Tevita Pangai Jr under fire from former league greats and future at Broncos remains unclear
Broncos enforcer Tevita Pangai Jr could be facing the big snip himself after his brazen bikie barber shop appearance as former league greats unloaded on his reckless behaviour.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
COVID cowboy Tevita Pangai Jr has been urged to reconsider his future with the Broncos after his brazen breach left the NRL competition teetering on knife’s edge.
Broncos enforcer Pangai spent more than an hour at the Broncos Red Hill base on Monday answering a “please explain‘’ from club chief executive Paul White over his decision to defy NRL biosecurity protocols and attend the opening of a bikie-aligned barber shop on Saturday.
Pangai is facing a five-figure fine from the NRL and is also in danger of copping a suspension from the Broncos for whom he will have missed 35% of games since the start of last season due to suspension when he appears in a fortnight.
Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership. Every game of every round Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
The reckless Pangai, who will miss the Broncos next two games after being placed in a COVID hold, is out of favour at Red Hill and has been since he was alleged to have phoned Roosters benefactor Nick Politis recently to talk about a possible club switch.
The Broncos were alerted to the call soon after it was made and are understood to have challenged Pangai about it.
Queensland coach and Broncos great Kevin Walters questioned whether Pangai wanted to stay at the club and said this issue could prove pivotal to his future.
“If Tevita does want to leave the club, well here’s an opportunity for him to get out,” Walters told the Big Sports Breakfast.
“His actions indicate that he probably doesn’t want to be in the system anyway.
“Tevita Pangai has taken it upon himself to not listen to those rules and put himself above the rules and above the team and above the club, which is extremely disappointing from my perspective and the game‘s perspective as well.
“We’re all relying on these players to do the right thing … when rugby league players and sports people, in particular, don’t do the right thing it’s just really upsetting and disappointing in every respect.”
Former Origin great Johnathan Thurston also unloaded on Panga on Channel 9, declaring his breach “the stupidest of all, or could I say most selfish of all”.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young warned the NRL their season is on notice after a series of indiscretions which have made a mockery of the Queensland government‘s decision to let NRL players fly between Brisbane and Sydney.
“I will be reminding the NRL the future of the season is in their hands. Everyone has to do the right thing.
“The Deputy Premier and Chief Health Officer are in constant contact with the NRL,” Palaszczuk said.
Dr Young added: “I’m satisfied management is dealing with this very, very seriously. I’m not satisfied the players understand the seriousness.”
MORE NRL NEWS
BRONCOS GREAT ALLAN LANGER STOOD DOWN FOR COVID BREACH
HUNDREDS OF QUEENSLANDERS TURNED BACK AT BORDER
COVID CRUNCH TIME: HOW LIFE COULD CHANGE AGAIN