NRL 2024: Tevita Pangai Junior to brush Rabbitohs and sign with Catalans Dragons in English Super League

Just over a month after returning to the NRL, former NSW Origin rep Tevita Pangai Junior has dropped a bombshell on the Dolphins and Wayne Bennett by agreeing a deal with a new club.

Tevita Pangai Junior is heading to the English Super League. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Tevita Pangai Jr has dropped a bombshell on the Dolphins and Wayne Bennett by quitting the NRL to embark on a shock move to the English Super League.

This masthead can reveal Pangai Jr has agreed terms on a one-year deal with French club Catalans Dragons, resisting the urge to follow his trusted mentor, super coach Wayne Bennett, to South Sydney.

Pangai Jr made a return to the NRL from boxing after signing with the Dolphins in June, impressing in his five games so far ahead of Sunday’s clash against the Warriors at Suncorp Stadium.

The 28-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to South Sydney with Bennett, who is desperate for middle forwards next season to help rebuild the Rabbitohs as a premiership force.

But Pangai Jr won’t be joining Bennett at Redfern.

With the Rabbitohs battling salary cap pressures, Bennett can’t recalibrate Souths’ salary cap sufficiently to accommodate Pangai Jr, who is off to France to play alongside Roosters’ Catalans-bound playmaker Luke Keary.

Tevita Pangai Junior is France bound after agreeing to a deal with Catalans. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Keary was initially planning to retire, but was lured into a Super League swan song and now Pangai Jr will join him for a French cameo.

Pangai Jr had interest from several clubs, including the Dolphins, Souths and another Super League club, but it’s understood he is keen to experience a new lifestyle in France and has opted for Catalans after talks with coach Steve McNamara.

The Dolphins were hoping to retain Pangai Jr, especially given Jesse Bromwich’s retirement and the uncertainty around prop Tom Flegler, who is battling a career-threatening nerve problem in his shoulder.

Tevita Pangai Junior was tipped to follow Wayne Bennett to the Rabbitohs next season. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

The French club will formally announce the deal in coming days.

Pangai Jr will link with the Dragons in November for pre-season and will weigh up a return to the NRL in 2026 pending Souths’ salary-cap position and interest from prospective expansion franchises.

The NRL is set to expand with the Perth Bears in 2027, followed by Papua New Guinea in 2028, and both new clubs will be desperate for experienced NRL talent.

Former Broncos and NSW Origin enforcer Pangai Jr has shown over the past six weeks he is still NRL quality, scoring two tries for the Dolphins and making some powerhouse charges after 12 months out of the sport to take up boxing.

It is understood Pangai Jr had some preliminary chats with Bennett about a move to Souths, but the super coach told this masthead a fortnight ago that salary cap issues could be a problem.

“I don’t know if he will be going to Souths,” Bennett said.

“Tevita is a great talent but Souths have some salary-cap problems so it may not be so easy to sign players.”

Bennett rubbished suggestions Pangai Jr is high maintenance, saying he has fitted in brilliantly at Redcliffe and is popular with Dolphins players.

Tevita Pangai Junior has played six games for the Dolphins so far this season. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“Tevita is no troublemaker, that’s ridiculous,” he said.

“He’s gone through a number of coaches and a few situations he had no control over.

“At one stage, he had six coaches in four years, he went off to Penrith, then to Canterbury, so there’s been a lot of change for Tevita.

“What I like about Tevita is that he has a strong personality, he knows what he wants and how he wants to be coached.

“Tevita sticks up for himself, but just because you stand up for yourself it doesn’t make you a troublemaker.

“I’ve never had one problem with Tevita.

“That’s the quality I seek in young people, to have the moral courage to stand for something.”