News Ivan Cleary backs Penrith Panthers 'culture' to turn Tevita Pangai Junior around

steeliz

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LINK: Ivan Cleary backs Penrith Panthers 'culture' to turn Tevita Pangai Junior around

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Panthers coach Ivan Cleary has backed his team's culture to turn incoming forward Tevita Pangai Junior into a massive asset as the club looks to go one better in 2021.


Cleary confirmed the versatile 25-year-old would be joining Penrith on a short-term deal from Brisbane before he links up with the Bulldogs on a three-year deal beginning next season.

A feature of Penrith's recent success has been the closeness of their group and it's been suggested a signing like Pangai Jr.'s could potentially upset the apple cart, but Cleary hopes the team will be strong enough to bring out the best in the enforcer.

"That's where our culture will get tested. I feel like culture will multiply talent if it's good, I don't think there's any doubt that Tevita Pangai Junior is a very talented young man," Cleary said.

"He's a good age profile for us, 25 with about 100 games, plenty of experience there.

"I just feel like for a short period of time in our environment we're really confident he can add to us and we might be able to help him a bit as well."

The coach explained how the on-again-off-again deal finally came together and the factors involved in the Panthers' decision making.

"This one popped up just over a month ago, when Zane Tetevano left in November that was something we didn't budget for, we definitely wanted Zane to stay here for this season," Cleary said.

"So we always had a spot in the roster that we were hoping to fill at some point and it went so far that we almost forgot about it. It just didn't seem like it was ever going to happen.

"Tevita's name came on the radar and I was lucky enough to be in Brisbane just before the second Origin and caught up with him there.

"It just felt like it might have been a good fit, as I was kicked out of Brisbane, at least I got something done while I was up there, didn't get to see the game."

Cleary said despite both parties being keen on the move there were still several hurdles to overcome, though the impending absence of star prop James Fisher-Harris for the birth of his second child gave them extra motivation to get it done.

"As the weeks progressed it just didn't feel like it was going to work out and even to the point... we basically just made the decision 24 hours before we did it," he said on Friday.

"We'd actually pulled out before that. It was a pretty crazy little operation there but I just feel like at this time of the year for us, we had a hole we had to fill and I think he's the kind of guy that can really add to our team.

"We wanted him to come anyway but we just made a decision around a number of factors, mainly around the cap, that it just wasn't going to work.

"He also had to have a deal in place for next year for it to happen and at that point, he didn't have one, so it just looked like it wasn't going to work and then obviously he organised a deal with the Bulldogs so that box was ticked.

"I must say the pending absence of [Fisher-Harris] had a little bit to do with it as well.

"In the end we were able to move a few things around and pull the trigger and the good news was he was extremely keen to come so that was part of what we were attracted to as well."

Penrith will take on the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, hoping to keep the pressure on competition leaders Melbourne.

Pangai Jr. won't play due to suspension, while it will be Fisher-Harris' final game before leaving the NRL bubble to be with his pregnant partner.

Cleary said the club is working through arrangements for the front-rower, but admitted there are fears he could be out of action for more than a month.

"We're very keen for Fish to get into a quarantine environment where he's able to train, not only for his physical wellbeing but his mental wellbeing as well," he said.

"This guy's a trainaholic at the best of times and he's already feeling quite low about leaving the team so we're hoping he can get a favourable quarantine arrangement so he can train through that period and be able to fit straight back in when he comes back, which will probably be about three games, because if he's got to do a hard quarantine it's probably gonna be more like five or six, which would be disastrous."
 

Cook

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the lack of self awareness by Cleary to tout his club's culture on the day his star hooker was suspended and fined for breaching Covid protocols is stunning
To be fair though that was in NSW camp. I tend to agree with u though
 

alchemist

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To be fair though that was in NSW camp. I tend to agree with u though
couldn't the Dragons make a similar argument/deflection with Vaughn that the BBQ was off company time at a player's home?
 

Cook

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couldn't the Dragons make a similar argument/deflection with Vaughn that the BBQ was off company time at a player's home?
Na it’s a COVID breach, but has happened under NSW watch. Not Penrith. Either way Ivan’s a flog.
 

belmore_utd

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Is that the culture where Nathan got busted tick tocking a party during lockdown and then proceeded to lie about it or the culture where Api broke covid restrictions to cheat on his partner?

Or maybe its the one where Tyrone May distributed footage of sexual relations without the womans consent and failed to even make an apology?
 

Bazildog

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All that needs to be said is what he signed Mbye and Reynolds for before deserting club, sponsors and fans..He is a flop and I pray that TPJ and Burto star only for the Choccys to lose the GF..
 

alchemist

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Na it’s a COVID breach, but has happened under NSW watch. Not Penrith. Either way Ivan’s a flog.
a child that misbehaves in day care is still the result of how its parents have raised it
 
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