Newcastle Knights legend Kurt Gidley believes Kalyn Ponga is ready to elevate his game and leadership in 2025, a development that could prove pivotal for the Knights' fortunes.
Ponga, whose form and fitness have been critical to the team's success in recent years, is entering a phase of his career where his maturity and on-field impact are expected to shine.
โHe's matured now and he's at an age where he's ready to take his leadership to another level,โ Gidley told SEN.
โI see that in the way he gets interviewed by the media and the way he represents himself.โ
Ponga's importance to the Knights cannot be overstated. The team has struggled in his absence due to injuries and concussions and it shows a lack of depth when compared to powerhouse clubs like Melbourne and Penrith.
โIn 2023, he was out with a number of concussions and he was out last year for a period with a foot injury,โ Gidley said.
โThe team struggles when he's not there.โ
Ponga's late-season form in 2024 helped the Knights scrape into the finals, though they were eliminated in the first week by the North Queensland Cowboys.
Gidley also weighed in on the Knights' halves pairing, a position that saw significant experimentation in 2024.
Coach Adam O'Brien fiddled around with 11 different combinations before eventually settling on Phoenix Crossland and Jack Cogger for the finals.
Gidley firmed that the duo should retain their spots for the start of 2025, despite competition from young gun Fletcher Sharpe who has been spied training at five-eighth during the pre-season.
โI know that Fletcher Sharpe has been doing a lot of training over the summer at five-eighth,โ Gidley said.
โThere's some competition at the club, that's for sure. If I had to pick a halves pairing to start the year, I've enjoyed watching Phoenix Crossland over the past couple of years.โ
โHe's worked really hard in playing in tough spots, especially when Jayden Brailey has been out at hooker injured. I'd pair him alongside Jack Cogger.โ
Gidley acknowledged that O'Brien may also consider more experienced options like Jackson Hastings, but stressed the importance of trial form in determining the final decision.
โAdam O'Brien may look to use them at the start of the year or opt for players with some more experience (like) Jackson Hastings. It's up to those players to put their case forward and play well in the upcoming trial games.โ
The Knights will face Parramatta and the Roosters in pre-season trials before kicking off their NRL campaign against the Wests Tigers on March 7.