Bulldogs: Josh Addo-Carr, Brent Naden and Tevita Pangai Jr want to form new left edge in 2022, John Asiata leaves club
The last of Canterbury’s new recruits have arrived at Belmore, armed with a new battle plan to ignite the wooden spooners, while one of the Bulldogs’ newest faces has parted ways with the club.
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Tevita Pangai Jr has dropped a significant hint on the makeup Canterbury’s new-look side after the former Penrith Panther and fellow new recruit Josh Addo-Carr reported for pre-season training.
With the Bulldogs overhaul in full swing, the last of the club’s 10 new recruits for 2022 lobbed at Belmore on Monday, ready to forge a formidable left-side combination.
The Bulldogs finished last season with a left side of winger Corey Allan, centre Aaron Schoupp and Jack Hetherington in the back row.
While Hetherington showed promise on the edge, the left is in for a shake-up with new faces Addo-Carr, Pangai Jr and Brent Naden shaping as the frontrunners for round one against North Queensland.
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“I think the plan is to be on the left edge with Brent Naden. I’m not too sure how it will be but Naden wants me there on the left with the Fox [Addo-Carr] as well. But we’ll see how I go,” Pangai Jnr told The Daily Telegraph.
Fresh from his first victory as a professional boxer on Saturday night, Pangai Jnr is currently tipping the scale at around 114 kilograms. The forward, who cut an imposing figure during day one as Bulldog, said he planned to drop even more weight over the summer.
“I’m tipping the scale at 114kg, but I think I need to drop a few more kilos to try and get down to around 110 kilos. If I can get down to 110 kilograms that will set me up nicely for the season,” Pangai Jnr said
As well as Hetherington and Pangai Jnr, other backrow options for coach Trent Barrett include Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Josh Jackson.
Penrith powerhouse and left edge backrower Viliame Kikau will also join Barrett’s roster in 12 months time.
“I’ll just keep it warm for him and then Kikau can have the left edge and I can go back into the middle or onto the right edge,” Pangai Jnr said.
“Kikau was named the backrower of the year, so wherever he wants to play he deserves too. I’ll just play in the middle or right edge, I don’t mind where I play.”
Former Melbourne flyer Addo-Carr confirmed the trio’s quest to claim the left edge over the pre-season.
Addo-Carr and former Panthers centre Naden both hail from the same country town in NSW but have never had the chance to play alongside one another.
“My cousin Brent Naden, he’s the one I’m really looking to playing with, we’re both from a country town, our families, our parents are Wellington NSW, we’re mob,” Addo-Carr said.
“We’ve haven‘t played a footy game with him yet and I can’t wait to rip in with him and the rest of the boys.”
Like Addo-Carr, Pangai Jr is confident the Bulldogs can overcome a wooden place finish in season 2021 to transform into a top eight contender in a matter of a single pre-season.
The former Brisbane and Panthers forward believes the club’s new found stability at the executive level has been crucial to the side’s rebuild.
“Just looking at the club from outside over the last few years, there obviously has been an issue with the board, that was a bit of a mess. But John Khoury [Chairman] and Gus [Gould] have come on board, along with Trent, and I feel like things are turning.” Pangai Jnr said.
“We are recruiting the right cattle, we’ve signed a lot of strike.
“But from my time at Penrith I have learned that defence is everything and Fox would know that as well, Matt Burton too from Penrith would know too … we’ve signed strike but it’s defence that wins competition.”
Meantime, the Bulldogs on Tuesday confirmed John Asiata had parted ways with the club by mutual consent. Asiata, who had signed a one-year deal, had yet to train with the squad.
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS’ POSSIBLE 2022 ROUND 1 TEAM
1. Matt Dufty
2. Nick Cotric
3. Aaron Schoupp
4. Brent Naden
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Matt Burton
7. Jake Averillo
8. Luke Thompson
9. Jeremy Marshall-King
10. Paul Vaughan
11. Tevita Pangai Jr
12. Raymond Faitala-Mariner
13. Josh Jackson
14. Bailey Biondi-Odo
15. Ava Seumanufagai
16. Jack Hetherington
17. Corey Waddell
Bulldogs packing a one-two Pangai punch
As if one Pangai isn’t enough.
Canterbury have signed tearaway teenager Jermaine Pangai — the younger brother of star forward Tevita Pangai Jr.
And playing in the NRL isn’t the youngest member of the Pangai family’s only focus, the 17-year-old also wants to box for Australia at the Commonwealth Games.
Jermaine, a 110kg heavyweight inside the ropes, displayed his potential earlier this year with a thrilling five-round slug-fest against Alex Leapai Jr - the son of Australian heavyweight legend Alex Leapai.
“I’d love to get to the Commonwealth Games, it would be a great opportunity to show my skills and what I can do in the ring,’’ Jermaine said.
“I’m aiming to make the NRL, but also continue to box.
“I feel grateful the Bulldogs have given me this opportunity. I’ll probably do boxing in the morning and footy training in the afternoons, which will be good.’’
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On the footy field, Jermaine has developed his game at Marsden State High in Queensland, the same sports school that helped furnish the game of future immortal Cameron Smith.
Past and present NRL players including Israel Folau, Jayd’n Sua, Chris Sandow and Tesi Niu also attended Marsden State High.
Jermaine, a hard-running front-row forward, will commence training with the Bulldogs SG Ball squad when he moves to Sydney on Monday with his brother and Pangai Jr’s wife, Anna.
They will live together, as has been the case for the past three years.
It was Pangai Jr, the former Broncos, Panthers and now Bulldogs high-profile recruit, who corrected the path of his younger sibling.
Pangai Jr took Jermaine under his wing, when he just 14.
“In 2019, I went down to Canberra to visit my family,’’ Pangai Jr, 25, said.
“Jermaine was at home digging into a tub of ice cream and playing Fortnite on the PlayStation. He was 140kg.
“I told him, “You’re moving up to Brisbane with me, we’re going to get this weight off you.
“It was hard for a 14-year-old to leave his parents and come up here to get fit and healthy, but credit to him and his hard work.’’
Asked to pick which sport he felt his brother would have most success, Pangai Jr replied: “I think he’s a better boxer. He’s definitely a better boxer than me.
“But I told him with discipline and hard work, you can do anything.
“He’s got the size and he’s got the determination to do well, but its now just continue to develop his game while making sure I guide him in the right direction.
“He’s helping me with my boxing and I’m helping him with his footy.’’
Jermaine paid tribute to his brother’s guidance.
“My brother is one of my great mentors,’’ Jermaine said.
“He’s that type of person to give you the hard truth, but that’s exactly what I needed to keep moving forward with both my footy and boxing.
“The Bulldogs culture and how they develop good players is what excites me.
“I’m seriously grateful for this chance to work on my skills and see how far I can go.”
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