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Knights star Kalyn Ponga finally admitted his wrongdoing over his infamous incident in a bathroom cubicle at a Newcastle pub almost six months after footage went viral on social media.
Ponga conceded he set a poor example as Newcastle co-captain when he faced the music for the first time since that day after being shielded by the club from any official media duties.
“Putting myself in that position. I shouldn’t have been out in the first place,” Ponga said. “I was in the wrong there.”
Ponga and teammate Kurt Mann were escorted out of a toilet cubicle and the vision of the incident quickly circulated on social media. The Knights and the NRL Integrity Unit questioned the duo about their actions and they were subsequently were not sanctioned.
They claimed they had merely had too much to drink and Ponga was sick in the toilet so Mann was helping him.
Ponga was sidelined due to a series of concussions at the time so even if he was only drunk, it was still not a good look for the Queensland Origin representative.
Describing it as “one of the most difficult moments of my life”, Ponga said he was eager to make amends.
“Lots of lessons. A lot of self-reflecting over the off-season. It was a period that I will look back on and I think hopefully down the track and even now, it is probably one of the most difficult moments of my life,” Ponga said.
“I learned a lot from that time. Looking forward to this season I have put things in place now that will help me be a better person and hopefully be a better leader as well.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“I reflected on my responsibilities as a leader. I want to set the standards and be a better leader for this team. I shouldn’t have been out or anything like that in the first place. I do support the boys, they know that. They know how much I support them at all times.”
Ponga said he now understands the impact alcohol can have when trying to get over concussions.
“To be honest I didn’t know the effects alcohol could have on concussion, no. I’ve learned a lot from that time,” he admitted.
“Obviously it’s not great for concussions. I have learned a lot from that time. But at that point of time, no (I wasn’t aware).
“There is so much stuff about concussion that I think people don’t know. I look back on that time and that period I was going through the concessions – they do have an effect on you. I guess moving forward, there have been lots of lessons learned and that is one of them.
“Concussions aren’t a foreign part of the game, but there is so much stuff people don’t know.
“Hopefully I don’t have any next year. Unfortunately it’s a terrible part of the sport we play.”
Ponga, who re-signed on a five-year $5 million contract in April to remain at the Knights until the end of 2027, played just 14 matches last season, sitting out the final six rounds as the concussion problems mounted, forcing him to withdraw from selection for the World Cup.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
He suffered a calf injury during off-season training and he could make his return as soon as Friday night in the pre-season trial against Parramatta.
Any game time would be crucial for the Knights and his combination with new halfback Jackson Hastings, as Ponga prepares to move to five-eighth this season.
It is his second shift to the halves from fullback, after a similar move failed in 2019.
“I just wanted the change,” Ponga said. “It is going to give me the opportunity to grow as a player.
“I want to be involved in more moments throughout a game. Being in that position will do that for me.”
Newcastle open their season with a Round 1 clash with the Warriors in Wellington on March 3.
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