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Ponga Appreciation Thread.

ryan.a87

Juniors
Messages
644
I don’t get the thinking around extended time off….he had about 7 months off after origin and got hia’d his first 2 games back
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,112
I don’t get the thinking around extended time off….he had about 7 months off after origin and got hia’d his first 2 games back
I guess if you’re thinking from perspective of a boxer or fighter, you could have 6 months off and come back and get KO’d again then have mother 6 months.

To me this one just seemed unfortunate, but if it happens again it’ll be very concerning.
 

Yosh

Coach
Messages
11,245
Hope the lad is okay. Really would be a terrible position to be in. He is literally the highest paid player in the game and we have barely had him play for us. Such a Knights thing to do.
 

Knight Tales

Juniors
Messages
2,343

This is about what we all expected? There will no doubt immense speculation this weekend.
 

Haffa

Guest
Messages
15,881
Questions need to be asked why they didn’t do this at the end of last season or during the off-season.
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,112
Questions need to be asked why they didn’t do this at the end of last season or during the off-season.
I guess you could argue the extended break is what they thought would heal him. Now that the break appears to have not helped (although you could still say this was an unlucky instance) they’re now taking all precautions.
 

PhilGould

Bench
Messages
3,316
News Corp can reveal a Newcastle medical investigation is confident Ponga’s NRL career can be salvaged despite four concussions in 10 months that have triggered an offshore search for answers.

Ponga is sidelined indefinitely due to a series of head knocks, prompting the NRL’s $6 million man and Knights chief medical officer Dr Jin Lee to depart Australia on Friday morning bound for Vancouver.

The first NRL player to head overseas for issues related to concussion, Ponga will use technology not available in Australia, with his brain activity to be measured by neurophysiological markers.

Ponga’s North American odyssey will see the 24-year-old undergo specialised concussion testing from some of the world’s finest head-trauma experts to help map out his comeback path to rugby league.

“The assessment will involve technology that is approved for use in Northern America however not yet available in Australia,” the Knights said in a statement as Ponga boarded a 15-hour flight.

“Kalyn will undergo testing using a device that measures neurophysiological markers, which in turn will assist clinical decision making around recovery following concussion and provide further objective information to guide our clinicians.”

RETIREMENT FEARS

Newcastle football boss Peter Parr is confident Ponga can enjoy a long career at the club and revealed the Knights have explored every possible avenue to safeguard his welfare, including reaching out to brain specialists overseas.

Ponga suffered his latest head knock in Newcastle’s win over the Tigers in round 2 and while he has been ruled out of Sunday’s clash against Canberra, Parr scuppered fears the Queensland sensation could be medically retired.

“Kalyn won’t be playing this week, but he will be available when the doctors are comfortable with where he is at,” Parr told News Corp.

“I’m confident we will see him back playing and I would love to see him have a long career at the Knights.

“At the moment, Kalyn is in the hands of our medical staff and he is always in touch with Chris Levi who is based in Newcastle and one of the leading neurologists in the country.

“All I know is that Kalyn is in the very best of care and he has recovered from his latest knock.

“I say recovered in the sense that he is getting around at the club well and at home, so we have left it to the medical staff and they don’t need to be micromanaged over something as delicate as this.

“This (Ponga’s concussion battle) is a touchy subject with so many experts involved and we are all trying to learn about it.

“Our medical people are seeking some advice from experts overseas.

“They are getting as much shared knowledge as they can, so that when they feel Kalyn is fit to return, that their information is as accurate as it can be.”

THE KNIGHT-MARE

At 24, Ponga’s career has never been more important, both for his own individual success and that of the Knights, following a call last year to move from fullback and into the halves.

The $1.2 million playmaker was to be the central focus of the Knights’ entire 2023 attack.

His transition from an elite fullback to five-eighth began in the most recent summer pre-season, a move he poured hours upon hours into across three months to perfect.

With the support of NRL Immortal and Knights halves coach Andrew Johns, Ponga finetuned his connection with his spine and back-rowers.

But most of all, he prepared himself for the physical demands that defending in the front line at five-eighth requires, compared to that of the last line defence at fullback.

However, his season took a staggering halt in round two when Ponga was knocked out just 90-seconds into a clash with the Tigers.

“I’ve seen him make that tackle a thousand times over the summer so I’m not too concerned about (his technique),’’ Knights coach Adam O’Brien said.

THE PHYSICAL TOLL

Despite O‘Brien’s confidence in Ponga’s tackling style, Fox Sports statistics show that the demands on Ponga are far greater at five-eighth than fullback.

On average five-eighths this season have made close to 16 tackles per-game compared to an average of four tackles for fullbacks.

It represents a 400 per cent increase in the defensive workload that Ponga will have to confront by playing in the six jersey.

The two positions also require different demands on the body both in defence and in attack.

FRONTLINE TARGET

Broncos legend Darren Lockyer has implored Newcastle to keep Ponga at five-eighth – despite statistics revealing the superstar faces a 400 per cent increase in the amount of tackles he would make compared to fullback.

“When you are a fullback defensively, you might make the odd tackle from a scrum,’’ Lockyer said.

“The next one is one-on-one or trying to tackle someone over the sideline. Rarely do you have a front rower or back rower running at you.

Asked if Lockyer felt Ponga should be moved from the front line to fullback, he said: ”It is not the answer. ”When he got knocked out the other day against the Tigers, he got off the defensive line quickly but he didn’t steady himself enough going into the contact.

“He is used to going into a defensive line with the footy at speed, and not easing up. Whereas defensively, he has now had to get into that repetitive thing of getting off the line quickly, but then you have to steady to go into contact.

“Going back to fullback is not going to fix it.’’

Ex-Knights forward Alex McKinnon, who worked with Ponga closely as the club’s former head of recruitment in 2021 and 2022, echoed Lockyer’s sentiments.

“Adam O’Brien shouldn’t have to worry about where I’m going to play Kalyn,’’ McKinnon said.

“The club will do the best thing for Kalyn’s welfare, but it gets to a point of getting back out there without fear and understanding the repercussions.

“If the club is going into games with a mindset of wondering where they should play him, well, he shouldn’t be playing. ”Adam was confident to move him there, so what has changed?

“You have to eliminate the thought of a head knock. Otherwise, you’re jumping at ghosts.’’

SALARY CAP IMPACT

Another headache for the Knights is Ponga‘s monster wage. It will rise to at least $1.5 million in 2025 and peaks at $1.6m by 2027, putting pressure on Newcastle’s salary cap should their highest-paid player not be a consistent presence on the park.

Under NRL rules, payouts to players forced to leave the game on medical grounds are exempt from the salary cap.

But Parr defended Ponga‘s huge contract and said his welfare – not Newcastle’s salary-cap position – will always come first.

“Kalyn earns a good wage but so he should,” Parr said.

“He is one of the stars of the competition and when one of your star players is out injured, it affects the balance of your team and your salary cap.

“I was at the Cowboys when Johnathan Thurston got injured, he missed the 2017 grand final, and Melbourne are without (Cameron) Munster and (Ryan) Papenhuyzen.

“It’s not just us.

“Whenever any club‘s highest-profile player is injured and they take up, quite rightly, a large portion of your salary cap, it’s always going to affect you as a club.

“We’re no different to any club that has one of their star players out hurt, but our overriding concern is Kalyn as a person and his life beyond football one day.”

 

Knight Tales

Juniors
Messages
2,343
The move him back to fullback stuff is nonsense tbh. Glad that was called out by a couple of different people.
If Locky says it you listen. The smartest commentator in the game. Not swayed by anyone. Like Gould minus the enormous ego.
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,112
Any thoughts on if we want Ponga coming back to start immediately or get him off the bench to ease into things?

I don't think it makes any particular difference but I'd perhaps consider him off the bench for the first couple of weeks and we revive the ol Kurt Gidley rover role. Get him in at hooker, fullback, 5/8th.. wherever he wants and sees something really.
 

slotmachine

First Grade
Messages
7,152
If the choice is between Crossland and KP, he needs to play 80 as soon as he is fit.

Crossland defends well, but that's about it. We scored six tries last night but that was a bit deceiving in terms of how good the attack was. Three lucky tries from kicks, one from a barge over when Mann forgot he was hooker for a few seconds, one from a 90 metre line break and the last one was a nice select pass from Hastings.
 

mozza91

Coach
Messages
12,672
If the choice is between Crossland and KP, he needs to play 80 as soon as he is fit.

Crossland defends well, but that's about it. We scored six tries last night but that was a bit deceiving in terms of how good the attack was. Three lucky tries from kicks, one from a barge over when Mann forgot he was hooker for a few seconds, one from a 90 metre line break and the last one was a nice select pass from Hastings.
Who cares? Penrith score a heap of tries from kicks. Crossland looked pretty comfortable last night and handled the role well. He wasn’t a hindrance at all and chimed in nicely.
Obviously Ponga will eventually go back to 5/8 but there’s no need to rush it because Crossland is solid enough there.
 

slotmachine

First Grade
Messages
7,152
chimed in nicely.

Can you explain what he actually did other than defend well?

From my perspective his kicking game was poor, he didn't run the ball so nothing to comment on there and passing did nothing other than shovel along the line (with an intercept and forced forward pass for good measure).

It's like he's being celebrated for doing nothing.
 

mozza91

Coach
Messages
12,672
Can you explain what he actually did other than defend well?

From my perspective his kicking game was poor, he didn't run the ball so nothing to comment on there and passing did nothing other than shovel along the line (with an intercept and forced forward pass for good measure).

It's like he's being celebrated for doing nothing.
He did his job. In a way he is being celebrated for not doing much. I expected him to make a heap of errors and be a handbrake in attack but he wasn’t, he was a link during backline moves and our attack looked no worse (or better to be fair) than it did with Gamble.

His defence was great not just good. Particularly on our line.
 

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