THE pressure on Knights coach Adam O'Brien to reconsider Kalyn Ponga's immediate future has ramped up a notch after remarkably candid comments from club legend Andrew Johns.
Johns, the eighth Immortal who is also employed by the Knights as a coaching consultant, said on the Wide World of Sports website that Ponga needed to be reinstated as fullback, after attempting for the second time in his career to make the transition to five-eighth.
"He is lacking confidence, obviously, coming back from the head knocks," Johns said.
"He shouldn't be playing five-eighth [and] should go straight back to fullback.
"But then [incumbent fullback] Lachie Miller has been their best player ... I don't know."
O'Brien faces arguably the biggest call of his coaching career next week, when the Knights return to training after the bye and he selects his team to face Gold Coast at home next Sunday.
Ponga's hopes of transforming into a five-eighth have been hindered by a concussion in round two that sidelined him for five games, followed by his performance in last week's 43-12 hammering from Parramatta, during which he missed a team-high eight tackles.
His underwhelming display against the Eels prompted Johns's Channel Nine colleague, and former champion pivot, Brad Fittler to declare on the Sunday Footy Show: "I don't understand why he got moved there [to five-eighth] in the first place.
"I just feel they should put him back there [to fullback], find a place for the fullback, and move on."
Former Knights coach Nathan Brown backflipped on moving Ponga from fullback to five-eighth after two-and-a-half games in 2019, because of concerns about his defence.
Man of the match for Queensland in last year's Origin decider, there is mounting speculation Ponga will be bypassed for selection in this year's interstate-series opener on May 31.
SLATER WEIGHS IN
Queensland coach Billy Slater says it would be premature to make a call now on whether Kalyn Ponga will play in the No.1 jersey in the State of Origin series opener.
Slater and fellow selectors Gene Miles and Darren Lockyer will name the Maroons side for the May 31 clash in Adelaide in just under three weeks and incumbent fullback Ponga's place in the team will cause plenty of discussion.
The 25-year-old has played two games since returning from a six-week concussion lay-off. In Newcastle's 43-12 loss to Parramatta, he missed eight tackles and was uncharacteristically tentative while playing in the five-eighth position.
Slater was asked whether Ponga would be selected if he gets through his next two games against Gold Coast and Cronulla.
"We will make that decision in three weeks. It is premature to make it now," Slater said.
"A lot of things can happen in the next three weeks, like they have in the last three weeks. In three weeks' time we will sit down as selectors and coaches and get all our cards on the table and we will build our best hand.
"We have a duty to Queensland to give them the best possible team that we think will go out and play their best footy. That [Ponga decision] will have to wait."
Ponga has been outstanding in his seven Origin games for Queensland and was man of the match in the 22-12 series decider last year playing at fullback.
Slater said incumbency "counts" at the selection table, but other factors come into play.
"Everyone talks about loyalty and there are a few things that go into that," he said.
"It is not just about playing. It is about doing the job in the past and it is also about instilling the habits in your current game, whether it is a month or two months of football, where Queensland can trust they are the habits you are going to bring into Origin.
"You can't just flick a switch and turn it on. It is important to be playing well."
Slater said he just wants Ponga to enjoy his football.
Walsh has impressed Slater with his development.
"We see all the shiny, bright stuff that Reece does. I can see underneath that and the development he is putting into his game and the position he plays," Slater said.
"He is building that capability in his game to play Origin but he has got to be capable when the opportunity is there as well."
