Wayne Bennett defends wandering Broncos Jack Bird and Tevita Pangai Junior

BRONCOS coach Wayne Bennett has defended the right of his players to visit other clubs, following reports Tevita Pangai Jr toured Newcastle’s facilities.

Tevita Pangai Junior and coach Wayne Bennett are seen during the Brisbane Broncos training session in Brisbane, Wednesday, August 22, 2018. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO ARCHIVING

BRONCOS coach Wayne Bennett has defended the right of his players to visit other clubs, following reports Tevita Pangai Jr toured Newcastle’s facilities.

The news that Pangai Jr had met with Newcastle coach Nathan Brown came on Friday, just days after teammate Jack Bird went to Southern Cross Group Stadium to watch his former club Cronulla play.

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Pangai Jr has previously stated he wants to stay at Brisbane under Bennett’s tutelage, but the supercoach implied yesterday he was unaware of his star forward’s visit to Newcastle.

He defended both Pangai Jr and Bird for their respective trips however, claiming Bird was simply watching former teammate Luke Lewis’ farewell game at Cronulla’s home ground.

“I’d have to talk Tevita but he’s welcome to go to Newcastle any time he likes,” Bennett said ahead of Brisbane’s clash with Manly today.

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“I’m not going to have a bodyguard watching where he’s going, what he’s doing. He may have been down there for a lot reasons. He was born down there, he was brought up down there.

“What are these guys supposed to do? Are they supposed to get around in Broncos gear 24/7 and read from the Broncos bible? I don’t operate that way, I never have.

Pangai Junior visited the Knights during the week. AAP Image/Dave Hunt.

“(Bird) can chat to any club he wants to, have a look at a game of football.

“Jack played a premiership with Luke Lewis, it was Luke’s last game, why wouldn’t he want to go there and be a part of that? It’s ridiculous to even talk about it.”

In other signing news for Brisbane, Bennett revealed that young hooker Jake Turpin had committed to the club for another year.

Turpin will play his second NRL game against the Sea Eagles today, with Bennett to play him off the bench despite naming him in the starting side on Tuesday.

Bennett said either Alex Glenn or Josh McGuire would start at hooker.

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