Tevita Pangai Junior’s stint at the Dolphins will reportedly be a short one, with the comeback forward expected to follow Wayne Bennett to South Sydney.
If he does, it will cap quite the turnaround from Pangai Junior, who walked out on a rich contract with the Bulldogs last season in order to take up a boxing career and move back to Queensland.
The Courier Mail are reporting that Pangai Junior is unlikely to stay at the Dolphins beyond 2024.
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Bennett and the Dolphins threw a rugby league lifeline to Pangai Junior mid-year, and the talented but sometimes frustrating forward has performed well, adding some starch in the middle to a team missing key props Tom Flegler and Tom Gilbert.
In four games, Pangai Junior has averaged 104 run metres, two tackle busts in 39 minutes per game.
Dolphins CEO Terry Reader was non-committal when asked about Pangai Junior’s future at the club, but did credit the 28-year-old for his attitude since joining the team.
“We’ve got a salary cap and maximum amount of spots. There’s a lot to go through before we get to the end of what that might look like,” Reader told The Courier Mail.
“It was all about Tevita deciding he wanted to be a footballer again. Wayne told him that.
“Tevita has done a fair bit in the game and as he said, he was only out for a year. His biggest thing was showing everyone he wants to be a footballer and letting his football do the talking.”
MANLY CONTINUE LONG-TERM RETENTION DRIVE
Manly have reportedly signed Taniela Paseka to a bumper extension, with the front rower to remain a Sea Eagle at least until the end of 2029.
The Daily Telegraph has reported that the towering prop, who was already signed up until the end of 2026, will become the third player that Manly have on the books through to the conclusion of the 2029 season, following Jason Saab and Haumole Olakau’atu.
Like Paseka, Saab was already under contract for 2026 when the club re-upped his deal with a three-year extension early last month.
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Olakau’atu meanwhile, signed a six-year extension in December last year which takes the powerful edge forward’s deal out to 2031.
Paseka has been terrific for a Manly forward pack who have exceeded expectations this season.
He’s averaging 120 run metres and 20 tackles in 46 minutes per game.
The new deal almost certainly means Paseka will be a one-club player.
Paseka played for the Tigers in the Under 20s competition before linking up with the Sea Eagles.
He made his NRL debut in 2018 and has since played in 112 games.
Source Agencies
