Tevita Pangai Jr steamrolls the Cowboys with brute force
Rampaging prop Tevita Pangai Jr stood up as Brisbane’s front-row hitman with a barnstorming performance to crush the Cowboys’ star-studded pack.
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Rampaging prop Tevita Pangai Jr stood up as Brisbane’s front-row hitman with a barnstorming performance to crush the Cowboys’ star-studded pack in the Broncos’ 29-10 derby demolition.
Jason Taumalolo was tipped to destroy the Broncos but the man so often compared to the Cowboys’ wrecking ball – Tevita the Terminator – instead embarked on a ruthless seek-and-destroy mission at Suncorp Stadium.
Before 45,023 fans, Broncos coach Anthony Seibold celebrated his first win in the Red Hill hotseat thanks to a pumped-up Brisbane pack headlined by Pangai Jr’s speed, strength and savage power running.
Broncos backline duo Corey Oates and James Roberts each scored two tries in the Cowboy cakewalk but it was Tongan international Pangai Jr’s midfield mauling which laid the platform for victory.
Stung by last week’s 22-12 season-opening defeat to the Storm, the Broncos responded brutally and beautifully, overcoming the loss of suspended prop Matt Lodge to emphatically win the territorial battle.
A crunching Pangai Jr tackle on Taumalolo, who suffered a knee injury in the early minutes, typified Brisbane’s energy as tries to Oates (10th minute) and Roberts (22nd) propelled the hosts to a 10-0 half-time lead.
The Broncos then went for the jugular after the break, Pangai Jr fittingly driving the dagger into the crumbling Cowboys when he beat two defenders to crash over in the 47th minute for a shock 20-0 lead.
The Tongan torpedo finished with 115 metres and five tackle busts. Young bucks Tom Flegler (156m), Jaydn Su’A (147m) and Joe Ofahengaue (132m) also ran riot, underlining the brutality of Brisbane’s performance.
“Tevita was really good,” Seibold said.
“We started him on the bench last week and he made every post a winner, the challenge for ‘T’ is to back that up week in, week out.
“I’ve had some conversations with him. I just want to see him reach his potential.”
The pre-game narrative suggested the Cowboys would carve up in midfield on the back of Big Three Taumalolo, Jordan McLean and Matt Scott.
But the theme was turned on its head. Brisbane’s forwards hammered North Queensland’s front six. Big-name Cowboy reputations could not overwhelm Bronco hunger.
If there was a living, breathing metaphor for Brisbane’s high-octane first half, it was Pangai Jr.
Taumalolo last year made the stunning claim his Tongan teammate could be better than him and Pangai Jr last night suggested that critique is not so fanciful.
There was only one Bronco who had the fusion of power and tackling punch to dominate Taumalolo. Pangai Jr was that man. He delivered.
His early hit on Taumalolo was a statement of intent – and set the aggressive tone lacking in their season-opening loss to the Storm.
With Pangai Jr in his explosive pomp, the Broncos won the turf war, enabling their backline to demonstrate their pace and class.
Maligned centre Jack Bird produced his best game for the club, setting up two tries, fullback Darius Boyd looked sharp with 151m, Oates ran like a human missile and winger Jamayne Isaako was all class.
“Our defensive efforts got us what we were looking for,” Seibold said.
“They were camped on our tryline early but we held them out which was pleasing.”
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