Ponga Appreciation Thread.

[Apey]

Probably out for the rest of the season. Possible lisfranc, again, according to NRL Physio. Not sure if its the same foot as last time.

A season to forget for Ponga if thats curtains.

 

[ryan.a87]

Lisfranc confirmed

bye bye any hope of finals

 

[Woody90]

Is it the same foot as last time? How does the same player get an extremely rare injury twice in 2 years? (Unless it was the old one re-injured)

Between that and Sharpe’s exploding organs from landing on his own arm, it really is peak Knights luck.

 

[TooheysNew]

If you thought Ponga was what was keeping our finals hopes alive, you haven't watched footy this year.

 

[Apey]

Is it the same foot as last time? How does the same player get an extremely rare injury twice in 2 years? (Unless it was the old one re-injured)

Between that and Sharpe’s exploding organs from landing on his own arm, it really is peak Knights luck.

Its his other foot lol

 

[Woody90]

Its his other foot lol

Lmao WTF

 

[Zoidberg]

Old “weak feet KP”

 

[slotmachine]

Club is nuts if they re-sign him on anywhere near current contract

 

[perverse]

Club is nuts if they re-sign him on anywhere near current contract

This year has done his stocks a tonne of damage tbh. Even recently I would have said that he could go in the market and get what we're paying him or close to it - but I think this injury puts the final nail in his chance to turn it around this year - and that definitely harms his value. It's been a horror year.

There are short memories in Rugby League though. If he explodes out of the blocks next year, all will be forgiven again.

 

[Rod]

Funny how things change rather quickly, not too long ago the thought of not re-signing him would have kept me up at night.

I still hope he comes right and this was just a down year. Even if the injury wasn't a season-ender there's no point rushing him back, get that injury and the other niggles sorted and hit the ground running with the new halves next year.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Back a few years ago when we had very little spark in the backline it would have been a catastrophe to lose Kayln

Right now we have some very good prospects coming through and he's becoming less and less important to the clubs fortunes. Hes still a great asset but we aren't pooched without him now

 

[slotmachine]

The issue of having a really good natural fullback playing 6 and a really good natural 6 playing 7 gets immediately resolved if Ponga leaves.

 

[perverse]

I just think it's sad that this guy can go from being the only source of joy we've had in 2 decades to a discardable waste of resources in a single season in the eyes of so many.

It goes to show how much he's really been embraced by supporters, I suppose. Happy to ride the good stuff with him, but the daggers have come out fast. Not local enough for actual sentimental attachment I guess.

It's not even the "logic" behind letting him go that bothers me, it's the willingness many people have to pack his bags.

 

[HarVeeGee]

It absolutely is very rough and over the season it's become clear he's been playing through injuries which sideline a lot of other players & I regret questioning his motivation and commitment.

BUT.

It's a rough sport, and it's a business at the end of the day. He didn't become the most highly paid player in the game by becoming the best player. He got there because we were desperate and his dad squeezed every penny he could out of us. That's not a value judgement and I'm not mad about it. They're within their rights to do that. You only play for a limited time and honestly any blue chip player who doesn't look to set themselves up for life is a fool.

This time when we go to the bargaining table, the shoe should be on the other foot. His open market value would be at an all time low right now. He's been available for only about 60% of possible games for the last five years, and if you factor in games where he's playing through injury, he may have been at full fitness & in the right physical shape to play his best footy less than half the time. If he leaves we're not up shit creek for good attacking spine players this time, having signed the NZ five-eighth and with maybe the most talented local junior since Joey bursting onto the scene.

Footy isn't like some other sports like the NFL or NBA or something, where even if a guy is often injured, as long as you scrape into the playoffs, if he's fit at the right time, he can carry you the rest of the way. You need a top four finish to even have a chance, which means you need 15/16 wins, and to get that you need continuity and availability from your key players. If the club offers him anything over a million to stay on (or whatever a million in today's cap, as a percentage, is equal to in the 2028 cap), they're crazy. If someone else wants to pay that, well, it'll suck to see him in a different jersey, but that's footy.

The dude genuinely re-ignited my love for this sport and I'll always have very fond feelings for him for that, but at the end of the day it's a business and I want the Knights to do what's best for the Knights.

At the end of the day if he really wants to be here because of his desire to win a comp for the Knights specifically, he'll stay, for less money. If really his affection for Newy has to do with how much more money he makes here than he would at a club like the Roosters, he'll go. Bears or PNG inaugural signing.

 

[HarVeeGee]

(Also - not gonna lie. I love Fletcher Sharpe lol. He is so rapidly climbing the ranks of my favourite Knights players. This actually does make a difference to how I think about it. When I've sat down to watch footy this year, the player I've been most excited to see hasn't been Kalyn, for the first time since he made his debut for us. It's been Fletcher.)

 

[Apey]

I could hack him at the Bears but f**k it all if he goes to the Roosters.

Anyway I haven't given up on him. No coincidence he's had his worst season and we've been absolutely putrid with the ball. I still feel he is our ace, and without him we're just like most other teams, only worse.

A pay-cut is probably deserved, if nothing else for how often he's getting on the field, but the Dylan Brown contract might impact KP's willing to accept that.

Would I trade him for a halfback genuinely worth 1M+? Yeah, but there aren't really any around. Its Cleary and that's about it. Hughes is on under that but those two aren't going anywhere atm. Katoa obviously looks great but he's not 1M+ yet and he's under contract until 2028 anyway.

I do think our fans have very, very short memories though.

 

[Apey]

(Also - not gonna lie. I love Fletcher Sharpe lol. He is so rapidly climbing the ranks of my favourite Knights players. This actually does make a difference to how I think about it. When I've sat down to watch footy this year, the player I've been most excited to see hasn't been Kalyn, for the first time since he made his debut for us. It's been Fletcher.)

Love Fletcher. Given their respective ages and current estimated salaries I'd probably prefer to lose Ponga over him.

But he's definitely on the golden boy treatment currently. He misses an awful tackle directly leading to a try or kicks a ball dead and it's almost crickets, lol.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

I just think it's sad that this guy can go from being the only source of joy we've had in 2 decades to a discardable waste of resources in a single season in the eyes of so many.

It goes to show how much he's really been embraced by supporters, I suppose. Happy to ride the good stuff with him, but the daggers have come out fast. Not local enough for actual sentimental attachment I guess.

It's not even the "logic" behind letting him go that bothers me, it's the willingness many people have to pack his bags.

Would have a fair bit to do with the $$ he's on, at least from my point of view anyway. I couldn't give 2 shits if he's from Newcastle or not as I'm not a local myself.

As I said, he's still a very valuable asset but the team has changed so much over the last 18months to 2 years that what he brings, which he seems to be bringing less often these days too, is not the game changing commodity it used to be.

TBH I'm just less concerned if he leaves these days rather than overtly pushing him out the door.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Love Fletcher. Given their respective ages and current estimated salaries I'd probably prefer to lose Ponga over him.

But he's definitely on the golden boy treatment currently. He misses an awful tackle directly leading to a try or kicks a ball dead and it's almost crickets, lol.

TBF that was pretty atypical from Fletch. I expected way more of that in the first few games and honestly he's been one of our better defenders for the most part, and very good for a half.

Also maintain he'd just be better at fullback.

 

[perverse]

Would have a fair bit to do with the $$ he's on, at least from my point of view anyway. I couldn't give 2 shits if he's from Newcastle or not as I'm not a local myself.

As I said, he's still a very valuable asset but the team has changed so much over the last 18months to 2 years that what he brings, which he seems to be bringing less often these days too, is not the game changing commodity it used to be.

TBH I'm just less concerned if he leaves these days rather than overtly pushing him out the door.

Yeah no I understand the argument from a technical standpoint as you've laid out. I don't fear for the clubs footballing future post-Kalyn today as I might have 12 months ago. I'm just surprised by the tone.

For me, I'm disappointed it hasn't worked out and would be quite sad if it all just fizzles out now. I'd like to see what he, Brown and Sharpe can do next year before putting a cork in it, but there really does seem to be some people not just open to, but eager to shove him out the door right now. So be it and everything, I'm just commenting that I think it's sad and if I were him reading socials, I might just come to the conclusion that the town is ambivilant at best about me and move on feeling kinda unwanted.

It is what it is I guess, I just find it interesting and a bit disappointing psychologically. His pay definitely has something to do with it, but he's done nothing more in that respect than every other player in the game - maximized his income.