By Adam Pengilly and Michael Chammas
The NRL has written to Newcastle seeking urgent clarity on why Kalyn Ponga has withdrawn from the Kangaroos squad as it emerged New Zealand made a secret approach for him to pledge his allegiance to the Kiwis.
The Knights and Ponga are facing potential sanctions – including the NRL’s highest-paid player missing games at the start of next season – as the Australian Rugby League Commission and NRL draw a line in the sand over international rugby league.
Newcastle chief executive Phil Gardner was in talks with the NRL on Thursday night after the Knights received a formal letter asking them to explain why Ponga has made himself unavailable for the Pacific Championships.
The decision has disappointed ARLC boss Peter V’landys and Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga after Ponga’s blistering end-of-season form put him on the brink of a Test debut.
The reigning Dally M Medal winner took the extraordinary step of issuing a media statement through his club on Tuesday claiming he wouldn’t play the end-of-season Tests before speaking to Meninga. He later apologised to Meninga about that process.
But the ARLC upped the ante on Thursday with its correspondence to the Knights, leaving open the possibility of a formal sanction for one of the game’s most marketable stars.
Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga.Credit: Getty Images
According to sources not authorised to speak about the matter publicly because of its confidential nature, the letter was not a breach notice, but the NRL has reserved the right to impose a formal penalty given its rules state players must make themselves available for representative duty if medically fit.
This masthead can also reveal former Kiwis coach Michael Maguire tried to coax Ponga into playing for New Zealand before last year’s Pacific Championships.
Ponga turned down the chance to make his New Zealand debut, telling Maguire he still harboured an ambition to play State of Origin for Queensland. Any player who represents tier one nations such as New Zealand or England is ineligible for Origin.
The New Zealand Rugby League approach to Ponga is a fascinating subplot to a tumultuous week in which the candid Knights superstar admitted he wanted to prioritise Newcastle’s pre-season rather than be considered for Kangaroos selection.
Kangaroos preliminary squad
- Fullbacks: James Tedesco (Roosters), Dylan Edwards (Panthers)
- Wingers: Zac Lomax (Dragons), Xavier Coates (Storm)
- Centres: Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins), Kotoni Staggs (Broncos), Bradman Best (Knights)
- Halves: Nathan Cleary (Panthers), Cameron Munster (Storm), Mitchell Moses (Eels), Tom Dearden (Cowboys), Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)
- Hookers: Harry Grant (Storm), Reece Robson (Cowboys)
- Props: Lindsay Collins (Roosters), Reuben Cotter (Cowboys), Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles), Mitch Barnett (Warriors)
- Second-rowers: Liam Martin (Panthers), Angus Crichton (Roosters), Hudson Young (Raiders), Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs)
- Locks: Isaah Yeo (Panthers), Patrick Carrigan (Broncos)
- Utilities: Connor Watson (Roosters), Matt Burton (Bulldogs), Ben Hunt (Dragons)
NZRL boss Greg Peters confirmed on Thursday the Kiwis had wanted Ponga to play for them in the Pacific Championships last year, which ended with New Zealand handing Australia a 30-0 humiliation – their heaviest Test defeat – in the final.
“We would have picked him last year, but he indicated he still wanted to play Origin,” Peters said. “‘Madge’ [Maguire] had a conversation with him. We haven’t approached him again this year. It was just a conversation we had last year. He is a Kiwi, but he’s also eligible for Australia, too.”
It has since emerged Ponga might not have been able to play for New Zealand anyway, given he represented Australia in a World Cup Nines tournament in 2019.
Ponga has previously spoken about his desire to represent the All Blacks if he ever seeks a code switch to rugby union, and his latest move will only cast doubt on whether he ever wants to represent the Kangaroos.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga.Credit: Getty
On Thursday, when asked whether he thought Ponga wanted to play for Australia, Meninga told SEN: “I don’t know. I think he wants to play for his country. Just at the moment, he feels that’s not on his agenda, and he’s made a decision he wants to devote [time] and repay the Knights given how they’ve stuck by him as well. I think that’s a fair excuse, to be honest with you.
“It’s a process we need to improve and we need to get better communication out of the clubs and players and vice versa. This is the catalyst to allow that to happen.”
Bulldogs winger Jacob Kiraz was poised to be a bolter in the Kangaroos’ preliminary squad due to Ponga’s stance, but has since been ruled out himself through injury.
Potential Australian debutants include Mitchell Moses, Zac Lomax, Connor Watson, Reece Robson, Tom Dearden and Mitch Barnett, who have all been named in the wider squad before Meninga trims it for matches against New Zealand and Tonga.
While not referencing Ponga directly, the Rugby League Players Association issued a statement on Thursday night pleading for balanced coverage of the game.
“No one is saying you can’t have an opinion or criticism,” it said. “But there’s a difference between having an opinion and tearing apart people’s characters.
“There’s a difference between acknowledging genuine mistakes and crossing the line into reputational damage. Players are allowed to make fair and reasonable decisions without the fear of retribution.”
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