Kalyn ponga

[Tosh]

24 years of age NRL superstar of nearly 100 games hasn’t played a single international match.

Damning indictment of international RL and more importantly the ARL’s attitude to international RL and the massive negative impact state of origin is having on the overall game.

Also I’m pretty sure ponga would have racked up a few appearances for the kiwis had he chosen NZ over Queensland.

 

[Damien]

It's a travesty how few internationals our top players have plated.

[Ragingbull]

11 minutes ago, Tosh said:

24 years of age NRL superstar of nearly 100 games hasn’t played a single international match.

Damning indictment of international RL and more importantly the ARL’s attitude to international RL and the massive negative impact state of origin is having on the overall game.

Also I’m pretty sure ponga would have racked up a few appearances for the kiwis had he chosen NZ over Queensland.

 

And wont play an international match because hes got numerous better fullbacks in front of him.

Tedesco

Mitchell

Turbo

Papenhuyzen

[Tosh]

5 minutes ago, Damien said:

It's a travesty how few internationals our top players have plated.

Indeed. 
 

It’s holding our game back both in countries where it’s established and expansion countries.

[DavidM]

I’m a huge Ponga fan , I think he is a superstar , but far from concentrating on the internationals he hasn’t played he needs first and foremost to concentrate on stringing NRL games together and helping the Knights . He’s had a few injuries and some worrying concussions . He needs this off season to get right and i really hope he stays fit and on the field and can rip it up next year

[Tosh]

4 minutes ago, Ragingbull said:

And wont play an international match because hes got numerous better fullbacks in front of him.

Tedesco

Mitchell

Turbo

Papenhuyzen

Hence why he should have chosen NZ over Queensland.

Also turbo and Mitchell could play centre for the kangaroos while ponga would surely make the bench?

[Tosh]

3 minutes ago, DavidM said:

I’m a huge Ponga fan , I think he is a superstar , but far from concentrating on the internationals he hasn’t played he needs first and foremost to concentrate on stringing NRL games together and helping the Knights . He’s had a few injuries and some worrying concussions . He needs this off season to get right and i really hope he stays fit and on the field and can rip it up next year

The knights are a basket case of a club with too much weight and responsibility placed on ponga’s shoulders.

 

Similar situation with fifita at the titans.

[DavidM]

Just now, Tosh said:

The knights are a basket case of a club with too much weight and responsibility placed on ponga’s shoulders.

 

Similar situation with fifita at the titans.

They really are . They need him at 1, 6 and 7

[UTK]

I'm a Knights fan and naturally a big fan of Ponga but I think there's a genuine question as to whether he will ever be a first-choice Kangaroos player, unfortunately for him fullback is an extremely stacked position in Australia and his recent struggles with injury and consistent form would have him sitting fairly low in that pecking order as it stands. I can't see too much value in holding Ponga on the bench when Australia will already be running a dual-hooking rotation with Hunt offering some utility from that rotation.

As for NZ, he probably would've debuted for them in the mid-season test this year if that was his election - RTS only left the game last season and Ponga has still yet to reach his level.

Nathan Cleary having yet to play an international is probably a more accurate example of the problem you're pointing out.

[The Rocket]

9 minutes ago, DavidM said:

They really are . They need him at 1, 6 and 7

Personally I was hoping he would sign with the Dolphins, because he is absolutely wasted at the Knights. 

There is talk the Knights are chasing Tyson Gamble to replace Milford - say no more.

[UTK]

5 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Personally I was hoping he would sign with the Dolphins, because he is absolutely wasted at the Knights. 

There is talk the Knights are chasing Tyson Gamble to replace Milford - say no more.

I don't disagree he has been relatively wasted with us but the Dolphins may just be the one club that would be a worse career move. They've bottled so many recruitment targets so their spine is now going to be one of the few that sits at a level below ours, they could be in big trouble for a few years.

Wayne has spent the overwhelming majority of his career dealing in rosters stacked with talent and getting the best out of them, at the Knights we saw what happens when Wayne isn't gifted with a top-tier squad and for the most part it wasn't very pretty.

[Tommygilf]

How many QLD games has he played? 

[DavidM]

8 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

How many QLD games has he played? 

7

[The Rocket]

6 minutes ago, UTK said:

I don't disagree he has been relatively wasted with us but the Dolphins may just be the one club that would be a worse career move. They've bottled so many recruitment targets so their spine is now going to be one of the few that sits at a level below ours, they could be in big trouble for a few years.

Wayne has spent the overwhelming majority of his career dealing in rosters stacked with talent and getting the best out of them, at the Knights we saw what happens when Wayne isn't gifted with a top-tier squad and for the most part it wasn't very pretty.

Despite only having a couple of years left in them I`m hopeful that Bennett will be able to get enough out of the forwards he has bought for the Dolphins to a) put together a pretty formidable pack b) buy them a couple of years to buy a more sustainable pack moving forward. The Melbourne blokes he has bought for starters are bound to be professionals.

Jeremy Marshall-King looks pretty handy and Stone from Parramatta was no slouch when he filled in for Marney last year. I`m thinking if he can the best out of that lot it`s going to make life a lot easier for the backs. There`s got to be a good footballer still in Anthony Milford somewhere that Bennett might unlock, he certainly got the best out of Jamie Soward.

On Ponga though. a superstar player like him deserves to be at a superstar club, not that long ago it would have been the Broncos` but that ain`t going to happen. I just think that with their budget I can`t see the Dolphins not being a there or there abouts club pretty quickly.

 

 

 

[jim_57]

1 hour ago, Tosh said:

24 years of age NRL superstar of nearly 100 games hasn’t played a single international match.

Damning indictment of international RL and more importantly the ARL’s attitude to international RL and the massive negative impact state of origin is having on the overall game.

Also I’m pretty sure ponga would have racked up a few appearances for the kiwis had he chosen NZ over Queensland.

 

Technically he could still play for NZ, as can players like Nanai, Taulagi, Fotuaika & even Cleary who haven’t represented the Kangaroos. It would mean they couldn’t play Origin again after that which all but rules it out. Unless they change the rules, which hopefully they do soon.

 

Edited August 29, 2022 by jim_57

[Jughead]

Would he actually get many Australia caps, anyway? 

[Tosh]

2 hours ago, UTK said:

I'm a Knights fan and naturally a big fan of Ponga but I think there's a genuine question as to whether he will ever be a first-choice Kangaroos player, unfortunately for him fullback is an extremely stacked position in Australia and his recent struggles with injury and consistent form would have him sitting fairly low in that pecking order as it stands. I can't see too much value in holding Ponga on the bench when Australia will already be running a dual-hooking rotation with Hunt offering some utility from that rotation.

As for NZ, he probably would've debuted for them in the mid-season test this year if that was his election - RTS only left the game last season and Ponga has still yet to reach his level.

Nathan Cleary having yet to play an international is probably a more accurate example of the problem you're pointing out.

I was going to say that cleary is different because he can only represent Australia but I think he was either born in NZ or lived there for a good portion of his youth?

The ponga situation highlights both the lack of international games played by Australia and the standing of state of origin over international RL.

[Tosh]

2 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Personally I was hoping he would sign with the Dolphins, because he is absolutely wasted at the Knights. 

There is talk the Knights are chasing Tyson Gamble to replace Milford - say no more.

The dolphins have dodged a bullet imo.

[Tosh]

2 hours ago, DavidM said:

They really are . They need him at 1, 6 and 7

Shame really as the knights are probably the best supported NRL side other than the broncos even with them being a basket case.

[Tosh]

3 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

How many QLD games has he played? 

Too many.

Edited August 29, 2022 by Tosh

[Tosh]

2 hours ago, UTK said:

I don't disagree he has been relatively wasted with us but the Dolphins may just be the one club that would be a worse career move. They've bottled so many recruitment targets so their spine is now going to be one of the few that sits at a level below ours, they could be in big trouble for a few years.

Wayne has spent the overwhelming majority of his career dealing in rosters stacked with talent and getting the best out of them, at the Knights we saw what happens when Wayne isn't gifted with a top-tier squad and for the most part it wasn't very pretty.

I can see the dolphins struggling for a couple of seasons until all the best Queensland junior talent they’ve snapped up breakthrough into 1st grade.

 

Longterm the dolphins will be a powerhouse because of their wealth and location.

[Tosh]

1 hour ago, jim_57 said:

Technically he could still play for NZ, as can players like Nanai, Taulagi, Fotuaika & even Cleary who haven’t represented the Kangaroos. It would mean they couldn’t play Origin again after that which all but rules it out. Unless they change the rules, which hopefully they do soon.

 

With all the defections from the kangaroos origin rule changes could potentially take a turn for the worse.

[Tosh]

55 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Would he actually get many Australia caps, anyway? 

I think the knights have stifled his progress and career.

Even if he had stayed with the cowboys I think he’s a different player.

[Number 16]

Ponga should put his hand up for NZ as he's not in the frame for the Kangaroos. Yes, roolz iz roolz, but much of the Origin eligibility criteria has been chipped away already, so maybe one more high profile push could send what's left crashing down  

 

[Tosh]

Just now, Number 16 said:

Ponga should put his hand up for NZ as he's not in the frame for the Kangaroos. Yes, roolz iz roolz, but much of the Origin eligibility criteria has been chipped away already, so maybe one more high profile push could send what's left crashing down  

 

I think that ship has already sailed as the kiwis have multiple options at fullback and in the halves.