Run straight, run hard, make your tackles. After years of floating around the forward pack, rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo has made Tevita Pangai Junior's role a lot more simple this year.

Despite showing glimpses of immense potential at times, Pangai Junior has never been able to lock down one spot in the forward pack during his career, floating between prop, lock, an edge and the bench.

Across his 121 NRL games, 'TPJ' has started 15 matches at lock, 13 at prop, 45 in the back-row and 48 off the bench, and outside of coming off the pine, has never started in the same spot for more than nine consecutive games.

NRL Trial Match - Sharks v Bulldogs
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 28: Tevita Pangai Junior of the Bulldogs is tackled by Andrew Fifita of the Sharks during the NRL Trial Match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Canterbury Bulldogs at PointsBet Stadium on February 28, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Ciraldo is set to change that, and has handed Pangai Junior the task of focusing on just one spot this season.

โ€œFront row is my position,โ€ Pangai Junior told Fox Sports.

โ€œI know that's where Cam wants me to play and has given me a simple role โ€” he knows what works for me.

โ€œI think that's the best thing about our coaching staff. They know how their players work and they try and make it as simple as they can for us to just go out and know our role.

โ€œI just have to lead with my actionsโ€ฆ carry the ball and keep it simple.โ€

Things were looking up for Tevita last season after joining Canterbury following a cameo stint at Penrith, dropping 12kgs last pre-season, but his on-field form saw the utility forward dropped to the NSW Cup at one point.

Now, he's tasked himself with playing State of Origin this season.

โ€œIt's a pretty hard team to get into when they're winning and with the forwards we have for NSW but it's a good challenge for me."

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 29: Tevita Pangai Junior of the Panthers celebrates with Apisai Koroisau of the Panthers after scoring a try during the round 24 NRL match between the Penrith Panthers and the Wests Tigers at Moreton Daily Stadium on August 29, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

Despite only playing 19 NRL games last season, Pangai Junior led the competition in offloads, a trait he's learnt from his favourite player.

โ€œI loved Sonny Bill Williams as a forward because he knew how to bring that aggression but also had that skill set that not many forwards have with his passing and offloads,โ€ Pangai said.

โ€œHe had that grunt in him but he also has the skills of a halfback.

โ€œIt'd be good to add his pre-line pass into my game.โ€

Pangai Junior is one of a host of Canterbury players gunning for a starting spot at prop, including English duo Luke Thompson and Ryan Sutton.