Andrew Johns delivered two premierships to Newcastle and now the prodigal son’s return to the club could help it retain star fullback Kalyn Ponga long-term.
Ponga’s future has been a major talking point over the last 12 months due to an option in his contract which could see him walk out on the club at the end of the 2022 season.
The NRL’s newest club, the Dolphins, are understood to have already held talks with the Ponga camp as they attempt to lure the Queensland native back to his home state, while he’s also been linked with a move to the All Blacks in the past.
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However, Ponga’s father Andre has given the biggest indication yet that the 23-year-old is committed to Newcastle, citing Johns’ return as a major plus for the Knights.
“Andrew Johns coming back is massive and that is a huge factor for Kalyn,” Andre Ponga told News Corp.
“We know Kalyn has options, but all the talk about who is interested in him and what could happen, it’s not relevant really.
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“He hasn’t put himself forward to play for the Maori All Stars, so that’s a good example of Kalyn’s commitment to the Knights.
“He wants to be the best he can be in 2022.
“Kalyn is very happy at the Knights. He is very close to their recruitment chief Clint Zammit, he first signed Kalyn and has played a big role in his career, and having ‘Joey’ at the club will be huge for his development.
“When you have a mentor like Andrew Johns … how do you walk away from that?”
Johns is a big fan of Ponga’s and even called on his beloved club to hand the youngster the captaincy after it was led by a “leadership group” during the 2021 season.
Ponga has made 74 appearances for the Knights since making his debut for the club back in 2018. He has scored 35 tries in that time.