Newcastle Knights star Kalyn Ponga has addressed his controversial decision to withdraw from Kangaroos selection at the end of the 2023 season, explaining that it was driven by his physical and mental readiness rather than any ill intent.
Having since reconciled with Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga, Ponga is now focused on representing the Maori All Stars and achieving his ultimate goal of winning an NRL premiership with the Knights.
Speaking with News Corp, he admitted he could have handled the situation better but affirmed that there was no malice behind his decision.
โMy body and my mind wasn't ready to go into that (Kangaroos) camp,โ Ponga said.
โObviously I understand I got the process wrong which I apologised for, but I want to have a good year and my first focus is to win a premiership.โ
Ponga has since spoken to Meninga and has gained an appreciation for why players are eager to represent the Kangaroos under his leadership.
โYeah, we did talk. He was all right. I can see why people want to play for Mal,โ Ponga said.
โThat's what I got from the phone calls that I had with him. Despite everything that was going on, you can just understand why people want to play for him.โ
While he hasn't ruled out future Kangaroos selection, Ponga's immediate focus is on the Maori All Stars and the Knights' premiership aspirations.
โI am keen to get in there and play. The biggest thing for me is reconnecting with my culture. My dad is one of 11,โ Ponga said.
โI have cousins everywhere so for them to see a Ponga representing a Maori jersey is special.โ
Despite not featuring in the Maori All Stars camp for four years due to injuries and availability issues, Kalyn is eager to make an impact this time around.
โMy body feels good. I've ticked every box. I feel like I want to connect with my country and be around what feels like family,โ he said.
Contracted to the Knights until the end of 2027, Ponga is one of the NRL's highest-paid players and remains fully committed to the club.
He did however acknowledge that winning a premiership could influence his future decisions, including a potential switch to rugby union.
โThe other thing โฆ I don't know if I can even pick the game up again. I haven't watched a rugby union game in probably 10 years. I don't know what position I'd play,โ he said.
โIt'd be a challenge. It'd be a massive adjustment. You reassess things definitely. Depending on when I get one, what age I am, what I want to do โฆ what doors are open and what opportunities are out there.โ
