Panthers pull off stunning Pangai coup for rest of NRL season
The Penrith Panthers have pulled off a stunning mid-season coup, this morning reshuffling the decks to make the necessary salary cap space to sign Tevita Pangai jnr for the remainder of the year.
In what is a huge boost to the club’s premiership hopes, Penrith chief executive Brian Fletcher told the Herald on Wednesday morning that the club now had the space in the salary cap to sign the Brisbane forward.
Tevita Pangai Junior could be heading to the Penrith Panthers next week.Credit:NRL Photos
The club had originally budgeted on forward-paying the 2022 contracts of their highest paid players before the August cut-off, however officials have overnight altered their budget plans to sign Pangai instead.
The Broncos are prepared to offset the remainder of his wage for the 2021 season paying almost half of his salary for the last three months. The deal will be finalised in the next 24 hours after the Panthers contacted Pangai’s manager Matt Desira on Wednesday morning. He has since reached out to Brisbane to strike a deal.
It was only a couple of weeks ago, and confirmed by the club on Tuesday, that Penrith had decided against pursuing the Canterbury-bound forward in a cameo role for 2021.
However, prop James Fisher-Harris will now return home for the birth of his child after this weekend’s game, opening the door for the discussions to recommence.
James Fisher-Harris will return home after this weekend’s game against Brisbane.Credit:Getty
Fisher-Harris will not be allowed back into the NRL bubble before serving a 14-day quarantine period on his own inside a Queensland hotel, and as a result could miss rounds 20 to 22.
The Panthers had originally hoped they would be granted an exemption to bring him straight back into the bubble but that has been denied.
Fisher-Harris’ predicament has led to Penrith’s sudden change of heart and the club is now waiting to see how much the Brisbane Broncos are willing to chip in for the remainder of the year.
Sources with knowledge of discussions with the NRL salary cap auditor told the Herald that Pangai jnr has been valued at $120,000 for the remainder of the year.
Pangai was willing to take a pay cut for a chance to help the Penrith Panthers win a premiership, however the NRL will not allow a player to sign under market value.
What he is valued at in the salary cap and what he is still owed are two different things, with the Broncos and Panthers still to work out who will pay what portion of the $180,000 he is still owed in 2021.
Pangai jnr this week agreed to join the Bulldogs on a three-year $2.2m deal, turning down a similar offer from the Wests Tigers to join coach Trent Barrett at Canterbury.
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Michael Chammas is a sports reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald
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