During his talks with the integrity unit, Panga Jr showed an apathy for both his club and the biosecurity rules that have governed rugby league’s return.
He admitted to multiple breaches, including an acknowledgment that he had socialised with people outside those allowed under the strict protocols.
Weekend Read understands that among the people Pangai Jr admitted to spending time with was rugby union star Quade Cooper. Under the rules governing the game’s return, endorsed by the Queensland government, Pangai was restricted to being around teammates, family and members of his own household.
Cooper fell outside that jurisdiction. Weekend Read is not suggesting Cooper has done anything wrong or even knowingly contributed to Pangai Jr breaching protocols. However, the brazen nature of Pangai Jr’s breaches are summed up by the fact he spent time with someone as high profile as Cooper, seemingly in the full knowledge that it was outside his remit under the guidelines around the game’s return.
Your move, @PatrickMahomes 😱
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 7, 2020
(via @QuadeCooper) pic.twitter.com/f9xUTF2jHR
Pangai Jr and Cooper have forged quite the friendship in recent seasons and Cooper’s Instagram is littered with pictures of the former Queensland Reds and Wallabies star training at the Broncos’ old Red Hill headquarters.Earlier this year, footage of Cooper throwing a behind-the-back pass with a grid iron ball into the hands of Pangai went viral. At one point, as COVID-19 prevented Cooper taking up a contract in Japanese rugby union, there was talk that Cooper would switch to rugby league.
That ended up coming to nothing, but it didn’t hinder his friendship with Pangai Jr. Now Pangai Jr is in limbo, his career in the balance after he was given an indefinite ban by the NRL.
The Broncos are yet to unleash their fury on the Tongan international, although the expectation is that they will tear up his deal in coming weeks. The club, however, is treading carefully. They want to see the NRL breach notice to understand the full extent of Pangai’s admissions. They, like every other club, are no doubt gun-shy given Canterbury duo Corey Harawira-Naera and Jayden Okunbor were sacked earlier this year, only to have their contracts reinstated by the appeals committee.
The last thing the Broncos need is for Pangai Jr to appeal and win. The players’ union is also keeping a close eye on things, having consulted both the player and his agent over the situation.
Rugby League Players Association chief executive Clint Newton declined to comment on the specifics of the case on Friday, although he did concede the union was watching closely.
Green a valuable asset
Former North Queensland coach Paul Green has been linked with the job at St George Illawarra and his agent George Mimis told Weekend Read Green would be interested in having a conversation if the Dragons felt so inclined.
Green has been taking it easy since he parted ways with the Cowboys, going on a fishing expedition and taking a break with his family. He and Mimis caught up this week and discussed Green’s plans for the future.
“The Dragons are a big club and Greeny fits big clubs,” Mimis said. “They have a great history. We would look at it if the Dragons were interested in having a conversation in the coming weeks.”
Green’s record as a premiership winner will no doubt place him on the radar of the Dragons but his attractiveness to potential employers stretches beyond his record.
Green has had a long-term relationship with Mick Power, the founder and chairman of construction and development company BMD.
Power went to Wynnum High School in Brisbane, the alma mater of Green. Power was a major sponsor at Wynnum in the Queensland Cup when Green led the club to successive titles.
When Green was in the mix for the job at the Cowboys, Power had a persuasive word in the ear of former North Queensland chair Laurence Lancini. Green came in and Power upped his sponsorship. There is every chance wherever Green ends up, Power and his money will follow.
“I would be keen to follow Paul around because I think he is a great coach and a great bloke,” said Power, who is also a board member and sponsor at the Brisbane Lions. I have been in the inner sanctum with him a bit and I know how much work he puts into his coaching. He is a very intelligent young bloke.
“I think he is a pretty valuable commodity.”
Cowboys draw shortlist
North Queensland have completed the first set of interviews for their next head coach and the expectation is that a shortlist is not far away. Warriors coach Todd Payten will be on it along with the club’s interim Josh Hannay. Manly assistant John Cartwright is understood to have impressed during the interview process and he too could progress to the next stage.
So too England coach Shaun Wane, whose resume has been doing the rounds of the NRL as he pursues his dream of coaching in Australia.
The final name that remains in the mix is former Brisbane and Penrith coach Anthony Griffin. The sense is that Payten is the man to beat as the Cowboys edge towards the pointy end of the process.
Addo-Carr set for talks
Josh Addo-Carr has been in scintillating form of late and he is about to create a clamour on the player market.
The NSW and Australian winger has finally settled his dispute with his manager, moving from Pacific Sports to Crown Management.
The spat was preventing Addo-Carr clarifying where he would play next season but with the issue now settled, his new agent Mario Tartak is expected to begin consulting Melbourne Storm as well as rival clubs.
Melbourne holds the whip hand. Addo-Carr has another year remaining on his deal with the Storm and they haven’t given up hope of convincing him to stay at the club next season.
However, they have made it clear that if he is to leave, they want something in return. They won’t be fussy when it comes to how the process plays out, although they won’t be short-changed when it comes to the quality of player.
If it means orchestrating a three-way trade involving multiple clubs, so be it. The key will be what is offered to the Storm given they are also facing the departure of Suli Vunivalu to rugby union.
There remains a slim chance Vunivalu could stay at the Storm as well, although that is likely to hinge on impending talks between his management and rugby union.
Addo-Carr isn’t the only player looking for a change of management. Weekend Read has been told that Brisbane player Jack Bird is also interested in rekindling his alliance with his former agent David Riolo and the uncertainty is likely to stall a potential change of clubs.
Morgan’s trials
South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou didn’t exactly leave North Queensland on the best of terms, but he remains an admirer of the Cowboys captain Michael Morgan.
Hence his reluctance to suggest his side will target Morgan when they meet in Townsville on Saturday afternoon.
Morgan, having recovered from shoulder problems, made his first appearance since the game’s return last weekend and produced one of the worst performances of his stellar career in a defeat against the Gold Coast
Morgan missed a handful of tackles — six or seven depending on whose statistics you believe — as the Cowboys suffered their sixth defeat in succession.
He was said to be devastated afterwards. Demetriou knows Morgan well, having been an assistant coach when the Cowboys won the 2015 premiership.
He won’t be kicking Morgan while he is down.
“It’s pretty difficult to come back mid-season, having no trials, and into a competition that has been running for nine or 10 weeks,” Demetriou said.
“It is not easy to do, especially in the circumstances players have found themselves in this year. Morgo is a great competitor and his harshest critic. I am sure he will bounce back this week.”
Demetriou, standing in for Wayne Bennett, marked his first game in charge with a win over Brisbane last week and celebrated with a victory dance of sorts during an interview with the Nine Network afterwards.
It was a moment he has lived to regret.
“It was pretty ordinary,” he said. “If I could take that back I would. My (three) daughters aren’t too impressed with it either. One of the boys — Hame Sele — showed it to me on Instagram.
“It was more cringeworthy watching it on Instagram than I thought it was live.”
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