Kalyn Ponga has admitted he erred in his botched withdrawal from Australia’s Test squad race, conceding he should have contacted coach Mal Meninga first.
Ponga attempted to make himself unavailable for selection in the Pacific Championships last week, when he declared he wanted to prioritise Newcastle’s pre-season.
That was met with a strong ‘please explain’ from the NRL, who highlighted the contractual responsibility of players to be made available for representative duties.
Meninga also aired his disappointment over the saga after not being contacted first, before Ponga eventually backflipped on the call and made himself available.
Australia’s selectors will meet next week to determine their squad for the tournament, and whether to hand Ponga a Kangaroos debut as fullback.
“I got the process wrong,” Ponga told AAP. “My intentions never had any malice. I was just trying to do what I thought was best for me and the club.
“I understand I went about it wrong. But I think it’s all sorted now.”
Asked if he would have told Meninga first before releasing a public statement if he had his time over, Ponga said: “I would definitely make some changes”.
Then asked if he was fit and mentally fresh enough to play if selected, Ponga responded: “Yes. I feel pretty good. It’s all sorted now.”
Meninga will have decisions to make when he names his squad next week.
Incumbent captain James Tedesco is hopeful of keeping his No.1 jumper, after being dropped from NSW’s State of Origin team this year.
Dylan Edwards, his replacement at Origin level, along with Ponga, loom as other options at fullback.
Daly Cherry-Evans is likely to be the first-choice halfback, after Ivan Cleary confirmed his son Nathan would almost certainly need shoulder surgery.
Cherry-Evans had conceded last month he was unlikely to be selected if Cleary was available, but said he was keen to wear the Kangaroos jersey again.
“I’m definitely excited about potentially playing,” Cherry-Evans said.
“I haven’t booked a holiday, we’ll just wait and see what happens. Fingers crossed for Monday.”
The Manly captain said it was unlikely the series would be a representative swansong, and he expected to make himself available to lead Queensland again next year.
Off contract at the end of next season, the 35-year-old has previously said he will consider his future this summer, but expects to sign at least one more deal.
“I am always keen to keep playing,” Cherry-Evans said.
“I have to weigh up how long I want to keep playing in the NRL for, and if I want to keep playing in the NRL for forever and a day, something has to give at some stage.
“But I don’t think it’s right now.”
Dufty in line for Super honour
Matt Dufty is the latest Australian NRL export to be in line to win the Man of Steel award after being shortlisted for British rugby league’s top individual honour.
Warrington’s former Dragons and Bulldogs fullback has been rewarded for his exceptional season with the Wolves during which his elusive running made him Super League’s top metre-maker with a huge 4234m – 457 more than nearest rival Ryan Hall.
It’s earned the 28-year-old from Hurstville, NSW a place in the three-man shortlist alongside perhaps the two best halfbacks in the league, Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis and Salford’s Marc Sneyd.
Dufty could become the third Australian in successive years after Wigan’s Bevan French last year and Salford’s Brodie Croft in 2022 – and the fifth in seven years – to take the Man of Steel Award should he get the nod at next Tuesday’s awards ceremony in Leeds.
And he would be the 10th Australian in all to take the accolade in its 47-year history.
The 23-year-old Lewis, who’s scored 18 tries this season, and Dufty, who’s crossed the whitewash 17 times, will go head to head this weekend when Rovers host Warrington for a place in the Super League grand final.
Lewis is widely considered to have been Super League’s outstanding performer this campaign, having led his side to a second-place finish in the league and notched a personal tally of 216 points.
He hopes to follow in the footsteps of former Hull KR loose forward Gavin Miller, the Australian who was the first overseas player to collect the award in 1986.
Dufty is in his third season with Warrington and has been thriving under their new coach, former South Sydney star Sam Burgess.
With 19 try assists, 165 tackle-busts, 24 line breaks and 25 line break assists to go with those 17 tries, Dufty would be the first Warrington player to win the award since their Welsh ace Jonathan Davies back in 1994.
Australian Man of Steel winners
1986 Gavin Miller (Hull KR)
1999 Adrian Vowles (Castleford)
2005 Jamie Lyon (St Helens)
2009 Brett Hodgson (Huddersfield)
2010 Pat Richards (Wigan)
2018 Ben Barba (St Helens)
2019 Jackson Hastings (St Helens)
2022 Brodie Croft (Salford)
2023 Bevan French (Wigan)
with AAP
The Roarhttps://https://ift.tt/3t8W7lj News: Ponga explains Kangaroos dramas as DCE makes Origin call, Aussie cast-off in line for Super honour
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