Ponga Appreciation Thread.

[HarVeeGee]

The Dolphins game where he was playing first receiver, I don’t think that was something coached or planned. If it was we would have stuck with it for more than just that one game. I think it was because KP was completely on that night so he wanted his hands on the ball so he was running into first receiver to make things happen.

AOB literally said after the game that it was a preview of what the attack will look like next year when DylBro arrives. He went into a fair bit of detail about how "dangerous" it will make us having Kalyn, Fletcher & Dylan, three guys who can play on the first layer like a halfback, or on the second/third layer like a five-eighth or fullback. It was 100% planned. If the plan has been steadily abandoned it's because it started to look crap almost immediately after that.

 

[Woody90]

AOB literally said after the game that it was a preview of what the attack will look like next year when DylBro arrives. He went into a fair bit of detail about how "dangerous" it will make us having Kalyn, Fletcher & Dylan, three guys who can play on the first layer like a halfback, or on the second/third layer like a five-eighth or fullback. It was 100% planned. If the plan has been steadily abandoned it's because it started to look crap almost immediately after that.

I took that more as a standard AOB defensive snap back in retrospect. We’d been copping it a lot in the media about the Brown signing and it was almost a “see this could work” comment from him after he’d seen something that could justify Brown fitting into the team.

Ponga playing first receiver more was obviously planned to allow Sharpe to ease into the halves, but my point is that the amount he was doing it suggested to me it was because he wanted his hands on the ball more. In the Dolphins game he didn’t purely play first receiver. He also played a lot on the end of shape. He just wanted his hands on the ball.

I didn’t see it as being steadily abandoned, tbh I saw it quickly abandoned which was very much in line with Ponga’s decline in form. Was that a complete tactical change or Ponga being out of form and not wanting his hands on the ball as much? Probably a combination, but to me it’s pretty obvious when he’s high on confidence he wants his hands on the ball all the time regardless of being at first or second/third receiver, but when he’s low on form he avoids it more and just wanders behind the ruck or waits on his normal edge and takes a run or passes if the ball comes to him.

FTR I did like that in GP on Thursday he wanted his hands on the ball. His execution is still struggling but hopefully a step in the first direction.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

AOB literally said after the game that it was a preview of what the attack will look like next year when DylBro arrives. He went into a fair bit of detail about how "dangerous" it will make us having Kalyn, Fletcher & Dylan, three guys who can play on the first layer like a halfback, or on the second/third layer like a five-eighth or fullback. It was 100% planned. If the plan has been steadily abandoned it's because it started to look crap almost immediately after that.

I recall AOB saying that. It surprised me that we haven't seen the same since.. It might partly have to do with Ponga's ankle injury.

 

[Alex28]

Bit of a nothing article from James Hooper on Fox Sports this arvo - suggesting interest from overseas Rugby, but interestingly quotes Andre saying they aren’t considering anything before 2027, and seeing where the Knights are heading post that before committing to anything else

That should kill off the Roosters rumours…

 

[mozza91]

Every James Hooper story is a nothing article.

 

[Knight Tales]

Who cares anymore! It is boring. If he goes then do it soon.

 

[Rod]

Saw a clip of Mitchell Pearce on his podcast talking about KP, saying he's always been at his best getting the ball square at second receiver, and they went back to that shape more against the Dolphins. Means he always has several attacking options especially with Best back.

Will be curious if that continues this week with Hastings back in the mix, need him to hit the sweet spot where the halves take the ball deep enough so that the defensive line has to watch them while still leaving KP enough space to work with. Something Cogger has actually done well recently and Pearce used to do.

 

[Woody90]

Saw a clip of Mitchell Pearce on his podcast talking about KP, saying he's always been at his best getting the ball square at second receiver, and they went back to that shape more against the Dolphins. Means he always has several attacking options especially with Best back.

Will be curious if that continues this week with Hastings back in the mix, need him to hit the sweet spot where the halves take the ball deep enough so that the defensive line has to watch them while still leaving KP enough space to work with. Something Cogger has actually done well recently and Pearce used to do.

On the Sunday footy show last week I think Joey was also subtly trying to point out to Slater that Ponga doesn’t work as well playing so deep like the way QLD set up.

For what it’s worth I think Ponga played really well on Saturday after the criticism. If it is true what some people are suggesting regarding all his speed and agility being gone for good and he no longer has his individual running threat (I’ll wait and see how he goes post injury), then I’m still very happy with his contributions if he’s setting them up like he was on Saturday. Where I’m off KP is when he’s intentionally not getting involved at all like he has been most games this year. Definitely not saying I’m happy with his contributions after 1 game, but it was a step in the right direction and he’s going to need to keep stepping up, especially with Sharpe being gone. His little Benji flick was cool too. Not sure we’ve seen that much before?

 

[Knight Tales]

Kalyn looks like a busted player right now. We have contributed to this with his workload over the years. While he does go missing, his genius is still there. But the reality is his days here should be coming to a conclusion soon. We have a chance to move us into a new era with Sharpe at fullback and may even find we can play Dylan at 6 even though we paid him to be a 7.
I doubt any of it will be entertained as they are deadset on the Sharpe and Brown halves combo at this time. But Fletch is going to get worked over at 6. And eventually it will takes it’s toll.

 

[Woody90]

Kalyn looks like a busted player right now. We have contributed to this with his workload over the years.

What lol?

 

[slotmachine]

Falling on your arse catching bombs and not taking hitups in yardage really puts miles on the body

 

[Woody90]

Falling on your arse catching bombs and not taking hitups in yardage really puts miles on the body

For only half a season usually too.

He’s has the easiest work load physically of any fullback in the comp lol.

 

[perverse]

Yes aside from his head Kalyns body should be a couple of years better than it might otherwise be tbh lol.

 

[Burwood]

His pace and agility was fine the opening two rounds- doubt it’s dropped off a cliff that quickly, obviously carrying multiple injuries.

 

[Knight Tales]

What lol?

He is gun shy nowadays. Injuries play a huge part there. I don’t think being this cynical is a true reflection of the efforts he has made. He is not Tedesco. Not many are.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

I feel like every time we have this conversation, KP starts killing it and we make a run to the finals lol

 

[Yosh]

I feel like every time we have this conversation, KP starts killing it and we make a run to the finals lol

Let's have this conversation more often then!!

 

[Apey]

There was really only a couple of games, or halves even, where he genuinely phoned it in. The rest of the time he has just been out of form. Best example is people saying they didnt notice him in Origin 1, presumably because he didnt have any LBA or TA. But he was obviously putting in.