Tevita Pangai Junior

[Littlebittipsy]

How Wests Tigers botched chance to sign Brisbane Broncos forward Tevita Pangai Jr

Two key mistakes in the Wests Tigers’ pursuit of Tevita Pangai Jr have exposed the failings of the club’s recruitment strategy.

David Riccio



The Wests Tigers’ indecisiveness over Tevita Pangai Jr and suggestions through the media that he wasn’t a good fit cost the club his signature.

In yet another recruitment blow for the Tigers, Pangai Jr phoned coach Michael Maguire on Tuesday to deliver the news that he was headed to the Canterbury Bulldogs on a three-year deal from 2022.

The Tongan international’s swift departure from the Broncos after six years also includes an immediate pit-stop at Penrith, where he will play for the remainder of the season.

Pangai Jr could be named on the Panthers interchange bench on Tuesday to face title-favourites Melbourne next weekend. Otherwise, he will be on deck to take on the Sydney Roosters the following week.

The Bulldogs are rejoicing in their key acquisition but the story that continues to prove cruel is the Tigers recruitment process that has again fallen short.

It was reported in late-May by Fox Sports that the Tigers hierarchy had attempted a stealth-like mission to sign Pangai Jr and his Broncos teammate Jamayne Isaako.

The meeting was immediately hosed down by the Broncos, who claimed both players had merely met Maguire – the Kiwi Test coach – to discuss international football matters.

The Broncos also claimed the pair were in their plans for next season.

However, within the space of three weeks, Pangai Jr was told he had permission to negotiate with rival clubs – and possibly earn a release from the remainder of his 2021 and 2202 contract.

It was considered a given that the Tigers, having already commenced the recruitment process, would prove untroubled in getting the deal done.

However, on July 1, a Sydney journalist posted on Twitter that the Tigers, after doing “their homework” were no longer interested in Pangai Jr because he “wasn’t a good fit for them.’’

The post sent alarm bells to Pangai Jr.

Despite this, the Tigers then seemingly changed their mind again, believed to be at the behest of Maguire, who was determined to land the damaging forward.

Pangai Jr enjoyed his conversations with Maguire, but the young forward couldn’t ignore the messaging emanating out of the club.

That’s why the 25-year-old decided to break the news personally to Maguire that he was headed to Belmore.

Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis told News Corp the Tigers were disappointed to miss Pangai Jr.

“I’ll just echo Michael Maguire’s comments that Tevita is a quality player and he would’ve been a very nice addition to our roster, but it wasn’t meant to be,’’ Hagipantelis said.

“The club remains active in that space.”

Thanks for posting

 

[Geo]

The funny thing is the words by the journalist on Twitter 'after doing “their homework” were no longer interested in Pangai Jr because he “wasn’t a good fit for them.’’'

Were never said by anyone at Wests Tigers..

Nicolussi was asked about that tonight on twitter and his response was "can only report what the club told me".

So did Pooper about Brooks

 

[hank37w]

Players keep saving the Tigers from themselves. 750k for 3 years is massive money for Pangai. It’s a big gamble we can’t afford to take. He’s a physical freak but suspensions and attitude I’m staggered at the dogs contract. Hope he does well at the Dogs I’m happy for any battling team to get better but fmd that’s insane.

He might do well for the dogs but they won't

Not without a 9 and a decent fullback

Stupidity roster management

I reckon they will get the Cheese also for next season. You heard it hear first.

That'd be a gun squad.

Sucks they'd be playing for zero points for cheating the cap though.

???

That doesn't suck at all, as a matter of fact I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Demps]

Players keep saving the Tigers from themselves. 750k for 3 years is massive money for Pangai. It’s a big gamble we can’t afford to take. He’s a physical freak but suspensions and attitude I’m staggered at the dogs contract. Hope he does well at the Dogs I’m happy for any battling team to get better but fmd that’s insane.

He might do well for the dogs but they won't

Not without a 9 and a decent fullback

Stupidity roster management

I reckon they will get the Cheese also for next season. You heard it hear first.

That'd be a gun squad.

Sucks they'd be playing for zero points for cheating the cap though.

???

That doesn't suck at all, as a matter of fact I'm looking forward to it.

Likewise my brother.
Anything for our team.
?

 

[Muffstar]

Need to keep our stupid chairman's comments to himself. Every time he opens his mouth his foot slips in.

 

[hank37w]

Regardless of anything else TPJ is a player we identified as one we wanted, publicly courted him and ultimately missed out on to the wooden spooners.

It’s another embarrassment for the club to go on top of a growing pile of them.

I don’t think it is an embarrassment at all. We put a value on TPJ of what he was worth to the club and that’s what we offered. Another club thought he was worth more and made their offer and so he went there instead.

I for one am glad we are no longer paying overs just to get someone. Instead we place a value on their worth to the club and that’s what we offer. The player either accepts that offer or goes elsewhere. I am very happy with that process.

You missed the part where we publicly pulled out of the race to sign him and then later made contact again with his agent to renew our interest only to have him turn us down flat for the wooden spooners offering the same money.

If you don’t think thats embarrassing for the club then we’ll agree to differ.

For me shambolic doesn’t even cover it.

I wouldn’t believe anything that written about the Tigers. Clear agenda out there against the club.

This is true but a lot of this stuff was played out in public, just like Latrell and JAC and that’s why it looks so bad for the club.

I don't know what your expectation is - almost all significant signings at are played out in the media, especially if there is more than one suitor.

Even just now - everyone has ready plenty about the potential contract destinations of TPJ, about Dufty, Finucane, Cheese, Vaughan, Milford, Matt Lodge etc. It's the player managers putting the stories in the press to drum up interest and noise for their client.

If the club says "yeah we are interested", that's usually the end of it.

In all those cases though club officials refrain from commenting publicly at least until the deal is more or less done.

Our club officials on the other hand, particularly our chairman and his hat, are more than happy to be a rent a quote for the media. He did this for Latrell and JAC and three of our club officials were happy to be photographed flying up to Brisbane to talk to TPJ.

I hundred percent agree that we have very few friends in the media but we don’t half make it easy for them.

Nobody was photographed flying up to Brisbane, I don't believe? They were spotted that's all.

Would have been photographed by ASIO who also put a surveillance team on them after spotting the suspicious character in the hat and trench coat.

 

[dazza65]

My understanding of the situation is that the Tigers didn't put in an offer for TPJ because his asking price was more than the club was willing to pay and they felt he was trying to double dip in relation to a TPA arrangement. They club decided to walk away, this was about 3 weeks ago.

TPJ came back to the club with a revised amount because he was keen to play under Madge, which led to negotiations restarting. TPJ then decided to go with the Bulldogs.

For what it’s worth, I believe this and it also proves as with most players $$$ talk more than anything…..

 

[tony soprano]

How Wests Tigers botched chance to sign Brisbane Broncos forward Tevita Pangai Jr

Two key mistakes in the Wests Tigers’ pursuit of Tevita Pangai Jr have exposed the failings of the club’s recruitment strategy.

David Riccio



The Wests Tigers’ indecisiveness over Tevita Pangai Jr and suggestions through the media that he wasn’t a good fit cost the club his signature.

In yet another recruitment blow for the Tigers, Pangai Jr phoned coach Michael Maguire on Tuesday to deliver the news that he was headed to the Canterbury Bulldogs on a three-year deal from 2022.

The Tongan international’s swift departure from the Broncos after six years also includes an immediate pit-stop at Penrith, where he will play for the remainder of the season.

Pangai Jr could be named on the Panthers interchange bench on Tuesday to face title-favourites Melbourne next weekend. Otherwise, he will be on deck to take on the Sydney Roosters the following week.

The Bulldogs are rejoicing in their key acquisition but the story that continues to prove cruel is the Tigers recruitment process that has again fallen short.

It was reported in late-May by Fox Sports that the Tigers hierarchy had attempted a stealth-like mission to sign Pangai Jr and his Broncos teammate Jamayne Isaako.

The meeting was immediately hosed down by the Broncos, who claimed both players had merely met Maguire – the Kiwi Test coach – to discuss international football matters.

The Broncos also claimed the pair were in their plans for next season.

However, within the space of three weeks, Pangai Jr was told he had permission to negotiate with rival clubs – and possibly earn a release from the remainder of his 2021 and 2202 contract.

It was considered a given that the Tigers, having already commenced the recruitment process, would prove untroubled in getting the deal done.

However, on July 1, a Sydney journalist posted on Twitter that the Tigers, after doing “their homework” were no longer interested in Pangai Jr because he “wasn’t a good fit for them.’’

The post sent alarm bells to Pangai Jr.

Despite this, the Tigers then seemingly changed their mind again, believed to be at the behest of Maguire, who was determined to land the damaging forward.

Pangai Jr enjoyed his conversations with Maguire, but the young forward couldn’t ignore the messaging emanating out of the club.

That’s why the 25-year-old decided to break the news personally to Maguire that he was headed to Belmore.

Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis told News Corp the Tigers were disappointed to miss Pangai Jr.

“I’ll just echo Michael Maguire’s comments that Tevita is a quality player and he would’ve been a very nice addition to our roster, but it wasn’t meant to be,’’ Hagipantelis said.

“The club remains active in that space.”

What a bunch of baloney. Tevita Pangai gets alarm bells from what a journo writes on twitter. He could just have his manager call the Tigers. I thought we were supposed to be avoiding players who were walking on eggshells.

I'll tell you what "the messaging emanating out the club" was - you are a terrific talent but also a massive risk, you've just been released from one of the worst teams in the comp, and we have a certain dollar value above which we don't budge. That's the reality of Tevita Pangai, he's been around long enough.

One quote from the club only, amongst speculation "wasn't meant to be".

So who decided no ???

 

[hank37w]

Really in my opinion,TPJ isnt a marquee or decent NRL player....he is a first grader with vices and is inconsistent..
A decent fg player turns up each week,doesnt have offield dramas and is a player a club wants to keep...


TPJ is a player desperate fans want to have as a talking point ...the minute he stuffs up,its why did we pay so much for a risky player...

just my opinion ...which to many aint much....

Yea I was happy around the 600k range , as guys like josh ALOIAI are getting that type of money . But 750,800k ? For TPJ. Considering all the rumoured attitude issues , bad team mate stuff , and his tight relationships with bikies . I’m disappointed , as he would have added the strike we needed , but I definitely have this feeling that we dodged a bullet on this one .
For me it’s disappointing more that we continue to perpetuate the narrative of being a dud organisation , than the fact we lost out on him . There isn’t too many players out there who really move the needle . And I heard ***Brandon Smith only has eyes for qld*** if he’s gonna leave the storm .
I’d be way more comfortable paying him the 750k than TPJ. And he’s not worth that either IMO.

Concord, that's in Queensland.

 

[tony soprano]

Need to keep our stupid chairman's comments to himself. Every time he opens his mouth his foot slips in.

Wow I haven't heard this before can we give it a rest ?

He is the no 1 financial backer to our club too what has everyone else done for the club lately apart from winge and moan

 

[hank37w]

Can tigers announce the signing of his older brother please....

Senior

Mosese Pangai , 29yr old
centre , wing
191cm tall
111kg
Huge career , played 1 game for Cowboys NRL side!!!
And ,
2 games for Tonga for 1 try!!!
:face_with_rolling_eyes: :face_with_rolling_eyes: :face_with_rolling_eyes:

Now that would be our kind of signing.

 

[Demps]


Cringe.

 

[barnzee]


Cringe.

Time to close the thread

 

[innsaneink]

So we miss yet another player but its OK because its not as bad as the media pretends it to be

Phew!

 

[AdelaideTiger]

Exciting times as a tigers supporter lmao

Who is next

Zac Lomax
Hudson Young
Joe Tapine

???

✅✅✅
Lomax can flat out play, would have been an origin centre this year if he wasn't injured.
I thought we should have targeted young right after the raiders got CHN.
Tapine would slot straight into our backrow and offers some real play making ability.

 

[Spida]


Cringe.

Time to close the thread

Yeah close the thread.time to move on.

 

[Geo]

Here is a clue..

If users stop posting in a thread ..the closing takes care of itself...

 

[Needaname]

“The club remains active in that space.”

We were told a while back that Tevita was a club target as he was identified as a player with particular attributes that Hartigan was looking for to boost the side. This mentions Madge is also of this same understanding.

Surely these are the only two people that need full autonomy of the negotiating process?

Who else (club wise) is there in this negotiation table angling the other two to look in another direction?

 

[bathursttiger1]

Exciting times as a tigers supporter lmao

Who is next

Zac Lomax
Hudson Young
Joe Tapine

???

✅✅✅
Lomax can flat out play, would have been an origin centre this year if he wasn't injured.
I thought we should have targeted young right after the raiders got CHN.
Tapine would slot straight into our backrow and offers some real play making ability.

Lomax would be a great acquisition of us, I really like Tapine but againts the Sharks he had a bad arm grab on Ramien and was really lazy ib cover defence when Mulitalo scored.

 

[Elderslie_Tiger]

“The club remains active in that space.”

We were told a while back that Tevita was a club target as he was identified as a player with particular attributes that Hartigan was looking for to boost the side. This mentions Madge is also of this same understanding.

Surely these are the only two people that need full autonomy of the negotiating process?

Who else (club wise) is there in this negotiation table angling the other two to look in another direction?

He believed the BS the dogs told him we are team on the way up yadda yadda Gus won't white ant me ?????? and I can really coach??????