Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Kalyn Ponga's father believes his son will continue to play rugby league, snubbing any future interest from rugby union.
"Kalyn loves Newcastle, he loves Queensland, we love Newcastle, and I personally think he'll stay in rugby league and keep playing for Newcastle," Andre Ponga told the Herald.
"We'll always support Kalyn in whatever he wants to do. We've learned to do that through his journey because at one stage he was going to be playing AFL, and we thought we'd be supporting that.
"I'd love to see him wear the Maroon jumper for a very long time, and then go on to the green and gold. The Kangaroos are his next goal."
Ponga had previously spoken with Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, however refused to answer questions about rugby union in a press conference on Tuesday.
"I'm here to focus on Queensland and the week and game that is ahead," Ponga said.
There has been continued speculation on Ponga's future, despite him being contracted to the Knights until 2021.
If the Knights were unable to hold onto Ponga past the 2021 season, he is tipped to attract interest from almost all other NRL clubs.
But Ponga isn't looking too far ahead, as he focuses on the upcoming Origin game, while also confessing his admiration for Jonathan Thurston.
"I remember being a young fella and my uncle going for New South . . . the other team," said Ponga, who almost broke the Maroons' golden rule of not referring to the Blues.
"I remember watching Billy and JT and how he worked off the ball. The work he did off the ball was inspiring. JT is one of those blokes where he didn't really know what he was going to do, he just did it.
"As someone learning, I'd watch what he did rather than him telling me things. He's a freak and does things off the cuff. It was good. I enjoyed it. I would love to be JT. That would be cool. I'd love to be half the player he was.''
If he stays will be the Kangaroo fullback long term.
Tedesco not in his class.
For the sake of the game I hope he stays in the NRL, so level headed and such a talent
He can say he loves all those things but his love of money might be more than all of them. As Bob Dylan once said, money doesn’t just talk, it swears.
That said, I’d love him to stay in league (unless he likes the idea of good money for a fifth, or less, of the work). Anyway, union’s a s!!t game. As one of mates once said, it’s a game for blokes who aren’t good enough to play rugby league.
The problem is that union is truly an international game, where league, due to greenburg and Beatty, is dying.
I hope ponga stays, but can understand if he turns his back.