Incoming Newcastle Knights’ signing Kalyn Ponga is looming as one of the red and blue’s most vital recruitments in their 30-year history.
But his landing comes with a tricky challenge for Nathan Brown. He must build a team and install the systems that can bring the best out of the Cowboys’ young-gun.
After just eight games in the NRL, the 2016 NYC fullback of the year looks set to make a smooth transition to the rigours of first-grade football.
Incredibly, Ponga took out the Anzac Medal as man-of-the-match with a two-try haul in a striking display in the Cowboys’ win over the Knights in Townsville in Round 8.
Playing without Johnathan Thurston for just the second time in his short career, Ponga had an aura about him whenever he touched the ball.
The anticipation that something is about to happen whenever the 19-year-old takes possession is reminiscent of when Josh Dugan first entered the NRL competition with Canberra.
Like Dugan at that age, Ponga has is rangy and has a cutting and jiggered running style, with the ability to break the line and find gaps in broken play. Ponga may be a tad cleaner than Dugan’s early days, but both players entries to the NRL are not dissimilar.
While Dugan’s time at the Raiders never saw much team success outside of some finals appearances, Ponga looks likely to enjoy a flourishing year at the Cowboys before moving onto the Knights in 2018.
The securing of his services by Knights’ coach Nathan Brown and his recruitment staff for the next five years cannot be undersold. Nabbing the prized signature of the hottest young prospect in the game to a club which has collected back-to-back wooden spoons is nothing short of incredible.
There is no doubt Ponga will be handsomely rewarded for his time in the Hunter and while some critics have lauded the contract as a gamble by the Knights, the real challenge for Nathan Brown is to now build a team that can elicit and harness the best of Ponga’s talents.
Already struggling to follow up the astute pick-up of Ponga with another big recruit, the Knights look like they will have to be relying on developing up-and-coming youth as every day of the contract-year circus continues.
A strategy that has both its pros and cons, it’s worth noting the last true young-side to win the competition – Wests Tigers in 2005 – still had a blend and accurate mix of experience in among their rising stars.
In the Knights favour is the raw talent of Ponga and the rest of the Knights’ crew of formative players. For the right price, you’d have to think signing a leader or two with a couple of hundred games of experience in the NRL wouldn’t be too difficult.
But failing to put the right side together could lead to a Canberra-like situation under David Furner. Despite having some of the best young talent in the game, the Raiders couldn’t take the next step to premiership contenders.
Further, once the wheels appeared to have fallen off the Green-Machine bus, Dugan – the best player to come out of the A.C.T in years – decided to jump off. He was quickly followed by Anthony Milford and Blake Ferguson.
Hardly a scenario the Knights would want to fathom, but the risk is there. The next 18 months of recruitment will prove crucial to the mid-term future of one of the league’s most well-supported clubs.
But with Ponga figuratively locked-in for the next five years, the Knights should be able to sign some of the prizes they’re dangling their recruitment claw over in the off-contract arcade game of NRL 2017. What player wouldn’t want the dazzling half-Aussie half-Kiwi running off them?
Its clear Ponga’s well on his way to stardom and his move to Newcastle could just be the catalyst to turnaround one of the most iconic sides in rugby league.
But the challenge for the Knights is on. Can they bring it all together?
Judge Holden
Roar Guru
Fantastic signing for the Knights then. They need a forward leader and big James is one of the best.
Judge Holden
Roar Guru
Fair points, however I'm yet to be won over by him. I think Coote is a better fit for the Cowboys structure. Ponga's passing and kicking game is still too limited for him to be considered better than Coote. That being said, he is getting better every game he plays. I do agree with you on the re-signings, Cooper and Linnett should probably be moved on at the end of the season when they come off contract. Hess to start in the 2nd row with Lowe. Enari Tuala to take Linnett's position. Winterstein and Bolton still have a couple years left in them.
Albo
Guest
I think there is way too much focus on perceived weaknesses of Ponga . Too small, defensive problems, not enough yards bringing the ball back, etc . Please ! He's a kid with a ton of talent to score and create tries. Get the boofhead wingers to bring the ball back off the line, and let Ponga create tries. And this is the one aspect in our game that very, very few players have a gift for. Place both Ponga & Coote on the open market and I know who most Clubs would target. There is no gamble for Newcastle, they have finally got one talented signing. The gamble is all Ponga's. Has he jumped into a nest of spiders ( along with the cash) at the Knights, who so far appear not to have a lot of attractions for any other top class signings ? He certainly can't be expected to save the Knights on his own.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
I resent the fact the kid is bailing out when he has a massive opportunity to evolve with the Cowbies. Whoever is giving this kid career advice needs to be buttphuked...
up in the north
Roar Rookie
You're a mate of his father aren't you.
Rob
Guest
I think Ponga has spent a majority of his life in NQ. 13 out of 19 years. In Mackay he would have been attending Cowboys coaching clinics. Played for Brisbane? The Broncos gave him a water bootle and a pair of socks. That would be akin to the Cowboys claiming Dave Taylor, Thaiday, Guerra, Nene Mcdonald and Holmes. Brisbane Grammar is a Rugby Union School and the carrot dangle was to play Union at an elite private school if anything. He was there for less than a full school year.
Rob
Guest
Lachlan Coote has nothing in comparison to this kid. Coote's left foot kicking in general play has worked as a good foil for Thurston's suspect all round kicking game. If you're talking about flaws then look at Coote who was the fullback with the second most errors in game last year. Ponga has just turned 19 and has already won a MOM in the NRL. Ponga hasn't even had the opportunity to play behind the Cowboys best team yet. They should never have resigned Coote ahead of locking this kid up. The Cowboys have dropped the ball in the recruitment and retention of quality youth in the last 18 months since winning the Premiership. They have been far to loyal in keeping old blokes like Linnett, Winterstien, Bolton, Cooper and even JT with another years extension. Brandon Smith, Villame Kikau and Ponga should have been priorate signings.
rakshop
Roar Rookie
The great fear is that Newcastle has paid over’s for someone who isnt going to give them the football return on the amount of money they are going to pay him, in the short term. I have no doubt that Ponga will have, at very least, one VERY VERY good season in him, like a Preston Cambpell, Shaun Johnston or even a Jarryd Hayne. AT VERY LEAST! And therein lies the problem. Are Newcastle going to have the balls to keep paying a player a large amount of money in the hope that “at very least one very very good season” is the next one???? Or after two or three years, will the fans, hungry to see a football return their investment going to start to grumble about how much they are paying him and see him out the door before that season comes????? Sadly, for the Knights, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the later and he ends up in Broncos/Titans/Cowboys colours with the Knights paying a hefty chunk of his salary because they went in all guns blazing throwing money around like there is no tomorrow and they didn’t have the patience to keep him back. I think the next generation of NRL phenomes should take a look of how the Cowboys managed Jason Taumalalo in his early career. They weren’t afraid to hold him back, and once he was injected, they weren’t afraid to send him back to the reserves to work on his game. Now he is reaping the rewards both professionally and now financially. Ponga, has some glaring deficiencies, some he will have to work on (positioning both in attack and defence, passing/kicking game), some he will have to manage (his size is a problem – he will have to play smarter with his smaller stature – ala Billy Slater) but unlike JT, he is going to have to that front and centre in the public eye in Newcastle. The Cowboys wont bother holding Ponga back this year, particularly if he can play a role in the backline, and the Knights wont be able to hold him back because they don’t want to be paying $750 000 to a player who is playing in the reserve grade. Thus, I suspect, the Knights wont see a football return for at least 3/4 years, by that stage he may be labelled as an underperformer, and consequently, they may shop his contract around. That team that picks up his contract will be team that sees that ‘very very’ good year I spoke of earlier. My advice to Knights fans, I know you have been patient for the past three or four years, but you are going to have even more patient with Ponga. Because if you are not, you might accidentally drive the next big thing away before he has had a chance to show what he can really do.
Jimmmy
Guest
Yeah Judge, it is a difficult one. Winterstein and Feldt are good metre eaters, from off our own line, Ponga is not . I don't really have an answer to be truthful. Maybe he just fills in where required. I think he just needs a bigger body and just like Billy Slater who was also rag dolled a bit in his early days t won't happen quickly. PS , I love your name, even if it scares me a little. Best work of prose I have ever read.
kk
Roar Pro
Judge, Apparently James Graham has signed with the Knights. Yes Yes Yes.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
In that case he needs a good mentor off the field who can keep him confident. I hope Browny's up to the task.
kk
Roar Pro
Hope it's true. Add Luke Lewis
Larry1950
Guest
It's not the good head on his shoulders we should be concerned about, Epiquin, it's the weight of expectations that he can lift the Knights from the cellar as a nineteen year old. Enormous talent but needs someone to put him into holes sometimes, it's no chance but I reckon he'd look an absolute standout running onto passes served up by someone like DCE. Newcastle need to aggressively chase a quality organising half (get Tyrone Roberts back or make a move for Jimmy Maloney who seems to shift clubs without performance slumps) and an intimidating pack leader (the obvious James Graham or would Josh Papali be an option to get out of the Canberra bubble with his current issues) to get the most benefit from Ponga. Hope him & the Knights go well.
KingCowboy
Guest
Agree up North. Judas he is!!!
steveng
Roar Rookie
I just read that James Graham has signed with the Knights. Is that true???
Judge Holden
Roar Guru
He is indeed not the most robust kick returner Max. As Jimmy pointed out above he gets decimated by opposition players whenever he carries the ball back. Which is why when Coote returns he shouldn't play on the wing, we need bigger bodies carrying the ball back. Perhaps a #14 jersey is the way to go? Using his flashy footwork and acceleration to make meters from dummy half at the bank end of each stanza. Then again, the Cowboys ruck defence has been suspect enough of late and I shudder to think of men like Pauli Pauli, Klemmer and Shannon Boyd targeting Ponga in the line.
Judge Holden
Roar Guru
Well said Jimmy. He has raw talent and an x-factor to his game. Yet, he has glaring flaws to his game which are not being discussed in the media for whatever reason. His cover defence is suspect, and as you mentioned, his decision making is not there yet. He sometimes is prone to making rash decisions and attempts to score a try whenever he makes a break. His passing and kicking is not at the same level as Coote. That should develop over time. But for Cowboys fans you can see why Coote is still the clear preferential fullback, as Ponga simply does not offer the same plethora of skills as Lachlan.
kk
Roar Pro
Enjoyable read maximus and a timely comparison with the Canberra experience. When Ponga was signed, my first post was the hope for a team to be built in front of him. Superman on 360 advised that there were indications from opposing players that Ponga was not of robust resistance when tackled. He appears to be light in the bone and muscle department. Darius Boyd has made that his signature move, hence he is rarely on the injury list. It would be preferable for Kalyn to play out 2016 in the NRL in any position. I agree that recruitment over the ensuing 18 months is of paramount importance. Short of a Malcolm Reilly and/or Gareth Ellis knocking on the door it was heartening to learn that recruitment had been in contact with James Graham. He would be ideal. That would toughen up things at the front.
madmax
Guest
There are plenty of young guns with raw potential running around & waiting for their chance not just Ponga! This could turn into the familiar story of the young gun destined to be a superstar, one of the greats & then not meeting expectations when the pressure starts. Slow & steady......he's not the savior for Newcastle yet! A player always looks good when he has good players supporting him!! The kid needs time...........
Beastie
Roar Rookie
Turncoat? Born in WA, grew up in NZ and Mt Isa, played for Brisbane before he signed with Nth QLD. Yep, he has betrayed the club that was so loyal to him for 4 years of his life. How dare he.