TAMWORTH, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 21: Kalyn Ponga of the Knights looks on during the round seven NRL match between the Wests Tigers and the Newcastle Knights at Scully Park on April 21, 2018 in Tamworth, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Newcastle Knights star Kalyn Ponga has revealed that the nearly joined the AFL's Brisbane Lions.
Ponga excelled at Aussie rules, golf and rugby union as a junior, ultimately choosing rugby league to now establish himself as one of the NRL's premier players.
But in a wide-ranging Q&A with The Courier Mail's Robert 'Crash' Craddock, the talented Queenslander admitted his contract with the Lions was as good as signed.
''It was pretty close. Up until the Knights came along I was pretty close to going to AFL. It was definitely the path I looked at,'' Ponga said.
''I am pretty sure it (the contract) was ready to be signed, yeah.
''I have no idea what position I would have played. It was more that I was attracted to the challenge. At the time I was not enjoying my footy that much and was looking for a change.''
Ponga was a part of the Lions' development program as a 15-year old as the club were reportedly keen to develop him into a midfielder.
Questions were asked of the 20-year old's allegiance to rugby league last year after Ponga said playing for the All Blacks was "the pinnacle".
But the Maroons Origin gun has since poured cold water on the idea of any sort of code switch.
"The question I was asked that day [by TVNZ] was, that if I was to play rugby, would I want to play for the All Blacks, and I just answered the question by saying 'yes, who wouldn't?'" Ponga told the Former Origin Greats website in January.
"But if you watched the whole interview, it was about my family and our New Zealand heritage, so it was taken out of context a little bit.
"The reality is I'm very happy in rugby league."