Kalyn Ponga lasts less than four minutes in NRL game against Sharks before suffering ANOTHER alarming header with Origin selection around the corner
- Kalyn Ponga suffered another blow to the head
- Later was cleared and returned to play for the Sharks
- Queensland name their Origin team on Monday
Kalyn Ponga’s chances of being selected by Origin for Queensland are on the verge after suffering another blow to the head in the Knights’ clash with the Sharks on Saturday.
Ponga, 25, was sent off for a head injury assessment (HIA) just four minutes after colliding with winger Ronaldo Mulitalo – and as he returned to the pitch midway through the first half , that would have left Maroons coach Billy Slater on edge.
Slater will name his squad for the series opener against NSW on Monday – and if fit, the full-back will be on the squad roster.
Ponga had already suffered his fourth blow to the head in ten months in the win over the Wests Tigers on March 12, having missed the final six weeks of last season with a previous concussion.
He has seen several rugby league pundits ask Ponga to play in the No.1 shirt permanently, rather than feature in five-eights for Newcastle where he is subject to more frontline defensive duties.
Kalyn Ponga’s chances of Origin selection for Queensland are on the edge after another blow to the head in the Knights’ clash with the Sharks on Saturday
Ponga collided with Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo in just the fourth minute – but was then cleared back and scored a first-half try
NRL great Corey Parker said there was no doubt the latest header would play on Ponga’s mind.
“Without a doubt, that must be a concern,” he said on Fox League.
“Especially with the announcement of the Origin team in a few days, Kalyn knows he will be the back if he is not injured.
“He’s got big backrowers running towards him every game for the Knights, there must be some doubt.”
Ponga recently traveled to Vancouver in Canada to test his brain activity using equipment that is not available in Australia.
“At the end of this test, they had objective data on the state of my brain,” he said.
Ponga also suffered his fourth blow to the head in ten months in the win over the Wests Tigers on March 12 – after missing the final six weeks of last season with a previous concussion.
“We also carried out other tests, but within a few hours I knew where my head was and if I could continue playing football.
“What comforts me is that they said if I was just a normal person who didn’t have the history of the head shots, they would say I’m pretty good.
“Going to Canada and getting that clarity, personally, I found it so beneficial.”
Ponga made his NRL debut with the Cowboys in 2016, after turning down approaches from the Broncos, Storm, Roosters – as well as the Queensland Reds [rugby] and the Brisbane Lions [AFL] such was his sporting pedigree.
He was also a junior golf champion before deciding the NRL was the sporting path he wanted to follow.
