Ponga Appreciation Thread.

[ryana87]

Can someone please post this article

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[Woosh]

Danny Buderus has given the biggest hint yet that superstar Kalyn Ponga could be in for a halves switch, leaving Newcastle on the lookout for a new fullback.

While Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks has been touted as a potential replacement for Mitchell Pearce, Buderus, the club’s general manager of football, said getting Ponga in the halves could be the best way to strengthen the side’s attacking structures.
“There are options, there are … we don’t necessarily buy a halfback or do we go another way and buy a fullback,” Burderus said.

“All the different options we will get to weigh up. We have a lot of work to do.

“The way we play, the more times Kalyn Ponga touches the ball, the better the team is going to be. It is about how we structure our attacking processes with Kalyn Ponga getting the ball a lot of the time.”
Brooks, former St George Illawarra half Corey Norman and North Queensland’s Scott Drinkwater have all featured on Newcastle’s radar as potential replacements for Pearce, who was released on Monday to continue his career in France.

Buderus said the Knights would now ‘explore’ those options but also backed the crop of young halves on O’Brien’s roster to take the next step if called on.

Adam Clune, who joined the Knights from the Dragons, has been a standout in the first three weeks of pre-season training.

“That is something we will have to explore now and get to work now but we have a responsibility in coaching the players that we have under our roof and developing these players,” Buderus said.

“Whoever gets the chance to go through that now … Adam Clune has arrived and is winning all the fitness tests and the standards we are setting, he’s winning a lot of those.

“So he will get an opportunity … we need an established half and Adam Clune brings that.

“Adam Clune has come to the club and Phoenix Crossland is getting ready to press for a position there and Jake Clifford has been here for the last year.

“Between those guys, we’ll be OK.“

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Surely I be made a mod soon?

 

[TooheysNew]

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Surely I be made a mod soon?

Absolutely mate. Send me an email and I'll sort it out.

 

[Jono078]

Nice to hear Clune is leading the way.

He's really really not a bad player. Just probably doesn't provide the x-factor or excitement you'd like.

Definitely capable of doing what's required if Clifford and Ponga can take advantage of it.

 

[Woosh]

Absolutely mate. Send me an email and I'll sort it out.

Thanks Coby for getting back, I'm cool with the price likewise the condition of the Mod status, I work with New Zealand Oil and Gas (NZOG) and we are presently offshore in New Zealand Taranaki Basin.
We do not have access to phone at the moment and that's why I contacted you on an internet forum. I will be paying you through PayPal linked up with my Westpac bank account, please get back to me with your Paypal details via DM, I have also contacted my courier who will come for pick up the mod status and deliver it to my place in Darwin after the whole fund has been cleared into your account.
Okay?

 

[Jono078]

Didn’t know whether to create a new thread or not but I think it can fit here.

The Dolphins have missed out on many marquee signings already. This leads me to believe they’ll be desperate for Ponga now. They’ll throw plenty at him to get him there and really get their ball rolling.

Question I ask is how would you feel if he did go? I think everyone can agree he’s a talent and does lots of great things for us. But just how good he is can be a touchy subject here.

I would like him to stay here because I do think his best years are to come. With the right coaching and structures he can really excel in the modern game.

I also don’t know how sad I would be if he went? Would be be viewed as a failed experiment here? Or has he done for us exactly what we expected?

Anyway keen to here others views without getting into arguments over him.

 

[slotmachine]

We're already paying him overs, not much more can be done.

I would be disappointed because we will struggle to replace his talent.

Whoever gave him the upgraded deal that only locked in one additional year wasn't real smart.

 

[Knight76]

ID be sad to see him go as he will be very difficult to replace. And from a fan perspective he is exciting to watch.

But, has he delivered good value for the salary paid, im not so sure there.

He hasnt delivered a premiership but that would be a hard yardstick to judge him by. At the same time he has lifted our attack but is he having the consistent impact his salary dictates?

 

[ryan.a87]

As mentioned, I think we are already over paying him by a lot
A million dollar player should be the absolute top of the game player, not someone you are thinking *might be the best player in a few years*

Players like Teddy, Turbo and Cleary are worth a mill. You could maybe make a case for Munster and to a lesser extent, Keary or lil pap.

Realistically, he is probably about the 4th or 5th best fullback in the comp.

 

[Yosh]

Unpopular opinion coming up.

Ponga is a luxury player not a franchise player. I don't think he is the type of player to build a roster around. He isn't a Cam Smith, Cronk or Nathan Cleary. He is a State of Origin player not a grind out wins in a long season.

So.... If he goes, he goes. I don't think he was ever going to be the player to bring us a premiership. We need to find a proper franchise player. Brailey, Clifford and the Saifiti Brothers are great peices but I think we still need that special player to build around.

 

[Burwood]

I feel he’s been somewhat let down by the club and coach the last year or two. The whole game plan has been to get the ball to him and hope he works some magic. The structures in attack and players in key positions haven’t been there to help take the pressure off him and to make the most of his game.

For me, this is his make or break year- he’s either going to start earning his paycheck, or he’s going to dish up more mediocrity and fans won’t be too concerned if he stays or goes.

 

[Knight76]

Unpopular opinion coming up.

Ponga is a luxury player not a franchise player. I don't think he is the type of player to build a roster around. He isn't a Cam Smith, Cronk or Nathan Cleary. He is a State of Origin player not a grind out wins in a long season.

So.... If he goes, he goes. I don't think he was ever going to be the player to bring us a premiership. We need to find a proper franchise player. Brailey, Clifford and the Saifiti Brothers are great peices but I think we still need that special player to build around.

The problem we have is attracting that special type of player.

We don't seem to be able to.

The dogs have been a mess of a club the past few years, winning the spoon. Still able to attract top shelf talent.

We seem to get other teams dregs and good players past their prime.

Ponga was a get for sure, but we took a chance on him on promise alone. Who have we signed of recent times that could be argued is top shelf.

Gagai, and that was only as he has played here before and Souths couldn't keep him.

 

[Burwood]

Pearce, Klemmer, Frizell were top shelf.

 

[ryan.a87]

Pearce, Klemmer, Frizell were top shelf.

Out of those 3…frizell is really the only one we got best value for money

Pearce was obviously past his best and klemmer is a victim of the game speed increase and we are now probably paying overs….not saying he is a bad player by any stretch…just not worth 800k in the modern game

 

[Burwood]

Out of those 3…frizell is really the only one we got best value for money

Pearce was obviously past his best and klemmer is a victim of the game speed increase and we are now probably paying overs….not saying he is a bad player by any stretch…just not worth 800k in the modern game

It's not about the players they are now, but who they were when they signed. Pearce was a 29 year old premiership winner approaching 300 games and at the age where halfbacks reach their prime. Klemmer was 24 years old and a regular in state and International teams.

How can those two not be classed as "top shelf talent" when they were signed?

 

[Jono078]

Interesting thoughts in that we all seem pretty aligned with our thinking.

Absolutely a make or break type year for him. I feel there should be no excuses for our attacking structures this year and it's not where I'm overly concerned with him.

For me though I think he needs to take the next step in his leadership and consistency in application of a "win at all costs" attitude.

Anyway watch out for those Dolphins.. With each player they miss out on the target on Ponga becomes bigger.

 

[Knight76]

Anyway watch out for those Dolphins.. With each player they miss out on the target on Ponga becomes bigger.

And perhaps, the less they look like a desirable option.

 

[Johns Magic]

Out of those 3…frizell is really the only one we got best value for money

Pearce was obviously past his best and klemmer is a victim of the game speed increase and we are now probably paying overs….not saying he is a bad player by any stretch…just not worth 800k in the modern game

I think we got better value out of Pearce than we did Friz…

 

[Rod]

One of the most annoying things about having Ponga on your team is the media's obsession with him. Feels like they've been speculating he will leave for 3 years now, pretty sick of it TBH, almost to the point where I hope he does leave so we don't have to hear about it any more.

That being said, it would be a shame if he went because it would be like unfilled potential. Easy to forget he's still only 23. He came within 1 point of the Dally M as a 20 year old. Who knows what he could be with that talent and some proper coaching/attacking strategy.

 

[Spot On]

Be shit to lose him if he has an absolute bumper year, plays a major part in getting the side into the top 4 and tears it up in the semi final series.

But at the moment he is consistently inconsistent and leagues behind the better fullbacks in the comp.

A victim of shit coaching, shit team, shit halves, shit forwards etc etc??? It’s definitely a much used excuse for our highly paid and usually very overrated players. He can put it all to bed with a dominant season in 2022.