Match Discussion: Round 23 vs Wests Tigers @ McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

[Yosh]

Ponga looks pretty good playing in the middle at Origin level so I don't think contact is an issue anymore is it?

 

[Knight Tales]

Ponga looks pretty good playing in the middle at Origin level so I don't think contact is an issue anymore is it?

What he achieved last season was probably the greatest single player performance in the game’s history. After what he endured to start it. If KP wants to play 6 it will happen. He will know if he is ready. If it meant keeping Sharpe I can see him moving there.

Kalyn wants to win a title here. He will only be leaving here if he gets into the late phase of his career and has yet to look close to it. A quality 7 may be the carrot to get him back into the halves.

 

[slotmachine]

LOL, so Sharpe is our best player since Joey and KP the best ever last year? Settle down champ.

 

[Old School]

``What he achieved last season was probably the greatest single player performance in the game’s history``
Man, what are you on? That is an insult to so many great players from so many teams over the years. Granted his attack in that period was pretty slick, but still was a turnstile in defence just as he is now & drifts in & out of games when he feels like it & quickly offloads to anyone rather than run it back from a kick. Ponga is seen by the media through rose coloured glasses as are quite a few others. I would much prefer to have a well-rounded type player who you can rely on to always be in the game & in the trenches when under the pump in attack & defence.

 

[mozza91]

What Ponga did last year after retirement being a genuine option was fantastic. He was playing great footy and was the best player in the game for a few months there.

People definitely didn’t give our other blokes enough credit though. Our entire backline was playing great footy and the middles were doing a good job too. Guys like Gamble, Best and Friz were fantastic and had games where they were probably better than KP. It makes Obi’s decision to revert to the one out boring attacking shit we’ve put up this year even more mind boggling.

 

[Knight Tales]

``What he achieved last season was probably the greatest single player performance in the game’s history``
Man, what are you on? That is an insult to so many great players from so many teams over the years. Granted his attack in that period was pretty slick, but still was a turnstile in defence just as he is now & drifts in & out of games when he feels like it & quickly offloads to anyone rather than run it back from a kick. Ponga is seen by the media through rose coloured glasses as are quite a few others. I would much prefer to have a well-rounded type player who you can rely on to always be in the game & in the trenches when under the pump in attack & defence.

Cry a river. What he did was exceptional.

 

[Old School]

Wouldn`t waste the energy, as I said give him credit for attack, but that`s about it, couldn`t lace Edwards bootlaces as far as a footballer is concerned & that`s just the tip of the iceberg. Sit & have an objective look at what else he does on the field, amounts to not a whole lot! Oh wait, his goalkicking has also improved out of site, my bad!

 

[Woody90]

Wouldn`t waste the energy, as I said give him credit for attack, but that`s about it, couldn`t lace Edwards bootlaces as far as a footballer is concerned & that`s just the tip of the iceberg. Sit & have an objective look at what else he does on the field, amounts to not a whole lot! Oh wait, his goalkicking has also improved out of site, my bad!

What’s with Penrith fans that they’ve won 3 comps but still lose their absolute heads if someone dares to think someone is a better player than a Penrith bloke? It’s kinda sad.

The comment was obviously ridiculous though and Knights Tale is a fan of a hyperbole. The greatest to ever lace up a boot was a Knight, but definitely not Ponga.

 

[Woody90]

What Ponga did last year after retirement being a genuine option was fantastic. He was playing great footy and was the best player in the game for a few months there.

People definitely didn’t give our other blokes enough credit though. Our entire backline was playing great footy and the middles were doing a good job too. Guys like Gamble, Best and Friz were fantastic and had games where they were probably better than KP. It makes Obi’s decision to revert to the one out boring attacking shit we’ve put up this year even more mind boggling.

This. IMO we still win most of those games without KP, but probably not by as much.

We were actually playing really attractive footy to start the season last year when he was out…which again makes it so hard to believe why we’ve reverted back to such negative football. AOB didn’t seem to think they had to play ugly football without KP last year.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

What he achieved last season was probably the greatest single player performance in the game’s history

was certainly one of the best I've seen in nearly 50 years of watching the game.

Ponga is one of only a handful of elite naturally gifted players I've seen.

If he was in another system / roster he would be almost unstoppable.

 

[Yosh]

Wouldn`t waste the energy, as I said give him credit for attack, but that`s about it, couldn`t lace Edwards bootlaces as far as a footballer is concerned & that`s just the tip of the iceberg. Sit & have an objective look at what else he does on the field, amounts to not a whole lot! Oh wait, his goalkicking has also improved out of site, my bad!

Edwards is a bad comparison in my opinion. He is the sort of player that will keep you in a game but ain't going to win it for you. Ponga is the sort of generational player that will win you an Origin series.

Edwards is a great player and better suited to the modern game with his work ethic but he ain't close to Ponga in terms of talent.

 

[Rod]

In terms of a 'hot streak' of form I reckon it's fair to say what Ponga produced to win the Dally M was right up there with the best I've seen. The other ones I always think of in that vein are:

Joey back end of 05
Hayne back end of 09
To a lesser extent Barba in 12 and Turbo in 21.

Little bit different and easier to think about than 'best year', as that brings dozens of other ones into the equation.