Latest news with #KalynPonga
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
The nine questions we want Knights fans to answer on O'Brien, Ponga and the future
The coach, the star and the 2025 season of frustration: what do Newcastle Knights fans think about how things have transpired at the club this year? We want Knights supporters to answer nine key questions and tell us how they're feeling as the club fights to restore pride at the end of this season. Take the survey below. The brutal NRL blowtorch was turned on the Knights this week after their loss to the Melbourne Storm. The club has been hit hard by injuries this year, with several of their most influential players missing large chunks of the season. The team's attack stuttered at the start of the season, and they lost five games in a row between rounds 3-8. They've shown glimpses of form, but have struggled to string two good games together since winning the first two matches of the year. O'Brien has led the team to the finals in four of his five seasons in charge and has two years remaining on his contract. There was speculation the Knights board was moving to oust him before the end of the season, but that talk has since eased and it appears he will at least be given the rest of the year to fight for his future. The spotlight was then turned on superstar fullback and captain Kalyn Ponga, who has been linked to a move to rugby union despite also having time to run on his Knights deal. Ponga and O'Brien area yet to address the issues publicly, but the situation has divided fans and past players. Premiership-winning five-eighth Matthew Johns said he was unsurprised about the rumours and speculation, but conceded losing Ponga would leave a huge hole. "Very hard to replace a Kalyn Ponga," he said on SEN Radio. MORE KNIGHTS NEWS "The Knights find themselves in a precarious situation, because ...with Perth and PNG coming into the comp, this is going to spark a signing frenzy similar to what it was in Super League ... if you start losing blokes like Kalyn Ponga, you can't replace them." His brother, rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns, said there would be "no animosity whatsoever" if Ponga decided to leave. "The cold, hard fact is he [Ponga] won't win a premiership at Newcastle," Johns wrote in his Sydney Morning Herald column. "Several senior players - Leo Thompson, Jackson Hastings, Jayden Brailey, Adam Elliott and Jack Hetherington - are going to follow Daniel Saifiti out the door and another rebuild looms." The coach, the star and the 2025 season of frustration: what do Newcastle Knights fans think about how things have transpired at the club this year? We want Knights supporters to answer nine key questions and tell us how they're feeling as the club fights to restore pride at the end of this season. Take the survey below. The brutal NRL blowtorch was turned on the Knights this week after their loss to the Melbourne Storm. The club has been hit hard by injuries this year, with several of their most influential players missing large chunks of the season. The team's attack stuttered at the start of the season, and they lost five games in a row between rounds 3-8. They've shown glimpses of form, but have struggled to string two good games together since winning the first two matches of the year. O'Brien has led the team to the finals in four of his five seasons in charge and has two years remaining on his contract. There was speculation the Knights board was moving to oust him before the end of the season, but that talk has since eased and it appears he will at least be given the rest of the year to fight for his future. The spotlight was then turned on superstar fullback and captain Kalyn Ponga, who has been linked to a move to rugby union despite also having time to run on his Knights deal. Ponga and O'Brien area yet to address the issues publicly, but the situation has divided fans and past players. Premiership-winning five-eighth Matthew Johns said he was unsurprised about the rumours and speculation, but conceded losing Ponga would leave a huge hole. "Very hard to replace a Kalyn Ponga," he said on SEN Radio. MORE KNIGHTS NEWS "The Knights find themselves in a precarious situation, because ...with Perth and PNG coming into the comp, this is going to spark a signing frenzy similar to what it was in Super League ... if you start losing blokes like Kalyn Ponga, you can't replace them." His brother, rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns, said there would be "no animosity whatsoever" if Ponga decided to leave. "The cold, hard fact is he [Ponga] won't win a premiership at Newcastle," Johns wrote in his Sydney Morning Herald column. "Several senior players - Leo Thompson, Jackson Hastings, Jayden Brailey, Adam Elliott and Jack Hetherington - are going to follow Daniel Saifiti out the door and another rebuild looms." The coach, the star and the 2025 season of frustration: what do Newcastle Knights fans think about how things have transpired at the club this year? We want Knights supporters to answer nine key questions and tell us how they're feeling as the club fights to restore pride at the end of this season. Take the survey below. The brutal NRL blowtorch was turned on the Knights this week after their loss to the Melbourne Storm. The club has been hit hard by injuries this year, with several of their most influential players missing large chunks of the season. The team's attack stuttered at the start of the season, and they lost five games in a row between rounds 3-8. They've shown glimpses of form, but have struggled to string two good games together since winning the first two matches of the year. O'Brien has led the team to the finals in four of his five seasons in charge and has two years remaining on his contract. There was speculation the Knights board was moving to oust him before the end of the season, but that talk has since eased and it appears he will at least be given the rest of the year to fight for his future. The spotlight was then turned on superstar fullback and captain Kalyn Ponga, who has been linked to a move to rugby union despite also having time to run on his Knights deal. Ponga and O'Brien area yet to address the issues publicly, but the situation has divided fans and past players. Premiership-winning five-eighth Matthew Johns said he was unsurprised about the rumours and speculation, but conceded losing Ponga would leave a huge hole. "Very hard to replace a Kalyn Ponga," he said on SEN Radio. MORE KNIGHTS NEWS "The Knights find themselves in a precarious situation, because ...with Perth and PNG coming into the comp, this is going to spark a signing frenzy similar to what it was in Super League ... if you start losing blokes like Kalyn Ponga, you can't replace them." His brother, rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns, said there would be "no animosity whatsoever" if Ponga decided to leave. "The cold, hard fact is he [Ponga] won't win a premiership at Newcastle," Johns wrote in his Sydney Morning Herald column. "Several senior players - Leo Thompson, Jackson Hastings, Jayden Brailey, Adam Elliott and Jack Hetherington - are going to follow Daniel Saifiti out the door and another rebuild looms." The coach, the star and the 2025 season of frustration: what do Newcastle Knights fans think about how things have transpired at the club this year? We want Knights supporters to answer nine key questions and tell us how they're feeling as the club fights to restore pride at the end of this season. Take the survey below. The brutal NRL blowtorch was turned on the Knights this week after their loss to the Melbourne Storm. The club has been hit hard by injuries this year, with several of their most influential players missing large chunks of the season. The team's attack stuttered at the start of the season, and they lost five games in a row between rounds 3-8. They've shown glimpses of form, but have struggled to string two good games together since winning the first two matches of the year. O'Brien has led the team to the finals in four of his five seasons in charge and has two years remaining on his contract. There was speculation the Knights board was moving to oust him before the end of the season, but that talk has since eased and it appears he will at least be given the rest of the year to fight for his future. The spotlight was then turned on superstar fullback and captain Kalyn Ponga, who has been linked to a move to rugby union despite also having time to run on his Knights deal. Ponga and O'Brien area yet to address the issues publicly, but the situation has divided fans and past players. Premiership-winning five-eighth Matthew Johns said he was unsurprised about the rumours and speculation, but conceded losing Ponga would leave a huge hole. "Very hard to replace a Kalyn Ponga," he said on SEN Radio. MORE KNIGHTS NEWS "The Knights find themselves in a precarious situation, because ...with Perth and PNG coming into the comp, this is going to spark a signing frenzy similar to what it was in Super League ... if you start losing blokes like Kalyn Ponga, you can't replace them." His brother, rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns, said there would be "no animosity whatsoever" if Ponga decided to leave. "The cold, hard fact is he [Ponga] won't win a premiership at Newcastle," Johns wrote in his Sydney Morning Herald column. "Several senior players - Leo Thompson, Jackson Hastings, Jayden Brailey, Adam Elliott and Jack Hetherington - are going to follow Daniel Saifiti out the door and another rebuild looms."
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Crushing new blow for Knights fans as Melbourne Storm poach young star from Newcastle
A tumultuous week for the Newcastle Knights has gone from bad to worse, with the club reportedly losing one of its best young talents to the Melbourne Storm. Rumours that Kalyn Ponga is unhappy at the club refuse to go away, despite him insisting on Thursday that he's staying put. Coach Adam O'Brien is said to be on borrowed time, with the club reportedly preparing to part ways with him at the end of the season. And club officials are facing backlash for an 'insensitive' oversight towards former player Alex McKinnon. But the situation went from bad to worse on Friday amid reports the Storm have poached young gun Cooper Votano from Newcastle. The is reporting that 16-year-old Votano has agreed to join the Storm from next season. Described as "one of the game's most promising young playmakers", Cooper is the younger brother of NSW Under-19 representative Connor Votano. Cooper helped the Knights make the Harold Matthews Cup grand final this season in the Under-17s competition. Predominantly a half, Cooper's exit is a hammer blow for the Knights considering their struggle in the position in recent seasons. Jackson Hastings, Tyson Gamble and Jack Cogger have all failed to cement their place in the halves for Newcastle, however Fletcher Sharpe has emerged as a genuine superstar at five-eighth. The Knights also have Dylan Brown arriving in 2026 to play halfback. Votano's move to Melbourne is seen as an insurance policy for the Storm amid uncertainty around Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster. Hughes is contracted until the end of 2026, while Munster's deal is one year longer. Both are expected to receive lucrative offers from expansion clubs Perth and PNG, and there's also the looming threat of the cashed-up R360 rugby competition. How does Cooper Votano's exit affect brother Connor? The Storm also have talented young playmakers Jonah Pezet and Tyran Wishart on their books. Votano's exit will be a huge worry for Knights officials desperate to retain brother Connor. The 19-year-old played in the junior State of Origin game for NSW in 2024, and is viewed as one of the Knights' top prospects. However he's predominantly a fullback, meaning he'll struggle to crack the first-grade team while Ponga remains at the club. There was speculation earlier this year that Connor had drawn interest from the Bulldogs, but a family member moved to insist he was committed to remaining in Newcastle. RELATED: 'Real concern' for Panthers as Nathan Cleary floated for $3m exit Wayne Bennett 'ban' set to be upheld amid awful news about Latrell With Cooper Votano now heading to the Storm, it remains to be seen how his exit will affect Connor's future. The Storm have one of the best fullbacks in the game in Ryan Papenhuyzen, but he's also off contract at the end of 2026. There's a 'mutual' option in his deal to remain in 2027 if both he and the club agree, but he's also been floated as a top target for R360 and has admitted he'd consider it. As for Ponga, he stated on Thursday that he's committed to the Knights. The superstar fullback has reportedly hired a rugby union agent based in New Zealand, and has been discussed in meetings involving R360 offcials. But he wrote on social media: "Committed to the end of 2027. Excited about the vision of the club. Appreciate those that support me!"
7NEWS
a day ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Kalyn Ponga to remain at Newcastle as speculation mounts on coach Adam O'Brien
Kalyn Ponga insists he will remain at Newcastle until the end of his contract amid uncertainty over his future at the Knights. Midway through a tough eighth season at the club, Ponga was this week linked with a move to rugby union, with reports claiming he had engaged the services of an agent in New Zealand. Ponga has a lucrative contract that ends in 2027 but the report hinted that he could possibly walk as early as this year. But Ponga took to social media to insist he would be with the Knights through to the end of his current deal. 'Committed to the end of 2027,' Ponga posted on Instagram. 'Excited about the vision of the club. Appreciate those that support me!' The report noted that the Ponga camp had made no official approach to the Knights about an early exit from the club. But it said he had 'engaged the services of a New Zealand rugby union agent' amid feelings he was wasting his prime years as a player at the Knights. It also said some key people at the Knights were also open to a discussion about Ponga's future. But with Ponga breaking his silence about his contract, Newcastle fans can rest easy. And the news is a boost to a Knights side that would likely have needed to move Fletcher Sharpe out of the halves to replace Ponga at fullback had he left for the 15-man code next year. That would have left Newcastle without a clear front-runner to partner big-money recruit Dylan Brown in the halves when he arrives from Parramatta in 2026. Ponga has struggled for form on an individual level this year and is currently sidelined with a season-ending foot injury. It came as speculation mounts that coach Adam O'Brien could be shown the door at the end of the season as Newcastle appear destined to miss the top eight.
The Advertiser
a day ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Newcastle No.1 insists he's committed to Knights
Kalyn Ponga insists he will remain at Newcastle until the end of his contract amid uncertainty over his future at the Knights. Midway through a tough eighth season at the club, Ponga was this week linked with a move to rugby union, with reports claiming he had engaged the services of an agent in New Zealand. It came as speculation mounts that coach Adam O'Brien could be shown the door at the end of the season as Newcastle appear destined to miss the top eight. But Ponga took to social media to insist he would be with the Knights through to the end of his current deal. "Committed to the end of 2027. Excited about the vision of the club. Appreciate those that support me!" Ponga posted on Instagram. The news is a boost to a Knights side that would likely have needed to move Fletcher Sharpe out of the halves to replace Ponga at fullback had he left for the 15-man code next year. That would have left Newcastle without a clear front-runner to partner big-money recruit Dylan Brown in the halves when he arrives from Parramatta in 2026. Ponga has struggled for form on an individual level this year and is currently sidelined with a season-ending foot injury. Kalyn Ponga insists he will remain at Newcastle until the end of his contract amid uncertainty over his future at the Knights. Midway through a tough eighth season at the club, Ponga was this week linked with a move to rugby union, with reports claiming he had engaged the services of an agent in New Zealand. It came as speculation mounts that coach Adam O'Brien could be shown the door at the end of the season as Newcastle appear destined to miss the top eight. But Ponga took to social media to insist he would be with the Knights through to the end of his current deal. "Committed to the end of 2027. Excited about the vision of the club. Appreciate those that support me!" Ponga posted on Instagram. The news is a boost to a Knights side that would likely have needed to move Fletcher Sharpe out of the halves to replace Ponga at fullback had he left for the 15-man code next year. That would have left Newcastle without a clear front-runner to partner big-money recruit Dylan Brown in the halves when he arrives from Parramatta in 2026. Ponga has struggled for form on an individual level this year and is currently sidelined with a season-ending foot injury. Kalyn Ponga insists he will remain at Newcastle until the end of his contract amid uncertainty over his future at the Knights. Midway through a tough eighth season at the club, Ponga was this week linked with a move to rugby union, with reports claiming he had engaged the services of an agent in New Zealand. It came as speculation mounts that coach Adam O'Brien could be shown the door at the end of the season as Newcastle appear destined to miss the top eight. But Ponga took to social media to insist he would be with the Knights through to the end of his current deal. "Committed to the end of 2027. Excited about the vision of the club. Appreciate those that support me!" Ponga posted on Instagram. The news is a boost to a Knights side that would likely have needed to move Fletcher Sharpe out of the halves to replace Ponga at fullback had he left for the 15-man code next year. That would have left Newcastle without a clear front-runner to partner big-money recruit Dylan Brown in the halves when he arrives from Parramatta in 2026. Ponga has struggled for form on an individual level this year and is currently sidelined with a season-ending foot injury.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kalyn Ponga makes huge call on Knights future as Adam O'Brien exit claims take a turn
Newcastle Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga has committed his future to the club having expressed his excitement at the project the team is building as coach Adam O'Brien's exit at the end of the season is not a 'foregone conclusion'. The Knights have embroiled in plenty of drama this week with reports emerging Ponga was looking to leave before the end of his contract to chase opportunities presenting themselves in rugby union. Ponga still has two years still to run on a deal worth $1.4 million per season. The club was rocked with the news, but it came as reports emerged Newcastle were already looking at replacing coach O'Brien after the season was completed. The Knights have had a horror injury run in recent weeks - with Ponga ruled out for the season - but sit in 13th with a tough draw remaining to see out the season. And despite speculation Ponga could be looking at a new opportunity in rugby, the Queensland and Knights fullback has moved to quell all noise and commit his future to the club. Taking to social media on Thursday, the fullback said he is excited for the next step for the club with the likes of Parramatta Eels playmaker Dylan Brown arriving next year. "Committed to the end of 2027. Excited about the vision of the club. Appreciate those that support me," he wrote accompanied with a picture of him celebrating a try in front of the home crowd. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝙆𝘼𝙇𝙔𝙉 𝙋𝙊𝙉𝙂𝘼 (@kalyn__ponga) Ponga committing to the club is a massive win for the fans who have supported the fullback throughout his journey. With the likes of Brown joining the side and playing in the halves, it should give the team a massive boost for the 2026 season. And while the Knights' No.1 man is ready to fight for the jersey, it remains to be seen who will be coaching the side next year. Adam O'Brien future in doubt in Newcastle Newcastle bosses are also reportedly preparing to part ways with coach Adam O'Brien at season's end, and are willing to pay him out $1.2 million. A number of candidates have been linked to the job, but speaking on Thursday morning reporter Michael Carayannis suggested it isn't a foregone conclusion O'Brien won't be there next year. "There has been lots of innuendo about firstly, Adam O'Brien's future...I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Adam O'Brien is not the coach of the Newcastle Knights next year. That's the conversation I've had with people," Carayannis said on SEN Radio. "It's not a certainty that he won't be there...I wouldn't necessarily call him a dead man walking yet." The Knights are reportedly giving O'Brien eight weeks to show improvement in the side. However, the club face a tough run with the likes of Warriors, Raiders and Panthers.
