Kalyn Ponga discussion

The impression I get is that the team is really confident and they are enjoying their free flowing attacking football. However yesterday they had to reign it in a bit and play to the conditions, which they eventually did. I honestly think Ponga has matured immensely this year and has really taken control of the team and we look way better for it
 
sherpa said:
The impression I get is that the team is really confident and they are enjoying their free flowing attacking football. However yesterday they had to rein it in a bit and play to the conditions, which they eventually did. I honestly think Ponga has matured immensely this year and has really taken control of the team and we look way better for it
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And there is an obvious connection between the players and staff which has to be attributed in the most part to Holbrook.
Hopefully soon the attack and defence will click together and we can go on a 2023 run till the end of the season in early October.
 
danknights said:
Ground is fine. It's always had compact ground with shorter grass. Allows it to drain nice and quick but it will sit if it's a downpour like Sunday.
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Ill have to take your word for it. I just feel like I see more players lose their footing at Mac Jones then anywhere else, rain or no rain.
 
Ponga leads all fullbacks in total try involvements per game this season per Fox Sports. He also leads all players for line break assists per game. If he hadn't missed any games he would be knocking on the door of 40 line break assists on the season on the pace he's on at the moment. The only player to crack 40 in a season since they've been tracking it is Cody Walker in 2021.

The power of being on a good team.
 
Macca89 said:
Man I love how invested he is this year. You can only wonder what it would have looked like if we had the right players around him and an attacking minded coach earlier in his career
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Glad it’s finally happened because it was looking like his whole career was going to be wasted.

Things couldn’t have worked out much better really, missing out on Pezet meant we were able to get Brown instead. Would’ve loved AOB to be fired much earlier but guess it worked out for the best because Holbrook is clearly a very good fit for this team. Hopefully they can keep POS here until he retires
 
Yep and there's an extra gear to the attack which is unlocked when he's in the team vs when he's not. The attack's still been good without him but it's with him we really see that full field style at its best. He is the best player in the game at connecting with other wide attacking players & so the team with him in it is heavily built around that, funny that! It's not going to be perfect every game, but with him in the team we're 8 and 3, and without him we're 4 and 5. Enough said.
 
Celticman98 said:
Yet there's people on the cesspit site called Facebook that still thinks he is overrated and overpaid.
Newygirl said:
That just tells me he’s probably underrated and underpaid if that’s what they’re saying on Facebook. The whole site is filled with the dumbest people on earth arguing with bots on AI generated post
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They are everywhere unfortunately. I can think of a few on X too.

Crazy.
 
Mclovin said:
I will put my hand up and say I was worried about him being our captain going foward but oh boy was I wrong, he has matured so much and really stepped up and has been great for our team and a voice that other listen too. You can really tell he loves this club and what its about.
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One thing that's been so impressive to me is - and we can pretend otherwise, but I'm sure it's a thing - is that last year he won the wooden spoon and the guy who's his biggest rival, the guy he has to compete with for that Queensland #1 jersey, won a premiership and a Clive Churchill Medal with what can only be described as some of the most absurd heroball I've ever seen. Reece Walsh 2025 grand final is the best game of footy I've ever seen a single player have.

Kalyn's always been a great highlight reel player and I'm sure if he wanted to chase the footy around and try to get as many try assists as he could, I'm sure he could. And there would be some temptation to try to go out there and snatch the "best individual player in the game" belt.

Instead, he's improved out of sight at everything *except* his own individual attack. This is the fewest wild cut out passes he's thrown in a season, the fewest early set speculative short kicks. The most he's done to just get teammates into good positions and let them shine. The most he's gotten around his teammates and pushed them to be better. The smartest footy he's played. His contribution is transcending his own individual brilliance.

True coming of age.
 
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