The Queensland fullback is determined to make the most of his opportunity in the Origin opener.
Kalyn Ponga has sent an injury scare through Queensland’s State of Origin camp after being spotted sitting out a training session on Wednesday afternoon. But the Maroons fullback is confident he’ll be right for Game 1 at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday, despite pointing to a quad when speaking with teammate Lindsay Collins before the group trained.
Ponga did not join the Maroons team for the beginning of Wednesday afternoon’s session, which was only open for 10 minutes to media. However, Queensland have downplayed the seriousness of the issue and are expected to provide an update on their superstar No.1’s fitness on Thursday.
The Newcastle Knights skipper was picked to replace the injured Reece Walsh and is set to start at fullback for Queensland for the first time since the Origin decider in 2022 when he was man of the match. And Ponga sent an emphatic message to Walsh that he intends to hang onto the No.1 jersey with another standout display for the Maroons in Game 1.
I’m definitely keen to keep it. I want to do my job and put together some performances I’m proud of, for sure,” he said. “You have to earn this jersey, and that’s what I’ll be doing for sure… I actually really enjoy watching Reece play and I love him as a person.
The competition isn’t negative at all, I actually think it’s good for both of us. The beauty of the Queensland culture is you support each other 100 per cent.” While Ponga did not take part in the Wednesday afternoon training session with the rest of the squad, he was seen picking the brain of Maroons coach Billy Slater, a man widely regarded as one of the best fullbacks of all time.
Kalyn Ponga excited to learn from QLD coach Billy Slater
“It’s his attention to detail on both sides of the footy, but also the confidence he instils in his players,” Ponga said about Slater. “He has given me some things when I first came into camp that I didn’t think about from a technical point of view, but then also the confidence he instils in you as a player, and that’s what you want from a coach.
Every time I come into this camp and come out of it, I come out of these camps a better player, not only through Bill and his coaching but the environment in general. For that reason, I’m excited to come in here and try and take some pieces of gold back with me and learn as much as I can in this camp.”
Meanwhile, there was mixed news for the Blues on the injury front, with prop Payne Haas sitting out a rain-soaked session on Wednesday as he battles a minor quad strain. The Broncos prop picked up the injury during Sunday’s loss to the Dragons but is hopeful of being cleared to play in Wednesday’s series opener, with Blues coach Laurie Daley confirming they will give Haas as much time as possible to prove his fitness.
Haas was seen chatting with NSW advisor and Storm coach Craig Bellamy at Blues training on Wednesday, with Melbourne prop Stefano Utoikamanu taking his place in the contact sessions. Blues teammate Stephen Crichton has also been under an injury cloud after picking up a groin injury during the Bulldogs’ round 11 win over the Roosters, but he trained fully with the NSW squad on Wednesday to allay any fears over his fitness.
