Suggestions of possible disappointment for Dylan Brown have been raised after it emerged Newcastle could be set to lose superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga following news he has engaged the services of a New Zealand rugby union agent.
The revelation came on Nine’s 100% Footy and in The Sydney Morning Herald.
At 27, Ponga hasn’t gone close to winning a premiership and reports suggest he believes he’s wasting his prime years at the club.
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Ponga is contracted to the Knights until the end of 2027 on a $1.4 million a season deal. He is the highest paid player in the game.
The fullback has not formally requested a release at this stage, but Knights powerbrokers are reportedly willing to consider a request if it comes through.
Kalyn Ponga could leave the Knights. Getty
If Ponga was to stay, it would mean Newcastle has $2.8m of its salary cap going towards two players with Brown set to arrive next year also on huge money.
Speaking on 100% Footy, Cameron Smith said Ponga would have been a motivating factor for Brown to join the club.
“I’m sure he was a big reason why he’d want to move to Newcastle,” Smith said.
“One would’ve been the money, but two when you’re playing with one of the best talents in the game.”
Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown. Getty
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Phil Gould added: “I’m sure that (playing with Ponga) would have been raised with Dylan when they tried to sign him.”
Fletcher Sharpe could move to fullback if Ponga left, opening the door for the Knights to pursue a halfback or five-eighth depending on where they play Brown.
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Ponga, born in Australia to Kiwi parents, has previously described the potential to one day play for the All Blacks as “the pinnacle … to put that jersey on would be pretty special”.
The news around Newcastle’s No.1 comes after another report that coach Adam O’Brien could be sacked at the end of the season.
Gould said Ponga departing would hurt the NRL, not just the Knights.
“I think it’s a huge loss for the game to have a superstar walk out on the game and go to rugby like that,” he said.
“And a huge loss for the Newcastle Knights. I don’t know what that says about the Knights at the moment. Kalyn’s obviously thinking about his future if he’s unhappy where he is at the moment and worrying that the best of his prime years are wasting away with a team struggling but from a game’s perspective I think it would be really disappointing if we lost one of our game’s superstars who was only a Dally M medallist a couple of years ago.”
