Fears over Ponga's future after sickening clash

There are fears implicit Kalyn Ponga's aboriginal successful the NRL aft the Knights skipper suffered yet different concussion successful his side's triumph implicit the Wests Tigers.

Ponga's day came to an extremity wrong 2 minutes after a sickening caput clash with Tigers youngster Asu Kepaoa successful the Knights' 14-12 win astatine Leichhardt Oval.

The Knights skipper came disconnected his enactment to conscionable an onrushing Kepaoa but clashed heads and was near flattened instantly afterwards earlier being helped backmost onto his feet.

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Nine's commentary squad was near stunned erstwhile the clash occurred, with pb caller Mat Thompson calling it a "dramatic scene".

"Oh no. Ponga has been deed flush. Oh dear! Kalyn is not astatine each well," helium said.

Ponga was near flattened aft a caput clash with Asu Kepaoa successful the 2nd infinitesimal of the Knights' triumph (Cameron Spencer via Getty Images)

"What a devastating stroke for the Knights."

"It was ever a gamble putting Kalyn successful the beforehand enactment defensively. That was ever the worry," league icon Andrew Johns added.

The concussion is Ponga's 4th successful the abstraction of 10 months and comes aft his 2022 play was ended prematurely pursuing 3 concussions successful six weeks.

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Knights manager Adam O'Brien confirmed that Ponga would miss the circular 3 clash against the Dolphins, but downplayed concerns implicit the star's tackling technique.

"I looked astatine his tackle technique, his tackle selection, and helium got disconnected the enactment rather hard, truthful I deliberation it caught him by surprise," helium said.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 12: Kalyn Ponga of the Knights leaves the tract for an HIA during the circular 2 NRL lucifer betwixt Wests Tigers and Newcastle Knights astatine Leichhardt Oval connected March 12, 2023 successful Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) (Cameron Spencer via Getty Images)

"I've seen him marque that tackle a 1000 times implicit the summer, truthful I'm not excessively acrophobic by that."

O'Brien said it was "too early" to accidental whether Ponga's semipermanent aboriginal successful the crippled mightiness beryllium impacted by his latest caput knock.

"We'll conscionable travel the protocols. He's had the summertime off. He's had immoderate extended breaks," helium said.

"He evidently won't play (in circular three), we've got a five-day turnaround.

"He was cleared to play the past 2 games past twelvemonth ... but we chose not to play him."

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