai on his journey from the brink of quitting to number one shirt at Huddersfield Giants

That is without considering cousin Josh Hoffman, who earned 18 caps for New Zealand, and distant relative Wendell Sailor, a legend of both codes and the father of new St Helens signing Tristan Sailor.

But the reality is that Gagai Jnr had to fight his way to the top of the game, earning his reward earlier this year with an NRL debut at 28.

His form in 2024 did not go unnoticed by Huddersfield Giants who jumped at the chance to give him an opportunity to showcase his talents in Super League.

During the tough times, his extended family had his back and reinforced the belief he had in himself.

"They definitely kept me going because there were times when I was thinking of throwing it all in," said Gagai as he took in his new surroundings at the John Smith's Stadium.

"But I've always known my capabilities and that I could play at the highest level. Once I got my opportunity, I knew I had to take it with both hands.

"It was drilled into me from an early age, starting with my father (Ray). He started his journey at a young age moving over to Brisbane. He's a role model to both me and my brother (Dane). If it wasn't for him, me and my brother wouldn't be where we are now.

"They both have a huge influence and are the reason why I'm standing here today, those guys and my partner. I've got a very strong family back home, a very big family, and they've always driven me to succeed.

"They always knew I'd get somewhere. It took a lot of hard work but I'm glad I'm here now and that I kept going."

Gagai scored nine tries in 17 games for South Sydney Rabbitohs in his breakout season after serving a long apprenticeship in the New South Wales Cup.

As memorable professional debuts go, scoring a try in the first-ever NRL game played in Las Vegas is right up there.

"It made all the hardship worthwhile," said Gagai.

"If you'd told me I was going to debut in Vegas, I probably would have laughed at you. To play my first game over there was unreal, the whole atmosphere and the two weeks leading up to it out there. It was a big thing for everyone and that eased the pressure a little bit.

"The NRL was a whole different ball game to the New South Wales Cup. If you switch off, nine times out of 10 you're going to get found out because of the quality of players on the field.

"To get that experience was a real buzz. I'm looking forward to showcasing what I learned over here."

Gagai received a boost before he had even arrived in England after being handed the coveted number one shirt.

The Queensland native spent the 2024 season on the wing for Souths and has been itching to get a shot in a position that makes the most of his attributes.

Described by Giants head coach Luke Robinson as a speedster with "great hands and skill", Gagai feels primed to make the full-back spot his own with the number one on his back.

"It's very exciting," said Gagai, who touched down last week and began training with his new Huddersfield team-mates on Monday.

"I wanted to get the opportunity to play full-back at Souths but was happy to do a job on the wing. That was actually my first time playing on the wing.

"I like to get my hands on the footy and roam around the field. Growing up in my junior teams and under-20s, I played five-eighth (half-back) and found myself loving the attacking style of play.

"Full-back suits me because I can roam around and take some of the pressure off the halves. I'm looking forward to linking up with Cluney (Adam Clune) and Tui (Lolohea). That's what really excited me and brought me here.

"Let's make it a strong season."