Tevita Pangai Jr Problems Parts 1 and 2 Naughty Broncos?

[Graham]

Seems Tevita Pangai Jr, the big Bronco, went to some sort of gathering at a barber shop and breached the Covid 19 bubble rules. He’s not the first person within the NRL to burst the bubble. It seems for him the consequences will be bigger than for others.

I’ve been reading that his $650,000 a year contract with Brisbane is to be “torn up” and that due to the timing he won’t be likely to play again this season with Broncos, or be able to sign for any other team due to it being past the 3rd August deadline.

The report also said he won’t get any sort of payout either. 

What a to do!

[DavidM]

That’s one expensive haircut 

[Graham]

Not so much a close shave, more some kind of a mullet.

[Graham]

So, the seriousness of this particular case compared to other breaches appears to be that he broke the rules a number of times. 

“The NRL has come down hard on Tevita Pangai Jr after he breached the league's COVID-19 biosecurity protocols.

The Brisbane Broncos star has been issued a breach notice by the NRL, stood down indefinitely and fined $30,000 for attending a barbershop opening which was a "failure to comply with the code's biosecurity protocols".

"The notice alleges multiple breaches by Pangai Junior of the protocols over a period of time," the NRL said in a statement.

"The notice directs that Pangai Junior be excluded from the Broncos' bubble and any NRL match day until such time that he can satisfy the NRL that he will comply with all biosecurity protocols. It also proposes Pangai Junior be fined $30,000."

If Broncos now see him as unable to fulfil the terms of his contract I suppose that gives them a chance to rip it up, as was suggested in early reports yesterday.

[Graham]

Another revelation appears to have surfaced suggesting that Tevita Pangai Jnr hasn't been paid all the money promised to him. Trouble is it is money paid to him through a third party deal that is allegedly 'off the books'.

Broncos CEO Paul White has spoken to the NRL Integrity Unit about the claims made that a member of staff helped set a deal up that wasn't declared to the NRL.

Brisbane chief executive Paul White has been interviewed by the NRL Integrity Unit amid claims a Broncos member of staff facilitated an “off-the-books” third party deal for suspended star forward Tevita Pangai Jnr.

Fox Sports has learned White volunteered to answer questions today.

It is not suggested that White is involved in the undeclared third party deal but as CEO he contacted the NRL on behalf of Broncos staff.

[Graham]

Do you reckon if this is true that Broncos will get a slap on the wrist or a proper punishment? Fine? Points loss? 

[Graham]

There appears to have been some sort of reconciliation between Pangai Jnr and Brisbane.

After a face to face meeting, contrition was apparently shown by P Jnr, and after due deliberation Broncos decided to give him another chance. He is stood down until 8th September. He faces more sanctions and it's been said he's unlikely to play for them again this season.

[Graham]

Embattled Brisbane are strongly rejecting suggestions of a possible salary cap breach over claims of unpaid third-party deals to Tevita Pangai jnr, arguing two companies who had shown interest in sponsoring the Broncos forward via legitimate channels had dropped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to sources with knowledge of Pangai jnr's complaint, the Broncos forward told NRL investigators he had received a verbal promise of TPAs and other payments of $100,000 a year above and beyond his $700,000 salary, including a place in the game's $1.5 million marketing fund.

The guaranteeing of third-party agreements, or the failure to register them with head office, are against NRL rules and have been at the heart of some of the biggest scandals in the game over the past decade.

Brisbane, however, are vehemently denying any wrongdoing, with chief executive Paul White ringing the NRL on Tuesday to offer the Broncos' total and immediate cooperation in a bid to extinguish the latest spotfire threatening to engulf the publicly listed club.