Ponga Appreciation Thread.

[Nuke]

His last few seasons have been so injury hampered I’m genuinely not sure at the moment if it’s a Ponga issue, a coaching issue, or a lack of continuity. Probably a combination.

I think it's a combination of all those points, plus other teams knowing how he plays now. They've worked him out.

 

[Knight Tales]

It is complete mess of our own doing. There is a lot more to play out in the saga of Kalyn Ponga. Could be very drawn out and expensive if he is not going to recover.

 

[ryan.a87]

Man, what a player!

give this guy a raise!

 

[Yosh]

This guy is going to shred NSW apart...

 

[NK Arsenal]

I would have no complaints about him if he played like this every week.

 

[Nuke]

Just in time for Origin.

 

[Jono078]

Wonder how Kalyn is holding up by being dropped by Qld.

If we don't come out with a chip on our shoulder against Manly then I am writing the season off.

Both Saifiti's, Gagai and Ponga should be having big games on the weekend.

 

[slotmachine]

They're professionals, they should have big games every week.

Alas, they play for the newcastle knights so that is not a prerequisite for being selected.

 

[Knight76]

They're professionals, they should have big games every week.

Alas, they play for the newcastle knights so that is not a prerequisite for being selected.

Exactly, is it too much to ask that they do their job to the best of their ability? Show some motivation and will to succeed?

This team is like watching an NRL team with depression. Could be something but the motivation just isn't there to want to bother.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Exactly, is it too much to ask that they do their job to the best of their ability? Show some motivation and will to succeed?

This team is like watching an NRL team with depression. Could be something but the motivation just isn't there to want to bother.

This team certainly knows how to give their fans depression

 

[Knight76]

This team certainly knows how to give their fans depression

Yes, it truly is a shared experience. Despressingly.

 

[Yosh]

Hypothetical:

If Ponga was the one that demanded the fullback position back after the QLD snub, does that make him more likable or do we hate him for it?

 

[Zoidberg]

Hypothetical:

If Ponga was the one that demanded the fullback position back after the QLD snub, does that make him more likable or do we hate him for it?

I was thinking the same thing. Is it a case of dropping Miller or Ponga thinks he has more chance for an origin recall playing at fullback.
If it works out, I honestly don’t care the reason.

 

[Haffa]

Hypothetical:

If Ponga was the one that demanded the fullback position back after the QLD snub, does that make him more likable or do we hate him for it?

At least it's an indication that he can be motivated by something. He comes across as the kind of player coaches exhaust every trick to motivate and can't figure out the best approach.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

At least it's an indication that he can be motivated by something. He comes across as the kind of player coaches exhaust every trick to motivate and can't figure out the best approach.

Yeah, more money lol

 

[Yosh]

Is Reece Walsh the best thing to happen for the Newcastle Knights? Ponga might play like a god week in week out and still won't get the jersey back from Walsh this year. Surely at least this must motivate Ponga.

 

[Woody90]

I honestly don’t think Ponga cares about being dropped by QLD nearly as much as the media do. 2 months ago he was looking down the barrel of retirement and he doesn’t really need to prove himself anymore at that level. I think everyone is surprised he’s on the field at the moment let alone Origin.

Gags is the one I could see being quite devastated.

 

[perverse]

I honestly don’t think Ponga cares about being dropped by QLD nearly as much as the media do. 2 months ago he was looking down the barrel of retirement and he doesn’t really need to prove himself anymore at that level. I think everyone is surprised he’s on the field at the moment let alone Origin.

Gags is the one I could see being quite devastated.

Kalyn isn't stupid. I'm sure he's chatted with Billy and it's plain and simple that he keeps getting dazed and stunned on the field. In Origin he'd get his head taken clean off at the moment. I think they've both been pretty upfront about what Kalyn needs in the short-mid term. He just needs to play footy and get through it.

I honestly think Kalyn has had a number of wake-up calls in the past 12 months and you've been able to see it on the field in that time when he's been capable too. Even his horror first game at 6 wasn't from a lack of effort, it was a bloke who hasn't spent his childhood tackling and developing defensive instincts running out at NRL level and just getting lost with it.

He's still not a captain, but I do think he's growing as a person. People laughed at him (and rightly so) when he miscounted the tackle count a few weeks ago - but how many times have we seen him give a teammate a serve for f**king things up? I thought it was a good sign tbh. Looks like he actually gives a shit.

 

[ryan.a87]

Big lols

ponga sending slater an sms saying he doesn’t want to be considered for origin this year to focus on the knights, after he was not picked for game 1

 

[Woody90]

He should have done it before game 1 was picked but still good that he did. He probably wouldn’t have gotten picked anyway unless a Reece Walsh injury or complete QLD capitulation in game 2 but stranger things have happened and they’ve brought him into the end of series before.