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Brisbane forward Tevita Pangai Jnr has vowed not to take his professional sporting career for granted after narrowly avoiding the sack by the Broncos in 2020.

When Tevita Pangai Jnr runs onto the field in a Brisbane jersey for Friday's NRL trial against Wynnum-Manly, he'll do so knowing how close he came to never playing for the Broncos again.

Brisbane were all set to rip up the 25-year-old's contract last year after multiple breaches of the NRL's biosecurity protocols, including a visit to the opening of a barber shop with alleged bikie gang links.

Instead the club gave Pangai a stay of execution but imposed a string of conditions on the final 12 months of his current contract to avoid the axe, including spending time during the off-season working at a garden nursery.

Pangai will be playing his first game of footy since the loss to South Sydney in August last year in Friday's trial, and says the past few months have made him realise how much he was taking his professional sporting career for granted.

"I've never really had a job. Come straight out of high school into the NRL system so that was pretty good to experience," Pangai said.

"Keep your eye on the prize, focus on what's important, that's football and my family.

"I feel like I've went away from that in the last couple of years and I just really want to have a good routine.

"Spend as much time with my family, spend time with my craft as well, that's football."

Pangai said the advice of NRL greats Sonny Bill Williams and Petero Civoniceva had also helped him realise just what he was putting at risk with his choices and how to ensure his talent doesn't go to waste.

"It's undoubted the talent that Tevita possesses and I think it's just understanding that rugby league careers are only short," said Civoniceva, who has been brought to the club by new coach Kevin Walters in a mentoring role.

"It's about getting the most out of it, both on and off the footy field.

"Tevita's a tremendous young fella and obviously mistakes were made but the great thing about Tevita is that he's acknowledged it and worked hard ... really proud of his efforts so far and can't wait to see him get out there."