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When Billy Slater pulled out of Origin 1 yesterday with a hamstring strain, the Queensland selectors called in Kalyn Ponga and Anthony Milford to cover.
Two for one is decidedly odd, but that strange decision doesn’t compare to not selecting Ponga in the first place. How Gene Miles, Darren Lockyer, and Kevin Walters left Ponga out beggars belief.
This 20-year-old with only a handful of NRL games under his belt is a superstar waiting to break out.
He reminds me of a teenage Brad Fittler who stood head and shoulders above his far older peers. He went on to play 336 NRL games, a record 31 Origins for NSW, and 38 Tests.
The first time I saw Fittler and his massive side step, his superb ball handing, and his devastating defence, I thought that all of those assets were a doddle he did it so easily.
Little wonder he became the only Australian Schoolboy in 1989 to become a Kangaroo in 1990 – from a kids international to fully blown green and gold in successive years.
Kalyn Ponga is another Brad Fittler, the only difference is he’s qualified to play for Queensland, and he’s faster.
Kalyn Ponga of the Knights (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
Ponga has the same assets – he’s on the brink of a sensational career..
Forget the rubbish he hasn’t played enough NRL games, that he’s too inexperienced, and has too much to learn.
If you’re good enough, you’re old enough and all those negatives fly straight out the window.
And Ponga is far, far more than just good enough.
More importantly, Ponga has such outstanding ability he has shone on rugby league fields, rugby fields, soccer fields, hockey fields, and golf courses – he’s a wonderfully gifted all-round sportsman.
In fact Ponga can be the difference to Queensland winning on Wednesday night at the MCG against all odds, or copping a mother and father of a hiding.
So where should the Maroons play him?
He’s equally at home at fullback, winger, and centre – and there are two positive options.
Greg Inglis can switch from centre to fullback and bring Ponga into the centres, or leave the skipper in the centres, and start Ponga at fullback.
If the selectors still want to be negative they can take Michael Morgan off the bench to fullback, and start Ponga on the bench.
NSW would love the latter to limit Ponga’s game time for as long as possible.
If the doubters want any ironclad proof of how much Kalyn Ponga means to a team, just look at how the Cowboys have suffered with his switch to the Knights.
Apart from the excellent win over Manly at Brookvale, the Cowboys have been missing in action for most of the season, sitting on four wins from 13 games.
Whereas the Knights, with not nearly the depth of the Cowboys, have won six of their 13, and that’s a big improvement for the wooden spooners of the past few seasons.
And he’ll do the same for Queensland on Wednesday night. Slater’s scratching will be a blessing in disguise for the Maroons.