After the Melbourne Storm denied making a potential play to sign Tevita Pangai Junior, a Queensland club is still reportedly in the race to sign the former NSW Blues forward.
One of the best teams in the competition, the Brisbane Broncos still have one vacant spot remaining on their Top 30 roster for this season and are expected to fill it sooner rather than later.
Recently adding Jack Gosiewski to the team from the North Queensland Cowboys, the club has been ridiculed with injuries.
They currently have Jesse Arthars, Tristan Sailor, Adam Reynolds, and Reece Walsh on the sidelines, while front-rower Payne Haas could be joining them in the casualty ward in the coming days.
With a vacant spot on their Top 30 roster, The Courier Mail has reported thatย the Brisbane Broncos have yet to rule out the possibility of signing ex-NSW Blues forward Tevita Pangai Junior this season.
The publication understands that five-eighth Josh Rogers is also in consideration of being promoted from the development list and taking the club's last vacant spot on the Top 30 roster.
Two months ago, the Broncos issued an ultimatum to Pangai Junior that he could only return if he were to hang up the gloves on his boxing career, a fact that he has since done after being knocked out abysmally.
The news that Pangai Junior may sign with the Broncos comes after Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski revealed the Victorian club would not make a move to sign him.
โHe hasn't been playing rugby league and if we're going to be looking at filling a gap for our list this year we needed someone that would be ready to come in and play straight away,โ Rodski said onย 2GB Radio.
โSo I don't think there'll be any movement there.โ
With more than 130 first-grade games to his name, Pangai Junior has previously played for the Broncos, Canterbury Bulldogs, and Penrith Panthers in the NRL.
This included being chosen to represent the NSW Blues in the 2023 State of Origin series.
As he looks to return to the NRL, former teammate and current Broncos prop, Payne Haas urged the club to sign him as he continues to ply his trade in the QLD Cup with the Souths Logan Magpies.
โHopefully Tevita can come back to rugby league,โ Haas said viaย The Courier Mailย in February.
โHe is retired at the moment, so we'll see what happens.
โObviously you would love to have a player like Tevita at your club, but my focus is just on the team we have now.
โI feel like Tevita is in his prime now and if he ever did want to come back, it would be great. Everyone knows what kind of player he can be, but all I'm worried about right now is the team we have.โ
