Knights star Kalyn Ponga kicks off own fashion range named after his ‘laidback, relaxed’ motto on life

‘Keep it cool’ is Newcastle Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga’s life motto. So much so he’s had the words inked on the inside of his arm. ‘It kind of speaks for itself. I’m pretty laidback and relaxed.’

‘Keep it cool’ is Newcastle Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga’s life motto.

So much so he’s had the words inked on the inside of his arm.

“I woke up one morning and just went and got it,” Ponga said.

“It kind of speaks for itself. I’m pretty laidback and relaxed.”

Kalyn Ponga is loving life with the Newcastle Knights.

Kalyn Ponga’s tattoo.

Now the North Bondi Motorino Social Club has latched onto the motto, working with Ponga to create a Keep It Cool range of T-shirts.

Ponga has managed to keep it cool during an incredible year in which he’s moved to Newcastle, made his State of Origin debut and almost became the youngest ever Dally M medal winner.

Another bit of advice the 20-year-old uses was some wisdom given to him by the retired Billy Slater. Ponga had looked to Slater as the budding superstar kick-started his own career.

“Whenever I’ve asked Billy Slater for help he always says, ‘do it your way, don’t do it my way’,” Ponga said.

“I asked him all these different things but he always said ‘do it your way’.

“That’s what I want to do. I want to do it my way.”

Kalyn Ponga in suit mode at the Dally Ms.

And in 2018 Ponga certainty did dance to the beat of his own drum.

Ponga had played just nine first-grade games with North Queensland before moving to Newcastle.

“One of my main goals was to be consistently good enough to play NRL because I didn’t know if I was good enough to play consistently throughout the year,” Ponga said.

“That was one of my main goals.

“Being a bit harsh I probably didn’t even achieve it because I didn’t play every game.

“I thought I had a good year. It took off on me a little bit. I didn’t expect it to go as well as it did. That comes back to the coach and players. I didn’t expect them to be as supportive as they were. A lot of my footy and the way I played was down to Browny (coach Nathan Brown) and the way he coached and allowed me to play. In terms of a playing year I learnt a lot. Off the field I loved every minute of it.”

Kalyn Ponga is keeping things cool on and off the field.

As Ponga’s on-field performances rose so did the expectations around him. He heads into next year anticipating he will be a marked man.

Ponga will also contend with a positional switch from fullback to five-eighth. The move came about following a Ponga-led conversation with Brown where his star indicated he felt it would be best for the team if he made the leap into the front line.

“Not much fazes me,” Ponga said.

“I don’t care about anyone’s expectations apart from the boys, Browny and my family. There are a lot of people over this potential change who have had their say but if the boys are happy with it, the coach is happy with it and I’m happy with it, it doesn’t really matter.

“I want to get better. I want to learn. That’s the sort of environment we have at the club. No one is content with what’s going on.

“The positional change is a formula. It’s whatever formula is best for the team, if I have to play one or six.

Kalyn Ponga is looking at a huge 2019 with the Knights.

“For me and Connor (Watson) it’s just about playing footy together. I don’t think it matters where we play, it matters that we play.

“If I’m to play in that six position I’ll just want to work on the combination and trust around me.

“If my back-rower likes me and trusts me he will make the tackles for me.”

Originally published as Knights star Kalyn Ponga kicks off own fashion range named after his ‘laidback, relaxed’ motto on life