Wayne Bennett calls out glaring truth about Kalyn Ponga ahead of Origin return for Queensland
Bennett admits Queensland have taken a big ‘risk’ for the Origin decider.
Wayne Bennett says Maroons coach Billy Slater has taken a massive “risk” by picking Kalyn Ponga for the State of Origin decider after a lengthy stint on the sidelines for the Newcastle captain. Ponga spent 11 weeks on the sidelines after suffering a foot injury in round 7 but returned to the NRL in round 18 and was electric in the Knights’ 16-12 win over the Raiders.
Ponga’s impressive return was all the evidence Slater needed to pick the reigning Dally Me Medallist for the crunch Game 3 decider at Suncorp Stadium. Ponga has been named on the bench and is expected to be used in the middle for the Maroons, with the Newcastle superstar revealing earlier in the week that he’s relishing the chance to link up with livewire fullback Reece Walsh in attack.
The inclusion of Ponga offers the Maroons a distinct X-factor off the bench – something the Queenslanders were missing in Game 2 as they were blown away by the Blues in a 34-0 first half thumping. But Bennett says the Ponga selection does not come without significant risk. Bennett took one of the greatest Origin gambles of all time when he brought back Allan Langer from England to star in the Maroons’ 2001 Game 3 victory that clinched the series.
“He is a wonderful player but he has had one game in about three months,” Bennett said about Ponga. “They are talking about playing him in the middle That is high risk, but Origin is about risk. It could turn out to be a great move. It could turn out to hurt you.”
Ponga played through the middle for the Maroons when he made his Origin debut off the bench in the 2018 series and was man of the match the last time he featured for Queensland in the 2022
series decider. The Maroons will hoping Ponga can help them bounce back from the Game 2 mauling at the hands of the Blues, who were accused of bullying Queensland at the MCG.
