Official: Knights sign Kalyn Ponga on a 4 year deal

Yeah, at least not to begin with. Anyone could be the next Thurston or Smith around the corner, but there should be a drop in quality for a few years at least. Just going over the QLD & emerging QLD squads of the last few years, these are the players that will be in the frame for the spine positions:

Fullbacks: Darius Boyd, Valentine Holmes, Kalyn Ponga

Halves: Michael Morgan, Cameron Munster, Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt, Ashley Taylor, Corey Norman, Brodie Croft

Hookers: Jake Friend, Jake Granville, Andrew McCullough

Probably missed a few, but while most are very good players, probably none the massive leap ahead of NSW's talent like Thurston, Smith, Cronk & co have been, at this stage.

 

No Cronk or Thurston? Haha brutha we've already won. You can take that to the bank

 

Looks like a top 8 nrl roster and nothing flasher IMO.

 

Yep both the 2018 Roosters have a stronger spine

 

You guys miss the whole point of SOO. It is a must Qld win for all their red neck fans. That is the way it is refereed.

Note each year NSW should have the two home game advantage, one is always played in Melbourne 'to advance the game'. Qld never miss two home games when it is their turn. The whole thing is a rort. We see GI and Gillett both from Macksville where they each represented the local Division as juniors, and others from Redfern.

As the chant goes "Red, white and Blue. I am from New South Wales and so are most of you!"

 

I think the winners of previous SOO series should get 1 home game, losers get 2, no game in Melb.
Would even it up no matter who is dominating.

 

Just for you Kenny.... But yes I only deathride him...

 

Munster is legit and a star. If QLD are going with the future he is first choice IMO ATM . Boyd is only ever an option when there is no one better. I'd pick slater on one leg before I'd pick Boyd. I woukd pick Inglis before id pick Boyd. Holmes had a shaky debut at FB but he'd be on the wing anyway.
As for Ponga, bide your time I guess. You'll get a shot if you keep repeating your rd 1 performance

 

I've never understood the obsession with having it in Melbourne either.

 

No news here.. We've always known you rate Ponga as having a huge future, that's got nothing to do with what we're discussing, which is the fact that you've made it clear you thought he'd have hiccups upon debuting at fullback for the Knights and perhaps even struggle with many things. And you're not alone, 88 thought the same.

And that is a perfectly ok position to hold, Ponga is young. But, I disagreed. It seemed obvious to me that Ponga would likely handle it really well and look the part from the very start

Turns out I was right. You were wrong. And that's Ok too. Im happy to let you live it down now. At least we can both agree that Ponga will be a special player