The Newcastle Knights have secured the signing of one of the hottest young prospects in NRL history, nabbing the signature of North Queensland Cowboys winger Kalyn Ponga for the 2018 season.
In a press conference on Thursday morning, Cowboys coach Paul Green admitted defeat in the race to sign the 18-year-old, who has played just two games in the top grade to date.
“We’re disappointed to lose him,” Green said of Ponga, who will join the Knights in a deal believed to be worth in the region of $3 million over five years.
However, while Ponga has signed on with the Knights for 2018, the Cowboys have refused to release him for next season, opting instead to keep the departing youngster on their squad for the 2017 season.
“Kalyn’s contracted to us for next year, he’s part of our plans for next year and as such he’s expected to play for us,” Green said of the young outside back.
“This is the competitive nature of the industry that we’re part of, so I’m going to pick the best team possible and if Kalyn’s part of that then he’ll be in the team, simple as that.”
On a positive note for North Queensland fans, Green noted that the loss of Ponga would help to ensure the likes of stars such as Dally M Medal winner Jason Taumalolo and halfback Johnathan Thurston will remain at the Cowboys in the coming years.
“We’ve got the big picture in mind,” Green said. “We wanted to keep Kalyn obviously and he’s been in our system for a little while now, so disappointed to lose him but we’ll move on and it probably takes some of the pressure off trying to keep some of the other big name guys like Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott and Jason Taumalolo.”
There is still a chance that Ponga will remain with the Cowboys after 2017, with a ten-day cooling off period allowing him to turn his back on the switch to the Knights. However, Green said the North Queensland side aren’t too hopeful of retaining their young gun.
“Look, it’s early days, so there’s a cooling off period, but we expect Kalyn to go there.”
The signing is a welcome boost for the Knights, who endured a torrid 2016 season and wound up taking home the wooden spoon for their efforts, which included just the solitary win for the entire campaign.
Rob
Guest
Holly crap what big list. How did Sterlo win his own award? You are naming a lot of kids from NSW and they haven't had a star for a very long time. I will stick by my original comment. Best talent Ive seen since Bowen 1999 with a bit more size and longer pass at pace like Lockyer. I'll stick my neck out and say he has all those blokes covered for talent.
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
I've seen plenty of school boy / youth rep stars go by the wayside! Here is a list of the Peter Sterling medalists - every one of them a school boy sensation. For every name you recognise, there are two or three you've never heard of: 1976 Steve White Blacktown High School 1977 Alan Emery Ashcroft High School 1978 Peter Sterling Patrician Brothers’ College, Fairfield 1979 Ivan Henjak St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown 1980 Ben Elias Holy Cross College, Ryde 1981 Ben Elias Holy Cross College, Ryde 1982 Paul Langmack Patrician Brothers’ College, Fairfield 1983 Greg Alexander Patrician Brothers’ College, Fairfield 1984 Paul Osborne Christian Brothers’ High School, Lewisham 1985 David Rowles Ashcroft High School 1986 Damien Kenniff St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown 1987 David Danes Patrician Brothers’ College, Fairfield 1988 David Bayssari Parramatta Marist High School 1989 Jason Taylor St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown 1990 Troy Dicinoski St John’s College, Woodlawn 1991 Damien Chapman St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown 1992 Andrew Dunemann Harristown State High School 1993 Kris Flint St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown 1994 Michael Withers John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong 1995 Nathan Cayless Parramatta Marist High School 1996 Chris Smith John Paul II Senior High School, Marayong 1997 Greg Keary Parramatta Marist High School 1998 Peter Rose Erindale College 1999 Christian Orsini Terra Sancta College 2000 Riley Mullins St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown 2001 Mat Brown Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 2002 Aaron Lewis Wavell State High School 2003 Michael Carl St Dominic’s College, Penrith 2004 Beau Champion Endeavour Sports High School 2005 Ben Te’o Keebra Park State High School 2006 Matthew Mundine Endeavour Sports High School 2007 Adam Reynolds Matraville Sports High School 2008 Ryan James Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 2009 Jordan Kahu Keebra Park State High School 2010 Gerard McCallum The Hills Sports High School 2011 Kem Seru Matraville Sports High School 2012 Jaden Clarke Endeavour Sports High School 2013 Marion Seve Keebra Park State High School 2014 Joey Tramontana Patrician Brothers’ College Blacktown 2015 Julian Christian Kirwan State High School
Jacko
Guest
The young man is an amazing sportsman. He even won the Under 13 NZ golf championship
Knight Vision
Guest
source ?
Rob
Guest
He's a good buy for any club. I've watched this kid from school boys and local rep football. He has the footwork, beautiful hands and vision similar to M. Bowen at the same age. He is also stronger on his feet and has extraordinary balance with a positional passing game like Lockyer. All this and he will be around 90kg.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
Ponga has a release clause after 2 years in 2019, wont be a bad things perhaps this is a Cowboys masterstroke!
Tom Rock
Expert
Good move. Investing in youth is always a sounder option than overpaying veterans. Knights are a lock to win the comp in 2024
Stu
Guest
Big risk by the Knights and a lot of pressure on a young kid. Knights have bet all their chips here on one deal - being owned by the NRL makes me wonder..................?
Rob
Guest
Sorry Jimmmy It's just my opinion. $2.7m for 5 and we might have kept him and it would be worth it. I've got a feeling it's got a lot to do with an opportunity. JT is a great player but father time stops for no one. At 35 he will be playing for personal records on his resume and Ponga will be starting to shine very bright. Scott will be gone also. Bennett has got Benji at the right price. I think the kid was eyeing Coote's position in 2017 and then JT's the following year. I guess we will just have to hope he comes back in 2022 and doesn't kill us in between. I don't want to be like the Bulldogs and cry about losing a champion.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
To be fair to the Cowboys admin Coote was offered 2 years extension which keeps him there until the end of 2018. Ponga will only be 20 by then and still young and probably would have had a season on the wing or possibly at the back knowing Cootes luck. And Ponga himself wanted to play a couple of years in QLD Cup before moving to the NRL to see how his body holds up. But Ponga stated early in negotiations he was going to go where the money suited him and thats fine. Knights have cash from 2018 on and they threw a lot of it at Ponga. We had offered him 500k which is pretty good money for a 2 gamer. I would rather keep Morgan, Lolo and Hess over Ponga.
Jimmmy
Guest
Seriously , Thurston is getting overs????. Of all the players in the NRL JT deserves every last dollar he gets. I do agree though with Coote. He has been good for us but Ponga is the future and should have been a priority.
Rob
Guest
The Cowboys have dropped the ball with extending Coote and JT. contracts. I"m all for being loyal but Thurston is getting overs now and Coote was only suppose to fill the void for this kid. Good luck Kalyn I hope we see you back in Cowboys colors again in 5 years. This kid will be a star if he doesn't get injured or run of the rails by the rubbish down South.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Good choice by the Knights,the kid oozes class.The club needs more of the X factor. Spreading the talent within the game, by choice and not by direction works for the NRL.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
Hes a 5/8 or Fullback.... Played on the wing to cover injuries and get him a tast of topflight
rayzaau
Roar Rookie
For an outside back it seems like they might have reached a bit, 3 million ouch. I guess in their position they probably need to reach but I can only assume for that money this kid is a future half?
The Barry
Roar Guru
Wow - big money for a guy with two first grade games but he looks the goods so it feels at this stage like a good signing. I guess the Knights won't be going for Barba. Dragons - over to you...