Darren Lockyer concedes Tevita Pangai Jr will be hard to retain
He’s the most sought after forward in the game, but Brisbane legend Darren Lockyer concedes the club will be hard-pressed retaining Tevita Pangai Jr from a Bondi poaching raid.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Round 4 teams: Mass changes after carnage chaos
Crash Tackle: Broncos right to punish Payne
Brisbane recruitment-and-retention committee member Darren Lockyer believes Tevita Pangai Jr is not a $1 million player amid fears the Roosters could trump the Broncos in a bidding war for the prop sensation.
On the eve of Thursday night’s Brisbane-Roosters blockbuster at the SCG, club legend Lockyer admits the Broncos cannot afford to break the bank to retain Pangai Jr and stave off a poaching raid from Sydney rivals.
Pangai Jr is off-contract at season’s end, and Brisbane’s version of Jason Taumalolo will confront a Sydney Roosters outfit which tried to lure him to Bondi last year with a $750,000-a-season contract carrot.
The Tongan torpedo ultimately stayed loyal by inking a 12-month extension, but Broncos powerbrokers now fear the Roosters are poised to strike again armed with a more lucrative deal nudging the $1 million mark.
The Courier-Mail understands the Roosters have not formally approached Pangai Jr, but if, as expected, Cooper Cronk retires at season’s end, it will give the premiers the funds to outbid the Broncos.
Lockyer is a key player in the Pangai Jr contract saga.
As a member of the club’s recruitment-and-retention committee, the former Broncos skipper has input on who the club hires and fires.
Lockyer is hopeful the Broncos can secure Pangai Jr to a multi million-dollar long-term deal, but concedes Brisbane face a salary-cap battle to retain him.
Asked if Pangai Jr, the most talented prop on the open market, is worth $1 million, Lockyer said: “No, he’s not.
“Tevita is a great talent but the guys on $1 million deals like Cam Smith or (Johnathan) Thurston, they give you an eight or nine out of 10 every week.
“You not only pay for talent but you pay for consistent performance.
“Tevita can turn it on and win you a big game but I don’t think he’s in the $1 million category yet.
“It won’t be easy to keep him. We have to look at our salary cap and see what’s left for him.”
The Roosters have yet to table an offer for Pangai Jr as they await a decision on whether former Queensland Origin halfback Cronk retires at season’s end.
If the premiers do free-up funds to chase Pangai Jr, they won’t offer the Broncos hulk $1 million a season.
Fullback James Tedesco is the Roosters’ highest-paid player on around $950,000 and the Bondi club does not believe Pangai Jr is in his class just yet.
Broncos winger Corey Oates, also off-contract this season, hopes Pangai Jr stays loyal.
“Tevita is a weapon but not every club can keep every player. Financially, it just doesn’t work under the salary cap,” he said. “Hopefully he can stay and he doesn’t go chasing the cash.
“If he can have a really good year, he is worth what other clubs think he’s worth.”
Lockyer isn’t sure if many NRL rivals could afford to outlay a seven-figure sum for the 23-year-old.
“There’s no doubt there will be clubs out there wanting to sign him,” he said. “But I don’t know if there are many clubs out there with a lot of room in their salary cap.”
Cronulla star escapes ban for dangerous throw
Blayke Brailey has been hit in the hip pocket, but will be free to play after the NRL’s Match Review Committee ruled on his dangerous tackle on Roosters opponent Billy Smith.
PVL: Why the Titans will become NRL giants
The Gold Coast Titans are facing a $250 million fight with the AFL but ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has predicted the NRL’s paupers will become premiership heavyweights following a huge change.