EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Johns' 'scary' Kalyn Ponga call amid early State of Origin selection debate
Kalyn Ponga would be the Maroons fullback "by the length of the straight", if State of Origin teams were picked today, according to Blues legend Andrew Johns.
And if Billy Slater were to make such a call, Johns believes it would force Walsh out of the squad entirely.
Ponga missed the entire 2023 Origin series as well as the first two games of the 2024 series, but was picked on the Maroons bench for game three.
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But on form from the opening two rounds, Johns said the Maroons spine would be Ponga, Cameron Munster, Daly Cherry-Evans and Harry Grant.
Andrew Johns believes Kalyn Ponga would be Maroons fullback if the teams were picked today. Getty
"Geez that's scary," he said on Wide World of Sports' Immortal Behaviour.
"Kalyn is so good ... he's the best player in the comp at the moment, and a long way in front of everyone else in the opening two rounds.
"His influence on the game, without him, the Knights just don't win."
After an error-riddled performances against the Raiders, Johns said Walsh needed to stop chasing the big plays.
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Reece Walsh and Kalyn Ponga in Maroons camp ahead of State of Origin III in 2024. NRL Photos
"Last week (against the Raiders) he was frustrated a bit," he said.
"Players like Reece, they're instinctive. You can't coach that out of them, he just needs to probably pull it back a bit and not go the big play every time.
"Especially in Origin, you can't chase the big play – you've got to let the big play come to you.
"But even at his very best, if Kalyn and Reece are both at their very best, you've got to go with Kalyn."
On Nine's Freddy and the Eighth, Brad Fittler asked Johns if there was even a place for Walsh in the side.
"No – you would go Hunt. Ben Hunt is probably the best No.14 we've seen in Origin since Kurt (Gidley)."
On Wide World of Sports' QLDER, Darren Lockyer said it was "way too early" for an Origin selection debate, but conceded Ponga was "outstanding" against the Dolphins.
"They both can do some special things, and I'm sure Billy watches them closely every week," he said.
Wally Lewis said Ponga had started the season "exactly how you would want to", but said it was probably "a bit unfair" on Walsh to be making the comparisons so early.
