Brisbane Broncos build case to tear up Tevita Pangai’s contract

Tevita Pangai’s future at the Brisbane Broncos could come down to two clauses in the standard player contract.

Tevita Pangai Jr at his house in Brisbane.

Two clauses in the standard playing contract are set to determine whether Tevita Pangai Jr has a future at the Brisbane Broncos.

The first deems that he must act in the best interests of the club and game.

The second that he must not bring them into disrepute or act detrimental to their interests.

The Broncos are poised to rely on one or both of the two clauses should they press ahead with plans to terminate Pangai Jr’s hefty contract in coming weeks.

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The NRL sent Pangai Jr’s breach notice to the Broncos late on Friday, which they in turn forwarded onto the barnstorming forward. It is understood the breach notice told Pangai Jr not to bother applying for re-entry to the Broncos’ bubble until mid-September, effectively handing him a minimum four-week suspension.

Even then, it is understood he is unlikely to be given permission to play again this year given his inability to convince the NRL that he would be able to rejoin the bubble and follow the rules that have governed the game’s return.

Pangai Jr’s breach notice detailed a series of concerns, some of which are believed to have caught the Broncos unaware. The notice and defined stand-down period have, however, bought Brisbane powerbrokers some time as they make a decision over whether to sever ties with Pangai Jr.

The Broncos, like every other club in the NRL, are on guard after Canterbury pair Corey Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor were deregistered, only to have their contracts reinstated by the NRL appeals committee.

The Broncos need to have their ducks in a row or any decision to sever ties with Pangai Jr could leave them vulnerable to legal action. Pangai Jr has already armed himself with lawyers as he prepares to fight any attempt to terminate his contract.

However, two clauses in the NRL contract would appear to work in the Broncos’ favour. The first – section 8.1 – makes it clear that a player should otherwise not engage in misconduct or otherwise act in a manner inconsistent with the best interests, image or welfare of the NRL, the club, other clubs or the game.

By breaching biosecurity rules on more than one occasion, the Broncos could argue Pangai Jr not only put them at risk, but endangered the entire competition.

Alternatively, section 8.2(1) of the contract says that a player must not engage in any form of conduct that might bring into disrepute or be detrimental to the interests, welfare or image of the NRL, the NRL competition, the club, the clubs or the game.

Again, it would seem a no-brainer given the way the game hangs on a precipice and Pangai Jr’s actions could have pushed it over the edge. While other players and officials have been sanctioned for biosecurity breaches, it is understood Pangai Jr admitted to knowingly doing so on more than one occasion.

Pangai Jr has the ability to take the Broncos to arbitration should he be sacked and it seems he is ready to fight for his future at the club, despite interest from elsewhere, most notably the Warriors.

Interestingly, should Pangai Jr be sidelined any more than four matches, the Broncos could dock his pay under another section of the contract that allows clubs to fine players who spend more than eight weeks on the sidelines.

The Broncos are expected to find out as early as Monday whether any of their players will be fined over their visit to the Everton Park Hotel on August 1.

Pangai Jr’s absence is set to be felt even more this week as the Broncos brace for the loss of Payne Haas for as many as two weeks, and maybe three.

The NSW forward was charged with dangerous contact on Sunday after an incident involving Siliva Havili during his side’s loss in the nation’s capital.