Despite departing the NRL at the end of the 2023 season, Tevita Pangai Junior could soon be back in the big league's fold, with the 28-year-old reportedly talking to a pair of Queensland clubs.
After making his debut for the Broncos in 2016, Pangai Jr went on to wear Brisbane's maroon and gold on 96 occasions before returning home to Sydney's West to play for Penrith across the back half of the 2021 season.
The Ashfield native then made the short move to Bankstown, representing the Bulldogs on 36 occasions between 2022 and 2023.
However, after opting out of the final year of his deal at the Kennel, and leaving nearly half-a-million dollars on the table, Pangai Jr traded the footy field for the square circle to become a professional boxer.
Yet, after one short off-season, the forward clearly had an itch to scratch, making a tentative, but still pointed return, to the 13-man game, inking an agreement with Souths Logan Magpies - the Broncos Q Cup feeder team.
Given this connection, the hulking prop-cum-second rower is expected to make the move back to Red Hill and re-join the Broncos stable. However, as he still holds a relationship with master coach Wayne Bennett, Pangai Jr may yet become a Dolphin.
Still, according to the man himself, he is yet to see an official offer from either side.
โI haven't received any offers,โ Pangai Jr told SEN.
โObviously, I stay in contact with Wayne (Bennett) because he's the one that gave me my first opportunity at the Broncos and he was a big reason why I came to the Broncos, well exactly the reason.
โLike I said I'm just happy to be back in Brisbane boxing, living back up here, my wife is from here, this is where I made my debut, I lived here for six years so it's sort of home to me.
โI'll probably have an answer for you in a couple of weeks."
When pressed as to whether a return to Red Hill was on the cards, Pangai Jr claimed the ball was in the Broncos' court.
โKevvie's got my number, they know where to find me,โ he stated.
โThey're not struggling at the moment, they played in a Grand Final, I think that (with) the spot that they're in they can pick and choose who they want to come into the team.
โI'd be happy to go back there but right now I haven't received anything, we'll just wait and see, hopefully.โ
The Broncos will enter their highly-anticipated Round 3 clash against reigning premiers Penrith on Thursday night with a 1-1 record after losing in Vegas to the Chooks before beating the Bunnies at home last week.
