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Brisbane star's brutal live interview shows Broncos woes

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·3-min read
Tevita Pangai Jnr (pictured) talking during an interview.
Tevita Pangai Jnr (pictured) revealed in a candid interview he would be leaving the Broncos. (Image: Channel Nine)

A Broncos star was candid in a revealing interview following his team's thrashing at the hands of the Rabbitohs on Thursday night.

The Broncos were thrashed 46-0 by South Sydney at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday with Kevvie Walters admitting many players were "in the firing line" after the abysmal result.

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But in a further twist, during the game, it was reported backrower Tevita Pangai Jnr would be free to speak to rival clubs.

Then following the result, during an interview with Channel Nine's Jonathan Thurston, Pangai Jnr confirmed the news in a brutal interview.

"They got me in on my day off and told me that I'm free to look elsewhere," he told the Nine Network.

"Players have got to be held accountable for the results that we're tossing up.

"If that's me, then I have to look elsewhere."

Pangai Jnr was originally contracted until the end of 2022 and the Wests Tigers are understood to be keen on snapping up the 25-year-old.

One user pointed out it was harsh for Channel Nine to put Pangai Jnr on the spot about his future after such a devastating loss.

Walters rips into Broncos roster

During a post-match interview, coach Walters didn't give a precise reason why Pangai Jnr was told to move on.

Having watched his team slump to a fourth straight defeat and extend a woeful defensive record which has now leaked 482 points in 15 matches, Walters said the decision to let Pangai Jnr leave is just the start.

"We need to restructure our whole football club," Walters said.

"No real reason why Tevita. We've got to restructure our roster. That's what we have to do.

"There'll be more decisions to come as well, because clearly we're not in a good place at the moment, and things need to change."

Coach Kevin Walters (pictured) looks dejected as he speaks at a press conference after the round 15 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium, on June 17, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia.
Coach Kevin Walters (pictured) looks dejected as he speaks at a press conference after the round 15 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium, on June 17, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images) (Bradley Kanaris via Getty Images)

When facing the media, later on, Walters said the whole Broncos outfit was in the "firing line".

“If we don’t change things they’re going to stay the same,” Walters said.

“Everyone has had 15 weeks to prove themselves and their value on the football field.

“We are all under the microscope, not just players, coaches, performance staff, everyone is in the firing line.”

Thursday's thrashing came at a cost on the field as well with NSW Origin star Payne Haas facing a nervous wait after being placed on report twice during the game.

The Broncos prop was placed on report in the first half for a high tackle on Blues' teammate Cameron Murray but it's a second charge which may lead to Haas missing Origin II in Brisbane on June 27.

Haas was placed on report for a crusher tackle on Rabbitohs prop Mark Nicholls in the same tackle which led to Broncos interchange forward John Asiata being taken off on a stretcher following a clash of heads.

with AAP

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