Ponga Appreciation Thread.

[Johns Magic]

Watching little pap play this arvo really makes you realise how far behind ponga is at the moment in terms of being an elite fullback…..and pap is probably 3rd in line for the nsw fullback spot

Yeah I just want a fullback with above average pace and skills who tries his arse off on both sides of the ball. Don’t care how big he is.

 

[Zoidberg]

I just said this in another thread but I’ll put it here too…
Just a reminder he hasn’t left yet.
If he turns around and takes the player option for another 2 years we will all be hoping for him to find some form and kill it.
But I am with the majority at the moment getting pretty annoyed at the whole saga.
Just make a decision already.

 

[Yosh]

I just said this in another thread but I’ll put it here too…
Just a reminder he hasn’t left yet.
If he turns around and takes the player option for another 2 years we will all be hoping for him to find some form and kill it.
But I am with the majority at the moment getting pretty annoyed at the whole saga.
Just make a decision already.

Of course we will be hoping for him to succeed. Or we will be stuck with a $1.2m sack of dirt otherwise

 

[ryan.a87]

Is his option to extend for 2 years or leave?….does he have the option to extend for just one year?

if he only extends for one….we will doing this exact same song and dance from November

 

[Sir Galahad]

Is his option to extend for 2 years or leave?….does he have the option to extend for just one year?

if he only extends for one….we will doing this exact same song and dance from November

I understand it to be an option for 2023 and another option for 2024. Yes the song and dance again this time next year.

 

[PhilGould]

Kalyn Ponga ready to re-sign with Knights, reject Wayne Bennett and Dolphins

Newcastle superstar Kalyn Ponga is poised to reject Wayne Bennett and the Dolphins by signing a massive new long-term contract with the Knights.

The deal has not yet been finalised but News Corp has been told it could be announced as early as this week.

He would sign a contract worth between $1.1m and $1.2m a season.

The development comes just a day after revelations emerged from News Corp that Ponga met Bennett, Dolphins CEO Terry Reader and club recruitment manager Peter O’Sullivan in Sydney on Saturday — a day after Ponga’s Newcastle lost to Cronulla.

Barring a last-minute hitch, Ponga has told friends he is ready to commit to Newcastle on a deal that could span five seasons.

The impending retention of Ponga ranks among the biggest signing news in Newcastle’s 34-year history.

Ponga’s influential father, Andre, is fully supportive of his son remaining in Newcastle.

It would be a blow for the Dolphins just days after missing out on star players Harry Grant and Jahrome Hughes, who both recommitted long-term with Melbourne Storm.

Ponga is under contract at Newcastle until the end of 2024 but the final two seasons are options in his favour.

He has until round 12 to formally trigger an extension in his contract.

Should Ponga remain in Newcastle, as expected, the Dolphins are likely to concentrate on trying to secure the Warriors’ Reece Walsh and Melbourne’s Cameron Munster.

Walsh looks certain to return to Queensland when his deal concludes after 2024 and could end up at either Brisbane or the Dolphins.

“I would love to see Kalyn stay at Newcastle, I really would and I think the best investment for the Dolphins moving forward, and it is just my opinion, is I think they go all in for Cameron Munster,” said Fox Sports commentator and former NSW hooker, Michael Ennis.

“And then they try and get Reece Walsh, I really do.

Ponga has been troubled in recent games by a knee injury.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/kalyn-ponga-ready-to-resign-with-knights-reject-wayne-bennett-and-dolphins/news-story/e1e031a294d6ca91f2452acb2f79c83f

 

[Jono078]

Well there you go. Gotta back him now and really hope he elevates his game and efforts.

 

[Burwood]

A five-year deal? Probably an upgraded contract for 2022 with a player option for 2023-26.

 

[perverse]

Just end the circus already. As I said before... if he stays, cool. If he goes, cool. He needs to start delivering if he stays, though. Our team is so much better with Ponga playing at or near his potential.

 

[Frederick]

"No, it's German for "the Wayne, the""

 

[Loose Cannon]

A five-year deal? Probably an upgraded contract for 2022 with a player option for 2023-26.

This wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest.

 

[Old dog]

Just get it signed sealed and delivered, THE END

 

[Apey]

I dunno, I'm very concerned by a long term deal for him at that amount of money. I can write off his game against the Sharks as a once-off due to the contract distraction, but it's not the first time we've all been very worried about his commitment on the field.

I hope I'm wrong but long term expensive deals for players who already have a bit of a history of phoning it in can f**k up a club (even further in our case) for years.

 

[The_Frog]

Yeah I just want a fullback with above average pace and skills who tries his arse off on both sides of the ball. Don’t care how big he is.

You can't have him, he's ours.

 

[Seage]

This is very conflicting.

On the one hand I think it's a stupid move giving that much money to a guy that has the talent of Jarryd Hayne and the commitment of....Jarryd Hayne.

But on the other hand I'm delighted for any opportunity to stick it to Wayne and ruin his day.

 

[ryan.a87]

This is very conflicting.

On the one hand I think it's a stupid move giving that much money to a guy that has the talent of Jarryd Hayne and the commitment of....Jarryd Hayne.

But on the other hand I'm delighted for any opportunity to stick it to Wayne and ruin his day.

wouldn’t put it past old man Bennett to get into a bidding war with knights and make us pay overs for someone he knows is not worth the cash…all it took was having a lunch and we have thrown another 200k and 5 years at the fella

 

[Jono078]

It terrifies me, especially if he continues to get options in his favour and we're put through this again.

IF he stays we have to see the best of him consistently otherwise like someone else said, we'll be Tigers v2 with a key player not giving a shit but collecting his big pay and ruining the rest of the roster in the process - obviously not all his fault, but the clubs.

 

[TooheysNew]

Can we put a cat clause in his contract?

 

[Seage]

wouldn’t put it past old man Bennett to get into a bidding war with knights and make us pay overs for someone he knows is not worth the cash…all it took was having a lunch and we have thrown another 200k and 5 years at the fella

That's a really good point and is Wayne's modus operandi. God dammit.

 

[TooheysNew]

Also I think at this point Bennett should be more worried about putting a competitive team on the park. They've got 4 old forwards and a bunch of rookies at the moment.