Monday Buzz: New NRL club captains revealed for season 2022

With Kalyn Ponga appointed Newcastle captain for season 2022, PHIL ROTHFIELD reveals who will lead each club this year.

Kalyn Ponga is set to captain the Knights. Picture: NRL Images

The Newcastle Knights are on the verge of naming superstar Kalyn Ponga as their new NRL captain.

Some will see it as a manoeuvre to convince the champion young fullback to reject a massive offer from Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins and stay in Newcastle.

The announcement will be made at a media conference this week as a result of regular skipper Jayden Brailey suffering what could be a season-ending Achilles injury.

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We’re told Ponga was going to be appointed co-captain anyway because he has grown so impressively as a leader over the last 12 months.

Rugby league Immortal and Knights assistant coach Andrew Johns says the decision has nothing to do with the fact Ponga is weighing up his future options.

Kalyn Ponga is set to captain the Knights. Picture: NRL Images

“It’s a no-brainer – he’s the leader of our club,” Johns said.

“He’s our best player and he’s our most high profile player.

“He’s got that real presence about him whenever he walks into training.

“As a captain you don’t need to make Churchillian speeches – he leads and everyone follows him. I think it has to happen.”

BELOW:Every club captain for NRL season 2022

Johns joined the Newcastle coaching staff late last year, replacing Anthony Seibold.

He was immediately impressed.

“I knew he was a special player – we all knew that – but he’s got that something about him that will make a great captain,” Johns said.

“It’s his personality, his demeanour, it’s everything. He’s got great values and he’s a cracking young bloke.”

Knights star Kalyn Ponga in pre-season training. Picture: Knights Digital

Ponga is thriving from learning more about leadership under Johns and club legend Danny Buderus.

The 23-year-old has already played six seasons of NRL after starting at the Cowboys during the finals in 2016 as a rookie teenage winger.

Johns is hopeful Ponga will play out his career at the club.

“He loves the town and he loves the club,” Johns said, “His family love it too.

“I understand there’s not a club in the game who wouldn’t want to sign him but I’m hopeful he’ll stay in Newcastle.”

Ponga will be one of six new captains in the NRL with another two clubs – the Wests Tigers and Melbourne Storm – undecided about their skippers for 2022.

Front-rower James Tamou had the job at the Wests Tigers last year.

He is the club’s most experienced player but the problem is that he averaged only 41 minutes of football each game last season.

The obvious choice would be utility Adam Doueihi, their best player, but he’s out injured for the first 10 weeks.

Tim Sheens was giving little away when we spoke over the weekend but did confirm the much-maligned halfback Luke Brooks was not out of the equation.

At the Storm, general manager of football Frank Ponissi says coach Craig Bellamy is close to making a decision. The job was shared by Dale Finucane and Jesse Bromwich last season following the retirement of Cameron Smith.

The Bromwich decision will be a tough one.

Do Storm stick with a front-rower about to turn 33 and leaving at the end of the season?

Or do they turn to their exceptionally talented halfback Jahrome Hughes who calls the on-field shots anyway?

Originally published as Monday Buzz: New NRL club captains revealed for season 2022