‘Amateur hour’: Johns blows up at ‘ridiculous’ Kalyn Ponga saga, floats bold theory

Andrew Johns has slammed his old team for its handling of Kalyn Ponga’s Kangaroos scandal, floating a bold theory that could have avoided it all.

Joey Johns isn't happy with Newcastle's handling of the Kalyn Ponga situation.

Andrew Johns has labelled Newcastle Knights management “incompetent” over its handling of Kalyn Ponga’s decision to stand himself down from playing for Australia.

The 26-year-old’s move to make himself unavailable to play for the Kangaroos during their Pacific Championships campaign has been widely criticised with calls for the Knights star to be banned from ever representing his country again.

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NRL boss Peter V’landys has also voiced his displeasure at the Queensland State of Origin star, with the league considering suspending Ponga from playing NRL games at the start of the 2025 season.

The NRL is investigating Ponga’s decision, which was made public through an official club statement released by the Knights.

“I want to win a comp, for me anything short of that, isn’t success,” said Ponga, who is managed by his father Andre.

“My focus has never shifted from wanting to win a Premiership with the Knights, that has been my goal since I joined the club in 2018 and continues to be my focus.

“When I’m done, I want to look back at my career with a positive reflection, including people saying he was a great signing and represented our community to the best of his ability.

“For now, I don’t feel like I have earnt that yet, that’s why I have made this decision and will work hard every day to chase those goals.”

Kalyn Ponga won’t play for the Kangaroos this year. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Speaking on WWOS’ Freddy & The Eighth, Johns said the Knights unnecessarily put Ponga under pressure by releasing the statement on their club website without more thought put into the potential fallout.

The eighth Immortal suggested the Knights could have flagged Ponga had injury worries, given NRL player contracts dictate players must make themselves available for representative football unless there are extenuating circumstances.

“If he doesn’t want to play, he doesn’t have to play,” said Johns, who led Newcastle to their last premiership in 2001.

“Who cares? Let him go to rugby union then, it’s his decision ... you can’t make people play. If he doesn’t want to play for Australia, so be it,” he said.

“It’s not on Kalyn, it’s on the Knights for being incompetent ... where’s someone within the Knights saying ‘hang on, just think about it for a second, what about we just say you need a clean-out of your ankle or something like that?’

“Who has let him come out and put himself up for criticism like that? Someone within the organisation, put your hand up.”

“Someone within the organisation has to put their hand up at the Knights and say ‘you know what I absolutely screwed this up’, because someone within there should’ve said ‘we need to sort this out because this won’t pass the pub test and you’re going to get hammered’ ... absolute amateur hour.

“You’ve put your star player under so much pressure, it’s ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous.”

Andrew Johns says it could have been handled better. Photo: Getty Images.

Ponga is priortising the Knights. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Brad Fittler agreed it was disappointing Ponga wasn’t desperate to make his Kangaroos debut.

“I think if you don’t want to play for Australia that’s sad, at his age where he is at the moment, he should be chewing at the bit to play for Australia,” Fittler said.

Ponga finished the season as one of the form players of the competition as Newcastle snuck into the top eight before losing in the first week of finals.

The superstar fullback was reportedly tipped to be named in coach Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad for the Pacific Championship. Ponga is the highest paid player in the NRL, earning around $1.4 million a season.

Australia take on Tonga on October 18 and New Zealand on October 27. The final will be held at Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium on November 10.

James Tedesco, Dylan Edwards and Tom Trbojevic are now contenders to wear the No. 1 Kangaroos jersey at the Pacific Championships.

The Kangaroos were demolished by the Kiwis 30-0 in last year’s Pacific Championships final.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Speaking on Fox League’s NRL 360 on Wednesday, Steve Roach and Benny Elias said Ponga’s withdrawal had been poorly handled.

“I think it’s bad the way he did it just pulling out,” Roach said on NRL 360.

“I think it disrespects our jumper. Couldn’t he have gone in there and done the medical? My shoulder or my hip or whatever. He would have had some sort of injury. They wanted him to play.

“I think it’s look bad for all the young kids out there that strive to play for Australia.

“I would never, ever, ever have thought if I could make it to play for Australia, I’d do anything to get that green and gold jumper.

“So to me, it just proves that it doesn’t mean that much to him.”

Ponga’s withdrawal has disappointed rugby league greats. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

“I think it’s been badly done,” Elias added.

“I mean, he could have done it in many ways, but the actual fact is it’s wearing the green and gold. It’s the ultimate. That’s why you play from day dot is to play and represent your country.”

“He might have thought that might be a way that he could play for Queensland in the State of Origin,” Roach said.

“If he made himself eligible to play for Queensland, so that he can play for Australia. So he’s probably done it that way. I want to play Origin.

“That’s a pinnacle of the game to a lot of young blokes now.

“So he’s denounced the Australian jumper. I don’t like it.

“Do you think a baggy green cap, an Australian cricketer, that got picked to wear that baggy green cap would say, I want to denounce it? I don’t want to play? No chance. No way.”

Originally published as ‘Amateur hour’: Johns blows up at ‘ridiculous’ Kalyn Ponga saga, floats bold theory