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Ponga Appreciation Thread.

Woosh

Head Moderator
Messages
1,032
THE PONGA SHOWDOWN

Kalyn Ponga dropped a bombshell at the announcement of his $6 million, five-year Knights deal a fortnight ago. The Dolphins target took aim at Bennett, revealing how a “brutal” meeting with the super coach convinced him to stay loyal to Newcastle.

Bennett broke his silence on his candid discussions with the Queensland Origin fullback, saying his appraisal would have been “tough” for Ponga to accept.

Asked if regretted his honesty with Ponga, Bennett said: “No I don’t.

“I don’t disagree with anything he (Ponga) said.

“What I said was between me and him and I will leave it there, but it was a tough meeting for him though.”

 

Woosh

Head Moderator
Messages
1,032
Kalyn Ponga has responded to criticism of his captaincy and outlined why Newcastle’s current struggles will potentially shape him into a premiership-winning skipper at the Knights.

Ponga will attempt to lead the Knights to back-to-back wins for the second time this season when they host the resurgent Brisbane Broncos at McDonald Jones Stadium on Thursday night.

While the Knights got back in the winner’s circle with a 16-6 triumph over the Bulldogs last week, 2022 has been the toughest season of Ponga’s 91-game career.

It started positively when he was handed the Newcastle captaincy – following in the footsteps of NRL greats Andrew Johns, Paul Harragon and Danny Buderus – and the Knights won their first two games of the season.

But a knee injury was compounded by seven straight losses as the Knights sunk to last place on the ladder, below the battling Bulldogs heading into Magic Round last weekend.

Ponga, 24, was also at the centre of a contract circus as he attempted to secure his long-term future amid a multimillion-dollar battle between the Knights and Redcliffe expansion club the Dolphins.

He was criticised during his protracted contract negotiations, in which he eventually signed a five-year $6 million deal with the Knights, and then again when he made less than inspiring comments about his leadership following a 48-point loss to Melbourne.

The Queensland Origin star has come under fire multiple times this year, but said he was focused on leading the Knights out of their current slump.

“It’s okay, it is what it is,” Ponga said of the criticism.

“People have their opinions and I can’t really worry about that.

“I have been made captain and we’ve gone on this run we have, which hasn’t been the best.

“All I can do is worry about my performances, what I can control and how the boys see that.

“Hopefully if I keep doing the right things, things will turn.”

Ponga has never been one to shy away from a challenge.

He made his NRL debut for the Cowboys during the 2016 finals series as an 18-year-old and was thrust into the State of Origin arena after only 20 first grade games.

With the Knights lacking leadership options, Ponga accepted an offer from coach Adam O’Brien to captain the club and while it hasn’t been an easy initiation, he believes Newcastle’s current struggles will make him a better leader as he chases an elusive NRL premiership.

“It has been (brutal). Losing isn’t the nicest feeling and being the captain of a losing side definitely isn’t the nicest feeling,” Ponga said.

“It has been tough but we are not far off. We have lost some close games and the effort has been there. We’ve had some injuries.

“The beauty about this period is that I will get so much out of it. I will learn so much out of this and hopefully look back at it sometime soon and think ‘this is what was happening and this is what I learnt’.

“Even though we wouldn’t like to be in this position, it is a big opportunity and challenge ahead of us. We will get out of it and once we do we will look back and see what we learnt.

“It’s a massive challenge for me but it is good and what I look forward to.”

The Broncos have won their past four games and will go into the clash as comfortable favourites despite Newcastle’s drought-breaking win last week and the inclusion of ex-Brisbane playmaker Anthony Milford at five-eighth.

But Broncos coach Kevin Walters is aware of Ponga’s threat, having handed him his Origin debut for the Maroons in 2020, and knows the Knights will not be easy beats with him at fullback.

“I know Kalyn well enough and he is a very competitive person,” Walters said.

“He is a very good player. He is in the elite level.

“I’m sure he will be looking to do everything he can this week to get his club over the line.”

 

Mr Angry

Not a Referee
Messages
51,764
The Fan 21st of may.

Draw the Knights emblem.

Jake Clifford gets shyte from Ponga, deserved too.

So many lols.
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,112
Is anyone concerned about Ponga an HIA?

I have this sick feeling we'll be in an important game (not any time soon) and he'll be KO'd and it'll be a big reason we lose.

You can tell he had a huge spring in his step today and he really put effort into getting to Kikau, but he ran so hard and KO'd himself in the collision. I sometimes wonder if this is a reason for the change of style in his game, with less contact and kick returns.
 
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1,923
Just wanted to post that I watched Edwards today and he positions himself in the exact same position as Ponga in attack, behind the ruck etc

This was summised as being "lazy" etc but it's clearly a modern tactic to have the fullback in a position to back up in the middle and chase kicks
 
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1,923
… and Edwards still ran the ball for 200m.

Take a guess how many times Ponga has managed that this season.
Ok I'll bite

Edwards is playing in the team coming first with forwards who are winning the ruck and backs who add massively to their go forward

Take a guess how many times Ponga has managed that this season
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,112
Just wanted to post that I watched Edwards today and he positions himself in the exact same position as Ponga in attack, behind the ruck etc

This was summised as being "lazy" etc but it's clearly a modern tactic to have the fullback in a position to back up in the middle and chase kicks
Ponga doesn't chase kicks. I've watched many times when a kick goes up, Ponga will retreat backwards from behind the ruck.

Just because others are in and around the ruck doesn't mean Ponga is doing it the best way. I think he can be better positioned and a better threat for us if we actually had some decent structures set in place.
 
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1,923
*sigh*

Look, I posted my observation because the question was asked many times this year and I decided to look at fullbacks across the game and noticed the same tactic in their positioning

Not once did I say everything else they did was the same and certainly not that Kayln was perfect in what he does
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,112
*sigh*

Look, I posted my observation because the question was asked many times this year and I decided to look at fullbacks across the game and noticed the same tactic in their positioning

Not once did I say everything else they did was the same and certainly not that Kayln was perfect in what he does
Haha, all good. I appreciate the observation. It'll make me have a close look next time too.

Don't intend for this to turn into Kalyn bashing or anything. Just curious is others share my concern about his HIA issues.
 

Old School

Juniors
Messages
45
Edwards positions himself to be effective, not like Ponga who does it to bludge & pretend to be interested. Ponga is a flat track specialist, looks a million dollars against shit opposition but not much chop against a top notch team.
Throws the arm out to make a token attempt at stopping a try but 90% of time is just for show. Today when he was
knocked silly was the 10% & bet he made sure he didn't come back on when doing the HIA. Great touch footballer
but not much else! Millions wasted on his contract that could have been spent better elsewhere & where in this universe is he a captain & leader? The bloke is clueless, just watch him on the field. A captain says follow me boys
& inspires the team , boots & all, nothing like precious Kalyn. That just shows O`Briens mentality & ability, to appoint him is the dumbest decision he has made, photo finish with renewing Kurt Mann & Fitzgibbons contract!
 

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