Tevita Pangai’s return to rugby league is officially on, after the NSW State of Origin forward signed a deal to come back with Souths Logan in the Queensland Cup.
A feeder club to Brisbane, the Magpies confirmed on Thursday evening that Pangai would run out for the club this year.
Pangai shocked the NRL last August when he quit Canterbury to take up a career in boxing, with one year left on his contract.
But he has since been spotted at Brisbane training, and has met with club officials about a potential comeback.
Like John Farnham infamously did with his retirement concert tours, last year was not the last time Pangai will step onto a rugby league field.
Pangai is expected to juggle boxing and rugby league, and has a fight against New Zealander Raphael Sa’u on March 23.
But beyond that, there is every chance Pangai will now push for a return to the NRL, with the Magpies coached by Justin Hodges and Karmichael Hunt.
At his best, the 28-year-old has the potential to be one of the most damaging forwards in the game.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
But he struggled to find consistency at Canterbury, after leaving Brisbane in 2021 and having a brief end-of-season stint with Penrith that year.
The Bulldogs have already said they will not stand in the way of any potential Pangai return.
Pangai’s last stint in Brisbane ended after a tumultuous 18-month period, including being suspended for seven games and fined $30,000 for COVID breaches in 2020.
In a post on Facebook, Souths Logan said they “looked forward to helping (Pangai) in the next chapter of (his) rugby league journey”.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Sounds like he's a prime candidate for the Dragons. Expect an enormous above overs over for him in a few days.
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Spot on. I can only imagine his manager just thumping his head against the desk when TPJ ignored what would have been some pretty sound advice. Something along the lines of "mate, listen up. You're no Socrates so you can forget something in the intelligentsia, you're a pretty average boxer, you've got nearly no demonstrable tactical insight or leadership skills so you can forget coaching, you have the personality of a plank of wood so you can forget punditry...if you walk away from league, just what is it that you are going to do that earns remotely close to what you earn now!?"
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Exactly. He's a pretty ordinary boxer. Wasn't his third fight a majority decision win against someone in his late 30's, is six inches shorter and who does it more as a hobby?
Tufanooo
Roar Rookie
Probably realised that his immediate income earning potential outside of rugby league is pretty limited. He's not actually that good a boxer. He's got 4 maybe 5 years left of really making some good money in league before his career options dramatically reduce.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
He'll work it out in a few years time when he's on $60 grand a year digging holes.
Tony
Roar Guru
Not to mention the payment involved, and the fact that you have to keep your hands up for three minutes at a time
Don
Roar Rookie
He did joke in a recent interview about a possible return to football: “My wife misses her steak and lobsters, so I might have to go back,”
Nat
Roar Guru
He cloud possibly be the best player running around Q Cup and I hope he stays there on $50k a yr. He'll have learned nothing by waltzing back into the NRL. He might have convinced himself his attitude was because of Sydney but Brisbane paid handsomely to see the back of him.
Nat
Roar Guru
I'd rather him 45 - 55 in the middle and of the bench. No defensive decisions just hit ups and off loads.
Nat
Roar Guru
That's why every article on the guy starts with "at his best...". TBH I gave up hoping for his best a long time ago.
Nat
Roar Guru
Nah, nothing from guys I know but I've been travelling a lot the past few months to talk much.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The bloke who claimed he never liked the game and was forced into it by his parents is coming back. No worries. Doesn't like Sydney. Good luck.
mushi
Roar Guru
To be fair at this point he's just playing at a level which, to him, is like social sport. The unnamed author has a sighting at training that they've conflated into a broncos return. I'm surprised they didn't get the woman's day body language expert out to say he's clearly in love with his team mates.
Albo
Roar Rookie
And they keep punching you in the nose !! :silly:
Succhi
Roar Rookie
I think he found out that boxing doesn’t pay much. Perhaps Rugby League is now not such a pain for him.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Old mate down the street isn't a drinker so I'll see if there's a sober version of the story :happy:
Don
Roar Rookie
And he had just had a dent to his ego when the Broncs were prepared to pay another club to get rid of him.
Don
Roar Rookie
Just pub talk from “guys that know guys.” Usually I ignore it, but it keeps getting said, and now the news he’ll be at Souths? It is the track back to the Broncs rather than a Melbourne or Dolphins affiliated Brisbane club.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Ha, yeah good analogy :thumbup: Maybe the modern equivalent is electric scooter!
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
For sure Albo. But first step is his to take - demonstrate he’ll turn up for 20-odd weeks, not just 6.