News ‘Or else you’re gone...’: The Gus rocket that triggered Dogs enforcer’s shock Origin rise

djdeep4172

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Tom Sargeant from Fox Sports
May 24th, 2023 12:12 pm
He’s the shock Blues selection that Brad Fittler has staked his Origin future on.
When Tevita Pangai Jnr’s name was listed in the Blues team for the State of Origin opener in Adelaide, few saw it coming.
After all, the 27-year-old has largely failed to live up to expectation after joining the Bulldogs, finding himself languishing in reserve grade last season.

But an off-season rocket from Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould was the catalyst for a remarkable turnaround for a player long touted as an Origin star.


“I spoke to Gus about eight weeks ago and he was talking about Tevita Pangai Junior,” Bulldogs great Braith Anasta said on NRL360 on Tuesday night.

“He said he told him ‘you’ve got to pick up your act, you’ve got to be more disciplined, you’ve got to work harder than what you’ve been working over the past couple of seasons or else you’re gone’.

It worked.

Pangai skipped Tonga’s World Cup campaign to focus on getting himself fit. It saw him shed 12 kilograms in the off-season to have him in the best shape of his career.

Then misfortune struck as Pangai Jnr missed the start of the 2023 season with a calf strain.

He returned in Round 7 and, in his six games, the gun prop hasn’t skipped a beat capped off by a huge 57-minute showing against the Titans which included 197 running metres, two offloads and 33 tackles.

Speaking to foxsports.com.au, Pangai Jnr opened up on his shock call up.

“It was pretty crazy, at the time I had a big pre-season but then I got an injury,” Pangai Junior said.

“So I didn’t think it was going to come in Game I but that’s one tick off the bucket list so I just can’t wait.”

Pangai Jnr’s inclusion in Fittler side prompted speculation the Blues wanted a hard man to stand up to the Maroons after being dominated in the series decider in 2022.

Daily Telegraph reporter Brent Read said on NRL360 on Monday night that one moment during the Titans and Bulldogs Round 12 clash may have forced Fittler’s hand.

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, one of the Maroons’ key forwards, was fined for an elbow on Canterbury hooker Reed Mahoney.


Pangai Jnr then took it upon himself to go toe to toe with the hulking 197cm forward and didn’t take a backward step.

“I wonder if Brad Fittler watched this yesterday and saw what Tino did and how Tevita went at him after this (for the rest of the game),” Read said.

“(He) thought about last year when Tino went at Matt Burton in that game last year, in Game 3 when they were bullied by QLD, and that influenced his thinking around Tevita Pangai.

“I know what happened last year in Game 3, the way Tino and some of the other Queenslanders bullied NSW. I know that’s resonated since then with NSW staff.”

The Bulldogs gun, however, was quick to shy away from the ‘enforcer’ tag and instead pointed to teammates who he believes are ready to make a dent.

“I think we have a lot of enforcers in the team, tough and gritty players. I think that is what Origin is all about,” he said.


“I am looking forward to playing with Hudson Young, he’s a tough player that I don’t really like playing against.

“Junior Paulo, all those tough players, it is going to be great.”

With his first Origin cap just a week away, Pangai said his next ambition was to see the Dogs return to finals football.

“At the end of the day you want to do what’s best for your club and play finals footy, that was my big goal.

“So hopefully that’s still truly alive… but to test myself in the pinnacle of our sport, I think that’s what my competitive drive was to play against the best and with the best.”
 

CQDog

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Well he should be gone soon lol
 

dogzofwar

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He shouldn’t be on what is he now I would be happy to see him stay on a lower wage as well as Thompson if not target someone else
 

Scoooby

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If TPJ was on all the time like last weeks game and not just because if origin or your gone ! Then we all know how much of a machine he can be, he’s lethal when playing his game, just seems to get to lazy since coming to the doggs. Let’s hope he continues into and after origin.
 

ChesoBulldog

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He’ll be on a short leash. One mistake or brain snap and Freddy will take him off and leave him on the bench.
 

Bob dog

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He's either going to singlehandedly win or lose the game for NSW
I think he's on the way up, the big stage will wind him up and make him a better player.
A unique chance for him.
 

dhoo8450

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I think he's on the way up, the big stage will wind him up and make him a better player.
A unique chance for him.
Sure hope so! I'm still not convinced about him and do worry that he'll do something silly and earn himself some time on the sidelines. He's just such a lose cannon haha
 

GrogDog

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Very sad watching/playing with a player with so much potential that you'd kill for but for whatever reason they just don't most of the time. She-rex was another one.
 

The DoggFather

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Very sad watching/playing with a player with so much potential that you'd kill for but for whatever reason they just don't most of the time. She-rex was another one.
That's what pisses me off, he is a fkn tank except where it matters, his heart.
 
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