Tevita Pangai Junior has been suggested to potentially rejoin the Brisbane Broncos’ main squad if he can showcase his full potential on the field, following his debut for feeder team Souths Logan Magpies over the weekend.
Pangai Jnr retired from rugby league in August, opting out of a $750,000 contract with the Bulldogs for this season to pursue a boxing career. However, in January, speculation arose when he was spotted at a Broncos training session at Red Hill.
Subsequently, he signed up with their Queensland Cup feeder team, the Magpies – a team he had previously played for when sidelined by the Broncos. The Magpies are coached by former cross-code star Karmichael Hunt and boxing convert Justin Hodges.
Pangai Junior expressed his intention to return to the field only after his upcoming boxing bout against Raphael Sa’u on March 23. However, he unexpectedly joined the round one team and played 26 minutes off the bench in a 28-16 loss to Redcliffe, registering 11 runs for 88 meters with three offloads.
Commenting on NRL 360, Braith Anasta expressed surprise at Pangai’s return, recalling his departure for boxing. Meanwhile, James Hooper shared how Pangai responded to earlier predictions of his return to rugby league, emphasizing his boxing aspirations. Nevertheless, Hooper believes that despite Pangai’s efforts to juggle boxing with the league, the 28-year-old could be a valuable mid-season addition for the Broncos.
Hooper praised Pangai’s potential and suggested that if he manages to harness his abilities on the field, he could rejoin the Brisbane Broncos before June 30, offering significant value to the team at that point in the season. Anasta jokingly remarked that predicting Pangai’s return didn’t require extraordinary foresight.
