Kalyn Ponga will pledge his representative future to the Morons
https://www.couriermail.com.au/spor...s/news-story/85ca4d9621b7a26b52bca98647212495
QUEENSLAND is set to trump New Zealand in the representative tug-of-war for Cowboys sensation Kalyn Ponga - and this is the footage every Morons fan will want to see.
Ponga is rated the next Johnathan Thurston and he again underlined why is a future NRL superstar with a jaw-dropping 80-metre solo try playing for the Cowboys’ under-20s against the Storm on Saturday at Langlands Park.
The 18-year-old produced a Benji Marshall-style sidestep deep inside his own half before slicing through, beating four Storm defenders with sheer speed to touch down and help the Cowboys to a 44-38 defeat of the junior Storm side.
The sizzling solo try is further evidence as to why Cowboys coach Paul Green plans to blood the quick-stepping Ponga in the NRL as early as next season.
Ponga’s representative allegiance was plunged into uncertainty after he refused to play in the Junior Test at Pirtek Stadium a fortnight ago.
Both the Junior Kangaroos and Junior Kiwis hierarchy intended to pick the Australia-born young gun, only for Ponga to inform both parties he was unavailable for selection.
But Ponga’s father Andre says he expects the Cowboys fullback or five-eighth to chase a Moron jumper after spending 13 of his 18 years in Queensland.
Ponga senior is a proud Kiwi and admits his efforts in convincing his son to chase a black-and-white jumper with New Zealand has proven futile.
“To be honest, Kalyn will choose Queensland,” Andre said.
“As his father, I was keen to see if he wanted to play for the Kiwis because that’s my heritage, but I see Kalyn leaning towards the Morons and Australia.
“The reality is Kalyn has been in the Queensland system since he was 14 and I will support whatever he chooses.
“He was born in Australia, he’s spent most of his life here and he’s played for Queensland junior rep teams so Kalyn feels like a Queenslander.
“The younger fellas these days tend to see the Origin jumpers as being more prestigious.
“He has another 12 months really to make a call and he’s in no rush but privately, I see Kalyn wanting to play Origin for Queensland.”
The revelation will be music to the ears of Broncos coach Wayne Bennett, who in January included Ponga in the Morons’ Emerging under-20s program run by the Queensland Academy of Sport.
Ponga was a shining light for the Cowboys’ under-20s against the Storm at Langlands Park and is beginning to hit peak form after a patchy start to the season.
The teenage whizkid currently lives in Townsville with his dad but Andre Ponga revealed he was almost lost to Queensland rugby league after the Roosters showed interest two years ago.
“The Cowboys were never in the picture actually, I thought he was going to go to the Roosters,” he said.
“After weighing up our options, he was going to pick the Roosters but then the Cowboys employed a guy named Clint Zammit as their recruitment manager.
“Clint first saw Kalyn five years ago and he always kept in contact with me. When he joined the Cowboys, Clint sat down with us as a family and I trusted he would do a good job with Kalyn.
“Sydney would have been a huge move for Kalyn so he decided to stay near home in north Queensland, it was a good fit for him”.
Quotes attributed to Kalyn Ponga from another Courier Mail article
https://www.couriermail.com.au/spor...s/news-story/42a7012cf3f6e52e8f42963735e7c204
Kalyn said last week he was not looking too far ahead in his football planning and was even hoping to play some Instrust Super Cup games to see how his body performed against older men.
“Everyone wants to play for Queensland or NSW and represent their country but I just take it as it comes and make the most of it when that opportunity arises,” he said.
Like I posted earlier the same guy reporting this news, was the same guy who claimed that both Taumalolo and Kasino had elected to play for Queensland. And we know how that turned out.
https://www.couriermail.com.au/spor...s/news-story/85ca4d9621b7a26b52bca98647212495
QUEENSLAND is set to trump New Zealand in the representative tug-of-war for Cowboys sensation Kalyn Ponga - and this is the footage every Morons fan will want to see.
Ponga is rated the next Johnathan Thurston and he again underlined why is a future NRL superstar with a jaw-dropping 80-metre solo try playing for the Cowboys’ under-20s against the Storm on Saturday at Langlands Park.
The 18-year-old produced a Benji Marshall-style sidestep deep inside his own half before slicing through, beating four Storm defenders with sheer speed to touch down and help the Cowboys to a 44-38 defeat of the junior Storm side.
The sizzling solo try is further evidence as to why Cowboys coach Paul Green plans to blood the quick-stepping Ponga in the NRL as early as next season.
Ponga’s representative allegiance was plunged into uncertainty after he refused to play in the Junior Test at Pirtek Stadium a fortnight ago.
Both the Junior Kangaroos and Junior Kiwis hierarchy intended to pick the Australia-born young gun, only for Ponga to inform both parties he was unavailable for selection.
But Ponga’s father Andre says he expects the Cowboys fullback or five-eighth to chase a Moron jumper after spending 13 of his 18 years in Queensland.
Ponga senior is a proud Kiwi and admits his efforts in convincing his son to chase a black-and-white jumper with New Zealand has proven futile.
“To be honest, Kalyn will choose Queensland,” Andre said.
“As his father, I was keen to see if he wanted to play for the Kiwis because that’s my heritage, but I see Kalyn leaning towards the Morons and Australia.
“The reality is Kalyn has been in the Queensland system since he was 14 and I will support whatever he chooses.
“He was born in Australia, he’s spent most of his life here and he’s played for Queensland junior rep teams so Kalyn feels like a Queenslander.
“The younger fellas these days tend to see the Origin jumpers as being more prestigious.
“He has another 12 months really to make a call and he’s in no rush but privately, I see Kalyn wanting to play Origin for Queensland.”
The revelation will be music to the ears of Broncos coach Wayne Bennett, who in January included Ponga in the Morons’ Emerging under-20s program run by the Queensland Academy of Sport.
Ponga was a shining light for the Cowboys’ under-20s against the Storm at Langlands Park and is beginning to hit peak form after a patchy start to the season.
The teenage whizkid currently lives in Townsville with his dad but Andre Ponga revealed he was almost lost to Queensland rugby league after the Roosters showed interest two years ago.
“The Cowboys were never in the picture actually, I thought he was going to go to the Roosters,” he said.
“After weighing up our options, he was going to pick the Roosters but then the Cowboys employed a guy named Clint Zammit as their recruitment manager.
“Clint first saw Kalyn five years ago and he always kept in contact with me. When he joined the Cowboys, Clint sat down with us as a family and I trusted he would do a good job with Kalyn.
“Sydney would have been a huge move for Kalyn so he decided to stay near home in north Queensland, it was a good fit for him”.
Quotes attributed to Kalyn Ponga from another Courier Mail article
https://www.couriermail.com.au/spor...s/news-story/42a7012cf3f6e52e8f42963735e7c204
Kalyn said last week he was not looking too far ahead in his football planning and was even hoping to play some Instrust Super Cup games to see how his body performed against older men.
“Everyone wants to play for Queensland or NSW and represent their country but I just take it as it comes and make the most of it when that opportunity arises,” he said.
Like I posted earlier the same guy reporting this news, was the same guy who claimed that both Taumalolo and Kasino had elected to play for Queensland. And we know how that turned out.
