Tevita Pangai Junior extends Brisbane stay

Drew Darbyshire

Tonga international Tevita Pangai Junior has signed a three-year contract extension with Brisbane.

The 23-year-old will remain at the Broncos until at least the end of the 2022 season.

A front-rower by trade, Pangai Junior has already played 67 first-grade matches for Brisbane since making his debut in 2016 and has earned four caps for Tonga.

Pangai Junior commented: “It’s good to have my future sorted – I wasn’t planning on leaving, I love the club, and they’ve welcomed me with open arms and it’s good to call this place home for the next three years.

“The weather is great, the fans, playing at the best stadium every week – it’s an honour and a blessing to pull on that Broncos jersey. I’m just thankful for the club for having faith in me and backing me.

“I want to work on my preparation, this is my third year in the NRL so I want to get my stuff right off the field and get that balance right and then have no excuses when I come out to play on the weekend.

“I’m a big fan of Seibs [Anthony Seibold] and how he coaches, it’s a big reason why I’m staying. We have no excuses now, we have the best facility, we play at the best stadium, we are a proud brand and it’s an honour to be here.”

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold added: “We are locking in a really talented group of players who will be at the core of our success in years to come.

“We see Tevita and Matt [Lodge] as key members of our forward pack, and we look forward to seeing them both step up every week to provide the platform we need for team success.

“They are in their early 20s and have a lot of great football ahead of them.”

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