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Marcus Forbes • July 16th, 2025 7:53 am
Photo: NRL Photos
Kalyn Ponga should stay at Newcastle and both the Australian and New Zealand media should stop feeding the machine on this one.
Yeah, I know it’s rich saying that when I’m writing this.
If Ponga really wanted to be an All Black he’d be doing all of this in the background, quietly and still focusing on doing his best for the club that’s paying him an absolute armful of money to be there, right now.
This is yet another case of the typical rugby league player manager putting it out there that their guy wants to shift, usually for the same return they always get - either more cash from the club they’re at, or getting the club coach punted.
And let’s be honest, Adam O’Brien is top of the list for blokes who are likely to be getting the axe by the end of the season, if not before.
And why?
A lot, whether you like it or not, rests with Kalyn Ponga.
A million dollar player should be the one who is leading the team around the field, doing more than anyone else to get results and if they’re not they come out and say they need to be doing better.
This isn’t an unfamiliar story from Ponga and his father/negotiator Andre either.
And Newcastle, sadly, have loads of form for falling for this every time. But they’re not alone, league clubs are notorious for getting rid of a coach to appease the players rather than sending the players on their way for not doing what they get paid to do.
So, let’s park the Kalyn’s coming to rugby chat and actually focus on the blokes who play the game in NZ who graft and toil day in day out to achieve the dream of becoming an All Black.
Should the Knights fight for Kalyn Ponga?
