Tevita Pangai Junior has made his return to rugby league via Broncos feeder side Souths Logan.
The 28-year-old announced his shock retirement from rugby league last August, walking out on a $750,000 contract with the Bulldogs for this year to chase a boxing career.
But the rumour mill was sent into overdrive when he was spotted watching a Broncos training session in January.
He signed with Broncos’ feeder side Souths Logan in February and earmarked a Round 5 return after his fight with Raphael Sa’u — which is scheduled for March 23 — but he was parachuted straight into the Round 1 team.
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Meanwhile, the Roosters fielded one of the more experienced New South Wales Cup teams with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Michael Jennings and Connor Watson among the familiar faces.
And the Eels’ next generation was on show with Blaze Talagi and Matt Arthur showing why there’s so much hype around them, while winger Samuel Loizou bagged five tries.
But before we kick off another year of reserve grade footy, it’s worth noting there’s been some changes to affiliate clubs.
The North Sydney Bears now feed to the Melbourne Storm after their agreement with the Roosters ended.
Queensland Cup heavyweights Burleigh Bears made the shock decision to link up with the Broncos, who lost Norths Devils to the Dolphins. Titans replaced Burleigh with Ipswich Jets.
Should this have been a penalty try? | 00:44
ALL EYES ON…
A little under seven months since what was believed to be Tevita Pangai Junior’s last rugby league game, the imposing forward was back on the field in a Souths Logan Magpies jersey.
Pangai Junior, who is juggling footy with his boxing commitments, was a late addition to the Magpies’ 17 and played 26 minutes off the bench in their 28-16 loss to Redcliffe. He finished with 11 runs for 88 metres, three offloads and nine tackles — three misses.
A stack of NRL stars were at St Marys Leagues Stadium on Saturday to watch some big names run around in the Panthers-Roosters clash.
Despite the Roosters boasting 961 games worth of NRL experience, Penrith walked away with a 28-22 win.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Michael Jennings, who have 298 games each, got some valuable minutes into their legs.
Waerea-Hargreaves served the final game of his suspension in the Roosters’ Round 1 win over the Broncos in Vegas so was free to play in NSW Cup over the weekend. The 35-year-old, who is off to the Super League next year, played just the first 32 minutes of the game and finished with nine runs for 96 metres as well as 16 tackles with one miss.
Jennings is back in action after signing a train-and-trial deal with the Roosters following the completion of his three-year doping ban. Jennings lasted the full 80 minutes in what was his first game in 1253 days and finished with seven runs for 74 metres and four tackle busts.
It’s so good to see Connor Watson on the field after a horror injury run. The 27-year-old missed the entire 2023 season after tearing the patella tendon in his left knee at training — but looked like his old self on Saturday. The livewire lock played 80 minutes and notched up a linebreak, seven tackle busts, two offloads and 180 running metres, while also making 45 tackles with just one miss. Sandon Smith got the nod for the NRL bench utility role for Round 1 but it’ll be hard for Trent Robinson to ignore Watson after that performance.
Chanel Harris-Tavita showed no signs of rusts either despite taking last season off to travel. The 24-year-old helped steer the Warriors to a 28-24 win over Newtown with a try, two try assists, 108 running metres and three from three conversion attempts.
Exciting Storm fullback Sua Fa’alogo is donning new colours this season. After carving up
for Sunshine Coast last season, the 20-year-old is now with Melbourne’s new feeder side the North Sydney Bears. Fa’alogo had an instant impact with two try assists, two linebreak assists and 181 running metres in his first game back from a shoulder injury.
Shawn Blore also featured for the Bears after joining the Storm and had an impressive club debut with 146 metres, a linebreak assist and 13 tackles — two misses.
It was a battle of the new five-eighths in the Raiders and Knights clash with Kaeo Weekes and Will Pryce settling into their new colours very nicely.
Weekes, who has joined Canberra from Manly, walked away with the two points after steering the Raiders to a 38-22 win with a try, two try assists, two linebreak assists and 56 running metres. And English import Pryce looked right at home at five-eighth for the Knights after spending majority of his time in the Super League at fullback. The 21-year-old finished his NSW Cup debut with two try assists, two linebreak assists, 100 metres and 17 tackles — one miss.
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NSW CUP
It’s not common for a player in the losing side to score five tries but that’s what happened in the Eels-Bulldogs clash on Saturday.
21-year-old centre Sam Loizou scored a double in the opening 15 minutes before securing the hat-trick in the 25th minute and then adding another in the 31st minute. He ticked off try number five in the 68th minute but unfortunately it wasn’t converted and the Eels went down 36-38. Loizou also set up a try, got three linebreaks, a linebreak assist, five tackle busts and 115 running metres in one of his most dominant performances to date.
Matt Arthur — son of NRL coach Brad Arthur — shone at hooker, setting up two tries, getting a linebreak, a linebreak assist and 91 running metres. Defensively, the teenager stood his ground with 21 tackles — two misses. Fullback Blaze Talagi, who played with Arthur in last year’s SG Ball premiership-winning side, was also dangerous with two try assists, two linebreak assists and 151 running metres.
But all that talent was matched by the Bulldogs with their own young gun fullback carving up — Josh Papalii set up two tries, got three linebreak assists and 101 metres.
And with Josh Addo-Carr set to miss this week’s clash with the Sharks due to a shoulder injury, Cameron Ciraldo will have to dip into his outside back stocks. Connor Tracey was 18th man last week and is an easy option to fill any spot in the outside backs but Jeral Skelton also put his hand up. The barnstorming winger scored a double, set up a try, got two linebreaks, five tackle busts and 163 running metres. Defensively, he still has a bit of work to do though — as does Bronson Xerri, who was impressive with ball in hand but missed five tackles.
Raiders teen Chevy Stewart missed out on NRL selection for Round 1 but responded with a try assist, a linebreak and two linebreak assists at fullback in NSW Cup, while powerhouse winger Michael Asomua scored a try and easily topped the metre count for the game with 212. Both are former Under 19s NSW Origin representatives.
Still on the Green Machine, speedy centre James Schiller bagged a double, while Hohepa Puru got through a mountain of work. The 21-year-old lock, who is regarded the fittest player at the club, played 80 minutes and finished with a try, a linebreak, five tackle busts and 152 running metres. He also made 41 tackles with just two misses.
Jazz Tevaga was a standout for the Warriors with 25 runs for 228 metres and 40 tackles — four misses — in their win over Newtown, while NSW Cup veteran Kurt De Luis was his usual workhorse self with 227 metres and 37 tackles — three misses — for the Bears.
And former Knight Bailey Hodgson carved up at fullback for Blacktown Workers with two tries — including the matchwinner — a linebreak, three tackle busts and 224 running metres. It was exactly the start to 2024 Hodgson needed after injuries hampered him to just 12 games over the previous two seasons.
Roosters youngster Ethan King has switched to the wing this season after playing fullback last year and looked more than comfortable as he notched up two tries, a linebreak, 10 tackle busts and 149 metres.
But there was plenty of talent on the other side of the field too with Paul Alamoti and Isaiah Iongi both bagging a double too. Iongi proved to be a handful for the opposition with the elusive fullback also getting three linebreaks, eight tackle busts and 172 metres.
Second-rower Harrison Hassett broke into NSW Cup last season and has cemented his spot in the starting second row for 2024. The St Marys junior is a graduate of Penrith’s 2022 SG Ball premiership-winning side and — won the club’s Player of the Year honour that same season. He also played in the Under 19s Origin clash last year. Hassett punched out 76 minutes up against an experienced Roosters pack and finished with a try, two try assists, two linebreak assists, 82 metres and 30 tackles — but did miss five.
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QUEENSLAND CUP
PNG Hunters centre Clent Lama scored 18 points of his side’s 36 points with a hat-trick and three conversions, while bench forward Jordan Pat stunned with a try, 10 tackle busts and 195 metres in 44 minutes.
CQ Capras’ back five were enormous in their 28-10 win over Western Clydesdales with all of them making over 120 metres and Euan Aitken was a class above in the second row with a try, 141 metres and 30 tackles — no misses.
Jake Clifford set up two tries and ran for 141 metres in Northern Pride’s 32-16 win over Tweed.
Livewire fullback Trai Fuller was busy for the Dolphins with a try, try assist, seven tackle busts and 230 running metres. Former Titan Treymain Spry also scored and cracked 200 metres in the centres for the Dolphins.
Treight Stewart looks to have benefited from a pre-season with the Storm after the emerging fullback did some of his best work for Sunshine Coast. Stewart, an Illawarra junior, scored a try, set another up, got a linebreak, two linebreak assists and ran for 205 metres.
Sam Burns was rock solid on both sides of the ball at lock for the Falcons with a try, a try assists, 88 metres and 33 tackles — zero misses.
Meanwhile, keep an eye out for destructive forward Caius Faatili, who has improved a lot after spending the summer training with the Storm. The red-headed prop bagged a double, got two linebreaks, four tackle busts and 73 metres, while also making 19 tackles with zero misses.
SPOTTED
James Tamou and Chris McQueen retired from professional rugby league last year but the duo haven’t quite hung up the boots completely yet.
Tamou, 35, started at prop for Townsville Blackhawks and was very impressive with 138 metres and 11 tackles — no misses — in his 41 minutes.
McQueen has returned to Australia after spending the last four years with Super League club Huddersfield. The 36-year-old played 53 minutes off the bench for Brisbane Tigers and finished with a try assist, 53 metres and 13 tackles, no misses.
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