NRL Round 13 - Knights Vs Eels - 3:00pm Saturday, 30th of May - McDonald Jones Stadium

Just sit Ponga out for Saturday anyway, I mean seriously if we are an actual serious side we shouldn’t need him to beat the Eels, if we do need him it says a lot about where we are at as a team.
1000 percent agree! We should be good!!

I also disagree with just a fine for the incident - I actually think that it should be assessed the same way in club football. If it was a send off or not, it was dangerous play and therefore you pay the consequences. This new rule of just a fine so it doesn’t impact club games? The player who was then taken off the field with the HIA has his club games impacted from an action in a rep game! He’s missing 2 club games due to the 11 day rule!

And if it’s just a fine? Pfft Ponga can afford it! Like he said so blaze in his interview “**** happens”
 
You obviously don’t risk him if there is deemed to be an extra risk but if the medical staff say he’s all clear there’s not much point in resting him for the sake of resting him. After last night he’ll have a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove, as well as it being his new mate Dylan’s milestone game coming up against his old team for the first time. Reckon he’ll be plenty motivated to be out there.

Wouldn’t be surprised at all if he plays, and wouldn’t be surprised at all if they blow the Eels off the park and he gets an early mark anyway.
 
Aftermath.

“I didn’t realise it was a send off when I left (the field). I had no idea what was going on to be honest. I thought it was 10 minutes, and to be honest, I thought they might have assessed me for a head knock.

“At the end of the day, it is what it is. The ref made the call.”
So they didn’t even assess him after that? My god you’d think after the Eli Katoa incident they’d now be extra cautious with players.

They clashed heads badly and he was bleeding. Sure, it doesn’t necessarily mean he was concussed but with his history, I think that’s pretty bad. You’d think they at least want to be sure to cover their own asses if nothing else

No reason for him to play this weekend after that and his recent hamstring injury, just not worth the risk for a game they should be winning easily regardless
 
Ponga agreed to Holbrook to contribute more to the team during his last contract negotiations. I think Ponga will play based on that reason.
If we are slapping the Eels he probably gets an early rest and Hunt comes on imo.
 
I wish and hope that Ponga was checked for HIA to ensure his future.
Actually starting to think that all players that played in NRL games should be assessed after full time to ensure their well being, no test then they should be assessed as failing HIA test.
Note:- I have no idea how long that tests take and if physically it could be accomplished but player welfare should be front and centre. I’m sure that some players are slipping under the radar.
 
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