Former Mount Isa prospect Kalyn Ponga sizzled on his debut as the North Queensland Cowboys ended the Brisbane Broncos season in Townsville on Friday.
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In another epic close contest between the two Queensland rivals, the Cowboys prevailed 26-20 in extra time to book a spot in this weekend’s semi final against Cronulla in Sydney.
The 18-year-old Ponga, who still has family in Mount Isa, was called in as a late injury replacement for Antonio Winterstein and had a game to remember producing the most run metres of any Cowboys backline player running 174m.
With just his second touch of the football in the 16th minute, Ponga almost scored a try as he broke the defensive line before being brought to ground by Corey Parker.
Ponga also had two tackle busts and a line-break.
Ponga told Channel Nine after the game he was stoked with the way he debuted.
“In front of this big crowd - I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” he said.
“I only had a short time to know my role but I tried to just grasp it as soon as I could, tried to be confident, that’s what Greeny (coach Paul Green) said to do.”