Kalyn Ponga commits to Knights, ends speculation over NRL future
Knights star Kalyn Ponga has ended speculation over his immediate future in the NRL, with Peter V’landys issuing a warning to any players tempted by a move to the rebel rugby union competition R360.
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Newcastle superstar Kalyn Ponga has been kept out of the clutches of rugby union for the time being. As for any other players who are dancing with rugby union and the promise of untold riches on offer from rebel competition R360, ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys has warned them to tread with extreme caution.
“Whoever goes with them, if they are going to go with them, they are taking an almighty risk because no-one has seen a business model, no-one has seen how they are going to generate revenue,” V’landys said.
Andrew Johns gives Kalyn Ponga blessing to pursue rugby union career amid rumours of code switch
“It’s like anything, if it seems to be too good to be true, it just might be. It’s like when you make an investment. You might get a greater return, but you’re also taking a bigger risk.
“The first thing I would ask myself is how are they going to pay for this. I would want to understand how they are going to fund it.
“I would caution players to do a risk analysis. We’re keeping an eye on it but everything so far, you can’t substantiate how it will happen.”
Crucially, V’landys has just returned from a trip to America with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo where they spoke to broadcast giant DAZN about their plans for the rugby league broadcasting rights.
The existing deal expires at the end of 2027 and talks are well underway over an extension. With the value of the rights expected to skyrocket, player wages will soar with it.
Ponga is currently the game’s highest paid player on around $1.4 million a season. If the cap goes up in line with the broadcasting deal, there is every chance the elite players could be earning $2 million a season from 2028.
It means the game should be in position to mount a fight should R360 or foreign competitions in Europe or Japan target the cream of the NRL.
Ponga was mooted as a potential target for R360 and European rugby after this masthead revealed this week that he had been shopped to foreign clubs.
On Thursday morning, he held talks with Newcastle head of football Peter Parr and emerged from their meeting to declare he was going nowhere and would honour the final two years of his deal.
Ponga may explore his options after that, but for the time being he remains a rugby league player and the people of Newcastle can breathe a sigh of relief.
Ponga shared the news with them via a social media post on Thursday morning.
“Committed to the end of 2027,” Ponga wrote.
“Excited about the vision of the club. Appreciate those that support me.”
Parr was tight-lipped after their meeting but it is understood he relayed his plans for the club to Ponga during their talks.
Ponga, above all else, wants to win a premiership. His preference would be to win it at the Knights. Whatever Parr had to say, clearly had the desired effect as Ponga moved to end the talk that he could walk out on the club to play rugby union,
“We had a really good chat this morning but it was a private conversation between me and Kalyn and it will stay that way,” Parr said.
While Ponga’s public commitment to the Knights ends any prospect of him switching codes before the end of 2027, rugby union is likely to come back on his radar after that.
In the meantime, Ponga will spend the next two seasons attempting to win a premiership with Newcastle. The Knights have bought themselves some time to convince him to stay beyond 2027.
The best way they can do that is by building a side around him that can compete with the elite. Ponga is Newcastle’s highest-paid and best player and is poised to be joined at the club next season by Parramatta half Dylan Brown, who has agreed to a deal with Newcastle worth upwards of $13 million for the next 10 seasons.
Parr has a plan. He wants Ponga to be part of it. So far, so good.
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Originally published as Kalyn Ponga commits to Knights, ends speculation over NRL future
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