FYI How Wayne Bennett stole young gun Tevita Pangai from under Ricky Stuart’s nose

THE Broncos stole Canberra young gun Tevita Pangai after getting under Ricky Stuart’s guard to sign him in an airport lounge two days before Christmas.The clandestine meeting saw Brisbane land a second body blow on Stuart’s Raiders after their initial poaching raid on five-eighth sensation Anthony Milford.Stuart should be coaching Milford and Pangai in Canberra colours as the Raiders prepare for Thursday night’s showdown with the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.Instead, Milford and Pangai will return to haunt Stuart, who has overcome the loss of two of the NRL’s hottest prospects to build the Green Machine into a legitimate finals force.As if stealing Milford was not painful enough, the Broncos then poured salt into Canberra’s wounds by organising a secret meeting with Pangai at Brisbane airport on December 23.Pangai had phoned Wayne Bennett to inform him he wanted to be mentored by the Broncos coach.The Junior Kangaroos sensation, likened in style to North Queensland’s Jason Taumalolo, flew from Canberra to Brisbane, where he met Broncos recruitment chief Peter Nolan in the Virgin domestic lounge.Nolan produced a contract for the 2017-18 seasons, but the Broncos’ Christmas gift arrived earlier than expected when Pangai was granted a release to join Brisbane in February.Stuart politely declined to comment but Bennett was left stunned by the 20-year-old’s confidence in contacting the NRL’s greatest coach.“He rang me up,” Bennett said. “I just told him to hop off the phone and I’ll get him here as quick as I can.“I was surprised when he rang me but the guy is smart, he knows he only has a few opportunities in rugby league and if he doesn’t make good decisions and good choices, you can be at four or five clubs before you are marched out of the competition.“He realised what he needed and made the phone call to me.“Tevita is in that rare category of players that has got something. I don’t want to give him a big head but he has a point of difference.“He didn’t have to convince me about a whole lot of things. He just had to come here and do a bit of time and get used to the club and the people in it. It’s worked for us.”Pangai, who will play off the bench, captained the Junior Kangaroos last month after the 110kg brute was signed as a 14-year-old in Newcastle by former Knights scout Keith Onslow, the man who spotted Matthew and Andrew Johns.“He was outstanding, our best young trainee,” Onslow said. “Tevita ticked all the boxes. He was a very good player and I’m not surprised he rang Wayne because he had a personality as big as Texas.“We were sad to see him leave, but his family moved to Canberra and Tevita had to go with them.“He’s a very reliable kid, always well-mannered and very switched on. He’s got all the attributes to have a successful career in the NRL.’’No Cookies | The Courier Mail

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Replies

Alan Hunt June 9, 2016 at 5:10pm

Yeah nothing to do with the fact brown paper bags for all!! It's how the biggest myth in RL Bennett operates.
- Wile E. Coyote > Alan Hunt June 9, 2016 at 5:28pm
  
  No stopovers at Brisbane airport on the way to PNG
Benny Eel June 9, 2016 at 6:46pm

Australia Story: A Man For All Seasons. Wayne Bennett's story. Really good insight into his life and philosophy. Despite his flaws and my disdain for the Broncos, he is an admirable man which is clear in this documentary. However, I just don't get why he left the Knights in such bad shape.
Alan Hunt June 10, 2016 at 11:22pm

Because the bloke is a myth, overrated by inbred QLDers all wired to the one brain.

The only time he coached a team that operated within the cap was Newcastle, look at the stinking pile of shit he left that club in. He's a whinger to boot, and not fit to do up Big Jacks shoelaces.

Bet his autobiography left out what happened at Brisbane Souths in the mid 80's, his actions were pretty ordinary and Peter Jackson might be still with us today.
- Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown > Alan Hunt June 10, 2016 at 11:31pm
  
  Bennetts starting to look like Montgomary Burns, his jaw seems to be really shrinking and cranial area looks to be getting a bit bigger.
Alan Hunt June 11, 2016 at 6:38am

This blog isn't about me, it's about the great mystical Wayne Bennett. The bloke is lauded as this great man and coach. I'm just saying he's not all he's cracked up to be, if that upsets you Pop boo fricking hoo!!! Welcome to the Internet this is what happens here.
Alan Hunt June 11, 2016 at 6:48am

If Bennett was the great coach everyone claims him to be he would of stuck it out at Newcastle and tried to rebuild them, It's what a coach like Big Jack would of done. Instead he hightailed it out of there back to the safety of his Bronco's one team town advantages with bloated TPA's and the Thoroughbreds and their bulging brown paper bags full of cash......
- Adam Magrath > Alan Hunt June 11, 2016 at 7:07am
  
  To be fair Alan I don't think you have much going for you. Sorry mate this is the internet remember.
  - Alan Hunt > Adam Magrath June 11, 2016 at 7:12am
    
    lol touche.
Stewart bailey June 11, 2016 at 8:39am

Not happy with BA ,?????