Buzz’s highlights, lowlights: Knights players fume over Kalyn Ponga’s special treatment

Knights players are asking serious questions after Greg Marzhew was axed for missing a team bus while Kalyn Ponga went unpunished last year, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD.

Kalyn Ponga went unpunished last year for his toilet cubicle episode. Picture: NRL Pictures

Sports Editor-at-large Phil Rothfield runs his rule over the weekend sporting action and reveals his highlights, lowlights and talking points.

HIGHLIGHT

The wild celebrations at Campbelltown on Saturday night when Wests Tigers forward Alex Twal scored the first try of his career after 116 first grade games and seven seasons at the club.

LOWLIGHT

Non-stop commercials on Channel Nine’s Ashes coverage. They even cut straight to an ad on Saturday night when Dave Warner was out rather than showing us his reaction. Still, TV viewers have taken to Bazball in a big way. On Friday night Channel Nine got an average audience of 903,000 across all platforms for the first day of the Ashes series.

LOWLIGHT II

It cost your columnist $1 per second to watch the Tim Tszyu fight on Main Event.

Tim Tszyu defeats Carlos Ocampo with a first round knockout. Picture: Zain Mohammed / No Limit Boxing

SPOTTED

Joey Johns looking absolutely filthy on Channel Nine’s footy show on Sunday when, in a live cross, Cameron Munster jokingly asked about his feud with brother Matt. “Joey have you made up with your brother yet?” Munster said as Johnathan Thurston giggled (video above).

SHOOSH

In the absence of Nathan Cleary, Jack Cogger is doing an outstanding job at the Penrith Panthers. It hasn’t gone unnoticed by a number of rival clubs, including the Wests Tigers, who have reached out to his manager. He is off contract at the end of the season.

SHOOSH II

Several Newcastle Knights players are understandably asking why winger Greg Marzhew was axed from first grade last week for missing the team bus while Kalyn Ponga and Kurt Mann went unpunished last year for their toilet cubicle episode while drinking when they were supposed to be in injury rehab. Some players are obviously treated differently to others at this club.

Kalyn Ponga went unpunished last year for his toilet cubicle episode. Picture: NRL Pictures

SHOOSH III

The NRL still has no licensing agreements with the 17 clubs beyond this season. This is a risky position to be in although surely we’ll never see the threat of another breakaway competition.

HOME & AWAY

When is a home ground advantage not a home ground advantage. The Wests Tigers haven’t won at Campbelltown for three years – since round six, 2020. That’s eight in a row.

DO ROOSTERS DARE SWITCHING TEDDY?

Who are the best fullbacks in the NRL?

James Tedesco, Latrell Mitchell, Tom Trbojevic, Dylan Edwards, Kalyn Ponga or Reece Walsh.

Or what about golden boot winner Joey Manu!

On Saturday afternoon in Newcastle, Manu had a sensational match for the Roosters against the Knights in the absence of Tedesco.

James Tedesco is being challenged for his spot by Joey Manu. Picture: Getty

He ran 283 metres and made 10 tackle busts.

Certainly miles more effective than his recent outings as a five-eighth or centre.

This has raised genuine questions around the future make-up of the Sydney Roosters backline.

Does Trent Robinson stick with Tedesco at fullback or run with Manu?

Would he consider moving Tedesco to five-eighth?

Other champion fullbacks like Darren Lockyer, Cameron Munster and Jack Wighton have all done it impressively before.

Something needs to happen because the Roosters halves have been so ineffective this year.

They have the worst attack in the competition, bar none.

Sounds crazy but the club needs to do what’s best for the team, not individuals.

At the World Cup last year Manu’s stats were so impressive as the New Zealand fullback.

He averaged 262 metres a game while Tedesco averaged 170 for the Kangaroos.

He averaged 11.25 tackle busts to Tedesco’s 8.5.

Again Manu has averaged 225 metres in nine games at fullback for the Roosters since 2020.

Over the same period Tedesco has averaged 173 metres.

The Roosters’ gutsy victory over the Knights has kept them well and truly in the finals race.

They’ve got the Raiders, Sea Eagles, Storm and a bye over the next month.

They have to keep winning.

And their best chance of doing that might mean shifting the Australian and NSW captain ... for the sake of the team.

360 VIEW

Catch you on NRL 360 at 6.30pm on Fox League with Braith Anasta, Gorden Tallis, Brent Read, Matty Johns and Cooper Cronk in the build-up to Origin II.

Originally published as Buzz’s highlights, lowlights: Knights players fume over Kalyn Ponga’s special treatment