Billy Slater calls out Kalyn Ponga 'issue' as Newcastle Knights face massive roster overhaul
The Knights are facing a tough off-season as the club undergoes a review.
Newcastle are facing a huge dilemma in the off-season with legendary fullback Billy Slater questioning whether the Knights can go to the next level without supporter for Kalyn Ponga as the club's salary cap falls under scrutiny. Ponga was sensational against the Cowboys on Saturday, but his scintillating display at fullback wasn't enough as the Knights were eliminated from the NRL finals.
Unfortunately, the Knights have relied on Ponga to ignite their attack in recent weeks as they made an unlikely run in to 8th place to make finals footy. This was also evident against the Cowboys with Ponga at the heart of all the Knights' go-forward.
And questions are being asked of the roster with Ponga the highest paid player in the NRL on a reported $1.4 million a season contract. Few can argue Ponga is not worth every dollar with the electric fullback lighting up games in a way few can.
However, the huge salary takes a dent into the salary cap with suggestions the Knights can't afford another big signing due to Ponga's contract. The Knights' salary cap has come under review in 2024 with a number of players reported to be leaving in the off-season.
New recruitment boss Peter O'Sullivan has been brought in to make changes to the roster with a long-term view in mind. And Slater also believes the Knights need to make a number of key recruitments in crucial areas.
Slater lauded Ponga's efforts on the weekend and claimed he was the best player on the field in a losing team. But this wasn't enough for the Knights to go to the next level.
The legendary fullback pointed to NRL heavyweights such as the Panthers and the Storm who have a strong spine that helps fullbacks such as Ponga flourish. "When you rely on Kalyn Ponga to be the star, and he was the star on Saturday night and they still couldn't quite get it done... that's an issue for me," the NRL great said on The Billy Slater Podcast.
"If you have a look at the Melbourne Storm, they've got Harry Grant, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster. [Penrith] has Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai in the halves, Dylan Edwards at the back, Mitch Kenny in at number nine. That is a high quality key position area.
"Newcastle don't have that quality in their key positions. You need to build that. I think Newcastle need to improve that if they are going to challenge for anything." The issue for the Knights is freeing up salary cap space to afford a new halves signing in the near future.
Kalyn Ponga laments one moment against the Cowboys
Ponga's efforts was not enough to help the Knights advance into the second week of the finals and he admitted a crucial pass in the second-half let him down. Ponga had two linebreaks, two try assists, seven tackle breaks and ran for 188 metres from 19 carries in easily the most dominant individual display on Saturday night.
The reigning Dally M Medallist proved almost impossible to tackle at times and gave the Cowboys defenders nightmares. However, having sliced through the Cowboys defence in the 69th minute and drawing in Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater, Ponga's pass to his right was awkward.
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The ball went to ground resulting in the Knights to lose possession, and ultimately momentum for the rest of the game. And speaking to Channel Nine, Ponga admitted the pass was the pivotal moment in the contest.
"Yeah, we definitely did (let it slip)," he told Nine. "It's not just one pass that we missed out by, there were some moments in the game. I said to the boys behind the tryline, we've got to be proud of ourselves. I know it blew out at the end, but we were in every single moment right until the death there.
"We just didn't come away with it. Everyone was counting us out, but we've fought hard over the last six weeks to get into this position and we had a moment there, not to win the game but to put ourselves in front. "It's hard when you lose. I would have liked that pass back for sure... it's hard."
