Ponga / Milkshake

[macavity]

He is a kid. We want to let him go because he is one of 17 blokes who have signed out? Madness.

Brown might not have been “the” problem but he wasn’t the solution either.

It’s obvious we need a bit of roster churn, but Ponga isn’t one of them.

 

[slotmachine]

Complain we don't have any good players.
Sign the hottest young talent in the game.
Want to sack him.

Maybe we should just have blokes that try hard but aren't very good?

 

[Wizardman]

He is a kid. We want to let him go because he is one of 17 blokes who have signed out? Madness.

Brown might not have been “the” problem but he wasn’t the solution either.

It’s obvious we need a bit of roster churn, but Ponga isn’t one of them.

With the salary is on plus the salary he is seeking, I'd expect more professionalism and performance. Ponga is being paid on potential, not performance.

 

[Das Hassler]

Unthinking comment or not he revealed a about himself ....honestly wouldn't want him at my club regardless of his talent....he's demonstrated that he turns the effort on and off at times of his choosing and that adolescent smart arsed attitude from a young leader can quickly become contagious and divisive...aka "players running a club"....for the Knight's sake i hope Joey gets to set him straight before he becomes the next jarryd hayne

 

[Burns]

 

[Burwood]

Is he actually chasing $1.5 million at the moment? I thought it was a desperate last bid by his manager (who he’s about to dump) to get some extra money before the gravy train leaves the station.

And since when is Ponga a leader of the club? He isn’t even in the group of senior players that will be consulted over who the new coach is. I think some people are confusing his media presence with his leadership.

I dare say the milkshake comment was more about him being sick of answering questions about Brown and he thought he was being funny in his response. Not a good or respectful response, but he wouldn’t be the first young football player to give a flippant answer to a journalist.

 

[Knight76]

I dare say the milkshake comment was more about him being sick of answering questions about Brown and he thought he was being funny in his response. Not a good or respectful response, but he wouldn’t be the first young football player to give a flippant answer to a journalist.

He is already getting paid good money and he is no doubt chasing an upgrade with the extension, maybe not 1.5 but he would be looking to be pushing close to a mill I'd say.

For that money he needs to be the consummate club player. Say the right things, do the right things and put in 100% effort on field.

His answer wasnt whilst out in the town and jumped by a journo, it was at a press conference! Clearly he knows what would be expected of him in that situation and he dropped the ball plain and simple.

Not the first disrespectful thing he has come out with to the media either.

Do I think there was too much malice to it, no, but there was no thought about what that sort of answer shows either.

 

[Burwood]

He is already getting paid good money and he is no doubt chasing an upgrade with the extension, maybe not 1.5 but he would be looking to be pushing close to a mill I'd say.

For that money he needs to be the consummate club player. Say the right things, do the right things and put in 100% effort on field.

His answer wasnt whilst out in the town and jumped by a journo, it was at a press conference! Clearly he knows what would be expected of him in that situation and he dropped the ball plain and simple.

Not the first disrespectful thing he has come out with to the media either.

Do I think there was too much malice to it, no, but there was no thought about what that sort of answer shows either.

What’s this apparent upgrade and extension he’s no doubt chasing? Is it the one his manager is pushing out through the media? Because the only other news about it comes from Ponga and his dad, and that’s where they say that he’s currently signed at Newcastle for X amount of dollars for Y amount of years and that he isn’t looking for an upgrade or extension.

He’s a kid who said something stupid in a press conference- no doubt the club would have had a word to him about it and hopefully he’s learned a valuable lesson for the future.

Feel free to bag him on his lack of effort last night, but he was hardly Robinson Crusoe out there.

 

[BLN2]

I've always thought him being on Fox every 2 weeks or so seemed off, that's a lot of time to concentrate on something un necessary. Especially the travel factor.

Needs to keep his mind on footy, and stop listening to the media love he's given.

 

[Knight Vision]

I've always thought him being on Fox every 2 weeks or so seemed off, that's a lot of time to concentrate on something un necessary. Especially the travel factor.

Needs to keep his mind on footy, and stop listening to the media love he's given.

that's a good point. He'll also learn soon enough that the media will turn on him at the drop of a hat if it means headlines.

Best not to over indulge the public with the Ponga brand. Australians love nothing more than chopping a tall poppy down to size.

 

[Wizardman]

that's a good point. He'll also learn soon enough that the media will turn on him at the drop of a hat if it means headlines.

Best not to over indulge the public with the Ponga brand. Australians love nothing more than chopping a tall poppy down to size.

Last week may have been the start of the tall poppy process for him

 

[Glendale]

Had we won the game all the media talk would be about how we did so well to stay focused after a tough week, and that would have been the light those comments would be taken under.

It wasn’t a good look, but he’s a young kid with a laidback personality. I think we have far bigger issues in the club than Ponga.

 

[Pro Dragons]

I'm not sure about the figures, but it wouldn't surprise me if Kalyn has said behind the scenes that he's not signing up longer for a losing team.

Hell, I almost can't blame him.

Just speculating, but if that were the case then the Knights would only have a year to get their shit together before he's on the open market.

I mean, just being real here... if we were the Storm or the Roosters, he would have signed an extension already. He's actually turning down money he could be earning now to keep his options open.

After Ponga made this insulting comment Bellamy would not want his type at the Storm.

 

[Das Hassler]

A couple of years ago Melbourne did come close to cutting a self confessed erratic dickhead ( at the time) loose ...Munster. It took a public wakeup from a couple of the senior players...aka the adults to snap hom out of it...got any of those?

 

[perverse]

A couple of years ago Melbourne did come close to cutting a self confessed erratic dickhead ( at the time) loose ...Munster. It took a public wakeup from a couple of the senior players...aka the adults to snap hom out of it...got any of those?

Honestly, while Kalyns comment was misguided and disrespectful, I feel like people are blowing it waaaay out of proportion at this point.

Comparing Kalyns behaviour to Munsters based on a single comment is pretty loose. Munster, from all accounts, was completely off the rails. Kalyn tried to make a joke at a very inappropriate time.

 

[Das Hassler]

Honestly, while Kalyns comment was misguided and disrespectful, I feel like people are blowing it waaaay out of proportion at this point.

Comparing Kalyns behaviour to Munsters based on a single comment is pretty loose. Munster, from all accounts, was completely off the rails. Kalyn tried to make a joke at a very inappropriate time.

I agree..i was just about to add that to my post. Just mentioned it as an example of what can be corrected

 

[Knight Vision]

Honestly, while Kalyns comment was misguided and disrespectful, I feel like people are blowing it waaaay out of proportion at this point.

Comparing Kalyns behaviour to Munsters based on a single comment is pretty loose. Munster, from all accounts, was completely off the rails. Kalyn tried to make a joke at a very inappropriate time.

Kayln is learning the media game. No doubt this will be a valuable lesson to him.

There was another media darling once .....He went from evangelical superstar saving lives in the surf to arrogant wanker in a short period of time .....Hayne soon learned his lesson.

 

[Yosh]

Who cares? He just gotta play like a star and stay out of trouble. Crucifying a 20 year old lad for spacing out in front of the camera doesn't deserve this much attention.

 

[peter file]

Interesting to see if Kaitlyn turns up to play this week or has another Darius game.

 

[perverse]

Who cares? He just gotta play like a star and stay out of trouble. Crucifying a 20 year old lad for spacing out in front of the camera doesn't deserve this much attention.

It's still noteworthy in the grand circus that is this current trainwreck the club is in, there's no doubt about it. Kalyn clearly wasn't too phased by the news - although he wasn't phased by his first origin game either. I just think it's significance is being overplayed 1000%. It's an odd footnote in yet another bizarre story for the clubs history books.