Kalyn Ponga has declared he would not have committed his future to the Newcastle Knights if he did not believe the club was on the verge of a premiership charge. The star fullback, who has been with the Knights since 2018 and captain since 2022, signed a three-year contract extension late last week, with a further two-year option in the club's favour. The deal begins in 2028 and will keep him at the club until the end of the 2030 season.
Having turned 28 last month and played 139 of his 148 NRL games for Newcastle, the extension means Ponga will spend the majority of his NRL career with the Knights. He debuted for North Queensland in 2016 at age 18 but will have spent 13 seasons at Newcastle by the time his new contract concludes.
Belief in the club's direction
"I wouldn't sign if I didn't think so," Ponga said when asked if he believed the Knights could win a premiership in the coming years. "I wouldn't stay here, through this pretty important part of my career, if I didn't believe the people and everything that's going on within the club."
He reflected on the transformation since his arrival a decade ago: "From where it was 10 years ago when I first got here, to where it is now, that's why I'm pretty proud to stand up here and be the captain and stay here for an extra four [years]."
Ponga was due to hit the open market on November 1 when he entered the final year of his existing contract, but chose to forgo testing his value elsewhere. Happy with life in Newcastle and driven to succeed with the Knights, he described the decision as straightforward.
Contract talks and team news
Extension discussions began only a few weeks ago while Ponga was sidelined with a hamstring injury. He revealed that a conversation with chief executive Peter Parr prompted the negotiations, which were kept secret from the media and most of the club's players and staff. Ponga informed his teammates directly at training on Saturday morning.
Newcastle collected the wooden spoon last year, but the Queensland Origin representative has been encouraged by the club's direction since. "Dyl Brown, the addition of him has been huge," Ponga said of the halfback, who joined the club this year on a 10-season deal. "Along with a lot of our juniors that are progressing through. We've got a core group that have been here for a while now, that want to win and understand what it means to be a Knight, and work with me for this town to see a premiership."
He also credited coach Justin Holbrook: "And then obviously Justin Holbrook and the environment here he has created. I'm really enjoying my role here as a leader and enjoying being a Knight. I also love it here in Newcastle as well. All of those things definitely played a part in my decision."
Return from injury
Ponga has not played since injuring a hamstring against Manly in round two. He has missed six games but has been named to return when Newcastle host South Sydney on Sunday. The Knights have won two of the six games he missed but have lost their past three.
"I'm excited to get back out there with my teammates," he said. "It's never nice [losing]. Obviously the wins are really nice. The last couple of games, being up there with the coach [in the grandstand], not being able to have a say in the outcome, it's not a position I like being in ... I want to be on the field."
Ponga confirmed he would resume Newcastle's goal-kicking duties, taking over from Sandon Smith, who has kicked at 75 per cent this season and drops to the interchange bench. Fletcher Sharpe, who played fullback for the past two games, reverts to five-eighth in place of Smith.
In addition to Ponga, back-rower Dylan Lucas, centre Bradman Best, winger Greg Marzhew and forward Tyson Frizell all return from injury this week. Newcastle are now essentially fielding their full-strength line-up, the same starting side that took the field in Las Vegas in round one.
"I've only played a game-and-a-half," Ponga said. "A lot of the boys haven't been on the pitch together. It's exciting to have everyone on the park back home here on Sunday in front of our fans."
