Ponga Appreciation Thread.

[Mr_Knightside]

Good. If they get tested and it turns up positive then no slap on the wrist behind closed doors/fake punishment BS. It'll be out there and they'll have to wear it and I hope it will be the wakeup call that Ponga needs.

Obviously I hope it turns up negative and that it was just an innocent spew in the toilet but I don't think I can believe that tbh.

 

[slotmachine]

What's the worst if they test positive?

Not on game day so not considered performance enhancing, depends if they already have any strikes under illicit drugs policy.

First strike isn't made public, second strike is a 12 week ban.

There was an article a while ago that said 40% of nrl players are on a first strike.

 

[PhilGould]

The NRL policy with recreational drugs is; first strike is a warning, second is 12 game suspension, and third gets you deregistered by the NRL. First strikes aren't announced publicly though, so there's a chance either are already onto their second strike if they test positive. Also means they may test positive and we still won't hear about it.

 

[Walk On Home Boy]

At this point we don't need superstars or promising talent if they don't have the ethics and standards to match. We simply need professionals. There is a genuine lack of professionalism from top to bottom at the club. Basically we need about 6-8 players who are the total opposite of Kalyn Ponga. If that's your Captain, it's no wonder the culture is rotten. All the talent in the world can't save you if you're soft, gutless and made of glass. The inmates continue to run the asylum.

Burn it all down boys!!

 

[perverse]

It'd be out of their systems by now surely

Maybe, but not necessarily. Can turn up in urine 3 days later, longer if you're a chronic user.

 

[Loose Cannon]

Even if Ponga was to go second strike, 12 weeks off wouldn’t sound any alarms.

 

[PhilGould]

The number I read recently was 100+ current players so roughly 20% of the comp on first strikes, and that's just the ones dumb enough to get themselves caught. Rarely see second strikes though. Dylan Phythian is the last one I can think of and his contract was terminated rather than a suspension, so clubs must still be able to do that if they decide the player isn't worth the hassle.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

The number I read recently was 100+ current players so roughly 20% of the comp on first strikes, and that's just the ones dumb enough to get themselves caught. Rarely see second strikes though. Dylan Phythian is the last one I can think of and his contract was terminated rather than a suspension, so clubs must still be able to do that if they decide the player isn't worth the hassle.

Presumably each club has their own wording in each contract to cover situations like that so they can probably terminate a contract if a player infringes repeatedly.

Who knows where this leads, I sincerely hope that it's a first strike situation but perhaps a 12 week ban would do him some good in the long run, although it will totally mess up any hopes of doing anything in 2023 too.

It does annoy me that Munster and Smith were clearly doing lines in that video from last year but because they weren't tested (or tested in time) that nothing came of it. Can't help but feel that it would be a double standard if KP and Mann were tested purely based on a video of them walking out of a cubicle with no actual evidence of drug use. I won't feel sorry for them if they're caught but it just feels like the club is destined for eternal bad karma for some reason. Did Joey run over a black cat whilst smashing a mirror and walking under a ladder during the 2001 Premiership after party or something?

 

[Allstar Knights]

Ponga if he tests positive should be punished more than just a warning given that he's captain of the club and our highest paid player. Losing the captaincy and a slap on the wrist wouldn't be enough for mine.

 

[macavity]

Maybe, but not necessarily. Can turn up in urine 3 days later, longer if you're a chronic user.

so you’ve heard

 

[Bdubs]

couple of questions come to mind now.

1 - if there are no leaders in the club, are there any available that we can go after? I think Hastings fits the bill as we need a halfback and he seems to set the standards at the Tigers, but ideally we want a couple of leaders.

2 - If Ponga does test positive and its his first strike i believe he will get a suspention from the club as Parr is trying to set new standards now and will want to put Ponga in his place as well as the rest of the squad. Question will be how Ponga reacts to being put in his place. Will he sulk, take the Munster approach or start angling for a release.

3 - If Ponga tests positive and its his second positive test, what will the club do? Will they try to work with him or will they tear up his contract?

Big decisions will need to be made about where we are as a club and what direction we are going in the future

 

[macavity]

Presumably each club has their own wording in each contract to cover situations like that so they can probably terminate a contract if a player infringes repeatedly.

Unless it’s changed in the past 15 years (bloody hope so but doubt it) it’s a standard (very poorly drafted) contract with gaps for the variables (name, salary, duration, options) and a page for special conditions (which is basically never used). I used to do legals for a player management firm, have to check for your watch after shaking hands with any of them.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

couple of questions come to mind now.

1 - if there are no leaders in the club, are there any available that we can go after? I think Hastings fits the bill as we need a halfback and he seems to set the standards at the Tigers, but ideally we want a couple of leaders.

2 - If Ponga does test positive and its his first strike i believe he will get a suspention from the club as Parr is trying to set new standards now and will want to put Ponga in his place as well as the rest of the squad. Question will be how Ponga reacts to being put in his place. Will he sulk, take the Munster approach or start angling for a release.

3 - If Ponga tests positive and its his second positive test, what will the club do? Will they try to work with him or will they tear up his contract?

Big decisions will need to be made about where we are as a club and what direction we are going in the future

For mine, if it's a second strike then a 12 match ban is already a hefty punishment (as well as losing the captaincy). It's half a season out of the game and his reputation would be in tatters as well. I imagine that the looming threat of being on your last warning and having your $1.3m per year contract torn up would be enough to learn the lesson. That's what I hope anyway.

 

[Bdubs]

For mine, if it's a second strike then a 12 match ban is already a hefty punishment (as well as losing the captaincy). It's half a season out of the game and his reputation would be in tatters as well. I imagine that the looming threat of being on your last warning and having your $1.3m per year contract torn up would be enough to learn the lesson. That's what I hope anyway.

Yes i agree re-12 week ban is a hefty punishment and will be a big dent to his reputation.

I hope your right because when he aplies himself he is a great player. I'm concerned that he may throw the toys out of the cot and then we have a huge problem on our hands.

Anyway it's all speculation at the moment. I'm hoping there is nothing to it and its just a line in the sand moment for Ponga and the club

 

[Old dog]

If it’s his 2nd strike and that means 12 weeks surely based on his failure to comply, his injury record you would have to consider termination of his contract.
If suspended for 12 weeks does he have to reimburse the club, he already only plays half a season and it will likely get worse if HIA continues

 

[Jono078]

What’s a 12 week suspension?

just in time to play Origin? That’d be right…

 

[ryan.a87]

Fingers crossed a 12 week suspension would include any games he would have played in the world cup

didnt origin games count for another player recently?

 

[Jono078]

Things are about to get messy…

some news emerging the players were only at the pub for less than half an hour late at night and neither left intoxicated.

So papa Andre may want to come up with a quick food poisoning story or something now…

Rivals sense Haas Storm brewing; unsung hero of rising coaching crop — Jimmy Brings

Rivals sense Haas Storm brewing; unsung hero of rising coaching crop — Jimmy Brings

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[mozza91]

‘It’s a long way off crime of the century’ - James Hooper.
Why are they still talking about it then?

 

[Knight Tales]

Peter Parr and KP’s dad would have a pretty stand offish relationship I reckon if you were to dig deeper. Parr and Green were very close. Now let us just take that fact into consideration here.
I have little doubt KP’s episode is directly linked to Greeny’s passing. He must be feeling devastated. They never saw eye to eye but that doesn’t mean it has not impacted him. I know the timing is strange as it was game day but it will be interesting to see if this is part of the story. It does not excuse the behaviour but I am surprised that the media has not raised this possibility.