Is Tevita Pangai Junior already Brisbane's answer to Jason Taumalolo?
Broncos back-rower Alex Glenn thinks so, tipping the returning forward to do his best impersonation of a certain North Queensland enforcer in Friday night's NRL preliminary final in Melbourne.
Brisbane have received a shot in the arm after welcoming back skipper Darius Boyd from a two-week hamstring injury for the grand final qualifier at AAMI Park.
But Glenn believed Pangai Jr's return from his own fortnight-long hamstring complaint was just as important to their chances of upsetting the Storm.
Pangai Jr hasn't exactly punched out Taumalolo-esque numbers this season.
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Unlike the Cowboys wrecking ball's 200m-plus efforts, Pangai Jr makes 86m a game averaging only 26 minutes a match off the bench.
However, Glenn tipped Pangai Jr to wreak havoc just like the reigning Dally M medallist against runaway favourites Melbourne.
"He has that X-factor as a forward," Glenn said.
"He has that offload, he has the power.
"I think he is bit like Jase Taumalolo.
"He has that power and can build some momentum and really get us going forward.
"It's great to have him back in the side and adding that punch to our bench."
Glenn said Pangai Jr had sparked a Brisbane bench he believes will go a long way to helping the glamour club book their second grand final in three years.
Pangai will reunite with impressive bench forwards Joe Ofahengaue and Herman Ese'ese against Melbourne.
"Once he gets out there he is screaming for the ball trying to get into the game and that is what I love," Glenn said of Pangai Jr.
"That's what our bench has been bringing all year."
Brisbane veteran forward Sam Thaiday believes Pangai Jr shared the Broncos' most important job on Friday night.
"To be honest they are the four most crucial positions in the team - the four bench players," he said.
"If they don't come on and keep doing what the starting pack have done or come on and change momentum they are not really doing their job.
"But our bench have been fantastic.
"Tevita is a big powerful forward, his running game is amazing for us and I think he has worked really hard on his defence.
"You need that explosive impact off the bench and that is what Tevita brings."
