LIVE: Ponga denies suggestion over No.1 switch

Newcastle large Andrew Johns is simply a instrumentality of Kalyn Ponga moving backmost to fullback, but feels atrocious for the subordinate pushed retired of the side.

Ponga volition deterioration the No.1 jumper successful today's clash against Manly, having played successful the halves each different crippled this season.

But concussion issues proceed to play the superstar who was dumped from Queensland's State of Origin squad this week.

His determination backmost to the custodian role, though, leaves nine enlistee Lachie Miller connected the seat today.

Miller has played each crippled astatine fullback this play to date, and has been 1 of the club's amended players.

"Lachie Miller has been 1 of the champion each twelvemonth but he's deed the partition a small bit," Johns told Nine's Sunday Footy Show.

"How they usage Miller disconnected the seat I don't know. I consciousness truly atrocious for him.

"Kalyn goes backmost there, I don't cognize whether it was to support him from defending successful the beforehand line, but fullback is his spot."

Johns wants the Knights - who beryllium 13th connected the ladder with 4 wins and a gully this play - to enactment a people connected the Sea Eagles.

"They request to marque a statement," Johns said.

"Sunday day astatine Newcastle against a depleted Manly team, without each the Trbojevics and Daly Cherry-Evans, they request to marque a immense statement."