NRL 2023 news: Knights star Kalyn Ponga breaks his silence on 2022 toilet saga

After being hidden for six months, Newcastle Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga has explained what happened when he and a teammate were asked to leave a toilet cubicle.

Kalyn Ponga has broken his silence on the toilet cubicle drama.

Newcastle superstar Kalyn Ponga insists he was sick and feeling the effects of alcohol and food when he was captured leaving a toilet cubicle with teammate Kurt Mann late last year.

Ponga, speaking for the first time about the incident which prompted an integrity unit investigation and led to fresh speculation over his dedication, acknowledged he was in the wrong and vowed to become a better leader.

He also insisted the incident had been an eye opener about the impact of concussion - Ponga only managed 14 games for the Knights last year after suffering a series of head knocks which brought his season to a premature end.

“I was sick,” Ponga said.

“The process of the whole integrity unit going through what they went through, and being through my concussion at that time and not being able to play and show everyone that I do care about the club, was tough for me.

“I have reflected upon my responsibilities as a leader. I have learnt some lessons from that time. I just want to set new standards, be a better leader for this team and the boys I am playing with.

“It was a period that I will look back on and hopefully down the track - and even now - it is probably one of the most difficult moments of my life.

“I have learnt a lot from that time. I have put things in place that will help me be a better person and hopefully be a better leader as well.”

Asked why Mann had accompanied him to the toilet, Ponga said: “He was there to help. Food that I had earlier….. I can’t go back and change anything.

“The only thing I can do is live in the now and my actions moving forward, I can learn from those lessons, I can learn from that period of time.

Ponga and Mann being asked to leave a toilet cubicle

Ponga and Mann being asked to leave a toilet cubicle

“I can’t change it. It is about how you react and how you respond. I have reflected. I definitely have. I didn’t go away from that incident and not take any lessons out of it.

“I shouldn’t have been out or anything like that in the first place. I was in the wrong there.”

Ponga insisted he was naive about the dangers of alcohol when recovering from concussion.

“To be honest I didn’t know the effects that alcohol could have on concussion,” he said.

“Obviously it is not great for concussion. Like I said, I have learnt a lot from that time. It is not a foreign part of the game but there is so much about concussion often people don’t know.

“I look back on that time and that period I was going through the concussions, and they do have an effect on you.

“Moving forward, there have been lots of lessons learned and that is one of them. Hopefully I don’t have any (this) year.”

The NRL opted not to sanction Ponga after the integrity unit investigation and he has retained the Knights captaincy despite calls for him to be stripped of the honour.

He could lead the team out as early as this weekend when they play their final trial, although he may be wrapped in cotton wool given he has struggled through the preseason with a calf problem.

Having retained the captaincy, Ponga has vowed to reward that faith by becoming a better leader.

“My demeanour and the way I am, I am pretty light hearted,” Ponga said.

“I like to see the good things in a lot of things. Leadership, growing up, maturity, all those things - it is part of time.

“Leadership in light of last year’s incident has put it at the forefront. It is something that I need to keep working on.

“I don’t think I am the best leader that I want to be if you know what I mean. I have so much growth in this area but I am prepared to put in the work.

“I know how much this town cares about the team, about the club and the success of the club. I want to show we care as well.”

If Ponga does play this weekend, it will mark his first appearance since his well-documented switch to five-eighth in the offseason.

Ponga insisted it was his decision to make the move and spoke warmly about his growing partnership with new halfback Jackson Hastings, who joined the club in the offseason,

“I have enjoyed the challenge to be honest,” he said.

“That was the exciting part of coming back - doing reps at five-eighth. Jacko has been so good for me. He is such a loud, vocal controlling half.

“It allows me to play free. I think he is perfect for what this team needs. I want to hit the ground running and be the best I can be. But it is going to take time.

“I am excited, it is a challenge for me. It is an opportunity for me to grow as a player and that is what I am excited about.

“I have gone through the preseason and done all the contact. My head feels safe. I am in a comfortable spot that is being me.

“I want to put that (the toilet cubicle incident) in the past. It is a part of last year that hurt me a lot and it is something I can’t control as well.

“It is in the past.”