Official: Knights sign Kalyn Ponga on a 4 year deal

Come round 1 2017 Ponga could slip in anywhere in the backline and look good with the ball in hand. that's the difference between him and other previous mentioned youths touted as having big potential--he is already fully capable

Of course FG requires a full rounded game, and its fair to assume that with time and training a kid of his talent and witt should be, at least, competent
 
Kenny Powers said:
Come round 1 2017 Ponga could slip in anywhere in the backline and look good with the ball in hand. that's the difference between him and other previous mentioned youths touted as having big potential--he is already fully capable

Of course FG requires a full rounded game, and its fair to assume that with time and training a kid of his talent and witt should be, at least, competent
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Old Kenny Powers has returned, good to see you returned mate. And that's a fact.
 
Regardless of how good Ponga may look with the ball in hand he is going to struggle defensively for a few years purely because of his size.


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Beatell said:
Regardless of how good Ponga may look with the ball in hand he is going to struggle defensively for a few years purely because of his size.


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He isn't that small imo and seems to play above his weight (his hitups were strong in FG).

With another pre-season under his belt and him being only 18, he should add some bulk and be growing soon enough.
 
Joshhh said:
You said you had put some people on ignore, just put Cowboyman on ignore if you don't want to read his posts. It'd be a real shame for you to quit the forum just because of 1 person.
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Possibly not in the right frame of mind for this internet thing.
I might turn the computer off for a while.
 
Billy said:
People get massively unrealistic expectations of gun juniors.
You still have to triple your training and improve a hell of a lot between under 20s and firstgrade, and a lot of guys have reached their potential at under 20s level.

On the other hand, the Saifiti's, Phythian and even Meaney (who played park football for Ballina till age 18), were nothing at junior level, but thrived with extra training.

In a lot of ways, the best indication is how players go when they start training 60 hours a week in the senior squad.

We went through a period of buying gun juniors like Beau Henry, Kyle O'Donnell, the Likiliki brothers, Con Mika etc, and they were all duds when asked to train and play against seniors - and it wouldn't surprize me if their original clubs knew very well that they wouldn't be up to the extra workload and didn't fight too hard to keep them.
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Thought beau henry did really well in the games he played for us shame he got short shifted by bennett twice, Injury ruined his career at the titans
 
Aidos said:
He isn't that small imo and seems to play above his weight (his hitups were strong in FG).

With another pre-season under his belt and him being only 18, he should add some bulk and be growing soon enough.
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Don't get me wrong I'm not doubting he will get there but no great has come to grade as an 18 year old and been able to compete physically 26 rounds a year. Sione still struggles a few years in cant see him being any different.


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Aidos said:
He isn't that small imo and seems to play above his weight (his hitups were strong in FG).

With another pre-season under his belt and him being only 18, he should add some bulk and be growing soon enough.
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He ran the ball hard which was good to see but still got driven backwards every tackle a bit like Mamo,he still looks like he has a lot of growing to do which is good
 
Beatell said:
Don't get me wrong I'm not doubting he will get there but no great has come to grade as an 18 year old and been able to compete physically 26 rounds a year. Sione still struggles a few years in cant see him being any different.


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No doubt it will be a challenge but Nathan Cleary (have no doubt he could've played 26 rounds) and Anthony Milford are a few recent players that have handled it at 18.

Daniel Saifiti at 19 did great playing most weeks in the NRL, too.

Quite a few players in the 18-20yo age can and have handled it if they are special enough.
 
Besides Dan the rest were in side that had the ability to protect there new kids. We dont have that.

Also Dan is a 6'6 120kg man mountain bit easier to handle the nrl over a 175cm 85kg fullback
 
I hope Browny has a plan to not rush him straight into fullback. As a 18/19-year-old, we should be playing him at wing in defence, fullback in attack for at least most of the first season we get him.
 
88Knight4life said:
Besides Dan the rest were in side that had the ability to protect there new kids. We dont have that.

Also Dan is a 6'6 120kg man mountain bit easier to handle the nrl over a 175cm 85kg fullback
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Given prop is one of the most physically demanding positions, it's extremely rare a 19 year can handle it weekly in NRL, irrespective of size.
 
Thats the exact post i wrote a week ago lol [MENTION=873]Joshhh[/MENTION]

- - - Updated - - -

Wrong.

But anyways [MENTION=599]Aidos[/MENTION]
 
Well in the past 3yrs 5 or so 18 to 20yr olds have stepped up to the plate and are currently some of the best running around.

How many 18 to 20yr old fullback has there been that have come into grade at fullback and been a hit? None zilch zip zero nadda
 
88Knight4life said:
Well in the past 3yrs 5 or so 18 to 20yr olds have stepped up to the plate and are currently some of the best running around.

How many 18 to 20yr old fullback has there been that have come into grade at fullback and been a hit? None zilch zip zero nadda
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Would love to know these 5 you speak of. From memory Klemmer is the only other 19 year old in recent times who clearly handled close to a full year in NRL. Most young props don't handle it until they are at least 21 and even then it's quite rare with how physically demanding the middle is.

Anthony Milford, Tom Trbojevic, Josh Dugan and Karmichael Hunt are a few recent ones. Plus a heap of outside backs.
 
Shannon Boyd
Klemmer
Junior Paulo
Dan Saifiti
Napa
Zane Musgrove
Jake turbo
Just to name a few.
All have one thingbin common... big humans!

I said started at fullback..... milf i forgot so give u that.... Moylan?

Tom turbo is mostly on the wing and slowly been moved to fullback as should be the case with Ponga
Same as with RTS
and again with old mate from souths and Holmes
 
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88Knight4life said:
Well in the past 3yrs 5 or so 18 to 20yr olds have stepped up to the plate and are currently some of the best running around.

How many 18 to 20yr old fullback has there been that have come into grade at fullback and been a hit? None zilch zip zero nadda
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Darren Lockyer -18 yrs
Karmichael Hunt - 17 yrs
Tom Trobjevic - 20 yrs

Not fullbacks but backs

Brad Fittler 17 yrs
Laurie Daley - 17 yrs
Andrew Johns - 19 yrs
 
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