Kalyn Ponga is perhaps the most exciting young player in the NRL, but it wouldn’t be fair to say he has been a revelation in 2018.
Revelation implies that his performances have been unexpected.
Though only the most fervent of Knights fans could truthfully say they anticipated the 20-year-old would be this good this early – taking a few months to find his feet would have been acceptable, but the kid’s been on fire since Round 1 – Ponga showed during his time at North Queensland what a dynamic talent he was.
Which leads me to ponder a question about the Cowboys’ 2017 season.
Might they have won the grand final if Ponga hadn’t spent most of the year languishing in the club’s under-20s program?
After the Knights made their successful multimillion-dollar play for the then 18-year-old at the end of 2016, Paul Green said he was “disappointed” but that an early release for Ponga was out of the question.
“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,” the North Queensland coach said.
“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.”
After scoring five tries and being named in the team of the tournament at the 2017 Auckland Nines, it appeared Green had made the right call keeping the young gun around for the extra season.
(Tony Feder/Getty Images)
However, it wasn’t until Round 3 that Ponga actually got a crack in first grade, taking the place of the injured Lachlan Coote.
He received an extended stay in the top flight over the coming weeks, culminating in a two-try, man-of-the-match performance against none other than Newcastle, in Round 8.
A fortnight later the teenager was back on the outer, Coote having returned from injury – although this was also the week Ray Thompson was asked to step into the injured Johnathan Thurston’s enormous boots.
No disrespect intended to Thompson, who was a wonderful clubman for the Cowboys, but even this early on in KP’s career it was clear who of the pair was more likely to win you a game of footy. Was it so insane to try the youngster at five-eighth or keep him at the back and move the experienced Coote into the halves?
Apparently so, because Ponga was effectively sent packing back to the National Youth Competition, where he ended up being named at fullback in the team of the year for the second season in a row.
He did get one more game in first grade, although went off with an injured shoulder shortly after halftime in the Round 24 loss to the Sharks – Green appearing unimpressed with the youngster for failing to finish the game.
In total Ponga played seven matches for the Cowboys in 2017 for a return of three tries, ten line breaks and 38 tackle breaks while running for an average of 126 metres per game.
Compare that to his numbers in Newcastle this year, where in 13 games he’s scored three tries, made seven line breaks and 98 tackle breaks and run an average of 145 metres per game.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Not quite as good, but certainly comparable – and heading into Round 14, Ponga leads this year’s Dally M Medal count.
Apparently Green decided he didn’t need that bloke to play, even when the coach had an injury toll on his hands that made his team’s grand final appearance more miracle than fairytale.
Obviously there were issues in the forwards that Ponga couldn’t have covered, but it was more than just JT who missed big time – or, perhaps more importantly, played injured, as Green revealed after the grand final.
“Kyle Feldt tore his groin last week, Te Maire Martin should’ve been out for four to six weeks with a grade two medial but only missed one game, Coote’s calf,” Green said.
“There were probably four guys in that Tigers (Round 25) game that probably shouldn’t have come back.”
Now, there’s no taking away what a fantastic effort it was for North Queensland to make the big dance, but the knock on them throughout the finals was how exhausted they looked come full-time of all those unexpected wins.
Maybe that’s because half their backline apparently had no business playing.
And all the while the brightest prospect in the NRL was carving up the under-20s, having been back playing just a fortnight after his injury against Cronulla.
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Now, I’m not necessarily saying Ponga should have been part of the matchday 17 to face Melbourne in the grand final, but why the hell wouldn’t you pick him to give some of your players a break in regular-season matches if they were all so busted?
It lends credence to the suggestion – made by Kalyn’s dad, Andre Ponga, a few weeks after his son had signed with the Knights – that relations with the Cowboys had gone “pear-shaped when we didn’t accept an offer”.
But it also smacks of pettiness. North Queensland refused to release Ponga on the basis they would use him but instead had him play the majority of the season in a competition that offered him little challenge and the club little benefit.
And it’s not as though he was going to a team that threatened to unseat the Cowboys in the top eight, the Knights having been broadly and accurately tipped to finish with a third consecutive wooden spoon in 2017.
Ultimately, of course, we’ll never know what could have been for North Queensland if they’d given Kalyn Ponga an extended run in first grade last season.
But he’s a player who makes your side better – and the team that comes second only needs to improve by one spot.
Canetoad
Guest
the only stain around here is on your shorts Lachy, and your malevolence stinks ...
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Johnathan Thurston after all these games, is being touted as a future immortal in waiting and to this day he’s a speed bump. Ponga’s defence is better than JT ever was. Maloney gets huge wraps for finding ways to win. No matter where he goes, sides he plays in are successful. Yet his defence is horrible also with lots of errors and penalties in his game. If Ponga improves at all from where he is now and can maintain it over a long period of time he will be in rarefied air.
canetoad
Guest
Thankfully his character is different to Hayne, he seems alot more grounded. Though carefull of the old man and writers like here getting into his head, because that is all this story is abut. Move along Ponga, nothing to see here, just enjoy your footy mate.
souvalis
Guest
with 2 points for the upcoming bye yet to go in,they’re 2 points out of the 8....totally languishing...just not watching..did you read his interview with Sporting News ? Kevvie originally told him he was the fullback...then when he accidentally broke Gagais finger,he was positionally changed..didn’t work out,but evidence of the people that matter differing from the ‘over rated’ faction a tad...
E-Meter
Guest
Pretty good description. For them to lose so meekly to my hopeless Eels, says a lot about their problems. I've seen a lot JT's games this year and I think he is playing OK. He's a bit dusty in defence sometimes. But if he was playing behind a better lot of forwards, he'd be a lot more prominent.
Chris n
Guest
He has 10 try assits for the year plus 4 tries of his own theres 4 points per game with out going into his goal kicking or line breaks or line break assists which lead to points.
Rob
Guest
On line defence is a serious problem for a fullback when the bodies in front don’t do their job. Seriously if you’re looking at that your grabbing at straws. He’s saved plenty in defence already from what I’ve seen.
mushi
Roar Guru
Hold on if it is clearly obvious Ponga is worth 6 points per game versus replacement, and the average team only scores 19-20 points are you saying that Ponga is worth ~5 average NRL players (after accounting for his replacement)? I don’t think any player on a half decent team is consistently worth 6 points in margin. If he is then the issue isn’t his brilliance but just how terrible the guy behind him is.
Chris n
Guest
Apart from the win over parra
Chris n
Guest
All of newcastles wins have been by 6 points or less , if you think ponga is not worth 6 points to newcastle then you dont know to much about football.
madmax
Guest
Really........is that why the Knights are so high on the ladder?
madmax
Guest
No you're not Emcie!! I think he's already over-hyped. The Knights were winning before Pearce got injured & have done zero since he's not there. If Ponga was so great then why are they languishing so low on the ladder.
Griffo
Guest
I agree with your assessment, Rob. I'd also add that due to Morgan's speed, if he is playing first receiver, the flow on effect is that the Cowboys attack is faster overall, and that is one thing we need. Speed!
Albo
Guest
Only after he improves his tackling technique ! Because right now his online defence is very poor. He has great attacking skills and the right temperament and vision to be a great player, but he still has flaws that will likely keep him out of Origin for now.
Jara W
Guest
So he’s pretty much the perfect mix of Lockyer, Marshall, Johns and Dr Strange? At the risk of overhyping the young bloke he does sound half decent.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Haha! For different reasons maybe...
Rob
Guest
I think Morgan and JT are confused about who should be running the show now, especially when it comes to kicking and last play options. I’ve been addiment about Morgan playing first receiver and JT just putting the magic on when needed now. The 7 runs the teams kicking and attack. JT’s kicking outside the red zone is poor and that is why Coote is used so often. The Cowboys have searched for years to have a general field kicker and that person has to get the ball from dummy half 90% of the time.
Griffo
Guest
When JT was re-signed he was still brilliant. I don't think it was selfish because I thought he still had something to offer. Maybe he still does and maybe he doesn't but we're all geniuses in hindsight. He still shows his moments of brilliance but he's slowed down. I said at the start of the year he should take a back seat to Morgan as I didn't want to see Morgan take a backward step after his stellar 2017. I think JT would be much more effective popping up when he sees something on. He was still orchestrating decent attacking moves last night which should have led to points but for errors and "forward passes". We're now at a point where changes need to be made regardless of whether it's building for the future or trying to improve for the here and now. Give the reigns over to Morgan because I think that will achieve both of those things. As Mal Meninga was saying, Morgan plays a lot better when he has less time to contemplate and is made to play instinctively. Drop Hess and O'Neill. Also tell Taumalolo to take as many runs as he can there's no reason why he can't play as well with Matt Scotr in the side. I just can't fathom how he loses his brilliance when he has more support.
Nycdb
Guest
This is ridiculous. Coote was in career best form when he re-signed in early 2016. Ponga was NOT ready to take over then after under 10 NYC games and only JUST turned 18. Ridiculous statement from someone who has no idea what hes talking about. Petty? He was contracted for 2017. He was rightly made to play out the contract he signed. How did they delay his development when they let him develop in NYC with the occassional NRL appearance? Sounds like the perfect development to me. Yes disgraceful treatment by the Cowboys who catered to his families every need when they signed him at 15 and supported him through his brain infection a few years later. You know nothing.
Fish
Guest
Jimmy I understand what you are saying, I just don’t agree. What I watched last night: A fullback who is great positionally but from another era style wise. Unfortunately NRL has moved past that style now. Darius Boyd is another example. One winger who is having a stella year in an underperforming team, and the other coming to the end of his time but putting in the best he has got. A young new centre who is making the most of clunky service and another that seems to not care anymore. A young half who has Some talent but not enough just yet to control a side and may never have. Then there is an out and out champion at the end of a storied career. Yes he is slower, but he still has the tricks, he is just not receiving help from his supporting cast, so he is left to do it himself. Innevitably he ends up trying too hard. Then there was a champion lock forward who has a mountain of pressure on him, why? Because the others are not doing their job. If his stats sat next to any other player, we would be lauding them, but for some reason if he only runs for 150m and makes 25 tackles with three offloads, well he has had a shit match. A back row stalwart that looks more tired than an eighty year old insomniac, and young wannabe that believes he is a star and doesn’t have to earn his reputation. An old warhorse up front who’s legs are starting to tire, and he is running on determination and sheer bloody mindedness alone. The other prop spot is a revolving door. Then we get to hooker. A fantastic centre defender, now too heavy to be an electric runner of the ball. His passing game has gone to pot. The clunkiness in attack starts at him. With line speed the way it is and the Cowboys flat attacking style, this is where the game time problems are starting. The coach seems unable to deviate from a game plan that is not only designed for a faster team, but now seems obscelete. In my opinion, there only seems to be a handful of the players actually trying, and JT is at the top of that list. Jimmy as you have mentioned, the season is gone. So what? Axe JT as a final indignant act to a man who has built the club on his own shoulders, bringing accolade to a football team that were once the perenial jokes of the competition, instead of making those players around him accountable for their efforts? As for Ponga. He is a genuine talent, and let’s put some perspective in this. Anyone remember Phil Blake? His first two seasons he was a superstar, then two knee injuries later, he was just a fullback. Ponga may end up being as good as Slater, but he may also end up being as good as Blake.