PANGAI IN PERIL
BRONCO’S FUTURE ON THE LINE
COVID cowboy Tevita Pangai Jr has been urged to reconsider his future with the Broncos after his brazen breach left the NRL competition teetering on a knife’s edge.
Broncos enforcer Pangai spent more than an hour at the Broncos’ Red Hill base on Monday answering a “please explain‘’ from chief executive Paul White over breaking NRL biosecurity protocols on Saturday.
Pangai is facing a five-figure fine from the NRL and is in danger of a club suspension for missing 35 per cent of games since the start of last season.
Queensland coach and Broncos great Kevin Walters questioned whether Pangai wanted to stay at the club and said this issue could prove pivotal to his future.
“If Tevita does want to leave the club, well here’s an opportunity for him to get out,” Walters said.
COVID cowboy Tevita Pangai Jr has been urged to reconsider his future with the Broncos after his brazen breach left the NRL competition teetering on a knife’s edge.
Enforcer Pangai spent more than an hour at the Broncos’ Red Hill base on Monday answering a “please explain‘’ from chief executive Paul White over his decision to defy NRL biosecurity protocols and attend the opening of a bikiealigned barber shop on Saturday.
Pangai is facing a five-figure fine from the NRL and is also in danger of copping a suspension from the Broncos, for whom he will have missed 35 per cent of games since the start of last season due to suspension, when he appears in a fortnight.
The reckless Pangai, who will miss Brisbane’s next two games after being placed in a COVID hold, is out of favour, and has been since he was alleged to have phoned Roosters benefactor Nick Politis recently to talk about a possible club switch.
The Broncos were alerted to the call soon after it was made and are understood to have challenged Pangai about it.
Queensland coach and Broncos great Kevin Walters questioned whether the Tongan Test player wanted to stay at the club, and said this issue could prove pivotal to his future.
“If Tevita does want to leave the club, well, here’s an opportunity for him to get out,” Walters told the Big Sports Breakfast.
“His actions indicate that he probably doesn‘t want to be in the system anyway.
“Tevita Pangai has taken it upon himself to not listen to those rules and put himself above the rules, and above the team, and above the club, which is extremely disappointing from my perspective, and the game’s perspective as well. “We‘re all relying on these players to do the right thing. When rugby league players and sports people, in particular, don’t do the right thing, it’s just really upsetting and disappointing in every respect.’’ Former Maroons Origin great Johnathan Thurston also unloaded on Pangai on Channel 9, declaring his breach “the stupidest of all or, could I say, most selfish of all.‘’
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young warned the NRL their season is on notice after a series of indiscretions which have made a mockery of the state government‘s decision to let NRL players fly between Brisbane and Sydney.
“The Deputy Premier (Steven Miles) and Chief Health Officer are in constant contact with the NRL,” Palaszczuk said.
“I will be reminding the NRL, the future of the season is in their hands. Everyone has to do the right thing.”
Dr Young added: “I’m satisfied management is dealing with this very, very seriously. I’m not satisfied the players understand the seriousness.”