Nine's Danny Weidler is reporting that Pangai Junior will head to the Bulldogs via the Panthers<\/a>, after agreeing to a short-term deal with Penrith for the remainder of this season.<\/p>\n Gould, who's less than a week into his job as Canterbury's general manager of football, explained the decision to not immediately sign Pangai Junior on Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus<\/em><\/a> podcast.<\/p>\n "We would just like to start with a clean slate come November," Gould said.<\/p>\n "That's what we've budgeted for.<\/p>\n "At the moment we're in last position, I really want to have a look at the players we've got and one of my first priorities is to give all of these players (a chance)."<\/p>\n The Bulldogs are now based in a hub on the Gold Coast and Gould said he had addressed the playing group in a Zoom call.<\/p>\n "I spoke to them by Zoom last night for the first time in camp up there in Queensland, just a short conversation to say, 'Hello, I'm here, if there's anything you need feel free to call'," Gould said.<\/p>\n "And [I was] virtually saying, 'Look, I'm wiping the slate clean with all of you, you've got a clean slate with me, you've got the last period of the competition to still make a statement about yourself, both as an individual and a team, and whether or not you want to be a part of the Bulldogs in the future'.<\/p>\n "And that's what football is. It's train hard, play hard, never give up and show your consistent performance.<\/p>\n "I said, 'Whatever's happened up until now doesn't interest me; I just want to see what you can do from this point on'. I want to see if we can get some sort of reaction from players that might on the fringe. I said, 'Whatever stage your career is in at the moment – doesn't matter how old you are or how many games you've played or where you think you're posted – tell me why a good finish to the season would benefit you at this stage'."<\/p>\n In the meantime, Gould has the opportunity to see how Pangai Junior fares in a new environment, as the Tonga international bolsters the Panthers in their pursuit of their first NRL premiership since 2003.<\/p>\n Gould understands Penrith's thinking behind attaining Pangai Junior on a short-term deal, noting depth and the former Bronco's enormous potential.<\/p>\n Front-rower James Fisher-Harris will return to Sydney after this weekend's clash with Brisbane for the both of his child<\/a> and, despite the Panthers' request for him to be granted an exemption, the New Zealand international will need to spend two weeks in a Queensland quarantine hotel before rejoining the squad.<\/p>\n In an additional test of Penrith's depth in the forward pack, NSW State of Origin workhorse Isaah Yeo will need a break before the finals to freshen up, Gould says.<\/p>\n The rugby league guru believes the Panthers' short-term attainment of Pangai Junior was a smart call.<\/p>\n "It'll help the Panthers come into the finals pretty well refreshed and if they can pick up a damaging forward like Tevita Pangai Junior it just might be the difference between beating the Melbourne Storm and not beating the Melbourne Storm on grand final day," Gould said.<\/p>\n "Tevita may arrive at the Bulldogs as a premiership-winner come November, which would be a wonderful experience for him."<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here!<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
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