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.”
