Kalyn Ponga discussion

I’d rather watch Fletcher play in his preferred position again to get a gauge on what he can do for us as a traditional fullback. He was best on ground last week, albeit whilst both sides were heavily depleted. I wanna see him back that up against a stronger opposition.

We don’t need to rush KP back. He’s not at 100% fitness and clearly not playing 100% because of all these niggles and his confidence is shot. We played our most exciting footy last week. Give those combinations another run and then reassess what to do once we start getting players back.
 
Became he was a big reason we went on the run in 23 and scraped into the finals 24. You would argue the same with Turbo. I’m sure there’s people on there forum that are going why do we pay him so much.

Ponga when he is on is undeniably one of the best players in the comp. But obviously the consistency with form and injuries makes us all question his value.

I think we are all at a point now we’re we will question more and advocate he leaves because now we all know we have Sharpe.

This year the coaches need to persevere with Ponga at 1 fetcher at 6 or 7. If it’s clearly not working be the end of the year then the club would need to reconsider Ponga at the club.

I highly doubt they will let Sharpe go.
 
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MP did get tackled awkwardly against the Eels in the second half, burst through a tackle then someone landed on his ankle. He went and saw the trainer immediately after that.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Well if the dude can’t play hard on those injuries, I don’t know, maybe rest him? He’s been hurting more than helping.

He also looked quite sprightly against the Eels, with a Maroon jersey on the line.
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Then who is that on? The coach.

If he has been carrying injuries all year and it's affecting his performances then again, that is on the coach.

Look I fully agree KP has been average this year so far and not worth his salary for us, but how much of that is due to injuries holding him back a bit? We don't know do we. We have heard nothing at all from the club really on his injuries and find out from QLD camp he has a few injuries, enough that it may keep him out of origin, but we gonna play him.

That could be QLD origin theatrics, might not be.

The thing keep coming back to is the coach. It's been mentioned that selections, recruitment maybe, is being made to appease KP. If so, again, who is that on? The coach, POS.

It was asked why are we defending the 1.5 million dollar man! For mine there now are two camps on the forum, the camp saying move KP on, and the camp saying KP needs a coach that can actually coach a team around him. We went well last game without KP sure, against a cup level Panthers team. You can argue the point on that but the guts of that team had been removed.

There has been a real switch flicked on the forum for some you could see it happening, suddenly it was KP needs to go, and from there, for mine, there is some confirmational bias going on with how some things are being seen. And that was before Sharpe played fullback last game.

KP goes to another team and watch him dominate. I have no doubt. Yet here we can't get the best from him, or the team when he is in the squad.

The coach carries the can for that.
 
Kurriboy said:
Then who is that on? The coach.

If he has been carrying injuries all year and it's affecting his performances then again, that is on the coach.

Look I fully agree KP has been average this year so far and not worth his salary for us, but how much of that is due to injuries holding him back a bit? We don't know do we. We have heard nothing at all from the club really on his injuries and find out from QLD camp he has a few injuries, enough that it may keep him out of origin, but we gonna play him.

That could be QLD origin theatrics, might not be.

The thing keep coming back to is the coach. It's been mentioned that selections, recruitment maybe, is being made to appease KP. If so, again, who is that on? The coach, POS.

It was asked why are we defending the 1.5 million dollar man! For mine there now are two camps on the forum, the camp saying move KP on, and the camp saying KP needs a coach that can actually coach a team around him. We went well last game without KP sure, against a cup level Panthers team. You can argue the point on that but the guts of that team had been removed.

There has been a real switch flicked on the forum for some you could see it happening, suddenly it was KP needs to go, and from there, for mine, there is some confirmational bias going on with how some things are being seen. And that was before Sharpe played fullback last game.

KP goes to another team and watch him dominate. I have no doubt. Yet here we can't get the best from him, or the team when he is in the squad.

The coach carries the can for that.
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Mate I’ve seen Johnathan Thurston under some of the worst coaches in NRL history. I’ve seen him play five-eighth with organising halfbacks, halfback with running five-eighths, I’ve seen him play with skilful ball playing fullbacks and with very limited battering rams. How often during Thurston’s career did you think “wow, he’s really struggling with acclimating to his role this year” or even “gee Thurston is playing soft & **** this season”?

That’s the calibre of player Ponga is supposed to be. That’s why he gets paid so much.
 
I hope they name 1 Sharpe, 6 Gamble & 7 Cogger as they played well enough, ok maybe Cogger not quite so, and combined well.
Name Ponga in full squad just not in the 17 until sure he is ok then changes can be made by the Coach if required.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Mate I’ve seen Johnathan Thurston under some of the worst coaches in NRL history. I’ve seen him play five-eighth with organising halfbacks, halfback with running five-eighths, I’ve seen him play with skilful ball playing fullbacks and with very limited battering rams. How often during Thurston’s career did you think “wow, he’s really struggling with acclimating to his role this year” or even “gee Thurston is playing soft & **** this season”?

That’s the calibre of player Ponga is supposed to be. That’s why he gets paid so much.
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Not even just a great like Thurston. Sharpe is playing in the exact same ****ty team with the exact same ****ty forwards with the exact same ****ty coach as Ponga but that doesn’t stop him from consistently trying. That’s what’s sadly missing with Ponga and unfortunately has always been the case if we’re being honest. I genuinely just don’t think he’s super in love with rugby league. I don’t think it has anything to do with the club, I think he cares about the club as much as he could a rugby league club, but I personally think he sees rugby league as something to give him the financial means to explore other interests and hobbies. There’s nothing wrong with that, work life balance and being well rounded is important, but you can definitely tell the players that live and die rugby league on the field to the ones that don’t. I’ve thought this for a long time but the clincher was when he was asked to talk about how he would have handled needing to retire with concussions and he basically said he wouldn’t care and he’d just move onto something else. No player that’s truely in love with the game would say that.
 
I don't think it's an excuse, more like another problem that he very rarely seems to be fully fit.
 
Seems to have ongoing problems injury wise, maybe when SOO is over and if (most likely) we aren’t in running for top 8 he could be rested and his injuries dealt with so that he is fit for season 26 and Brown starting
 
For the last few years Ponga has been showing up to train from day 1 - long before he has to.
He has said that he owes to club some good football, and I think he's taking his training very seriously, so he can do his best to pay the club and fans back for all the time and money that's been put into him over the years.
I have no doubt he started the year in best ever form and picked up an injury in round 3 and has been struggling since.
People mis-interpret his odd and shy personality as disinterest in the game, but it's more that he is uncomfortable dealing with people.
His friendships with extroverts like Watson, Pryce, Croker, Hoy etc are because he'd like to be like that, but he isn't.

He hasn't been good value for money for us, but not his fault. He's doing everything he can to earn his giant salary - just constant setbacks over the years means he never has delivered the results we all want.

I'd be happy to see him go elsewhere, but also happy to see him have the great year he deserves at another club. We could spend his money on a quality prop and have enough left over for a decent halfback to partner Brown.
 
Billy said:
For the last few years Ponga has been showing up to train from day 1 - long before he has to.
He has said that he owes to club some good football, and I think he's taking his training very seriously, so he can do his best to pay the club and fans back for all the time and money that's been put into him over the years.
I have no doubt he started the year in best ever form and picked up an injury in round 3 and has been struggling since.
People mis-interpret his odd and shy personality as disinterest in the game, but it's more that he is uncomfortable dealing with people.
His friendships with extroverts like Watson, Pryce, Croker, Hoy etc are because he'd like to be like that, but he isn't.

He hasn't been good value for money for us, but not his fault. He's doing everything he can to earn his giant salary - just constant setbacks over the years means he never has delivered the results we all want.

I'd be happy to see him go elsewhere, but also happy to see him have the great year he deserves at another club. We could spend his money on a quality prop and have enough left over for a decent halfback to partner Brown.
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Well said Billy
 
Billy said:
People mis-interpret his odd and shy personality as disinterest in the game, but it's more that he is uncomfortable dealing with people.
His friendships with extroverts like Watson, Pryce, Croker, Hoy etc are because he'd like to be like that, but he isn't.
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Most likely he picks friends that are extroverts, because they take the burden off him having to be too outgoing. Not so much him wanting to be like them.

But, that doesn't bode well for the captain or a team.
 
Not sure if Toby Sexton wants an immediate release. But he should be in the picture for competent to good 7.
Savala from the Roosters is a good shout out also. Not sure what his contract situation is.
 
Kurriboy said:
Most likely he picks friends that are extroverts, because they take the burden off him having to be too outgoing. Not so much him wanting to be like them.

But, that doesn't bode well for the captain or a team.
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dont have to be an extrovert to be a leader.
a good manager shows their team how to get over a wall. a good leader shows them where to put the ladder. KP is a lead by example type, and is vocal when he needs to be. He'd set the tone & let the sargeants like Frizz, Elliot & Lucas do the revving up.
 
So here's a question I never thought I'd ask:

Which other NRL clubs would actually want Ponga right now, and who would they be willing to give up in exchange?
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
So here's a question I never thought I'd ask:

Which other NRL clubs would actually want Ponga right now, and who would they be willing to give up in exchange?
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This is a point I'd want to make too.
If he leaves he goes to a club that is in a similar if not worse position than us. Very unlikely a top club wants to pick up a 28/29yo fullback on big money.
 
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