NRL 2022: Knights fear Kalyn Ponga has played last game of season due to concussion

The immediate future of Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga is up in the air following yet another concussion — with the club privately poised to make a tough decision.

Kalyn Ponga of the Knights is tackled by Matthew Lodge (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Newcastle privately fears Kalyn Ponga has played his final game of the season as a leading sports doctor has called on the gun fullback to be rested until next year.

Ponga’s concussion issues have emerged as Roosters half Luke Keary revealed for the first time that his stint on the sidelines was related to a neck injury and not concussion.

Ponga will have to meet with neurologist Chris Levi this week to assess if he will take the field again in 2022.

Ponga lasted just eight minutes in the Knights’ heavy loss to the Roosters on Friday night.

Should the star fullback be withdrawn from the remainder of the season, it will effectively also rule him out of Australia’s World Cup squad.

While Knights officials remain upbeat about Ponga’s long-term future, there is genuine concern he won’t play again this year as they look to ensure the health of their marquee player.

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Kalyn Ponga was clipped by Matt Lodge. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

The Knights No.1 was felled by a high shot from new Roosters forward Matthew Lodge, who was hit with a grade-one high tackle charge by the match review committee.

Lodge will cop an $1800 fine should he take an early plea, and miss no matches.

It was Ponga’s third concussion in six weeks, leading former Roosters and Knights medico Ameer Ibrahim to suggest the marquee talent take an extended break.

“Might be worth giving Ponga the rest of the season off with the ease of that last concussion,” Ibrahim tweeted.

Keary played against Ponga on Friday night, witnessing first-hand the ease of which the Knights fullback was rubbed out of the game.

It was Keary’s first game in five weeks after leaving the field clutching his head against the Storm in round 14.

Kalyn Ponga was taken for a HIA after being assessed on field by the trainer. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Keary’s history with head knocks led the Roosters to taking a cautious approach to his return, however, the Clive Churchill medallist has revealed it was a neck injury that kept him sidelined, not his head.

“This one was a little bit different to the previous lay-offs I’ve had,’’ Keary told Triple M.

“I got a knock against Melbourne, but I wasn’t concussed.

“I had a neck injury.

“I was confident with the advice that I got that it wasn’t concussion symptoms, there was some other stuff going on with my neck.

“I honestly didn’t think about it (head knocks) going into the game.

“I knew I was OK.’’

Kalyn Ponga won’t return after failing his HIA. This is his 3rd concussion in the past 6 weeks, and the 5th time he has required a HIA this season. Each concussion is individual/unique in terms of recovery, but likely extra caution will be taken here by the Knights

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) July 22, 2022

“He’s upset at the moment,” Knights coach Adam O’Brien said after the match. “He wants to come back and play well at the club after Origin.

“He’s had a couple (head knocks).

“He’s pretty emotional. He feels like he has let everyone down.”

Roosters coach Trent Robinson said of Lodge’s tackle on Ponga: “I felt sorry for him but I didn’t think it was that much. It was tough to see Kalyn not go on. It really cost Newcastle.”

Lodge, Gagai learn fate after ugly incidents

— Russell Jackson

Dane Gagai has escaped suspension for swearing at referee Peter Gough while Roosters prop Matt Lodge has been hit with a charge for the tackle which threatens to end Kalyn Ponga’s season.

Gagai was sin-binned for swearing at Gough during the second half. It was the second time during the match Gagai had sworn at the referee. However, he has been issued a concerning act warning for his language. It is understood the spray fell well short of Melboune’s Brandon Smith who missed three games for calling referee Adam Gee a “cheating ba*tard”.

Lodge was whacked with a grade one charge for his tackle on Ponga. The Roosters prop will be fined $1800 with an early guilty plea but won’t miss any matches.

Keary clicks back into gear for red-hot Roosters

— Curtis Woodward

Roosters star Luke Keary was quick to find his feet on his return after a long lay-off due to concussion.

The three-time premiership winner had an immediate impact in his first match in the NRL since June 11, where he failed another HIA against Melbourne at the SCG.

“I felt like it he jumped straight back into it,” Trent Robinson said.

“He wanted to play last week. We wanted him to get back through a bit more work. I felt like he looked he was ready to play for two weeks. There wasn’t that tentativeness to get back into it. He was ready to go.”

Luke Keary made a solid return for the Roosters against the Knights. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

His combination with James Tedesco and the young Chooks was a breath of fresh air for Roosters fans who only returned to the winner’s circle last week against the Dragons after dropping four consecutive games in the month prior.

The returning half got better and looked more comfortable as the contest went on. Early in the second stanza he bombed wide, with a pinpoint kick to the lurking Daniel Tupou.

Much of Roosters second-half attack came down Keary’s side almost like the team needed to give the veteran some confidence going into the back-end of the season.

With blood trickling down from his right eyebrow, Keary stuck to his job and even got in a scuffle late in the match with the much bigger Tyson Frizell.

DARKHORSE CHOOKS

Despite an injury-ravaged season that has crippled their top four hopes, the Roosters continue to fight and did it this time without superstar Joey Manu who succumbed to a quad injury prior to kick-off.

James Tedesco was outstanding for the Roosters. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Thankfully for Robinson’s men, they welcomed back Keary and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the boys from Bondi after losing Billy Smith and Sitili Tupouniua to season-ending injuries and Siosiua Taukeiaho to a fractured cheekbone against the Saints.

BROOKS IT IN

While Knights halves Adam Clune and Anthony Milford have done their best in trying circumstances, O’Brien is craving another playmaker with Milford headed to the Dolphins in 2023 and it could finally see the tumultuous end of the marriage between Wests Tigers and Luke Brooks.

It comes amid reports future Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall, working under Tim Sheens for the next two seasons, has sounded out Parramatta star Mitch Moses for a return to Concord.

Originally published as NRL 2022: Knights fear Kalyn Ponga has played last game of season due to concussion