Coach Adam O’Brien has defended Newcastle’s determination to shift Kalyn Ponga to five-eighth however says it’s too early to find out whether or not the 24-year-old will return there after recovering from his newest concussion.
Lower than two minutes into his second recreation within the halves, the previous fullback was knocked unconscious trying a deal with towards the Wests Tigers and performed no additional half within the recreation.
The concussion was Ponga’s fourth in 10 months. He missed the final six weeks of the 2022 season as he recovered from repeated head knocks.
Within the pre-season, Ponga made the transfer to five-eighth with the hope of taking part in a much bigger position in Newcastle’s restoration from a dismal 2022 marketing campaign.
However the swap put him within the defensive frontline, exposing him to larger concussion danger if he mistimed a deal with. It additionally elevated his ball-playing alternatives, which meant he could be tackled extra usually.
Ponga will miss the Knights’ first dwelling recreation of the season towards the Dolphins this Friday however his return timeline is unsure past that.
This week, membership legend Matthew Johns led requires Ponga to revert to fullback as soon as he recovered, believing the transfer may assist protect him from additional head knocks.
However O’Brien stated it was too early to start planning for Ponga’s return.
“We’re nowhere close to that time but,” he stated
“I can fully perceive the place persons are coming from.
“Finally, everybody needs Kalyn within the recreation and everybody needs to maintain this man. He is obtained plenty of life to steer but. That is before everything.
“However there’s a variety of conversations that’ll have to be had.”
O’Brien defended the choice to shift Ponga to the halves, regardless of the elevated concussion danger.
“He actually wished to go up there,” O’Brien stated.
“His wish to seize possession of this crew might be paramount. That is in all probability how we obtained to it.
“Definitely Kalyn himself was excited by taking part in that place.”
The Knights will proceed to help Ponga by his restoration.
“We have had some contact with each him and his household. They’re in good spirits,” O’Brien stated.
“It is not an excellent look what you have seen there on the weekend. However there’s a variety of issues to be talked about.
“(His restoration is) within the fingers of some fairly sensible folks now. We’ll be ruled by that.”
