His team may not have made this year’s grand final, but exciting former Mount Isa prospect Kalyn Ponga can expect a big future after impressing in his debut finals series for the North Queensland Cowboys.
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Cowboys coach Paul Green played the talented 18-year-old on the wing for the game against the Broncos and missed out against the Cronulla Sharks but Ponga is a natural fullback and seen as one of the game’s brightest young talents.
The pressure is now on first choice fullback Lachlan Coote to perform after a crucial error against the Sharks with Ponga waiting in the wings.
Coote has been re-signed by the Cowboys but admits Ponga is breathing down his neck.
re-signed for two more years with the Cowboys, Coote will be given first crack at his preferred role next season but admitted Ponga was closing in on him.
“He (Ponga) has been around and is going to have a full pre-season under his belt with the top squad,” Coote told News Ltd reporters.
“He’s a good kid. I could probably learn something from him myself.”
Ponga called his debut a week earlier “unreal” in their home semi final against the Broncos
“In front of this big crowd, 23,000 I think it was, and to debut like that and extra time, it was a dream come true,” Ponga said after the game.
Ponga said he held up well after 90 minutes of football but it was a struggle.
“Even though I was on the wing, it was such a test,” he said.
“I had cramps all through that second half, I was breathing constantly, but the body’s alright, I’m just stoked.”
Ponga said he was nervous before the game.
“Catching the ball in the warm up, I was a bit ‘urgh’ but then as soon as I got out there I just knew what I had to do and tried to do it the best that I could.”
Catching the ball in the warm up, I was a bit ‘urgh’ but then as soon as I got out there I just knew what I had to do and tried to do it the best that I could
- Kalyn Ponga
Ponga coped well under the pressure of the high ball.
“Me and Jango (Javid Bowen), we worked together on the edge, we expected to have a bit of traffic and be busy tonight, we just did what we had to do.”
Ponga made way for Kane Linnett in the Cronulla game
Ponga played junior football in Mount Isa and in 2013 the North West Star reported that Kalyn’s father Andre, who was originally from Palmerston North in New Zealand, was delighted his son signed with the Cowboys, as his initial sporting loves were soccer and golf and he had even been considering a move to AFL.
``He was always going to play rugby league in my mind, because it's in his blood,'' Mr Ponga said.
The family lives in Brisbane after moving away from Mount Isa in 2006 following a tragic accident and the loss of their 18-month-old son Kacey.
Kalyn has relatives who still live in Mount Isa and he also keeps in touch with friends in the city.