Ponga Appreciation Thread.

[Yosh]

OK, so Ponga was just interviewed on the footy show (1st time I’ve watched that show this year), what a champion bloke this guy is, so well mannered and well spoken and seems like such a genuinely nice guy. Proud to have him as a Knight.

Question: I currently live outside of Australia, so I watch all our games on the Watch NRL app (seriously fantastic btw) and I was wondering what footy shows were worth the watch. They don't have the channel 9 footy show on the app but got the Matty Johns show, 360 and some others. Can I get some recommendations please? Thanks

 

[Yosh]

Watson at fullback would probably put him outside of Ponga and give him the opportunity to run off Ponga. I think Ponga looks like an out and out 5/8. I think he is the best ball player in the comp. I think Ponga would also have a pretty good kicking game, due to his Aussie Rules experience. Playing 5/8 would probably bring him closer to the game and let him take more control, but at fullback, he probably has bit more room to move and can inject himself whenever he likes. I would probably be looking to play him 5/8 if I was his coach. The more I think about it the more I think I would like to see Ponga at 5/8 and Watson at fullback.

I already suggested that Newy should try to sign Ben Barba and play him fullback with Ponga 5/8. That would probably push Watson to centre. A center pairing of Watson and Ramien, with Barba at fullback, Ponga 5/8 and Pearce halfback would look pretty good to me.

Ponga's kicking is pretty good. There is literally nothing he can't do. It ain't great but it's good enough to be the second string kicker in the team (after Pearce) and he's left footed, so gives us options both sides of the ruck.

What was the issue with Barba btw? I thought he was going to be the next big thing, always killed us but then disappeared?

 

[slotmachine]

Assaulted his missus then busted a few times for drugs.

0.00000% chance he ends up at the Knights.

 

[SBD82]

Question: I currently live outside of Australia, so I watch all our games on the Watch NRL app (seriously fantastic btw) and I was wondering what footy shows were worth the watch. They don't have the channel 9 footy show on the app but got the Matty Johns show, 360 and some others. Can I get some recommendations please? Thanks

You can download the 9now app and watch the channel 9 shows.

If you're interested in actual footy talk, the 9 Sunday footy show is good. 100% footy is ok.

 

[Zoidberg]

Question: I currently live outside of Australia, so I watch all our games on the Watch NRL app (seriously fantastic btw) and I was wondering what footy shows were worth the watch. They don't have the channel 9 footy show on the app but got the Matty Johns show, 360 and some others. Can I get some recommendations please? Thanks

I don’t watch much on 9 anymore. NRL 360, Matty Johns on Thursday’s and Sunday’s, and The Fan all on fox sports are good.

 

[Yosh]

Assaulted his missus then busted a few times for drugs.

0.00000% chance he ends up at the Knights.

What the... Definitely don't want a guy like that at the club even if he was better than Andrew Johns...

 

[Frank Facer]

Assaulted his missus then busted a few times for drugs.

0.00000% chance he ends up at the Knights.

Barba is currently playing in the English Super League and is being spoken of at the player most likely to win their Man Of Steel award, which it the equivalent of our Dally M award.

 

[slotmachine]

And?

 

[Yosh]

Barba is currently playing in the English Super League and is being spoken of at the player most likely to win their Man Of Steel award, which it the equivalent of our Dally M award.

I'm all for redemption and what not but he sounds like a tool... I thought we were done recruiting tools...

 

[Frank Facer]

I'm all for redemption and what not but he sounds like a tool... I thought we were done recruiting tools...

Barba killed it for Canterbury when they year they made the grand final. He was also an integral part of Cronulla winning their comp. I think a 1 Barba, 6 Ponga and 7 Pearce would be one of the better half/fullback combos in the comp. You could move Watson to centre.

 

[Yosh]

Barba killed it for Canterbury when they year they made the grand final. He was also an integral part of Cronulla winning their comp. I think a 1 Barba, 6 Ponga and 7 Pearce would be one of the better half/fullback combos in the comp. You could move Watson to centre.

But he's still a wife beater regardless of what position he plays for us.

 

[Knight Vision]

But he's still a wife beater regardless of what position he plays for us.

yeh pass, no dickeheads please. Let's build a quality culture to go with a quality roster.

 

[Snikt]

I remember Barba getting done for coke but i dont remember him bashing his Mrs. Was that why he went to rehab on the GC?

 

[Still Nutty]

But he's still a wife beater regardless of what position he plays for us.

After the rousing half time crowd engaging show on saying 'NO' to domestic violence on Saturday, I'm in the 'NO' camp on this as well

 

[Paulo_w]

Dunno why you'd wanna get rid of Watson already- was starting to find some consistency before his injury, pretty tough kid, excellent talent.
KP doesn't want to play in front line.
He has to get way better at D playing fullback.

 

[Yosh]

Dunno why you'd wanna get rid of Watson already- was starting to find some consistency before his injury, pretty tough kid, excellent talent.
KP doesn't want to play in front line.
He has to get way better at D playing fullback.

No one wants to get rid of Watson actually. I think the majority of the forum want to see him healthy next to Pearce in the 6 for the whole of next season. It's more to do with the rumour that Ponga wants to play in the 5/8th position. The club's willing to do anything to keep the kid happy and Watson will have to be moved around if Ponga wants it. Not dropped. Most people here think he'll make a pretty decent fullback, centre or even hooker.

I'm not exactly 100% sure where the Ponga wants to play 5/8th has come from but apparently it's a pretty solid rumour. Anyone watching Origin could see that Ponga could defend superbly in the line. If he wants to play 5/8th, the club let's him play 5/8th.

 

[Burwood]

Is it actually a rumour? Everything I’ve seen from Ponga and the club has been about him preferring fullback.

 

[Knight Vision]

saw an interview with Ponga just yesterday saying his preference was fullback. Its where he enjoys playing. He did say he would play anywhere Brownie wanted him to play.

 

[slotmachine]

Time to wrap him in cotton wool for 2019

 

[Spot On]

Yup. He's done.