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.
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