Sport Confidential: Newcastle star makes his move, secret meeting that could end Kalyn Ponga’s Queensland career
A Newcastle star has finalised a multi-year deal move to the Tigers, adding youth and strike to their forward pack as the revolution continues at Concord. That and more in Sport Confidential.
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The Wests Tigers have landed the prized signature of Newcastle back rower Kai Pearce-Paul.
The Tigers have been locked in talks with the English international for weeks and the discussions have concluded in the 24-year-old signing a three year deal.
It is understood the deal is worth upwards of $1.5 million in a coup for chief executive Shane Richardson and coach Benji Marshall.
Pearce-Paul has played 32 games for the Knights over the past two seasons after joining the club in 2023 along with fellow Englishman Will Pryce.
Pryce has since departed to return to England, where he is playing with Hull FC. Pearce-Paul, meanwhile, is set to stay in the NRL, albeit with the Tigers as they add youth and strike to their forward pack.
Pearce-Paul played 22 games in his maiden season in the NRL and has been a mainstay in the Newcastle forward pack in 2025.
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In-form Canberra flyer Savelio Tamale is locked in talks over extending his contract after just 14 games in first grade.
Tamale – who has played every game for the Raiders this year – arrived at the club from St George Illawarra on a two-contract.
The Raiders are so impressed by his form they have opened talks over an extension that would keep him at the club until the end of 2028, ensuring rival clubs do not get a chance to speak to him on November 1.
The 20-year-old – who played one game for the Dragons last year – has been a star for Canberra on the flank scoring six tries from 13 appearances for the Green Machine.
He is among the leading contenders for the NRL’s rookie of the year award and is among the premiership leaders in a host of key stats.
Only Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco has busted more tackles than Tamale this season. Only Tedesco and Manly’s Lehi Hopoate have run for more metres. Tamale is also among the top 10 in the NRL in runs and line breaks.
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Wests Tigers winger Sunia Turuva has urged the club to do everything in their power to ensure captain Api Koroisau extends his deal beyond next season.
“For me, I hope to see him re-sign,” Turuva said of Koroisau, who also happens to be his cousin.
“I don’t know how long but I’d just like to see him extend. He’s been a big part of the club. I know we’ve had a couple of wooden spoons the last couple years, but he’s just been the shining light I guess, just the way that he’s just been able to lead the boys.
“Now he’s got Romey (Jarome Luai) alongside him, so it makes things a lot easier for himself.”
Koroisau has one year remaining on his deal with the Tigers but he and the club are ready to sit down to discuss an extension beyond the end of next season.
It could come at a cost for the Tigers, not just in terms of the hit to their salary cap. Koroisau’s understudy Tallyn da Silva is expected to reconsider his future at the club should the Tigers skipper extend beyond the end of next season.
Turuva insists that Koroisau is playing as well as ever.
“Yeah, 33 this year, his form has gone through the roof,” Turuva said.
“He’s been he’s been killing it for us – probably been our top three plays each game.”
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FLASHBACK
Michael Mongahan was embroiled in drama with his side Manly on this day 20 years ago. Dean Ritchie reported that the Sea Eagles would offer Monaghan a three year deal just days after talks broke down. The parties were at war after the Sea Eagles just two days earlier said they wouldn’t offer their halfback a new deal. Monaghan went on to call the club “gutless”.
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Kalyn Ponga’s potential allegiance switch from Australia to New Zealand has gained momentum after he was spotted catching up with International Rugby League chairman Troy Grant.
The pair were seen chatting at a Sunshine Coast bar and grill in the lead up to Origin I. We reached out to Grant who would not comment but it is easy to draw the conclusion that Ponga was perhaps getting the lie of the land when it comes to representative eligibility.
See the video recap in the player at the top.
The decision by AJ Brimson to switch from Australia to England has opened the door for Ponga to do the same.
The pair represented Australia at the one-off World Nine’s tournament in 2019. It was suggested at the time that that would rule anyone who played for Australia in that successful competition from switching their allegiance to another tier one nation.
But that all changed when an independent International Rugby League board ruled the tournament would not keep any player from playing for another country. Brimson has made that choice now it could be Ponga’s turn.
The debate for Ponga is not really Australia or New Zealand. He is reluctant to represent Australia and ruled himself out of Kangaroos contention last year. But for Ponga it is more about playing for Queensland or New Zealand.
In the midst of an Origin series, it is understood that neither Ponga nor the Kiwis have applied for an eligibility swap.
Ponga could forgo a Queensland jumper and represent the Kiwis at next year’s World Cup. It would mean giving up his Maroons jumper forever.
Ponga does play for the Maori All Stars which may be enough to satisfy his heritage ambition and allow him to continue to represent Queensland.
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The NRL’s increased vigilance on applying the rules around head contact have resulted in a decline in penalties and sin bins for the offences
The figures suggest players and clubs have reacted to the increased focus on high contact.
Key stats include;
• There were 18 sin bins in round eight, including 14 for foul play.
• In the five rounds since, there have been just five sin bins for foul play – just one for a high tackle.
• The vast majority of sin bins between round 9 and 13 (19 in total) have been for professional fouls.
• There were only two sin bins in round 13 – for North Queensland and the Tigers – but neither were for foul play.
• The number of high tackles being reviewed by the Match Review Committee are also well down since round eight.
• Penalties for high tackles are well down (36 penalties in round eight, compared to nine in round 13).
Meanwhile, players placed on report for high contact is also down from 20 in round eight compared to four in round 13.
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There has been a rush on tickets for the 2026 Las Vegas matches. More than 15,000 were sold to the 2026 Las Vegas matches before the general public tickets went on sale on Thursday, in a strong showing just a few months after the 2025 Vegas matches
It is a 14 per cent increase on last year’s on sale at the same time. There has been a particularly strong response from Super League Clubs Hull KR and Leeds – more than 5000 tickets have been sold to fans of those clubs.
Limited seats also remain on the charter flights from Newcastle, Townsville and Sydney to Las Vegas.
France and Lebanon are working hard on developing a regular competition between the two nations led by French coaching director Trent Robinson and Lebanon coach Michael Cheika.
Lebanon have undergone a renaissance with a new domestic competition established and going well. France are also keen to develop regular matches against Fiji and PNG.
The International Rugby League has also sent their thoughts to French Rugby league president Dominique Baloup who is recovering after suffering a stroke.
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Originally published as Sport Confidential: Newcastle star makes his move, secret meeting that could end Kalyn Ponga’s Queensland career
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