Latest news with #KalynPonga
Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Origin duo backed to go full-throttle in Perth
The Dolphins' and Newcastle Knights' respective coaches have vowed their State of Origin stars will be in full flight for Saturday's NRL clash at HBF Park. In the battle of sixth vs 15th, both Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf and his Newcastle counterpart Adam O'Brien backed their Queensland Origin starters Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Kalyn Ponga to back up after their mid-week heroics against NSW. Woolf said Tabuai-Fidow, who scored two first-half tries in the Maroons' heart-stopping 26-24 win at Optus Stadium, had been bouncing off the walls after linking up with his club teammates in Perth. 'He came into camp with a real smile on his face and that's always a great sign for 'Hammer',' he said. 'I liked the way he was moving out there as well, I probably expected him to be a little bit tentative but he's moving around really quick and he's ready to go. 'They performed really well and made some real improvements from what they did in the first game. They all looked like a really happy group; he's certainly come into camp that way and it's great for us.' Ponga started at full-back for the Maroons and O'Brien said the Port Hedland-born star had pulled up well following the grueling clash. Kalyn Ponga. Credit: Scott Gardiner / Getty Images 'Kalyn will play. He looks great. It's an extra day from what it was from Origin one, so that helps, and then he just stayed on, didn't have to travel.' The Knights will bring back Bradman Best, Fletcher Sharpe and Tyson Frizell following injuries and O'Brien said his side needed to be prepared for the exciting Tabuai-Fidow and his fellow Dolphins outside backs. 'They move the ball great, they play to their strengths. With a few of their forwards out, they rely on getting the ball to their outside backs, who are quite athletic,' he said. 'We understand we have to be very good defensively because you're going to face a lot of shift, a lot of shape, particularly in parts of the field you're not normally used to.' Following their thumping 58-4 win over North Queensland last week, Woolf said his team could not afford to put the cart before the horse ahead of the Newcastle match. 'We've just got ourselves into the top eight and we've had to work really hard to do that after a slow start,' he said. 'More concerning for us at the moment is the week-to-week performance and making sure we continue on the right direction.'
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'I'll leave': Origin hero flags move to Sydney club after surprise call from Knights
Former State of Origin star Dane Gagai has put rival NRL clubs on alert after declaring he would have no qualms about moving back to play in Sydney, following Newcastle's decision not to extend the veteran. The Maroons hero has been one of the standouts in an underwhelming Knights side this season but the club have decided against taking up a team option to retain him for next season. Fans have already urged Newcastle to backflip on their stance around Gagai. The 34-year-old is currently on a $400,000-a-year-deal with Newcastle but the club are prioritising some of their talented younger players. And the Knights are constrained by salary cap pressures, with captain Kalyn Ponga on a $1.4 million per season deal and the club signing Eels playmaker Dylan Brown for next year, on a 10-year, $13 million contract. Unless Gagai is willing to take a pay cut to remain at the Hunter, however, it appears as though his future lies elsewhere beyond this season. And speaking to , the former Rabbitohs star said he would have no problems continuing his glittering career in Sydney. "I'll leave if I have to," Gagai told the publication. "I love the club but I'll have no qualms about moving back to Sydney if that's the way it works out. I've left it with my manager. I don't want to say too much. We'll see what happens." The veteran centre has been one of the most consistent performers for the Knights over several seasons and his revelation is sure to attract interest from rival clubs. The Maroons hero has played 22 Origin games for his state after featuring in last year's series, and continues to show his class as a permanent fixture in Newcastle's starting side. Even if Gagai were to accept a downgrade on his current deal, the Knights are reportedly considering other options anyway, with the likes of James Schiller vying for a permanent centre role and exciting young outside back Fletcher Hunt coming through the ranks. Gagai's likely departure comes as the the Knights are also set to lose prop Leo Thompson to the Bulldogs in 2026, as well as English second-rower Kai Pearce-Paul, who recently signed a three-year deal to join the Wests Tigers. Dane Gagai has confirmed he's open to leaving the Knights, with the club opting not to take up a $400k option for 2026. The veteran centre says he's got no issue moving back to Sydney if that's how it plays out.( Newcastle Herald ) — NRLCentral (@centralNRL) June 20, 2025 Halfback Jackson Hastings is on big money at Newcastle but won't be at the club next season after O'Brien confirmed his contract wouldn't be extended. But fans have been left puzzled by the Knights' stance on Gagai, who has played more than 300 NRL games and remains one of the competition's elite centres. RELATED: Details emerge as Ezra Mam seen in post-match moment with Leniu Door wide open for Walsh as Ponga floated for shock QLD axing Andrew Johns airs complaint over Origin moment 'shouldn't be allowed' It's understood Gagai's management have already started sounding out rival NRL clubs for their interest in the veteran centre. Gagai has once again been named to start in Saturday's away game to the in-form Dolphins, with the 15th-placed Knights welcoming back Bradman Best from injury and Kalyn Ponga from Origin duty with the Maroons. Winger Dom Young has also been named to start for his first game back at the club after being released by the Roosters.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Door wide open for Reece Walsh as Slater urged to axe Queensland superstar
Former NRL player Denan Kemp has questioned whether Kalyn Ponga has lost some of his aura, speculating that Billy Slater might be better off axing the star fullback for State of Origin 3. Ponga hasn't been much of a factor in either of the Origin games so far this series, and hasn't been in great form with Newcastle either. In Game 1 he had 21 runs for 163 metres, but in Game 2 on Wednesday night it was just eight runs for 77 metres. Queensland won 26-24 to send the series to a decider, but Ponga had four missed tackles and two errors - both on high balls that he failed to secure. The $1.4 million fullback missed a key tackle on Brian To'o for one of the NSW winger's three tries, and was caught out of position when Angus Crichton streamed through to ground a grubber from Jarome Luai. He also had a poor miss on Nathan Cleary, but got lucky the try was disallowed for an obstruction. Queensland's win has largely taken the heat off Ponga that might have arisen had the Maroons lost. But Kemp is among a number of leading voices questioning his place in Slater's side. Speaking on the popular 'Bloke in a Bar' podcast on Thursday, the former Broncos and Warriors player suggested Slater might be tempted to pick someone else for Game 3. "He dropped three bombs. He got bounced off by Cleary and got lucky there was an obstruction," Kemp said. "I think Billy has to have a real hard look at that fullback position. I think KP (Ponga) is just out of form. "It's tough but if you've got that many errors, it's just a real question we (Queensland) have to ask ourselves. We need someone who's bringing energy around the ruck, making their catches and tackles. It's definitely a question that I think Billy should be considering because we can't afford to go into Game 3 and have that many dropped balls. We'll lose by 30-plus." Co-host Tim Williams, the brother of former Canberra player Sam, added: "KP is normally elite under the high ball. When he's dropping bombs like that...I know the conditions were bad but there were some pretty soft ones. It's normally the case where every time Ponga gets the ball in Origin my heart sinks thinking 'how is he going to kill us (NSW) this time. The last two games, I've forgotten he's playing at times." Reece Walsh would be the obvious choice to replace Ponga if Slater decides to make a change, but Kemp said he's not sure the Broncos fullback has enough games under his belt. Walsh's season was disrupted by a knee injury that sidelined him for six weeks, but he returned with two tries in the Broncos' thrashing of the Titans a fortnight ago. The 22-year-old has played five Origin games to date, and has clashes with the Sharks and Warriors to state his case for selection in Game 3. "When you are a Queenslander, that's all you want to do," Walsh said after the Titans game about a possible call-up. "If Billy needs me in the squad for anything, I'll be there and ready to go. If he doesn't, I'll still be cheering the boys and backing them at home." RELATED: Selwyn Cobbo facing dire situation as Broncos sign three players Andrew Johns airs complaint over Origin moment 'shouldn't be allowed' The other option would be to put Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow at fullback - his preferred position. The Hammer played centre in Game 1 and wing in Game 2, but many believe he's Queensland's best fullback option. Murray Taulagi is back to full fitness and would be an option for the wing if Slater puts Tabuai-Fidow in the No.1 jersey in the decider.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
State of Origin: Maroons' Reuben Cotter claims he wasn't eye-gouged by Blues' Jarome Luai
Queensland forward Reuben Cotter says he was not eye-gouged by NSW's Jarome Luai in State of Origin II. Luai was given a grade 2 contrary conduct charge for making unnecessary contact with Cotter's face in a tackle during NSW's 26-24 loss in Perth on Wednesday night. The charge came after Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga appeared to accuse Luai of eye-gouging in the first half. Cotter had dived on a loose ball when Blues prop Payne Haas lost possession, before Luai drove into the Maroons second-rower on the ground. His hand appeared to make contact with Cotter's face as the pair pushed each other off, before Ponga made a raking motion to sideline officials. Luai was placed on report but cleared of an eye-gouge by the NRL match review committee and instead handed a $3,900 fine. Cotter said he had no issue with the incident. "I didn't get eye-gouged at all," Cotter said. "He (Luai) just came in with his elbow or his shoulder, I'm not sure what he came in with. "I just stood up for myself, tried to push him off me." Cotter was sporting a heavy lump to his eye in the Maroons' dressing room after the match. But he said that came from a clash with Liam Martin late in the second half. NSW players and coaches defended Luai, who was penalised following the incident. It was one of eight penalties the Blues gave away in the first half, while they finished the match on the wrong side of a 10-2 count. Blues coach Laurie Daley opted not to comment on the penalty count, claiming he could not say what he really thought on the matter. But Blues captain Isaah Yeo conceded NSW had to wear some of the blame for the ill-discipline. "There were certainly a few we were shooting ourselves with and they're just penalties," Yeo said. "Some others were 50-50s. Some nights you get them and some nights you don't. "But what you can't do is just go drop the ball in the next set when you've got the ball. "You would obviously like that to be a bit more even, but we were our own worst enemies at times." AAP
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Ponga: ‘I'd like that moment back!'
State of Origin: Queensland Maroons' Kalyn Ponga speaks to Dane Lillingstone after his side beat the NSW Blues in Origin Game II to level the series.
