Cronulla prop Royce Hunt has told Tevita Pangai Junior to “keep that for the ring, brother” and said he was willing to face him in a boxing bout, after the Canterbury back-rower’s mid-match meltdown.
Pangai Junior lost his temper during the 30th minute of the Bulldogs’ 30-6 trial defeat to the Sharks on Monday night, tearing Hunt’s jersey apart and throwing a series of punches that failed to connect.
It led to an all-in scuffle and the former Bronco and Panther being sent to the sin bin, but he’s free to play in the opening round after the match review committee opted against charging him.
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Pangai Junior’s 30th-minute brain snap followed an ugly incident two minutes in the contest, in which the firebrand forward chased a kick and attempted to smash the head of Sharks winger Sione Katoa with his left forearm.
Braith Anasta said on Fox League that Pangai Junior had “lost the plot”, while according to fellow rugby league great Greg Alexander he was “on a mission to get sent off”.
“He plays with a lot of aggression,” Hunt told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“I think he had a brain explosion.
“He should keep that for in the ring. If he wants to have a go in the ring, we’ll go … Keep that for the ring, brother. We’ll just play footy on the field.
“He likes to go out and prove something every game. He’s a very good player, he just needs to tone it down.
“I wouldn’t mind going in the ring and having a go. I don’t know if I can (throw them); we’ll find out one day.”
Hunt is open to fighting Pangai Junior despite the fact the Tonga international has a professional boxing record of 1-0-0. Pangai Junior defeated Gerico Cecil via a second-round stoppage in December.
Hunt and Pangai Junior won’t meet on a footy field again until the first weekend of July, when Cronulla and Canterbury square off in Parramatta.
“We shook hands and had a bit of a hug,” Hunt said.
“There were no hard feelings. We had a few goes at each other in the second half, but there was nothing major.”
Sharks captain Wade Graham was also critical of Pangai Junior’s behaviour.
“I thought it was a bit of rubbish, to be honest,” Graham said.
“It’s footy, get on with the game.
The former NSW Blues representative then quipped: “I wouldn’t get in the ring with Royce”.