NRL: Kalyn Ponga withdrawn from Knights squad to face Warriors

Injury has hampered Kalyn Ponga’s season thus far, and now a cloud hangs over his immediate future at both club and representative level.

Kalyn Ponga has played only five games this season. Picture: Ashley Feder/Getty Images

Kalyn Ponga will not make his return from injury this weekend as he continues to recover from a groin injury.

The Newcastle Knights fullback had been named in Adam O’Brien’s side to face the Warriors on Saturday; however, the club confirmed on Thursday that he would instead spend at least another week in the casualty ward.

“Unfortunately, Ponga hasn’t been able to achieve the training intensity and volume required to return to play,” a club statement read.

“Next week’s representative round and subsequent week off will be utilised for Kalyn to continue his rehabilitation process and reassess an achievable return to play timeline.”

The 23-year-old’s omission will likely keep Tex Hoy in the number one jersey. Hoy has deputised for Ponga at fullback on eight occasions this season.

Kalyn Ponga hasn’t played Origin since 2019. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

The groin injury will also keep Ponga out of Origin II, having already ruled him out of the series opener.

Cowboys custodian Valentine Holmes played fullback in his absence as the Maroons succumbed to a 50-6 shellacking.

In anticipation that he may have been fit for Game One, the Maroons flew Ponga up to their Queensland camp – a move that O’Brien has admitted may have delayed his recovery.

“It probably has a little bit,” the Knights supremo said earlier this month.

“In hindsight, I reckon his best chance of (playing in) Game II would have been to stay here and keep working with the group that works with him.”

Unable to repatriate him for Game II, Queensland will look to either Holmes or Titans fullback AJ Brimson to fill Ponga’s shoes.

Warriors youngster Reece Walsh, who has been likened to Ponga in his first six NRL games, could be also called in the squad.

However, Walsh’s coach at club level, Nathan Brown, has warned against handing the 18-year-old his Origin debut.

“It’s not in anyone’s best interests to put an 18-year-old kid in State of Origin that’s played five games of footy in the NRL and didn’t play last year because of Covid,” Brown said before the Warriors’ game last week.

Despite languishing in 14th spot on the ladder, the logjam in the NRL’s bottom eight means finals footy is not yet out of the equation for Ponga’s Novocastrians.

Saturday’s clash against the Warriors looms as crucial, however, with stars Mitchell Pearce and David Klemmer both set to return to the side.