August 19, 2023

Proof Pangai will walk away with nothing from Bulldogs

By Danny Weidler
August 20, 2023 — 5.36am
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Today we can present the proof that Tevita Pangai jnr walked away from $750,000 – the full amount of the final year of his Bulldogs contract.

The usual suspects have been presenting theories without proof that he received $250,000 to leave Canterbury. People with knowledge of the situation have told me that such an offer was never discussed, let alone enacted.

Pangai told his Canterbury teammates on Tuesday that he had decided to retire from rugby league to pursue a career in boxing.

I have obtained Pangai’s deed of release from the club, which shows the signatures of recruitment manager Peter Sharp and football manager Stephen Litvensky, as well as Pangai’s. The amount owing to Pangai is zero, which means he sacrificed his entire 2024 contracted amount.

Pangai has appointed his brother, David, as his manager and he told this column: “Tevita has walked away with nothing, and to say anything else is not true. He operates differently to most people – he’s from outside the box – and this is how he wants to do it.”

Those taking great delight in the apparent end of Pangai’s rugby league career are again speaking without knowledge of the person or what he has been through in recent times. Yes, his form has been down, and he was poor against the Knights last Sunday, but those making snide remarks are unaware of the family struggles he has been through.

It was two years ago that he and his wife, Anna Inoke, lost their baby. The anniversary was on the Friday before the game against the Knights. It would be difficult for anyone to get through that kind of anniversary without it impacting them.

Dog gone: Tevita Pangai jnr and (inset) his deed of release.

The Bulldogs are well aware of this, and other battles Pangai has been having. The board was briefed on Tuesday and Canterbury general manager Phil Gould told Channel Nine news that Pangai had been having “personal issues”.

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Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo has been dealing with those issues, and other family problems, telling Pangai the club “won’t give up on you”.

Ciraldo has known Pangai since he was 13 and has a genuine bond with the giant forward. Pangai’s decision to quit has had a significant impact on Ciraldo.

Pangai and his wife will move back to Brisbane to be close to her family as they raise their children. Pangai is inspired by the challenge boxing presents and is already doing things his own way. He didn’t tell his promoter, Khoder Nasser, he was quitting league because he knew he would try to talk him out of it. The person Pangai confided in and discussed his ambitions with was his good mate Quade Cooper.

Is Benji the answer?

Benji Marshall has spent his life confounding critics. And there is a lot of goodwill from those who marvelled at his incredible playing ability.

Marshall’s rise to the top job at Wests Tigers was fast-tracked on Wednesday when the club ended Tim Sheens‘ head coaching return.

Internally, the feeling at the Tigers is not quite the same. The private concerns about Marshall as a coach are not about his knowledge or communication, it’s his work ethic that has some asking questions. Does he have the drive and energy to become a good first-grade coach?

Everybody knows the ridiculous hours successful NRL coaches put in. Marshall is going to have to do that, as well as be available at all times to all people. Something he hasn’t had to do to this point in his coaching career. This is not my opinion. It is a concern that several sources at the club have relayed to me.

Marshall is often hard to get on the phone, those sources say — even at important times. Having known Marshall for years, I can say that his determination is underestimated. Few people could have returned from five shoulder reconstructions.

However, now he can’t rely on his extraordinary natural skills to turn a struggling team into a successful one. He will need to focus purely on the Tigers for a significant portion of his week and, with a young family, that’s not going to be easy.

Marshall is also at a club where there are genuine concerns about its management. When Sheens was grilled on July 19 about his future, he was adamant he would be the first-grade coach again next year. “That’s what my contact says,” was his answer. It filled no one with confidence, though. By that point no one in the game was expecting him to be the boss next year.

It was widely known then that Marshall was running the show; anyone who attended training could see that and, on game day, it was Marshall barking the instructions. Which means the terrible results have come while Marshall has been in charge — but that’s a whole other story. Sheens’ exit was made official shortly after this masthead broke the story on Wednesday.

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Sheens was a great coach in his day and has excellent knowledge of the game but, unfortunately, he was the victim of an administration that did not do its due diligence.

The Tigers appointed Sheens on the urging of a News Corp reporter, who claimed credit for the idea, but then distanced himself from it as soon as he saw what a disaster it was becoming. Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis and chief executive Justin Pascoe have now pressed go on the fastest succession plan in sport. It is the succession plan minus the success. As great a player as Marshall was, there is real concern about how long it will take him to develop into a genuine first-grade coach.

The only conclusion is that there needs to be a succession plan when it comes to the club bosses. And it needs to begin now.

Meanwhile, Sheens may not be the only coaching change at the Tigers. Some of Marshall’s connections have been calling rival clubs looking for a new defence coach. That’s not great news for incumbent David Furner.

Cream of the crop

When you are as high profile as Nathan Cleary your every move is watched. So, it’s no surprise we were told about him enjoying an ice-cream and a walk with a rising superstar of sport, Matildas attacker Mary Fowler. The pair are connected as adidas athletes and caught up after a promotional event.

Tweet dreams

This tweet (below) from someone pretending to be me may actually result in Margot Robbie being involved in next year’s NRL season opener in Las Vegas.

ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys knows that star power is vital to make an impact in Vegas, and the likes of South Sydney co-owner Russell Crowe and Sea Eagles super fan Hugh Jackman are key to the sales pitch.

The fake Danny Weidler tweet.

Brisbane, Manly, South Sydney and Sydney Roosters will play a double-header at the 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium on March 2.

The NRL asked me about the fake tweet and now wants to know if Queenslander Robbie supports any particular team. The next step would be to involve Robbie in the promotion somehow. The NRL would love for that to happen.

That’s where Crowe, in particular, is vital. Crowe has previously asked the likes of Tom Cruise to don Rabbitohs hats at games, and even Oprah Winfrey is considered a Souths fan because of the Crowe factor.

I remember the Rabbitohs taking on Leeds Rhinos in Florida in 2008 when big names such as golfing great Greg Norman and NBA star Dennis Rodman attended to watch a game at the home of the Jacksonville Axemen. The star power gave a relatively low-key match great appeal, especially for the media, who were able to access the big names.

Crowe’s passion for South Sydney and rugby league will ensure he reaches out to some of his Hollywood connections for the Vegas adventure. It certainly can’t hurt the Rabbitohs brand to be associated with some more international superstars as the NRL tries to crack a US sports and gambling market.

Unnecessary Payne

The odd thing about Payne Haas’ new deal with the Broncos is that it is pretty much the same money he asked for when he was in dispute with the club more than a year ago. Brisbane could have saved themselves plenty of pain by agreeing to terms then.

It has been widely reported that Haas’ new deal is worth $1.2 million a year. Others say it is $1.5 million a season, without third-party deals.

A year ago, Ben Ikin was Brisbane’s football manager and the only thing that changed in that time is that Broncos chief executive Dave Donaghy was the one to seal the deal. Ikin had his power taken away and found a better job at the QRL. It makes you wonder if not getting the Haas deal done diminished his standing at the club.

Dragon the chain

Player managers around town are surprised that incoming Dragons coach Shane Flanagan won’t get involved with re-signing Dragons players before he officially starts work with the club. It means the many off-contact players will be allowed to become free agents. It’s a significant gamble for the club.

Stream the NRL premiership 2023 live and free on 9Now.

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Danny Weidler is a sport columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via Twitter or email.
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