Kalyn Ponga asked for secret Wayne Bennett Dolphins meeting: Reports

Kalyn Ponga’s future is as clear as mud after an explosive report flipped the script on the Knights star’s secret meeting with Wayne Bennett.

The plot thickens. Photo: Steve Pohlner and Getty Images

The plot has once again thickened around Kalyn Ponga’s future, despite the deal reportedly being locked in.

Last week, tongues were wagging as Ponga met with Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett, CEO Terry Reader and recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan in Sydney.

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The secret lunch meeting of course got out as the Dolphins continue to keep their feet in the water to nab one of the last marquee recruits left ahead of the team’s first season.

The Queensland star has long been mentioned as the Dolphin’s No. 1 target as the NRL’s 17th franchise tries to build a squad from nothing before its inaugural season in 2023.

Last week, Knights legend and consultant Andrew Johns took aim at Bennett on the Sunday Footy Show.

“I just think it’s poor form if Wayne flew down to Newcastle to meet with a player while they’re playing that season,” Johns said. “It would definitely be a distraction.

“I think it’s poor form to fly to someone’s home town, while they are still playing, to try to get them to go to their club next year or whenever.

“Wayne, in 2000, (former Broncos star) Justin Hodges signed with the Roosters, so he put him on show in front of the team and sacked him, he played reserve grade all year.

“It’s different when it goes the other way. I think it’s really poor form.”

Kalyn Ponga threw a spanner in the works. Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images

But on Tuesday night, Triple M’s Ben Dobbin said on The Rush Hour with Leisel, Liam, and Dobbo that it was in fact Ponga and his father who asked for the meeting.

“(Ponga) had an initial meeting with the Knights where they put forward their offer, the Dolphins have obviously put forward their offer, and he went away and thought about it. Well within his rights. Everybody was on board about it, everyone knew about it,” Dobbin said.

“Then last week KP reached out to the Dolphins and said ‘I’d like to have another discussion’.

“Now, let’s get some things straight. The discussion didn’t take place in Newcastle, in your own backyard, in your town, Wayne didn’t fly into Newcastle.

“It was in Sydney where this discussion took place, and it was off the back of Kalyn Ponga and his father who manages him, wanting to have a meeting to see exactly what the Dolphins really, truly, genuinely felt that their side was going to be like.”

Dobbin said that when he approached the club, he got an unexpected reaction.

“I spoke to somebody at the club … (they) were filthy on it. Filthy,” Dobbin said.

“And then when I told them it was in Sydney, they said, ‘well, at least it wasn’t in his own backyard’.

“So what if he did.”

Wayne Bennett won’t say either way. Photo Steve Pohlner

On Fox League’s NRL 360 on Tuesday, The Daily Telegraph’s Dave Riccio said that as part of the discussion over the meeting, Ponga was told: “If you want to cruise as you are at Newcastle, stay at Newcastle. If you want to take your game to another level, come to the Dolphins.”

And don’t expect a quick resolution as Ponga has until June 30 to make a decision if he wants to activate the clause to stay in Newcastle.

This is despite reports on Monday night that Ponga was sent to sign a new deal with Newcastle as soon as this week, valued at around $1.1m and $1.2m a season.

If the Dolphins miss out on Ponga however, there are few choices left for the Redcliffe-based side to make a splash on the player market.

Having missed out on the likes of Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant from the Storm and Clint Gutherson from the Eels, Ponga, Melbourne star Cameron Munster and Warriors star Reece Walsh are considered the top targets left. However, Munster and Walsh are currently contracted until at least the end of the 2023 season.

Ponga’s appeal comes from the option in his favour with the Knights — potentially opening the door for the Queensland State of Origin fullback to move to the Dolphins at the end of the year.

It’s a situation the Knights got themselves into. Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images

On NRL 360 on Monday night, Paul Kent said the drama was all of the Knights making.

“They’ve got a clause in his contract that he has to tell them by June 30 whether he is staying on or whether he is leaving,” Kent replied. “If you’re going to put that clause, which comes right smack bang in the middle of the season, about whether he stays with the club or not, then surely you’re going to expect him to negotiate during the season.

“If you’re able to negotiate and have to make a decision before the end of June, you can’t do it sitting in your lounge room. You’ve got to go out there and have a conversation. No-one can complain about that because the Knights allowed it to be in the deal.”

Fox League NRL reporter James Hooper called it “imbecilic management” from Newcastle.

“This is the big catch,” he said.

“They trumpeted it up as: ‘We’ve got him for life’. It wasn’t for life at all. They put an asterisk in every year of the contract that gives him a get-out if he wants to go shop himself around.”