Amid Brisbane Broncos' injury woes, the senior leadership group has reportedly urged coach Kevin Walters to consider bringing back Tevita Pangai Junior to bolster the team's forward depth.
According to The Courier Mail, leading Brisbane stars, including injured Payne Haas and vice-captain Pat Carrigan, have personally approached Walters to advocate for Pangai Junior's return to Red Hill. The support for the Tongan Test enforcer comes amidst a concerning injury toll that has sidelined key players like Adam Reynolds, Haas, and Reece Walsh ahead of Friday's Round Four clash against the North Queensland Cowboys.
Walters confirmed that talks about Pangai Junior's potential return had taken place, stating, "He looks like he's improved this week but it's been stated before, he's been up and down."
The Broncos' need for reinforcements became even more pressing after recent scan results revealed that Haas required knee surgery, sidelining him for at least a month. Additionally, star fullback Walsh suffered a facial fracture, further depleting Brisbane's playing stocks.
With the team's engine room weakened by injuries and off-season departures, the case for Pangai Junior's return has gained momentum. Despite his departure from the club in 2021 to pursue professional boxing, Pangai Jr has since returned to rugby league, recently making his debut for Brisbane's feeder team Souths Logan in the Hostplus Cup.
Haas, who maintains a close friendship with Pangai Junior, expressed his support for the potential reunion, highlighting the impact the powerful forward could have on the team's premiership aspirations. "Hopefully Tevita can come back," Haas said. "Obviously, you would love to have a player like Tevita at your club."
While Pangai Junior's previous tenure at Red Hill was marked by both brilliance and controversy, there is optimism that the 28-year-old has matured and would bring valuable experience to the Broncos' lineup. Pangai Junior himself expressed readiness to contribute, stating, "I'm a team player. The best players take less to win premierships, so if Brisbane need me, I'm ready to help out."
His comments would certainly raise a few eyebrows at Belmore.
