Ever Hopeful
Contributor
Woolf is a very well respected Tongan International coach. Still the right ingredients next year. He is a great coach.
NRL NRL General Recruitment Thread
- Thread starter Boston Boy
- Start date
John Nick
Contributor
Yes. Woolf will be a good fit for any indigenous guys especially
Think it might have been a strength side of things he was doing well in pre season? You’d say a change of position might be good for him but as an edge forward or a middle forward, he’d have to brush up in his defence
Yeah I think that ships sailed now anyway but I thought he had the potential to be a devasting impact forward given the chance- it was pretty clear by the end of his time here he had deficiencies that were being exploited on the wing.
He was a hearty player though- I do have a soft spot for him.
Tevita Pangai Jr to make NRL comeback with Dolphins
playTevita Pangai Jr has joined the Dolphins for the remainder of the NRL season to reunite with old mentor Wayne Bennett, only months after quitting the sport to pursue a career in boxing.
A former 💙 Mighty NSW representative forward, Pangai announced last August he would leave Canterbury at the end of the 2023 season, forgoing a salary of around $750,000 in 2024.
But the 28-year-old began angling for a return to rugby league in March this year while playing under ex-NRL star Karmichael Hunt at QRL side Souths Logan.
AAP reported last month Pangai had held informal talks with Brisbane and Melbourne.
Tevita Pangai Junior charges into the Dolphins defence. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Imagesnone
But on Friday, Pangai signed a short-term deal to join the Dolphins under Wayne Bennett, the coach who handed him his NRL debut at the Broncos in 2016.
"I am really looking forward to Tevita getting back on the field and I am so glad it is with the Dolphins," said Bennett.
"He is a good player that I have always enjoyed coaching, and I think he will be a strong addition to our squad."
Pangai played his best football under Bennett. When he was a youngster at Canberra and yet to play NRL, he got Bennett's number and called him looking for an opportunity. His career took off thereafter.
"In my final year under Wayne in 2018 I had my breakout season," Pangai told AAP in May.
"Wayne is like my boxing trainer (Chris McCullen). He just cares for me on a personal level. He is the master.
"I loved playing under Wayne and I had the chance to follow him to South Sydney in 2019.
"I said no and sometimes I look back and feel as though I should have. Wayne understands me and knows how to get the best out of me. I would love to play under him again."
Pangai's wish has now been granted.
The five-time Tongan international will beef up a Dolphins forward pack missing star players Tom Gilbert and Tom Flegler to injury.
Capable of playing either on an edge or through the middle, Pangai had been one of the NRL's most damaging forwards on his day, making a total of 138 first-grade appearances across stints with the Broncos, Penrith and Bulldogs.
He featured in the Panthers' run to the 2021 grand final, though missed their win in the decider through injury, and made his State of Origin debut for 💙 Mighty NSW in game one last year.
Pangai fought twice while still playing NRL and three times after quitting rugby league to pursue boxing, losing his most recent bout against Kenny Niko last month to take his record to 4-1-0.
Worried2Death
Contributor
Wow that's a new low if Galvin wants out, supposed to be their next gen hope.
The Wests Tigers are in crisis with revelations their two best young players want out after Friday night’s embarrassing capitulation to St George-Illawarra.
Boom utility star Lachlan Galvin and front-rower Stefano Utoikamanu are both disgruntled after nine straight losses and the likelihood of three straight wooden spoons.
Galvin was overheard in the Wests Tigers dressing room after the 56-14 loss to the Dragons saying that he wanted out, despite being under contract until the end of 2026.
Your columnist understands his manager Isaac Moses has spoken to Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson about the situation and the fact he is being asked to play each weekend with a fracture in his hand.
We have reached out to both Moses and Richardson.
Meanwhile the club’s hopes of retaining boom Utoikamanu are diminishing by the day – and money is not the issue.
It’s more about his future development as a player in the right system under the right coach.
While CEO Richardson was recently spending three weeks in the UK, up to eight rival NRL clubs were expressing interest in the former Parramatta Eels junior.
Utoikamanu becomes a free agent under a clause in his contract that makes him a free agent if he is not chosen in the Mighty 💙 Mighty NSW Blues team for the final two games.
The eight clubs have contacted Utoikamanu’s manager Daniel O’Loughlin with expressions of interest should he decide to activate the clause.
The Wests Tigers have offered him $4 million over five years to stay at Concord.
However Utoikamanu is looking for more than the cash.
He’s sat back and watched ex-teammates – the likes of Shawn Blore, Luke Garner, Luke Brooks, Tommy Talau and Billy Walters – improve and develop their games at other clubs.
Utoikamanu would have the choice of playing under a Wayne Bennett, Cameron Ciraldo, Shane Flanagan, Trent Robinson or risk staying at a club that is now facing its third straight wooden spoon.
You can understand why he might be looking to get out.
Wonder if we would be a slight chance of signing Utoikamanu next year? Him & Fish would would be nut in the jocks front row pairing
Says 8 teams have shown interest and the last paragraph lists some coaches he could play under, looking at those coaches it looks like rabbits, bulldogs, dragons and roosters are 4 of those? Is there a risk he’s a lip dropper?
True bro. He seems like he'd leave us after one loss lol. Don't need that energy around us.
Starting to wonder if we’re set with who we’ve got? Willison still on my wish list though. Anymore happening around those rumours you mentioned the other week?
Nah bro. I'vs got nothing. He's on my wish-list as well. Didn't him & his partner fly back to NZ to have baby? We should just kidnap him if hes here lol.
I did see he wasn’t playing with their babies arrival. Is his and his mrs family over here?
Worried2Death
Contributor
Normally I'd be against kidnapping newborns, but... nah you’ve gone too far now Cappy.
I think i read it on another forum that he went back to NZ for the birth. Might be all shit like me lol
First you want me to paddle on a boat to pick up Rupeni's sons. Now you accuse me of child kidnapping? If Xavier has a son. Might be a good idea? Sign him now? Zero years old?
Tookey 2.0
Contributor
It frustrates me that Galvin's asking for a release.
Bro, you're 12 and are playing in the greatest game in the world. You're 5 games in and wanting to get out of the long term contract that you chose to sign?
Bro, you're 12 and are playing in the greatest game in the world. You're 5 games in and wanting to get out of the long term contract that you chose to sign?
Christchurch_Warrior
Contributor
Got to wonder if it is Benji's last year as coach. Can see them getting Brad Arthur.
Counter point: the tigers really suck....