Ponga Labelled ‘Embarrassing’ As Knights Need To Escape ‘Serious Rut’

The star fullback has been called out over what’s been labelled an “embarrassing” post-match interview, following his side’s latest chastening defeat.

A week after Adam O’Brien was forced to apologise to fans following a loss to the Eels, Newcastle backed it up with a 50-2 loss to the Storm on Sunday, as the competition heavyweights ran riot at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Ponga ran for a team-high 140 metres and broke seven tackles in the loss, but had very little to say in the post-match press conference and doesn’t appear to be rallying his troops in recent weeks in the face of huge losses.

Ponga was asked during a post-match interview what he would say to his team after the 48-point drubbing left them rock bottom on the ladder.

“Probably not much… I don’t know. I did a fair bit of talking throughout the week but I don’t know. I’ll think of something,” Ponga told Fox League.

Penrith Panthers legend Greg Alexander said it was an “embarrassing” answer to the question for Ponga and the Knights.

But according to NRL legend Cameron Smith, the best way Ponga can lead his side is to do so by example, rather than with his words.

“He’s relatively new to that position and he is a young man, but he has been in the game for some time,” he said on SEN Breakfast With Vossy and Brandy. 

“He’s going to be constantly learning – some guys, it doesn’t come naturally to them. It’s a big role, there’s been a lot of talk around him in the first four weeks of the competition around his future and whether he was going or staying.

“I’d like to think they made the right decision by making him captain – he’s just now got to worry about playing football and not let the leadership aspect of it weigh him down.

“The most important thing for a leader or captain is to go out and play well on the weekend. That really is what it’s all about, you don’t need to worry about all the other stuff going on as far as meetings, media and all this stuff.

“His main job is to go play well on the weekend – he played well the other week against the Dragons – but outside of that he has been quiet and lacking that input that you need from a guy of his quality.”

The Knights no doubt missed the experience and guile of centre Dane Gagai and hooker Jayden Brailey, but Alexander said it was no excuse for the current funk the club is in.

The league great pointed to the fact Newcastle had their core group of playmakers – namely Ponga, Jake Clifford and Adam Clune – available during the six-game losing streak.

“My god…. people will say ‘you’re being too hard on them’… but all those key players have been there for them in the last six weeks,” Alexander said.

“I don’t think you can pick Jake Clifford or Adam Clune in the halves, but what do you do? Anthony Milford can’t play until Round 11.”

Knights legend Matthew Johns said the club is in “a serious rut” and the players need to rediscover their confidence and resilience, if they hope to improve.

“They’re in a serious rut Newcastle. They’re not playing with any confidence. They’re not playing with any resilience. When something goes wrong, the wheels just completely come off,” he said on Fox League’s Sunday Night with Matty Johns.

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