Pangai and Radley set to reprise running battle in Panthers-Roosters clash
The last time Tevita Pangai jnr tangled with Victor Radley, the latter came within a whisker of being sent to the sin bin a record three times.
That individual stoush was as good as any witnessed this season. It occurred back in May, when Pangai was still at Brisbane in an NRL match many thought would only be notable because it was Joseph Suaaliiâs first. Instead the Broncos produced the boilover of the season.
No man was more responsible for the result than Pangai. The 25-year-old set up a try, had another disallowed and then picked a fight with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. And that was before 10 minutes of play had elapsed.
However, it was his running battle with Radley that was most memorable. The pair, by chance or otherwise, continually found each other. Radley lost his head and the battle.
âVictor the Inflictorâ was placed on report on four separate occasions, which included a stint in the sin bin for collecting Pangaiâs head with his shoulder. In his first match for the Panthers, Pangai will again lock horns with Radley.
âI know what you guys are trying to do,â Pangai said when asked about another confrontation, âbut Victor is starting and Iâm off the bench. I donât think weâll clash.â
Tevita Pangai jnr and Victor Radley were at each other in round 11, and face each other again this weekend.Credit:NRL Photos
Despite doing his best to talk it down, thereâs no doubt their paths will cross.
In that memorable round 11 clash, Pangai was every bit the player the Panthers hope they have recruited; an enforcer who found the right balance between playing with passion and becoming a liability.
What makes his clash with Radley all the more interesting is that both are desperate to break into the NSW team. Radley blew that chance this season when his brain explosions against the Broncos resulted in five weeks of suspensions.
âObviously you do all you can to win,â Pangai said.
âIâm pretty disappointed [for Radley], I think he would have gone on to play State of Origin for them as well.
âEveryone knows the player he can be, I just hope he plays Origin next year.â
As for his own Origin ambitions, Pangai said: âHonestly, Iâm just focused on making a team coming second.
âItâs hard enough trying to make a team with so many good players. My main focus is on the Panthers.â
Tevita Pangai jnr has made a mid-season switch from the Broncos to the Panthers.Credit:Getty
It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Pangai Junior. Granted permission to leave Red Hill, he signed a three-year deal with the Bulldogs at a time when Penrithâs squad needed to be bolstered immediately. After a series of on-again, off-again negotiations with the Panthers, the parties finally struck a deal that will result in him making his club debut on Saturday night.
The switch has resulted in the Tongan international leaving a club out of finals contention for one who are pushing for a premiership.
âIâve come here to work with certain players and coaches in Ivan [Cleary] and Cameron Ciraldo and Peter Wallace to work on my defence, get all of those little things right, the little habits right, that will take me to the next level,â he said. âIâm really excited.â
In a further boost for the Panthers, it appears Nathan Cleary will make his long-awaited return from a shoulder injury.
âNathan is looking good, heâs ticking a lot of boxes and heâs obviously in the squad as well,â halves partner Jarome Luai said.
âItâs one of our big days at training tomorrow, so hopefully he gets through that.
âThatâs the best for us. Anyone who watches us knows Nathan is a big piece of our puzzle.
âThe last couple of games weâve been without him, weâve missed him a lot.â
Meanwhile, the NSWRL has proposed a $15,000 fine for Apsia Koroisauâs breach of biosecurity protocols during the Origin series. Blues powerbrokers took into consideration the NRLâs sanctions, of a $35,000 fine and a two-game ban, before imposing their own.
Panthers hooker Koroisau, who has 14 days to respond to the breach notice, will also return against the Roosters.
âWhen a player is selected to represent the NSW Blues, the player is placed into a privileged position whereby he or she is trusted by the Board to uphold all of the standards, protocols and values of NSWRL,â said NSWRL chief executive David Trodden.
âThe board is extremely disappointed that in this case, the trust which was placed in Koroisau has been breached.
âIf the board is to consider further recommendations for his selection in NSW teams, it will need to be convinced he has earned the right to be once again trusted to uphold all of the standards, protocols and values of NSWRL.â
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Adrian Proszenko is the Chief Rugby League Reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald.
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