Bennett puts a rocket up TPJ

[Super Freak]

Wayne Bennett meets with Tevita Pangai Junior over his on-field antics

June 13, 2018

BRONCOS coach Wayne Bennett has put a rocket up Tevita Pangai Jr, telling the front-row firebrand to pull his head in over arrogant on-field antics.

Bennett held a meeting with Pangai Jr Wednesday morning at Red Hill where the Broncos super coach told his boom forward to stop “yahooing” and belittling opposition players in the heat of battle.

Melbourne players were seething last Sunday, privately labelling Pangai Jr a “big head” for constantly cheering and celebrating on the field when Storm opponents made errors in Brisbane’s 32-16 loss at AAMI Park.

Melbourne pivot Cameron Munster also took umbrage at Pangai Jr after he was placed on report for lashing out at Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona with a stray elbow.

Former Manly winger John Hopoate was notorious for patting rivals on the head after making a mistake and Bennett has warned Pangai Jr there is no place for egomaniacs at the Broncos.

“There’s some ‘yahooing’ I need to get out of my game,” a candid Pangai Jr said.

“I handled it (his meeting with Bennett) well.

“We had a talk about humility and I don’t need that stuff in my game — you don’t see the greats of the game carrying on like that.

“You don’t see Darius (Boyd, Broncos captain) or Sam Thaiday carrying on after they did a good thing in the game.

“It’s borderline. I want to play within the rules, I still want to play with aggression and play hard, but Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys wrecking ball) is a perfect example of someone who plays hard but doesn’t have that (bighead) tag on him.

“I need to get that out of my game.”

Pangai Jr will come off the bench again this Saturday night against the Sharks and the Tongan international said there are several reasons why he isn’t in the starting side.

“The public think I’m playing good but Wayne knows there are areas that I need to fix,” he said.

“There’s a bit of contact stuff with my defence and the little things you don’t see on TV that I need to fix.

“That’s what I’m working on.

“It’s my third year and I want to start but I will do what Wayne wants me to do. If that’s to come off the bench and create an impact, I will do that.”

Bennett was furious with Brisbane’s second-half capitulation against the Storm and Broncos winger Corey Oates admits the side cannot afford to switch off against 2016 premiers Cronulla.

“We were very disappointed in ourselves, I can’t explain what happened,” he said.

“I don’t know what it is, we seem to struggle in the second halves.

“If we are ahead, we die down a bit with our energy and attack and for some reason, it flips on us. It’s just a mindset thing.

“We need to start putting pressure on teams and we have to do it this weekend. We need to start competing for 80 minutes.”

Source: Courier Mail

 

[Broncapz]

Well I for one am a fan of the 'yahoo-ing'

 

[Kimlo]

Such an awesome player.

 

[Super Freak]

He hasn't done enough on the field to earn the right to be arrogant.

 

[Morkel]

I lerve TPJ.

 

[Nashy]

I love that he shows no respect to the big name players. Pushing Cameron Smith, deadset, make him the captain now.

 

[Wolfie]

He hasn't done enough on the field to earn the right to be arrogant.

Exactly, he is a terrific player potentially, but he needs to reign in his attitude just a little in terms of how he carries on like a pork chop sometimes.

 

[porouian]

Up until his sin bin against the Roosters I always just thought it was exuberance and that it was great to see, especially after reading about his passion for playing for us. As it turned out he could quite easily have cost us that game, and while he didn't cost us the Storm game it was a bit of a worry still. I'm glad the conversation has been had, sounds like he's on the right track with it.

 

[Alec]

I love that he shows no respect to the big name players. Pushing Cameron Smith, deadset, make him the captain now.

Yeah, this. If only more players in the side had that attitude. Most are happy just to bend over to him and the Storm.

 

[Harry Sack]

I love that he shows no respect to the big name players. Pushing Cameron Smith, deadset, make him the captain now.

Agreed, but I think it's more a case of Bennett reeling it in a little. You let that sort of behaviour go unchecked and it could become a problem IMO.

 

[Kyall]

I see it as no problem in fact I want to see more from him.

 

[Wolfie]

Agreed, but I think it's more a case of Bennett reeling it in a little. You let that sort of behaviour go unchecked and it could become a problem IMO.

There is a fine line between him becoming an annoying dickhead and him showing he isnt intimidated. I think at the moment, he is becoming the former to a point. His discipline isnt where it should be imo.

 

[Wolfie]

I see it as no problem in fact I want to see more from him.

Really? you want to see him giving away stupid penalties, getting sin binned for them and getting put on report for reckless swinging arm tackles? I dont want to see him turn into a peptide paul or greg bird type grub. Play hard and fair, not grubby.

 

[broncsgoat]

Remember when he pushed slater on his ass the first time we played the storm.... good times

 

[Accept]

Up until his sin bin against the Roosters I always just thought it was exuberance and that it was great to see, especially after reading about his passion for playing for us. As it turned out he could quite easily have cost us that game, and while he didn't cost us the Storm game it was a bit of a worry still. I'm glad the conversation has been had, sounds like he's on the right track with it.

But his stripping penalty followed by backchat led to Melb scoring their first try and enabling them to get back in the contest. He has been a revelation this year but he needs to keep his mouth shut. He's very young and this is all part of the learning process.

 

[Jason Simmons]

Really? you want to see him giving away stupid penalties, getting sin binned for them and getting put on report for reckless swinging arm tackles? I dont want to see him turn into a peptide paul or greg bird type grub. Play hard and fair, not grubby.

I do wonder though, is this the biggest problem in the squad?

When do the multitude of players who are actually playing awfully, get a rocket?

 

[ningnangnong]

I think WB was right to have a word with him, and big credit to TPJ for his reaction. Very mature response judging by what he's been quoted as saying.

I reckon it was the Ric Flair impersonation that pissed off Wayne.

 

[Broncos Maestro]

I do wonder though, is this the biggest problem in the squad?

When do the multitude of players who are actually playing awfully, get a rocket?

This SO MUCH!!!!

It’s almost like WB wants to get our best potential players out of the club before passing on the scraps to the incoming coach in a couple of years.

Attitude definitely needs to be tone down a bit but I’m surprised that only TPJ needs a public lashing. Are the others too ‘delicate’ for this treatment? Damn - I thought we played NRL not latte sipping Victorians with their aerial ping pong!