Kalyn Ponga has declared himself available to represent Australia, backflipping on sensationally ruling himself out of selection for the Pacific Championships following a controversial week.
After the NRL issued Newcastle with a “please explain” over his withdrawal, the Knights were given until Friday to change Ponga’s mind or see both parties suffer penalties.
In a statement released midway through the first half of the Storm’s preliminary final clash with the Roosters, the Knights confirmed Ponga would abide by NRL rules regarding representative availability.
“The Newcastle Knights and club captain Kalyn Ponga understands his responsibilities under his NRL playing contract, NRL rules and the Collective Bargaining Agreement,” the statement reads.
“Both parties commit to fulfilling all obligations, including availability to play representative football, subject to the standard health, fitness and mental readiness.”
Kalyn Ponga. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Announced earlier this week, Australian coach Mal Meninga’s extended squad of 31 for the Pacific Championships included Ponga, who prompted calls for him to be banned from ever representing the country again after declaring his unavailability for the tournament.
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Meninga confirmed on Thursday the first he knew of Ponga’s withdrawal was via Newcastle’s statement, and the process had been what frustrated him the most.
“I think he wants to play for his country, but just at the moment that’s not on his agenda,” the Kangaroos coach said on SEN radio.
“He wants to devote and repay the Knights for how they have stuck by him. I think that is a fair excuse.
“It’s the process that we need to improve, we need to get better communication out of the clubs and players and vice-versa, that process needs to improve.
Kalyn Ponga returns. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
“This is a catalyst to allow that to happen.”
Meninga said he could understand players being fatigued at the end of a season, and sympathised with them given the current workloads for the game’s elite.
But he was adamant that should be no excuse for a player to make themselves unavailable for Australian selection.
“Through the licence agreements every club has to make their players available for representative duties unless they are injured or there is some other reason,” Meninga said.
“That’s the facts. It’s not about you’re too tired or fatigued.
“I am well aware all players put their body and mind through a tough year.
“There is not one player who is not looking after some injury, not one player who doesn’t need rehab to get over the toughness of the year.
“So it’s no excuse. If you’re fit and healthy to play rep footy, then you should make yourself available.”
Meninga suffered another blow to his Kangaroos squad on Thursday, with Ivan Cleary confirming his son Nathan will probably need shoulder surgery after the season.
That is likely to leave Daly Cherry-Evans as the Kangaroos’ chief halfback for the Pacific Championships, after initially fearing he would lose out to Cleary.
Incumbent NSW halfback Mitch Moses is still recovering following biceps surgery, and would require further consultation to be declared fit for the tournament.
Meninga has also confirmed Canterbury winger Jacob Kiraz is out due to his back injury, while Dylan Edwards is in serious doubt with his knee issue.
“It’d be highly likely he’ll have surgery, I’d say,” Penrith coach Ivan Cleary said on Thursday when asked about his son’s off-season plans.
“But we’ll just get through what we need to do and weigh up the risks and options.”
Kiraz, who made his Test debut for Lebanon as a 17-year-old in 2019 before even having an NRL contract, was one of 31 players informed by Meninga to be in the mix for the international tournament before he was ruled out due to a back injury.
Meninga also confirmed he expected the battered and bruised Tom Trbojevic to be available, after avoiding shoulder surgery.
Trbojevic could play centre or fullback for the Kangaroos, with James Tedesco now the most likely No.1.
The squad is dominated by the NRL’s preliminary finalists, with Penrith (four), Sydney (four) and Melbourrne (three) all heavily represented, with several stars named despite recent injury concerns.
However, Cronulla have been entirely snubbed, with zero Sharks named – seeing them rank alongside the lowly Gold Coast Titans and Wests Tigers for representatives.
Nicho Hynes, who made his Test debut in the 2023 Pacific Championships tournament, is the most contentious of the Sharks overlooked, following a year in which the star halfback’s big-game credentials have been thrown into question after an underwhelming finals series with the Sharks and a poor performance at No.7 in Origin I.
With just 21 players named in last year’s Pacific Championships squad, the squad will be cut before the Kangaroos’ first match of the tournament, against Tonga on October 18.
Connor Watson, Xavier Coates, Zac Lomax, Tom Dearden, Mitch Barnett and Moses all in line for selection for the first time.
Kangaroos preliminary squad
Brisbane Broncos: Pat Carrigan, Kotoni Staggs
Canberra Raiders: Hudson Young
Canterbury Bulldogs: Matt Burton, Jacob Kiraz
Cronulla Sharks: Nil
Dolphins: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Gold Coast Titans: Nil
Manly Sea Eagles: Daly Cherry-Evans, Jake Trbojevic, Tom Trbojevic
Melbourne Storm: Xavier Coates, Harry Grant, Cam Munster
Newcastle Knights: Bradman Best, Kalyn Ponga (ruled himself unavailable)
New Zealand Warriors: Mitch Barnett
North Queensland Cowboys: Reuben Cotter, Tom Dearden, Jeremiah Nanai, Reece Robson
Parramatta Eels: Mitchell Moses
Penrith Panthers: Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards, Liam Martin, Isaah Yeo
South Sydney Rabbitohs: Cameron Murray
St George Illawarra Dragons: Ben Hunt, Zac Lomax
Sydney Roosters: Lindsay Collins, Angus Crichton, James Tedesco, Connor Watson
Wests Tigers: Nil
with AAP