It could be with his absence from the press conference that he's been really struggling with some sort of injury since round 2 onwards. And there's not much choice except for him to play. Just trying to think of a more generous read on things!
Kalyn Ponga discussion
- Thread starter Aidos
- Start date
Frank McWilliams
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
If he is injured then he should be rested of all the positions f/b is well covered by others, Sharpe, Hunt, Votano, Gagai
He needs to be put in recovery if that’s the case, it’s no good carrying him if he isn’t up to it.
I remember when Ponga would be out, we’d play better football because they had to think for themselves instead of the “throw it to Kalyn and let him save us” approach.
That was when our forward pack wasn't also decimated, though.
No forwards , no halves & nothing on the horizon . Had 7/8 years to put a decent team around him . Years are rolling by . Do think he loves the club but reality has hit .He isn't winning a premiership here. Doesn't look happy !
Frank McWilliams
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I made mention of that knock and possible confusion when his form dropped off, hopefully it’s not that
Kurriboy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Yet he runs the ball hit up style straight in to the teeth of the defence.
I doubt it's anything to do with concussion concerns.
frankLauda
Tony Butterfield
Have defences been rushing us? That’s the game plan. Seems like there’s not as much space. We all seemed bunched up when we go left. I do agree kickers are trying to kick away from him. Marzhew gets most of the kicks to him. Maybe cause we are generally getting dominated in the forwards that’s stifling the attack.
Club wouldn't risk playing him if there were concussion concerns . Would become a legal minefield down the track . Media would have had a wiff of it by now .
Kurriboy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I hate to say this, but I can't see KP hanging around much longer.
We have played him to a position where he has few options but to leave.
It's clear his captaincy and leadership skills are lacking, yet if we give the captaincy to someone else, it will appear a demotion for our highest paid player. We can't try him in the halves again as they ship has sailed and would just look like desperation, and KP himself sees himself as a fullback.
Dyl signing might keep him here part way through next year but if the club can't turn this around I think he asks for a release. Whilst young, you view your career as lengthy, and earning good money your immortal. Now though, mid way through his career, he has to be starting to think about what he wants from the rest of his career, and continuing the status quo wouldn't look too appealing. His next contract signing will define his career.
I can't see it being here. Just maybe, his current disinterest is him realising these realities and thinking, do I really want to be here.
We do everything in slow motion. Defences rush us because we allow them to, have no shape, don't run the ball with vigor, don't get on the roll that prevents D's from getting set and rushing up on us. Our attacking line is flat, not deep enough, not running with enough speed at the D line which results in us essentially just passing the ball one to the next in line like kids. No decoy runners adds to this which wouldn't work anyway with the speed of our attacking line.
We offer very little threat allowing the D to just hang in a line, watch the ball move across the line until we run out of space. And attacking close to the try line, all a defence needs to do is single out our halves, and shoot a defender out of the line at them as the ball nears and we have nothing.
Newcastle must be the easiest team in the league to defend against.
We have played him to a position where he has few options but to leave.
It's clear his captaincy and leadership skills are lacking, yet if we give the captaincy to someone else, it will appear a demotion for our highest paid player. We can't try him in the halves again as they ship has sailed and would just look like desperation, and KP himself sees himself as a fullback.
Dyl signing might keep him here part way through next year but if the club can't turn this around I think he asks for a release. Whilst young, you view your career as lengthy, and earning good money your immortal. Now though, mid way through his career, he has to be starting to think about what he wants from the rest of his career, and continuing the status quo wouldn't look too appealing. His next contract signing will define his career.
I can't see it being here. Just maybe, his current disinterest is him realising these realities and thinking, do I really want to be here.
We do everything in slow motion. Defences rush us because we allow them to, have no shape, don't run the ball with vigor, don't get on the roll that prevents D's from getting set and rushing up on us. Our attacking line is flat, not deep enough, not running with enough speed at the D line which results in us essentially just passing the ball one to the next in line like kids. No decoy runners adds to this which wouldn't work anyway with the speed of our attacking line.
We offer very little threat allowing the D to just hang in a line, watch the ball move across the line until we run out of space. And attacking close to the try line, all a defence needs to do is single out our halves, and shoot a defender out of the line at them as the ball nears and we have nothing.
Newcastle must be the easiest team in the league to defend against.
Kurriboy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
More meaning from KP himself in the back of his mind stuff, vs the club.
I was told yesterday he got a depressed cheekbone fracture in that game and has kept it quiet. Brave to play but now confidence seems a bit shook.
Makes sense. Thanks.
Newygirl
Clint Newton
That explains a lot. Brave to play. No wonder they’ve kept it quiet. He has enough trouble with other teams hitting him in the head.
He also copped a whack late in Warriors game and stayed down for a bit. I was surprised he didn’t have to go off for HIA. If got hit in that cheek, that could be why he wasn’t in presser?
As a leader of the club IF he is playing with an injury and as we all have seen he is playing rubbish shouldn't he put his hand up and tell medical staff he needs a spell?
I know it's the admirable thing to play with an injury but doesn't really benefit anybody.
I know it's the admirable thing to play with an injury but doesn't really benefit anybody.
Frank McWilliams
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Full back is our strongest position more than a few capable of covering
Let’s be real here…Sharpe who hasn’t actually played much FG fullback and a bunch of kids yet to debut aren’t comparable to Ponga…but yes, if he’s injured (I’m not convinced) he shouldn’t be playing.