Star sidelined for ‘deeply personal’ reasons

Panthers recruit Tevita Pangai Jr. has been ruled out of what would have been his first appearance for the club.

The former Broncos forward, picked up by Penrith mid-season, had been set to come off the bench in the Panthers’ clash with fellow competition heavyweights the Roosters this Saturday.

Instead, the club has granted him permission to leave its bubble so he can return home to Brisbane and attend to a “deeply personal and sensitive matter”.

“Tevita and his partner Anna are currently dealing with a deeply personal and sensitive matter, and the Panthers are providing Tevita and Anna with all the necessary support,” the Panthers said in a statement released Friday.

The Panthers had hoped Pangai would begin to help fill the void left by James Fisher-Harris from this weekend.

The terrifying front-row forward returned to Sydney for the birth of his child last month and is due back at Penrith’s Sunshine Coast bubble by round 23.

Pangai told reporters earlier in the week that he was looking forward to joining Penrith’s premiership tilt after falling out of favour at Brisbane.

“It’s just awesome joining a winning team,” he said.

“It rubs off on you. I just look around and see what they do training-wise and off the field and they’re all really good and they're all really professional.

“That’s what I’m trying to add into my game and into my life.”

Pangai will move to the Bulldogs next season alongside fellow Panthers Brent Naden and Matt Burton. Picture: Annette DewSource:News Corp Australia

Pangai’s absence will likely bring either Izack Tago or J’Maine Hopgood into Penrith’s 17. Both made their NRL debuts earlier this season, showing promise in the absence of Penrith’s Origin stars.

Pangai joins the list of Penrith first graders unavailable for the Roosters clash. Hard-running winger Brian To’o is sidelined until the finals series with an ankle injury, while To’o’s fellow outside back, Stephen Crichton, misses the Roosters clash through suspension.

Most pressingly, Penrith is still without star halfback Nathan Cleary, who continues to recover from a shoulder injury sustained in the second game of this year’s Origin series.

Cleary was named in the Panthers’ extended squad for round 21, so was considered a chance to play, but the club confirmed on Friday he was still at least another week away.

Nathan’s father and Penrith’s coach, Ivan Cleary, has previously been reluctant to put a date on his son’s return, but said he was “very close” to re-entering the fray.

“(Nathan) is good. He won’t play tomorrow but he had another really good week at training. He’s very close,” the coach said.

“He’s tracking well and we’re just going along with the process that we always had in mind.”

Cleary (right) hasn’t played for Penrith since round 15. Picture: Toby ZernaSource:News Corp Australia

While coach Cleary cut a forlorn figure following his side’s hefty loss to Melbourne last week, he said the defeat had left his side “determined” to improve its game in the run home.

“It’s just another step in our journey,” he said.

“We weren’t happy with the performance but there were some reasons for it as well. We’ve certainly moved on, owned it and moved on, and look forward to tomorrow’s game.”

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