Andrew Johns calls out glaring truth about Kalyn Ponga that might come back to bite Queensland

Andrew Johns has pointed out the extra tackling Kalyn Ponga will have to get through if he plays in the middle in State of Origin 3, which could have a detrimental effect on his attacking game. Daly Cherry-Evans confirmed on Monday that Billy Slater is planning to use Ponga in the middle of the park as an extra ball player, unless there's an injury in the back-line.

But it means he'll be defending in the front line and will have plenty of traffic coming his way, which Johns believes could blunt him with ball in hand. The Maroons are hoping Ponga can create havoc around the ruck and slice through some tiring NSW forwards.

But if the Blues make him get through plenty of defensive work they might be able to limit his potency in attack. "My thoughts on Ponga are clear - he’s a generational talent whose best position is fullback," Johns wrote in a column for the Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday. "Barring an injury to Reece Walsh, he won’t be at fullback on Wednesday night.

"I suspect he’s going to play a role in the middle of the park for the Maroons, which terrifies and excites me in equal measure from a NSW point of view. On the one hand, he will be an absolute menace against tiring and flat-footed Blues forwards if that’s how he’s injected into the game. They can’t clock off for a moment. Ponga will expose them.

"But if I’m (NSW coach) Michael Maguire, I’m licking my lips at the prospect of seeing him defending in the washing machine, where middle forwards cycle up and down and have to get through their tackles. If he’s making two or three tackles a set, will he still have the zing in attack?"

Wayne Bennett highlights Kalyn Ponga 'risk' for Queensland

Former Queensland coach Wayne Bennett also questioned Ponga's selection last week considering he's only played one NRL game in the last 11 weeks. "They are talking about playing him in the middle. That is high risk, but Origin is about risk," Bennett said. "It could turn out to be a great move. It could turn out to hurt you. He is a wonderful player, but he has had one game in about three months."

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On Monday, Queensland captain Cherry-Evans spilled the beans on how Ponga will be injected off the bench. "We are going to encourage everyone and particularly Kalyn, when he comes on, to just play footy. It's his strength," Cherry-Evans said. "Some stuff you just can't script. Sure we will want to put some pieces together for him and some framework but ultimately his best footy is when there's a quick play-the-ball and off he goes.

"I watched him play (for Newcastle) in his first game back and it is hard not to be excited watching Kalyn Ponga play. He is a great footy player. If we can get him in some opportunities and positions on the field that he is familiar with then he is a really hard person to take down. He is a run option. He is a pass option and can pop up in the back of shape and challenge people directly. I am really excited Kalyn is back in this arena and looking forward to playing alongside him on Wednesday."

As Queensland selector Darren Lockyer pointed out, the Maroons forwards will have to lay a platform that Ponga can capitalise on - or he might be rendered useless in the middle. Queensland were bullied by the NSW forwards in Game 2, but have vowed not to take a backward step in the decider at Suncorp.