Ponga sends scare through Origin camp with shoulder issue
Kalyn Ponga sent a scare through Queensland Maroons camp after he went down clutching at his shoulder in Newcastle’s clash with the Storm.
Ponga had two horror moments early in the second half when he threw a risky pass to Greg Marzhew deep in the Knights′ defensive territory.
Kalyn Ponga holds his shoulder. Fox League
Marzhew dropped the ball and no urgency to kill the play as Alec MacDonald raced past him and picked it up before finding Jahrome Hughes.
Hughes shrugged off Ponga in a one-on-one attempt and raced away to score.
The try ultimately cost the Knights the lead as Ponga clutched at his shoulder on the ground.
“This doesn’t look good for the Knights,” Kevin Walters said on Fox League.
“... he got his body and head in the wrong place there.”
The replay showed Ponga had landed heavily on his shoulder before he was attended to by medical staff.
The Queensland and Newcastle fullback played on in the aftermath and had another shaky moment in the next set.
Hughes put up an awkward kick with Ponga unable to grab it on the full. Cameron Munster was unable to hit the ball back to his teammates as Ponga cleaned up possession and took the ball dead.
Notably, the fullback was clutching at his face while Joe Chan held on to him.
Kalyn Ponga clutches at his face. Fox League
“He doesn’t look comfortable, does he?,” Walters said.
Post-match, coach Justin Holbrook confirmed Ponga was receiving treatment.
“He’s real sore, he’s getting some work on it now,” he said.
“... I think it might just be one of those burners, hopefully that’s all it is.”
Earlier, Ponga managed to avoid trouble after a try-saving tackle he made on Will Warbrick looked like a shoulder charge.
The referee and Bunker didn’t see it that way though with play allowed to continue.
“Kalyn Ponga definitely has a technique problem with his tackling ... but he made contact with the ball,” Greg Alexander said at half-time.
Kalyn Ponga's tackle on Will Warbrick. Getty
Cooper Cronk added that Ponga needs to be cautioned about how he tucks his arm when tackling.
“He’s got some challenges when doing cover defence,” he said.
