Tevita Pangai Jr to Dolphins, Wayne Bennett, 2024, is he retired, boxing,
- Advertisement -
Tevita Pangai Jr has been heavily linked with a move to the Dolphins despite the Bulldogs enforcer dropping a retirement bombshell last week.
Pangai Jr stunned the rugby league world by announcing he was walking away from his $750,000 contract next season to pursue a career in professional boxing.
The 27-year-old will see out the season at Canterbury before the former Broncos player moves back to Brisbane.
Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett, who TPJ played under at the Broncos, has already said he’d welcome the front-rower at Redcliffe and now the drums are beating louder that the pair will reunite.
Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now
Pangai Jr made his NSW debut this year and has played for Tonga where Dolphins assistant Kristian Wolf is the head coach.
Journalist Ben Dobbin said the “dots are connecting” and that “all the mail” is Pangai Jr will be playing for the Dolphins next season.
“TPJ – was a Brisbane Bronco. Grew up in Newcastle, became a Brisbane Bronco and we never saw his full potential. Kevin Walters shipped Tevita and Matt Lodge out of there because he said they were destabilising,” Dobbin said on Triple M.
“Tevita goes to Penrith, wins a grand final, he then starts at the Bulldogs, two seasons at the Bulldogs, hit and miss on $750,000 a year, retires from rugby league to take up a boxing career.
“Had a fight last year on the undercard of Justis Huni but has now officially said after the end of next week, he’s done, he’s hanging up the footy boots.
“Let’s not forget a few months ago he was playing Origin for New South Wales. Great footballer, good bloke.
MORE NRL NEWS
‘INSULTING AND DISGUSTING’: Reason for Burgess exit labelled ‘fairytale’
‘KEYS TO THE TEAM’: Walker to steer Roosters to unlikely finals berth
HOOPS: The Crowe phone call and hang up that sealed Burgess’ Rabbits fate
“Moving back to Queensland to further his boxing career, and then the dots started to get joined. Bulldogs needed some salary cap space, we know the kind of headaches they’ve got there. Tevita is not happy, he said the biggest mistake he ever made was leaving the Broncos, he wants to come back to Queensland.
“Who was he coached by when he first played here? Wayne Bennett. Where’s Wayne now? He’s at the Dolphins. So you start to join the dots.”
Dobbin then revealed another factor that could get Pangai Jr to the Dolphins.
“Tevita, proud Tongan heritage. Who is the coach of the Tongan team? Kristian Wolf, Dolphins assistant coach, next head coach, or is also a former boxer,” he said.
“Kristian Wolf from Mt Isa could fight like a bag of feral cats and Tevita wants to do it.
So where there is smoke, there is fire, so I put it to Dolphins CEO Terry Reader.”
Wighton rumoured to backflip on Souths? | 01:19
MORE NRL NEWS
‘HE DRIVES STANDARDS’: JD flatly…
Read More: Tevita Pangai Jr to Dolphins, Wayne Bennett, 2024, is he retired, boxing, 2023-08-23 21:28:55