Source :- THE AGE NEWS
When Kalyn Ponga first had the Newcastle captaincy thrust upon him at the age of 23, it was a case of too much responsibility too soon.
In those early, difficult days as skipper, Ponga was trying to be all things to people before he had even worked himself out.
“I wasn’t ready, I wasn’t,” Ponga admits.
“We went through some bad years, those first couple of years, and I didn’t really know how to handle it either. I probably didn’t have the people around me that could help me get through that period.”
When named as co-captain alongside Jayden Brailey at the start of 2022, Ponga was far removed from the consummate commander he is today. The “C” next to his name was a burden when he was still working out his direction, let alone that of a struggling NRL franchise.
Yet, any concerns he had about whether he was the right person to lead the Knights were quickly allayed when he sat down with Justin Holbrook in the early stages of their 2026 pre-season program.
“I think the coach, in one of the first meetings I had with him, asked me about leadership and how I felt about it,” Ponga recalls.
“I was pretty honest with him, but he just said to me to be myself. Come in here every day, whatever my strengths are, and double down on them. Then, when you leave this place, do what you want—obviously not whatever you want, but do what you want.
“Just that freedom to be myself is a nice feeling, you know? I don’t have to come in here and have that burden of anything else. I think the boys around me also help as well.”
So much so that Ponga, by his estimation, is playing better than ever. Which is some statement given he won the 2023 Dally M medal during a year in which he was only available for 18 regular-season games.
“I think it’s probably my best footy consistently,” he says of his latest purple patch ahead of Sunday’s preliminary final against Penrith.
“It’s just the footy I’m enjoying. I don’t feel like I need to do anything more or less. I know my role within the team, and I just have to prepare to do that … I think being grounded and knowing where I am for the next four years allows me to play my best footy.”
Which is why Ponga recommitted to the Knights until at least the end of 2030 (the club has an option in its favour for a further two seasons). The superstar fullback secured his future on Anzac Day, seven games into the Holbrook era. Remarkably, Ponga played in just two of those due to injury, but had seen enough to be convinced that last year’s wooden spooners were on the up.
“I’ve been here for nine years, and I haven’t had feelings like this before,” Ponga says. “But I think from the top down, the club is in a good position. That starts with the club’s board, people in the right positions above me, and I feel like that’s happening.
“Obviously, the coach was a big one. I only played those first two games – over in Vegas, and then half of the game against Manly for the first 20 minutes. But there was a feeling, a bit of an atmosphere, that I felt comfortable with.
“I think Dylan Brown – I know, ironically, hasn’t actually played a lot of games this year, and we haven’t played that much together – was a big part of it as well. I know that looking at it on paper, he’s going to be here for 10 years, Sharpey [Fletcher Sharpe] is going to be here for a while, Phoenix [Crossland] in terms of a spine – I just didn’t want to leave that.”
It’s not like there weren’t opportunities to move on. There has been no shortage of suitors from the moment Ponga announced himself with a stunning NRL debut at the end of the 2016 season. Most notably, Wayne Bennett attempted to make him a marquee Dolphins signing, challenging the fullback to get out of his comfort zone to chase greatness.
“I’m not going to comment,” Ponga says when reminded of Bennett’s pitch. “I definitely learned some things out of that meeting with him.”
Now 28, Ponga feels he understands himself better as a footballer and a person. A big part of that is the opportunity to represent his family’s New Zealand heritage. Ponga was born in Western Australia, spent his formative years in Queensland and has represented the Maroons. A change in the international eligibility rules will allow him to represent the Kiwis for the first time at the season-ending Rugby League World Cup.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve definitely felt more connected to my culture,” he says.
“Through my family, my little sister, understanding it, understanding what it means to them and my family back home … maturing and growing up sort of does that to you.
“I didn’t know if the opportunity [to play for the Kiwis] was going to present itself, and I’m definitely grateful that it has. It’s smart, it puts the best players in both arenas and I’m definitely grateful that I get the opportunity to represent my culture and where I’m from.”
