‘Not a great look’: Knights break silence on Ponga toilet drama

The Newcastle Knights have spoken on Kalyn Ponga’s toilet cubicle drama as the club’s captain is raked over the coals.

Ponga and Mann are asked to leave. Photo: Getty Images and Instagram

Newcastle Knights director of football Peter Parr has spoken about Kalyn Ponga and Kurt Mann’s toilet cubicle video, saying it’s “not a good look”.

Vision of Ponga and teammate Kurt Mann being kicked out of a toilet cubicle quickly spread across the internet and through the media on Monday.

The Knights reportedly launched an investigation into the scene as the pair left the stall holding drinks.

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Parr refused to comment on the specifics of the issue as he revealed in a press conference the club had referred the matter to the NRL Integrity Unit.

He said the club would support the Integrity Unit in whatever they need.

“We haven’t discussed any punishment yet because we don’t know if there’s any punishment to be had,” he said.

“We’ll run the process, work out exactly what’s happened or what hasn’t happened and then make some decisions. We don’t have to make any decisions on that yet because the process hasn’t been finalised.

“As I said, we don’t even know whether punishment is necessary.”

Parr confirmed Ponga had not been told by medical staff not to drink and “we haven’t established yet exactly how much he had”.

Asked if it was too early to know if Ponga would remain captain of the club, Parr said it was “way too early for that”.

Ponga is out for the season after repeated concussions. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

However, after a bumpy couple of weeks after the David Klemmer furore and with the Knights in 14th on the NRL ladder, Parr admitted it wasn’t what the club needed.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a great look, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “It’s not a great look, but all the facts haven’t been established yet. So let’s wait till the process is finished the integrity unit, do what they need to do. We’ll co-operate with them and then we’ll make some decisions if we have to.

“Just because it’s not a good look, doesn’t straightaway mean that somebody’s done anything wrong. So let’s let the process run its course and we’ll see what happens after that.”

Parr did say the club was struggling with its leadership

“I think that it’s there has been a lack of leadership around the playing group and that’s not all on them,” Parr said. “Just because you it’s a young group. And just because you make somebody a leader or put them in a position of leadership doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to grasp the leadership straightaway.

“That could be an education process. The club, coaching staff, everybody has a role and playing to educate the players in that in that facet.

“I work with captain for a long period in my previous job, and he was appointed very young and he had a few bumps in the road early and I think everyone will agreed he turned out one of the better leaders in the game.

“I have some sympathy for young people thrust into leadership roles that they’re not always going to get it right. And it’s our job to help them and to educate them.”

The captain Parr was referring to was Johnathan Thurston at the North Queensland Cowboys, where Parr worked from 2001 until August 1 this year.

Ponga is just 24 years old. Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images

Parr also revealed Bradman Best and Enari Tuala were “stood down” for this weekend’s match for “not living up to team standards” after being late for the team bus.

The press conference came as a result of the four-second video being released on social media.

“Oh, that’s a surprise,” the security guard could be heard saying after spotting the footballer.

Ponga’s father Andre told the News Corp publication that the Newcastle duo were in the toilet together due to illness after celebrating the purchase of a new property.

“He made an exciting house purchase Saturday and celebrated with a few mates drinking,” he said.

“Sick in the toilet and his mate went in to help him.”

Both players are on the injury list currently.

Ponga confirmed on Sunday his season was over due to concussion protocols after he was concussed for a third time in six week during the Knights’ round 19 clash against the Roosters.

“I’d be sweet for the last round but doing no contact for the year, it probably would be a wise thing not to play the last round,” Ponga said.

“My season’s done. It’s a bit weird. I feel OK now. At the start I felt a bit weird, headaches and whatnot, but I feel all right now.

“It’s just hard. I feel OK. I feel fit. I want to play but I guess I’m just going through the protocols at the moment.

“It is tough. I feel sweet. There’s nothing wrong with me.

“I can’t feel anything but I just have to trust the process that’s ahead of me.”

The press conference likely did little to stop the backlash. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Mann is recovering from a quadriceps injury and is scheduled to return for the final game of the season.

But on NRL 360 on Monday night, Braith Anasta and Fox Sports reporter James Hooper weren’t sold on the excuse from Ponga’s father.

“We might have to get pinocchio out again, we’re not believing that fairytale are we?” Hooper said on NRL 360.

“It’s not often you go to the toilets with a mate to throw up, do ya,” Anasta said.

Hooper added: “They’re both coming out holding bourbon and cokes. It’s a bad scene.”

Phil Rothfield said he believed Ponga could be stripped of his captaincy over the drama.

“It’s a really bad look and I know the Knights are really concerned about the PR side of it, the culture side of it,” Rothfield said.

“Do you know how serious I think it is, I think he will be stripped of the captaincy.”

On Triple M on Tuesday morning, Penrith great Mark Geyer hit out at “grubs” who film these scenes.

But he also called for the pair to own up to what happened.

“If you’ve done something wrong, just come out and admit it,” Geyer said.

“We’re pretty humble people who listen and watch rugby league, we ask for honesty.

“As soon as you start the honesty process, the healing process will start straight after that. But as long as you drag it on, more people are intrigued, more people are asking questions, more people want to know.

“Whatever’s happened in that cubicle, they’ve got to let us all know and they’ve got to let us all know and they’ve got to say it honestly.”

Geyer said he shouldn’t be stripped of the captaincy but that the excuse “doesn’t pass the pub test”.