Newcastle Knights liken Kalyn Ponga to Benji Marshall, Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

KNIGHTS CEO Matt Gidley believes star recruit Kalyn Ponga is potentially the club’s biggest signing since former international forward Ben Kennedy.

Newcastle believe Kalyn Ponga’s signing is the biggest in over a decade. Picture: Gregg Porteous

KNIGHTS CEO Matt Gidley has likened star signing Kalyn Pongia’s ball-running ability to that of a young Benji Marshall or Shaun Johnson, suggesting he is potentially the club’s biggest signing since Ben Kennedy.

The former Kangaroos centre who played alongside Kennedy in Newcastle’s 2001 grand final win over Parramatta, trumpeted Ponga’s lucrative new four-year deal as one of the most significant signings in the club’s history.

“Based purely on talent, I think so,” Gidley said.

“We don’t want to put any pressure on him so it’s important we look after his welfare. But he is a pretty impressive 18-year-old. He’s an ambitious kid as well so it’s important we get the right people around him.”

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Newcastle believe Kalyn Ponga’s signing is the biggest in over a decade. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Gidley, who claimed speculation about the size of Ponga’s contract had been “wildly exaggerated”, was reluctant to make comparisons but said he more than fits the criteria of the new-age NRL fullback.

“He’s a pretty dynamic ballrunner so if you look at him purely from a ball-running point of view, he certainly looks like a Benji Marshall or a Shaun Johnson or a (Roger) Tuivasa-Sheck.

“He’s certainly got that ability to beat people and score tries.”

Ponga has been compared to a young Benji Marshall.

Newcastle have not given up hope of securing Ponga for next season and would entertain the possibility of a player trade if an agreement could be reached with the Cowboys.

But at this stage, nothing is on the table.

“It’s important everyone recognises Kalyn is contracted to the Cowboys for 2017 and we need to respect that,” Gidley said.

“They have indicated they won’t entertain letting him go early but if the Cowboys decide to change their position, we’d certainly have a conversation about bringing Kalyn here early.”

Ponga signing the biggest since Ben Kennedy.

Given Newcastle has been a strong breeding ground for young players who have gone on to bigger and better things at rival clubs, Gidley has sympathy for the Cowboys in losing the game’s hottest young star.

“It’s happened to us a number of times over the past 30 years where we’ve developed great young players and lost them to other clubs, ‘ he said.

“I understand the Cowboys are probably disappointed but there was a number of NRL clubs interested in recruiting Kalyn and some other codes as well so from our point of view, we are really pleased we could bring him to our club.”

Knights coach Nathan Brown attempted to douse some of the hype surrounding Ponga.

“Kalyn has a very bright future but I think it’s important for everyone to remember he is a young kid and as talented as he is, it’s still going to take time,” Brown said.

Originally published as Newcastle Knights liken Kalyn Ponga to Benji Marshall, Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck