Daly Cherry-Evans isn’t the only Queensland superstar who should have his head on the chopping block going into Thursday night’s showdown between Manly and Newcastle.
With Origin II teams named after the weekend, it’s also time for Kalyn Ponga to hit the go button.
If Ponga can’t at least aim up for his club, how does he keep his spot in the Maroons’ starting team for a do-or-die Origin?
Given Reece Walsh is listed to return from injury when the Broncos take on the Titans on Saturday, there is also a push from some very influential Queenslanders for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to be considered at his preferred fullback position.
Of course, this wouldn’t even be a discussion if Ponga had been playing anywhere close to his best this season.
But you only need to look at Ponga’s numbers to see how much he is struggling.
It’s beyond comprehension that the greatest attacking weapon in the NRL (and the man who also commands the biggest pay packet on a whopping $1.4m-a-season) has not scored a single try in 10 games.
To put it in perspective, Ponga had three tries in 16 games last year, but the season before he had nine in 20 games on his way to winning the Dally M Medal.
On top of that Ponga has only six try assists (he had 24 in 20 games in 2023 when he was recognised as the game’s best player), while he has only four linebreaks (less than half what he averaged the last two seasons), 12 linebreak assists (on par with last year but way down on 2023) and 42 tackle busts (considerably down on average for the last two years).
Throw in his figures in Origin 1 where he finished with a respectable 128m but still never looked a serious threat, with only three tackle busts and no linebreaks or try assists.
14 third last on the ladder (and on the same competition points as the last placed Titans).
If the Knights are to be any hope of playing finals football this year, they need their marquee man at least playing somewhere close to his best.
So do Queensland if they are any chance of keeping this series alive.
As great a player as Ponga is, what we’ve seen from him so far this season does not warrant automatic Origin selection.
