Senior Broncos lobby coach Kevvie to sign Tevita Pangai Jnr as injury crisis grows
Senior Broncos players have reportedly approached coach Kevin Walters in a bid to encourage the club to sign Tevita Pangai Junior.
The Courier Mail claims that Payne Haas and vice captain Pat Carrigan are among the individuals who are in a desperate search for a medium forward.
In an attempt to ease the squad’s workload in the midst of an injury crisis that has taken the lives of multiple important players, captain Adam Reynolds is in favor of the move as well.
The first time the Broncos players approached Walters about Pangai Junior was supposedly six weeks ago, before Haas, Reynolds, and most recently Reece Walsh were injured.
In August of last year, Pangai Junior, 28, left the Bulldogs to pursue a career in professional boxing.
He has, however, returned to rugby league this season, playing in the Queensland Cup with Souths Logan, the Broncos’ affiliate.
According to reports, the former Bronco and Panthers prop is open to accepting a pay cut of less than $300,000.
Midway into the 2021 season, he was fired by the Brisbane team for breaking NRL rules by going to a barbershop the year before the outbreak.
After the 2023 season, Kurt Capewell (Warriors), Keenan Palasia (Titans), and Tom Flegler (Dolphins) all left, hurting Brisbane’s middle forward stocks.
Pangai Junior would allegedly cost the Broncos about $277,000 if they were to sign him near the June 30 transfer deadline.