Newcastle Knights legend Andrew Johns has given his blessing to Kalyn Ponga should the representative fullback choose to leave the club as widely rumoured.
Speaking on the Freddy and the Eighth show on Channel Nine, Johns said his overwhelming feeling was one of thanks, not animosity, towards Ponga who joined the Knights as a 20-year-old from the North Queensland Cowboys in 2018.
“I give him (Kalyn) a big thank you for coming to the club,” Johns said.
“If he wants to move on, I say ‘thank you for what you’ve done’, he’s carried the club.”
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“You have to remember he signed after the Knights had picked up three wooden spoons in a row—and that same year (2017) the Cowboys got to the Grand Final,” Johns continued.
The Knights’ 1997 premiership halfback then addressed criticism from some in the NRL community who feel Ponga hasn’t delivered value to the club and its loyal fan-base over the past seven seasons.
“Sure he got signed to big money, but struggling clubs have to pay overs for a marquee player,” Johns explained before pointing to the considerable upside of Ponga’s time in the Hunter.
“He’s attracted players to the club, he’s attracted sponsors, his social media reach would also be huge, so I’d say ‘thank you’ to Kalyn for what he’s done for the club.
“If you want to move on, so be it—I have no animosity whatsoever, none.”