NRL 2021: Broncos will fight to keep Pangai Jr at Brisbane
The Brisbane Broncos aren’t ready to give up the fight to keep Tevita Pangai Jnr, as a rival club is caught out trying to lure him away.
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Broncos bosses insist Tevita Pangai Jnr will not be sacked for allegedly dealing with the Wests Tigers as coach Kevin Walters denied Brisbane are trying to offload the Tongan Test star and fullback Jamayne Isaako.
The Broncos were rocked by a report that a Wests Tigers contingent, including coach Michael Maguire, flew to Brisbane on Wednesday for discussions with Pangai Jnr and Isaako.
Brisbane hierarchy were privately furious at the Tigers approaching two of their contracted players, fuelling speculation Pangai Jnr, who is on 12 months probation following his COVID dramas last season, could be terminated by the Broncos.
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It is understood the NRL made inquiries with Tigers officials, but chief executive Andrew Abdo will not proceed with a formal investigation.
Pangai Jnr’s manager has denied meeting with the Tigers, while the agent of Kiwi flyer Isaako confirmed talks took place, but allegedly only in relation to Maguire’s World Cup preparations for New Zealand at season’s end.
Pangai Jnr and Isaako are contracted to the Broncos until the end of next season and speculation is rife Brisbane would not stand in the way of the pair leaving if they could broker a subsidised deal at a rival NRL club.
But as the duo prepare for Saturday night’s clash against the Roosters at the SCG, Broncos chairman Karl Morris came out swinging in support of Pangai Jnr.
“I’m not the coach but Tevita has turned things around at our club,” Morris said.
“He went through some tough times last year but I think he is a terrific player and he has been more consistent this year.
“Ultimately it’s a call for Kevin Walters, but Tevita wants to be one of the best forwards in the game and I want to see him stay at the Broncos.”
There were suggestions the Tigers’ meeting with Isaako only went ahead after Maguire received the green light from Broncos bosses, but Walters insists Brisbane have not given he or Pangai Jnr permission to negotiate with rival clubs.
A Broncos statement released on Friday said in part: “To be clear, neither player has been given permission, nor sought permission, to speak with other clubs, and both players are contracted with the Broncos until the end of the 2022 season.
“The Broncos consider this the end of this matter and will make no further comment.”
Walters has since met with Pangai Jnr and Isaako. He said he has no plans to release the pair to free-up funds under the salary cap to sign potential targets Nicho Hynes, Jaydn Su’A and Dane Gagai.
“We have sorted that out internally and I’ve spoken to both of those players,” Walters said.
“We have control of that and I expect them to perform extremely well tomorrow night (against the Roosters).
“They don’t have permission to talk to other clubs.
“My information is it (Tigers meeting with Isaako) was more around Michael Maguire as Test coach (of New Zealand) and there is a Test series on at the end of the year.
“It was around that.
“It’s footy, that’s what happens, teams are looking to change their rosters and that’s what happens.”
Meanwhile, Walters backed Broncos back-row rookie Kobe Hetherington, the son of Queensland Origin legend Jason, to handle his NRL debut off the bench against the Roosters.
“I am very happy for Kobe,” he said.
“He has worked hard the last few years, he has been one of the top two or three players in the Intrust Super Cup and he has been rewarded for his efforts.
“He is nice and tough and a good country kid. It’s great to see him get his chance.
WALTERS HAS NO PLACE FOR FOLAU AT BRONCOS
Brisbane coach Kevin Walters has backed calls for Israel Folau to be cleared to return to the NRL but insists the controversial code-hopper will not be back in Broncos colours.
Walters’ stance comes as ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys left the door ajar for Folau’s comeback to rugby league, saying the governing body will consider any application for the former Broncos star to return to the NRL.
Sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 for his homophobic comments, Folau has emerged from the sporting wilderness and will return to rugby league after striking a $250,000 deal with Southport Tigers in the Gold Coast rugby league competition.
Folau’s last stint in rugby league was with the Broncos in 2010 and under registration rules, Brisbane bosses had to rubberstamp a formal release for the 32-year-old to link with Southport.
Folau was a sensation at the Broncos, scoring 37 tries from 39 games in 2009-10. The Broncos and Dragons discussed signing Folau in recent months, only for both clubs to pull the pin amid fears of a multimillion-dollar backlash from marquee sponsors.
In March, NRL stars Alex Glenn, Ben Hunt and Daly Cherry-Evans threw their support behind Folau returning to the game and Walters said he had no problem with the former Wallaby coming back to the big league.
Asked if he would like to see Folau back in the NRL, Walters said: “I certainly would, I have no problem with him playing in the NRL.
“Most people have their own opinions on it and that’s mine.
“I’m fine with it (his comeback with Southport).
“Israel deserves his right to play rugby league. I’m sure the team he is playing at will get the benefits of Israel and what he brings to a footy club.”
But while he supported Folau’s possible return to the NRL, Walters made it clear there would be no second coming for ‘Izzy’ at Red Hill.
“Not at this stage, he is probably a bit underdone,” he said.
V’landys said the ARL Commission would keep an open mind on the former Origin star pending his registration by the Queensland Rugby League.
“Israel will be given due process as any other player would,” V’landys said.
“Until an application is before us I can’t make a pre-judgment either way.
“At the moment, it’s all hypothetical because there is no application before us. A club has to lodge a contract and a player registration and no club has done that to date.
“That’s the way we do it for every other player and Israel will be treated exactly the same way.”
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