NRL greats speak up over retired forward’s shock Broncos move

The former stars have spoken out over speculation Tevita Pangai Jr is set to sign with a new club just months after his retirement.

Tevita Pangai Junior retired from the NRL in 2023. Picture NRL photos

Former NRL stars Mat Rogers and Scott Sattler have questioned whether the Broncos should even entertain bringing back Tevita Pangai Junior.

Pangai Junior, who walked away from a big money contract with the Bulldogs to take up a boxing career, has reportedly met with the Brisbane Broncos to discuss a return to his former club in the second half of the 2024 season, according to The Daily Telegraph.

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There has been no deal offered by the Broncos as of yet. Pangai Junior started his NRL career with the club, playing 96 games before being released in 2021.

He then linked up with the Bulldogs in 2022, and while he was selected for the Blues for Game I of the 2023 Origin series, Pangai Junior’s two-year stint at Belmore was marred with inconsistency.

Speaking on his radio show on SEN, Rogers believed the potential signing of Pangai Junior could “upset” the team’s culture.

Tevita Pangai Junior retired from the NRL in 2023. Picture NRL photos

“The Broncos have got something pretty special there. They have a great group of young players,” Rogers said.

“I agree that Tevita could add something, but does it not rub people up the wrong way with the comments he made last year about not liking being told what to do in rugby league?

“It blows my mind (the prospect of Pangai Jr coming back to the NRL).”

Despite last year’s grand finalists losing a number of players in free agency, including forward Kurt Capewell, Tom Flegler and Keenan Palasia, Sattler doesn’t think the move would benefit the Broncos.

“It seems to me like Tevita Pangai Jr is making his own rules,” Sattler said.

“His last contract at the Dogs was $750,000 on the salary cap.

Mat Rogers has questioned Pangai Jr’s possible return to the NRL. Photo: NIGEL HALLETT

“It’s pretty steep if you are going to sign a guy who doesn’t have a great attitude and has walked away from the game before with some pretty poor comments.”

Sattler and Rogers’ comments came soon after Bulldogs CEO Aaron Warburton declared the club wouldn’t block any move by Pangai Junior to make a shock return to the NRL.

Warburton and the Bulldogs don’t appear to be worried by the prospect of Pangai Junior returning to the NRL just a season after his ‘retirement’.

“Tevita parted ways with the Bulldogs on extremely good terms,” Warburton said.

“We wish nothing but the best for Tevita and his family for their future.”

Pangai Jr returned to Brisbane to live after his Bulldogs exit with the 27-year-old was seen at Broncos training last week, beginning the speculation that he was angling for an NRL return.

He’s close friends with Pat Carrigan and Payne Haas, with Carrigan stating he’d love to see Tevita “back at the Broncos”.

A player of Pangai Jr’s ilk would be well received this season as the Broncos attempt to bounce back after a heartbreaking loss to Penrith in the 2023 grand final.

Originally published as NRL greats speak up over retired forward’s shock Broncos move