Ponga Appreciation Thread.

[Jono078]

Be interesting to see what happens if Walsh gets injured now...

 

[Nuke]

Be interesting to see what happens if Walsh gets injured now...

Exactly my thoughts too.
Walsh gets a season / series ending injury, I wonder if Ponga's decision gets a re-think.

 

[Woody90]

I’ve gotta say, I’ve been really impressed with Ponga and how he’s handled himself since returning this year. After all the head knocks in the last few years and then his return against the Eels, I really thought he was done.

I don’t think we can underestimate the psychological effects of what he’s gone through in the past 2 seasons. He has a bit of a reputation for being soft, but I don’t think a lot of players could return from that and play 3 best on ground performances, moving between 2 positions too.

He seems more mature, vocal on the field, and committed to the team’s performance than I ever saw him earlier in his career. I still don’t think he’s a captain, but I’m starting to see signs that he’s getting there. Not sure if it’s due to what he’s experienced with the head knocks or just natural maturing getting older, but something seems to have changed.

He’s always going to experience criticism due to his salary. Even with how much football he’s missed I’m actually still happy we re-signed him (Also mainly because I don’t think we would have spent his salary smartly). At his best he’s still one of the best attacking players there is which we saw last night. I think Reece Walsh is a fantastic young player, but fit and healthy I wouldn’t trade KP for him.

I’m not sure what the future will bring for Ponga. I think we all know that he’s probably one more bad head knock from retirement, but I’m just going to enjoy watching him play while ever we still can.

 

[Jono078]

To Ponga’s defense as well, he was thrown in the deep end with no experience, and asked to provide leadership of a veteran.

I think what we see now is a product of the experience he’s accumulated and especially over the last 18 months. The guy is starting to look like a leader that is demanding his team to follow his lead.

Nkt perfect by any means but just saying the signs are there that he’s finally starting to meet the expectation line we all had for him.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

This bloke deserves so much more than this rabble of a club

 

[Zoidberg]

I think his salary is more about sacrificing his potential career staying with us than his performances on the field.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Oh well, the silver lining from QLD belting the Blues tonight is that Ponga & Gags probably won’t get selected for Origin next year unless there are some injuries, so we’ve probably got those two playing some more games for the Knights next year.

 

[Woody90]

Oh well, the silver lining from QLD belting the Blues tonight is that Ponga & Gags probably won’t get selected for Origin next year unless there are some injuries, so we’ve probably got those two playing some more games for the Knights next year.

This is literally the only positive thing to come out of whatever clusterf**k we just witnessed.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

If Walsh gets a suspension...
Highly unlikely but.

 

[Woody90]

If Walsh gets a suspension...
Highly unlikely but.

Lol right on cue Walsh (who let’s be honest, great player but has turned into a bit of a flog) gets sent to the judiciary for swearing at the ref and likely won’t be in game 3.

 

[perverse]

We may as well let Kalyn go play game 3. We're not making the finals.

 

[Old dog]

That will mean we get Miller back at 1

 

[perverse]

That will mean we get Miller back at 1

Sure, why not. It all feels the same at this point. Kalyn has had a red hot dig at pulling us out of this mess since he got back. If anyone deserves a bit of a reward, it's him.

 

[Woody90]

Not sure he’d even want to play tbh. Could imagine it would feel a bit hollow coming in for a dead rubber to a series you didn’t contribute to. Game 3 could be good experience for younger blokes who haven’t been there before but not sure KP would benefit from it (other than maybe trying to prove to himself he could play without getting knocked out).

 

[slotmachine]

Thirty thousand reasons to play.

 

[Woody90]

Thirty thousand reasons to play.

I always forget they get that haha

 

[Burwood]

I’d slot Brimson straight in at fullback.

If Gagai didnt have his worst performance of the season against Penrith, you’d might have put him at centre and shifted hammer to fullback, but can’t see that happening now.

 

[perverse]

I’d slot Brimson straight in at fullback.

If Gagai didnt have his worst performance of the season against Penrith, you’d might have put him at centre and shifted hammer to fullback, but can’t see that happening now.

Funnily enough Gags has had both of his absolute stinkers this year when there were potential Origin jerseys on the line.

 

[Knight Tales]

I’d slot Brimson straight in at fullback.

If Gagai didnt have his worst performance of the season against Penrith, you’d might have put him at centre and shifted hammer to fullback, but can’t see that happening now.

His performance against Tracey was worse.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

I know it was only the Dogs but C'mon.. How good is the bloke?