Gus exposes 'obsession' amid Ponga head woes

1 year ago 92

Phil Gould fears Kalyn Ponga's rugby league vocation is "in jeopardy" and is bemused astir the Knights' insistence connected shifting the co-captain from fullback to five-eighth.

Ponga suffered his 4th caput wounded successful the past 10 months erstwhile helium collided with Wests Tigers second-rower Asu Kepaoa connected Sunday afternoon.

The Queensland State of Origin weapon was knocked retired arsenic helium braced himself for a tackle conscionable nether 80 seconds into the Leichhardt Oval fixture.

Gould raised interest implicit Ponga playing astatine five-eighth, wherever he's forced to marque much tackles than astatine fullback, erstwhile pressed connected Nine's 100% Footy connected Monday night.

"The radical who manager him and enactment with him each time astir apt cognize champion what presumption helium should beryllium playing. I don't similar to second-guess coaches for that reason," Gould said.

"I conscionable don't recognize the obsession these days with trying to determination people fullbacks into the five-eighth position. Maybe due to the fact that they tin spell and bargain different fullback but they can't spell and bargain different five-eighth.

"I conscionable don't cognize that's the close presumption for him astatine the moment."

Before Sunday, the past clip Ponga was concussed was erstwhile helium copped a precocious deed from Matt Lodge successful July past year.

Ponga, who'd suffered his 3rd concussion successful 3 weeks, didn't play again successful 2022.

Newcastle past moulded him into a five-eighth implicit the summer, pairing him up successful the halves with off-season enlistee Jackson Hastings and handing Lachlan Miller, different caller signing, the No.1 jumper.

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"My interest with Kalyn — and I've retired 2 players due to the fact that of repeated concussions successful my vocation — is the easiness with which it happens now," Gould added.

"I don't spot those knocks arsenic thing implicit the top, (or knocks) that should beryllium causing that benignant of occupation for him. It conscionable seems present helium reacts severely to collisions that are truly rather easy, and that's not a bully sign.

Gallen's instrumentality connected wherefore Hastings ruffles feathers

"I deliberation his vocation is successful jeopardy, to beryllium honest. I don't cognize however you benignant done that.

"I get acrophobic much astatine the easiness with which they get concussed and however repeatedly that happens."

Paul Gallen is besides disquieted astir the mode successful which Ponga is sustaining caput injuries.

"Not lone is helium getting concussed, not lone is helium getting deed and falling implicit and stumbling to get backmost up — he's out," Gallen said.

"Once helium gets deed he's retired acold connected the mode to the ground. To maine that's the scary happening ... It was a just hit, but you spot them successful astir apt a just fewer tackles successful the game, and arsenic I say, helium was out. He ne'er deed the crushed and was successful a daze; helium was out, helium was retired cold, helium was retired acold from the clip helium got hit. So that's concerning."

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