Reports linking Matt Lodge with NRL club Warriors won’t go away but Tevita Pangai Jnr reckons he has come up with a compelling argument to retain his Brisbane teammate.
The cheeky Tonga international says working with your father-in-law would be a deal breaker for him – and urged Lodge to avoid the potentially awkward situation in New Zealand.
Besides a lucrative offer, the Warriors appeared to hold a trump card in their bid to lure Lodge across the ditch – his partner’s father is recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan.
While Lodge is believed to be mulling over the chance for his partner to be closer to family, Pangai Jnr reckoned if it was up to him it would be an open and shut case.
“I am not sure if he’d want to be working with his father-in-law – that would be pretty awkward for me,” he laughed.
“I hope he does say no. I haven’t heard and it’s not my place, it’s up to him.
“I hope he stays. But it would be pretty awkward (working with your father-in-law), wouldn’t it?”
Either way off contract Lodge has to make a decision by the June 30 deadline whether he wants to leave Brisbane or take up the mammoth Warriors deal.
Parramatta are also reportedly still in the mix despite reports they had pulled out.
It all may depend on the mooted departure of Broncos forward Jaydn Su’A to ex-Brisbane mentor Wayne Bennett’s South Sydney, which would free more money up to retain Lodge.
The Broncos have reportedly told Su’A he is free to leave for Redfern with Bennett believed to have offered a deal until the end of 2021.
Not surprisingly, Pangai Jnr also had a unique take on Su’A’s situation.
“That (Su’A’s future) is out of our control. We don’t have (NBA star) LeBron James here controlling the market and player movements,” he said.
“That’s the hard thing being in Brisbane. There are always good players coming through and it’s always hard to keep them all.
“As far as I know he has got a contract this year and I hope he honours it.”