Although Kalyn Ponga has publicly committed to the Newcastle Knights until the end of the 2027 season, the club’s incoming CEO admits their star fullback could move on beyond that, with rival NRL clubs and new franchises already circling.
Knights captain Kalyn Ponga, who is sidelined for the rest of the season with a foot injury, recently shut down growing speculation about a potential switch to rugby union.
Taking to social media, Ponga reaffirmed his loyalty to the club, stating: “Committed to the end of 2027. Excited about the vision of the club. Appreciate those that support me”.
The 27-year-old still has two years left on his reported $1.4 million-per-season contract. However, with the NRL set to welcome the newly rebranded Perth Bears in the 2027 season, Newcastle’s incoming CEO Peter Parr has acknowledged that the club faces a tough challenge to keep their marquee player beyond his current deal.
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“There's no doubt with the introduction of the new teams that Kalyn would be a target, especially for a Perth [Bears] team,” Parr told the Daily Telegraph.
“He would be a great marquee signing for a new franchise, but I don't know what the future holds."
Parr made it clear that he won’t allow the star player to leave before his contract ends.
“The person who would have a major say in whether Kalyn left early would be me and that won't be happening. He is here for the next two years," he said.
“We will do what we can to keep Kalyn at the club, but we're not naive enough to think that he won't be attractive to a start-up club like Perth or indeed any other NRL club.
“Our preferred option is to keep Kalyn long-term but with the advent of new teams, I don't think anybody can predict what might happen with the player market."