Pangai flouted Covid protocols because he didn’t care about Broncos

NRL gave Tevita Pangai an indefinite ban because they were left with impression he no longer cared and could not be trusted to adhere to biosecurity protocols.

Tevita Pangai Junior has likely played his last game for Brisbane

Broncos forward Tevita Pangai admitted to multiple breaches of the game’s biosecurity rules during talks with the NRL, leaving the governing body with the impression that he believed the club was a basketcase, he no longer cared and he could not be trusted to adhere to the guidelines.

On another remarkable day at Red Hill, the Pangai saga was merely part of a disturbing narrative as the game’s flagship club found itself at the centre of yet more drama when allegations emerged that as many as 10 players had flouted biosecurity rules when they visited the Everton Park Hotel earlier this month.

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The NRL was expected to receive CCTV footage from the hotel on Wednesday night and sanctions could follow, including the prospect that all players involved are stood down. Pangai was not among those at the lunch but he is already out of action after he was hit with a $30,000 fine on Wednesday by the NRL

Perhaps more significantly, he has been given an indefinite ban and will not be allowed back until he can prove to the NRL that he can be trusted to follow the strict biosecurity protocols that governed the game’s return.

It is understood that among his admissions were that he knowingly ignored guidelines around fraternising with people outside family, teammates and members of his household. The Australian understands he also admitted to catching an Uber as he laid bare the extent of his actions during talks with the NRL

It is understood Pangai has struggled with the protocols, those difficulties exacerbated by the way the Broncos have performed this season. The club is running 15th and have lost 10 of their past 11 games.

Rival clubs are already circling the backrower in anticipation of him being sacked by the Broncos, the Warriors among those interested in speaking to him.

The New Zealand club confirmed they had signed Parramatta prop Kane Evans for next season, although the missed out on Adam Elliott, who elected to commit his future to Canterbury.

Speculation has also emerged over the future of Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck amid suggestions rugby union is circling. Tuivasa-Sheck has been approached by rugby union before but his management dismissed any suggestion he would walk out on the club when contacted by The Australian on Wednesday.

Even then, they will need to convince the NRL that he can be trusted given the nature of his admissions to the integrity unit. They walked out of those discussions convinced that he could no longer be trusted. “We believe this was a case of a player committing multiple contraventions of the protocols and showing a disregard for the league’s rules,’’ NRL. chief executive Andrew Abdo said.

“We will do everything we can to protect our season. Players or officials who show they are unable to comply with the biosecurity protocols will be removed from club bubbles until we are satisfied that they will comply with the protocols. We believe in this case, Tevita has not been able to do that.”

The Broncos remain under the gun and there is every chance more players could be sanctioned as the NRL prepares to study footage from Everton Park Hotel on August 1.

The club was on looser restrictions at the time and players told club officials they had congregated in the restaurant section of the hotel. However, they could find themselves in trouble should the CCTV footage show they also entered the bar area or poker machine room.

“The club has spoken at length to the players involved, who attended the hotel for lunch on Saturday, August 1 — after players and staff inside the club’s ‘COVID bubble’ had transitioned back into more-relaxed Project Apollo Queensland restrictions,” a Broncos spokesman said.