Tevita Pangai Jr is loving life at Hull KR but he’s still unsure on what his future holds beyond the end of the current season.
The powerhouse prop signed a short-term deal until the end of the season and based on his first two performances, many Hull KR fans would likely be keen to keep the 30-year-old around for 2027, however, he’s explained he’s unsure what the future looks like.
Speaking at a mid-week presser, Pangai Jr was asked what comes in 2027 and he admitted: “I’m not too sure, to be honest. Obviously, the club’s in a good way but I’m in the present and I’m focused on this year.”
Potentially complicating matters is that current coach Willie Peters, for whom Pangai Jr has great admiration for and a strong connection dating back years, is leaving with Hull KR confirming on Tuesday that Nathan Cayless will be the man to replace Peters.
On that aspect of things, Pangai Jr said: “Paul (Lakin, chief executive) has come down and spoke to us as a playing group and announced that, we’ve got a new coach next year but our big focus right now is don’t get sidetracked and we’re focused on this year
“That’s where I’m at. I’m in the present.”
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Family matters impacting Hull KR man’s future
Despite being firmly in the present, Pangai Jr did admit that there are some players who will be moving on and that he may well be one of them, though he’s insistent upon remaining focused for the remainder of the year.
“Like I said, coming from the big boss, Paul, he said focus on 2026 and that’s it,” he responded when asked if he wished to speak to incoming coach Cayless.
“Obviously, there’s some players moving on an, maybe I’m one of them. I’m not too sure. But like I said, I’m just focused on doing my best and then put my best foot forward to see what’s out there after this year.”
Whilst Pangai Jr has proved popular already in east Hull, he’s left behind his family to make the move and when asked about the prospect of an NRL return, he admitted that the ‘penny had dropped’ in recent weeks.
He said: “I’m sacrificing a lot being away from my family. I’ve obviously got three kids of my own at a young age.
“I’m treating it like a boxing camp and obviously living with Tyrone, missing my kids, but I need to do what’s best for my career at the moment and it’ll be best for them in the long run.”
He also pointed to familial reasons as to why his agreed move to join Warrington Wolves foe 2026 fell through, claiming that there was ‘no real reason’, though he added: “I felt my family was pretty settled in France.
“I know there’s a lot of talk about reasons why I haven’t gone there but, obviously, me and Steve, we had some tough times.
“Obviously, it was a tough year for all of us (at Catalans) and hopefully we’ll do well at FC next year and for the rest of the year at Warrington.”
