The Newcastle Knights are hopeful they can improve off the back of their wooden spoon in 2025, but will be unable to do so without their captain Kalyn Ponga fit and firing.
While Knights fans are concerned that Ponga is still wearing a protective moon boot almost six months after suffering a significant foot injury, the star fullback remains adamant he’ll be fit for the club’s historic season-opening clash against the North Queensland Cowboys in Las Vegas.
Ponga watched on from the sidelines on Saturday as new marquee signing Dylan Brown trained with his Knights teammates for the first time.
Coach Justin Holbrook will now have to wait until after the Christmas–New Year break before beginning work on what is expected to become one of the NRL’s highest-profile attacking combinations.
The 2023 Dally M Medal winner ruptured the Lisfranc ligament in his left foot in July, requiring surgery.
Speaking after Newcastle’s open training session, Ponga said recovery was progressing despite the lingering moon boot.
“It’s going good,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“It looks worse than what it is. It’s just locking me down for now, but I’ll be right for Vegas in round one, which is the main thing.”
The 27-year-old hopes to ditch the boot within weeks.
“Hopefully two more weeks, three more weeks, and I’ll be back on my feet,” he said.