NRL 2020: Broncos don’t sack Tevita Pangai Jr after biosecurity saga

The Brisbane Broncos have made their decision about Tevita Pangai Jr’s playing future after threatening to tear up his contract.

Tevita Pangai Junior doing what he does best.

The Brisbane Broncos have given Tevita Pangai Jr a second chance at the club after a long drawn out saga between the parties.

On Monday, the struggling club released a statement, confirming the 24-year-old’s contract would not be terminated if he meets certain criteria.

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“The Board of the Brisbane Broncos met today to finalise the Club’s actions in relation to Tevita Pangai Junior, following a Show Cause Hearing conducted last Friday,” the statement read.

“At the hearing, the player offered both genuine remorse and an apology to everyone connected to the Club. It was also acknowledged that the recent course of behaviour he displayed leading to this breach was not indicative of his past behaviour, and the Board took that into consideration.

“As a result, the Board has made a decision to terminate Mr Pangai Junior’s employment immediately but any implementation of that decision has been suspended for a period of 12 months subject to Mr Pangai Junior complying with his employment agreement.”

Broncos board decided that Tevita Pangai's contract will remain in place on the proviso that he meets certain conditions. He is stood down without pay for rest of the 2020 season. He must work with a mentor and work in a job organised by the mentor for the remainder of the 2020.

— Brent Read (@brentread_7) August 31, 2020

Pangai had a three-hour Zoom meeting with the Broncos board with the members reportedly split on what they would do after threatening to tear up his contract.

The Australian’s Brent Read reported that Pangai Jr’s legal team argued “on the Richter scale of offences, Pangai Jr was at the lower end — he hadn’t assaulted anyone, he hadn’t been in trouble with the law, he hadn’t failed a drug test”.

Tevita Pangai Jr is set to get a reprieve.

The Broncos revealed Pangai Jr will be required to fulfill the following terms if he wishes to continue representing the club in 2021: “He be stood down immediately without pay for the remainder of the 2020 season and as a consequence will be removed from the Project Apollo ‘bubble’;

“He immediately begin a mentoring program with a club-approved mentor for a period of 12 months, with the mentor reporting back to the Board on a monthly basis;

“He work in a job organised by that mentor for the remainder of the 2020 season;

“He ceases to participate in social media, as well as ceasing to engage with media unless authorised by the Club;

“He returns to full duties for the 2021 pre-season in mid-November this year in good physical condition.”

The Pangai Jr controversy began when the Broncos star appeared to be shopping himself around to other teams before he was discovered to have breached COVID-19 restrictions when he visited a barber shop which had links to the Mongols bikie gang, coincidentally on a day police arrived to search the premises.

As reported by The Courier-Mail, the powerhouse forward has since been linked to several gang figures via social media. On Instagram, Pangai Jr reportedly follows several motorcycle gang members, their families and associated businesses.

Tevita Pangai Jr against the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Meanwhile, Pangai Jr reportedly told the NRL he had received promises of third-party agreements and other payments to the tune of $100,000 — failing to register third-party agreements with the game’s head office is against the league’s rules.

The under-fire Broncos were forced to deny any breach on their part, with chief executive Paul White reportedly ringing the NRL to pledge full co-operation on the matter.

“I’m here to be accountable for my actions. I’ve done the crime and now I’m doing the time. I’m going to enrol myself in a COVID-19 infection course and try and do the right thing, and I’m really sorry to all the people doing the right thing,” Pangai told Fox League last week.

“I owe a lot to the club. I came here as a 19-year-old boy, and they helped me become the person I am today.

“I’ve grown as a person and they’ve stuck by me. I’ve come off contract a few times and could’ve left for more enticing offers down south, but I love living in Brisbane and love the club.”

Last year, Pangai Jr re-signed with the Broncos through to the end of the 2022 season on a three-year deal, reportedly worth around $2 million. He has played 81 games for Brisbane since making his NRL debut in 2016.