Ponga

[Toowoomba_Tiger]

Great player but also a grubby player. Turning out just like some of those storm qld'rs. Every time he got tackled he would try to milk a penalty holding onto our players or trying to tangle them up. His shoulder on Chee Kam was deliberate imo. If you watch the replay his eyes are always on Chee and not on the ball. He played at the player, not the ball. With the Nrl cracking down on head shots and shoulders he should get suspended.

 

[Demps]

Super talented...

Has a team essentially built around him.
Prob never see a premiership ring tho.

 

[WeHaveCheeKam]

I don't think hes grubby. He milked a few penalties yeah, but the best players all do.

His shoulder charge I think was one of those things.

 

[Don Kershane]

No way will he re sign with the Knights. The contract he is on will set him up nicely for his next move which will be the All Blacks or a 2 year deal with another Nrl team prior to next Rugby world cup.Can't see living in Newcastle long term holding much attraction for a young multi talented guy like him.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

To say Ponga’s shoulder was deliberate might be one of the most bias comments I have ever read in my 8 years on the forum. You’d be blowing up deluxe if Thompson had gone to the bin for that.

 

[jirskyr]

His shoulder on Chee Kam was deliberate imo.

I agree. A lot of people are blowing up about the decision, but on the replay he clearly sizes Chee Kam up, takes his eyes off the ball and then goes in with the shoulder in a direction away from the football.

Shoulder-to-shoulder is pushing with your body in the chase of the football - Ponga didn't do this. Ponga is beaten by the kick and instead plays the chaser. He makes shoulder contact with MCK's head.

I would assume Ponga didn't mean to destroy Chee Kam and he wasn't to know that Moga would arrive at exactly the same time, to make it a sickening collision. But it was still a deliberate shoulder charge and because it came off badly, the punishment should be higher than just a regular shoulder charge.

You can see from Ponga's reaction that he realised very quickly that he'd made heavy contact and turns to check MCK. That also tells you he was aware and intentionally playing the man, because if he was only after the football he wouldn't have reacted so quickly to MCK going down. He knew he shoulder charged and he was immediately aware of the injury.

The other one, Nofo got penalised at one point because Ponga had him in a headlock whilst writhing around. Refs got quite a few of those ruck penalties wrong IMO but it evened out towards the back of the game. I'd say we got less early and more late. Also, Ponga is such a hot-stepped and writher-around, his tackles are always a mess.

 

[jirskyr]

To say Ponga’s shoulder was deliberate might be one of the most bias comments I have ever read in my 8 years on the forum.

No I agree with OP. He is not attacking the ball he's attacking the player and makes no attempt to wrap his arms.

If Ponga had gone in for a proper tackle he would have been KO'd himself, but of course you can't tackle a bloke who doesn't have the football, so he just body-checks him. Problem is the body check ended up being shoulder contact first, so it constitutes a shoulder charge. This is exactly the type of play the NRL is trying to outlaw, because it has such a high risk of serious injury.

Even earlier on Tigers got called for a pretty bogus crusher tackle penalty, Ponga again, and nobody leaned on him or anything, just got awkward. But NRL obviously want to get the crusher tackle out too.

It's not as if the refs mucked up, they called play on. It was called back by the bunker after many replays.

And MCK obviously and clearly very badly hurt.

I think the Kikau one was wrong and clearly different, an arm-wrapping attempt from a big unit charging out of the line to make a tackle.

 

[Moh]

Rubbish thread.

Ponga is a great young man on and off the field.

Watch his post match interview when asked about it. Says it all about him.

 

[innsaneink]

Great player but also a grubby player. Turning out just like some of those storm qld'rs. Every time he got tackled he would try to milk a penalty holding onto our players or trying to tangle them up. His shoulder on Chee Kam was deliberate imo. If you watch the replay his eyes are always on Chee and not on the ball. He played at the player, not the ball. With the Nrl cracking down on head shots and shoulders he should get suspended.

Things youve described there I wouldn't call grubby... I think the binning was sufficient.... We don't wanna suspend players for collisions

 

[BalmainJnr]

Don’t think the dude is a grub, but on this occasion he needed less chalk on the end of the cue. He played the man and Chee was out before his head slammed into the turf.

 

[innsaneink]

To say Ponga’s shoulder was deliberate might be one of the most bias comments I have ever read in my 8 years on the forum. You’d be blowing up delexue if Thompson had gone to the bin for that.

I believe it was deliberate and yeh I'd blownuonifnitnwere Thompson... Don't like the rule it's changing the fabric of the game... Big Collisions were a big attraction but now with head injuries hia lawsuits etc it's all changed much like society....

 

[Geo]

Pongo was dudded I reckon..what was Chee-Kam thinking using his head to impact Pongo's shoulder..

 

[Newtown]

Any report on Chee-Kam's condition?

 

[shane2801]

I believe they are trying to make the game too safe.

 

[hobbo1]

Rubbish thread.

Ponga is a great young man on and off the field.

Watch his post match interview when asked about it. Says it all about him.

Said more than once he didn’t care ...
Grub !

 

[Geo]

Rubbish thread.

Ponga is a great young man on and off the field.

Watch his post match interview when asked about it. Says it all about him.


Said more than once he didn’t care ...
Grub !

He said he didn't care about the resultant sin bin but on more than one occasion said he hoped Magic Mike was OK...

 

[hobbo1]

The intent was there , lead with the shoulder , made contact with the head .
Guilty on all 3 accounts..
Should have been sent off and looking at 4 weeks suspension.

 

[hobbo1]

Rubbish thread.

Ponga is a great young man on and off the field.

Watch his post match interview when asked about it. Says it all about him.


Said more than once he didn’t care ...
Grub !

He said he didn't care about the resultant sin bin but on more than one occasion said he hoped Magic Mike was OK...

I left the room at that point ...lol

 

[TieDye]

@hobbo1 went for me monthly victory lap lol ... family knew what was going on

Ponga = grub no doubt. A grub I’d love to have in our team... should miss a game
For consistency

 

[pawsandclaws1]

No way will he re sign with the Knights. The contract he is on will set him up nicely for his next move which will be the All Blacks or a 2 year deal with another Nrl team prior to next Rugby world cup.*****Can't see living in Newcastle long term holding much attraction for a young multi talented guy like him.*****

Newcastle has come ahead with the Honeysuckle redevelopment around the waterfront. With the allure of the beach lifestyle and all that goes with it plus the more cosmopolitan lifestyle and not being in Sydney, I'd say it is quite an attractive locality for a young fellow.