Retired front rower Tevita Pangai Junior has been spotted at Brisbane Broncos training, fanning speculation he could be in line for an NRL return.

Pangai Junior stunned the rugby league world at the back-end of the 2023 season when he elected to hang up the boots to take up a career in boxing.

The forward admitted after his retirement that he had never actually enjoyed rugby league in the first place, and lost interest altogether in the back-end of his career.

"I feel like rugby league was forced on me as a kid. I didn't really want to play league or footy as a kid, my parents forced me into it because I'm Polynesian and that's what we do. We're big, we're solid and we run into people," he had told 9 News shortly after the original bombshell announcement.

"I knew I dropped below my standard as an NRL player, and I couldn't live with myself if I was to go out again next season.

"I think I have (lost interest in the game), I helped Penrith with their run to a grand final, I've played Origin and now I want to try my hand at boxing and if my hearts not in it then (it's time to quit)."

The surprise call came in the same year that Pangai Junior had been awarded a surprise State of Origin debut for the New South Wales Blues, but after a tumultuous period at the Canterbury Bulldogs where the club continually struggled to put results on the board.

Pangai Junior, who started his career at the Broncos, was however spotted at the club's training this week according to News Corp.

At just 27 years of age, Pangai Junior would still have plenty of time to make an NRL return if he so desired, and with few props on the market, would likely have a number of clubs interested.

Brisbane could be one of them given they have lost Thomas Flegler and Keenan Palasia out of their forward pack for 2024, with Fletcher Baker and Jaiyden Hunt being the replacements to this stage.

The Dolphins, through Wayne Bennett, had expressed interest in the potential of a rugby league return last year, while Broncos coach Kevin Walters suggested the club's salary cap was too tight to consider making such a move.

The publication reports Pangai Junior told them that he was only "accompanying family and friends to introduce them to Broncos players after training" and that no return is in the pipeline with the ex-forward currently preparing for his next fight.