The much anticipated return of Tevita Pangai Junior to the NRL has created fireworks and plenty of admiration from Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett and teammates.
"I was really pleased with him. He was very good in his first game back," Bennett said after the Dolphins' 30-24 loss to Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Dolphins prop Josh Kerr agreed.
"It is scary to think where Tevita can get to," Kerr told AAP.
Pangai Jnr ignited a scuffle with a bone-jarring hit on Trent Loiero that cut the Storm lock in half. Loiero's teammates took exception and a rumble ensued. Pangai Jnr was penalised for being offside but the hit itself was legitimate.
"That was awesome. I am all for it. I love that s***," Kerr said.
"I love the spectacle of it. It lifted us all and the whole crowd were brought to their feet when Tevita did that big hit. He stamped his way into the team I thought.
"I thought it was pretty good, but unfortunately he gave a penalty away."
The 28-year-old was earlier put on report for a late tackle on Storm prop Christian Welch. Pangai received a grade-one dangerous contact charge from the match review committee and is free to play St George Illawarra by paying a fine.
"The supposed late tackle? There wasn't much in it," Bennett said.
Kerr added Pangai Jnr was "hard done by" to be put on report.
Pangai Jnr was playing his first NRL match in 10 months after a short stint as a professional boxer following his exit last year from Canterbury.
In a 38-minute stint, he made 88 metres from 10 runs and threw two early trademark offloads.
"He is a big power athlete and the scary thing for other teams is that he did that performance tonight after only a week of training with us," Kerr said.
"You can see the potential that he has got and he comes on and brings energy. Tevita has some great aggression about him too.
"Losing Tom Flegler, Tommy Gilbert and a few other players to injury we kind of needed that too. The sky is the limit with him. Wayne knows how to bring out the best in players and those two have a great relationship."
Pangai Jnr's offloads also posed a threat and he was able to get second-phase play.
"Those offloads changed the game for us in a way," Kerr said.
"When he came on and did that it gave us permission to do it because we saw what it did to the other team.
"That is my bread and butter as well so it was good to see a bloke come on and have the confidence to do it."
Loiero was also charged for a crusher tackle on Dolphins centre Herbie Farnworth. He will escape with a fine with an early guilty plea or faces two matches on the sidelines if found guilty at the judiciary.
