Adam O’Brien fighting to save Knights career as Kalyn Ponga shopped to rebel rugby league

Kalyn Ponga has been shopped around to European rugby clubs and earmarked as a target for a new rebel rugby league. It comes amid rumours coach Adam O’Brien’s time at the club is coming to an end.

Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien isn’t the only pivotal figure at the Knights in the crosshairs.

This masthead can reveal that club captain and superstar Kalyn Ponga has been shopped to rugby union clubs in Europe and earmarked as a target for a new rebel league as they look to launch with a bang by raiding rugby league.

R360, the brainchild of former England international Mike Tindall, has been billed as a global rugby union competition involving 12 franchises from across the world.

The group behind plans to launch a Super League-style breakaway competition have held meetings with agents and players from the major union-playing nations.

It is understood Ponga’s name has been mentioned during meetings with those officials as they look to make a splash when they launch a team in Australia by raiding rugby league for some of their biggest stars.

Ponga is contracted with the Knights until the end of 2027 and it is understood Newcastle remain committed to him as they prepare for the arrival of Dylan Brown next season.

Kalyn Ponga has been shopped to rugby union clubs in Europe. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

However, Ponga himself has at times indicated that he would be interested in potentially switching codes and becoming an All Black.

The issue as it stands is that R360 is yet to secure financing or a broadcast deal for the proposed competition. This masthead revealed earlier this year that the new league must have 200 signed players and a broadcast deal by September 30 for it to get off the ground.

No doubt, Ponga won’t be the only NRL player on their hit-list. It is understood that some of the NRL’s most prominent agents, who also have rugby union connections, have been involved in the briefings that have been carried out by officials from R360

This masthead has also been told that a prominent New Zealand rugby union agent has been gauging interest in Ponga from clubs in France and Japan.

News of fresh interest in Ponga comes as speculation is revived over the future of O’Brien. The hot rumour doing the rounds over the weekend was that D-Day was fast arriving for the Knights coach.

Newcastle, having endured a frustrating season of injury and defeat, were apparently ready to sever ties with O’Brien on Tuesday.

Adam O'Brien’s time at the Knights could be coming to an end. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

The rumour proved unfounded but the speculation didn’t go away as reports emerged that O’Brien would have his contract terminated at the end of the season unless the club’s form improved in coming weeks.

The Knights declined to comment on Monday but they privately insist that their position had not changed and no discussions had been held with potential replacement coaches.

O’Brien has led the club to the finals in four out of his five seasons in charge but the goodwill appears to be fast dissipating as the club endures a tumultuous season in which injury has savaged their squad.

Ponga is one of three stars currently sidelined for the remainder of the season, having suffered a Lisfranc injury in his foot for the second consecutive season.

Dylan Lucas was also sidelined at the weekend with the same injury while Fletcher Sharpe has been ruled out for the year with a lacerated kidney and ruptured spleen.

The pressure has been building on O’Brien for weeks, the blowtorch only amplified given the speculation over fellow NRL coaches Todd Payten and Des Hasler.

Hasler is expected to depart the Gold Coast at the end of the season if not sooner given the side is the hot favourite to win the wooden spoon.

Payten is under pressure as well given the Cowboys have won one of their past six games - that victory was over the Titans.

Talk about the future of several coaches has the potential to fast-track decisions by some clubs on their next step.

Sharks assistant Josh Hannay is the hot property in the assistant coaching ranks at the moment and the talk around Gold Coast interest in him has the potential to cause a chain reaction in clubland.

The Knights also have Blake Green on their coaching ranks - he is highly regarded at the club and throughout the NRL.

Originally published as Adam O’Brien fighting to save Knights career as Kalyn Ponga shopped to rebel rugby league