Kalyn Ponga still has another two years left on his contract but the Knights are concerned their sub-par form could lead to their captain seeking an early release.
Newcastle are in a three-way share of the worst record at the bottom of the NRL ladder with their for-and-against record lifting them above Parramatta and Gold Coast.
The Knights were unable to score against the NRL’s worst defensive side until the final six minutes of their 28-6 loss to Parramatta last Friday and have now been held scoreless in eight of 20 halves this season.
Nine’s 100% Footy reported on Monday night that Knights executives are worried that if the team is unable to turn its season around, Ponga could agitate for an early release from his multimillion-dollar deal.
He has been linked with a switch to rugby in New Zealand and would command a huge offer from NRL rivals if he came onto the open market.
Coach Adam O’Brien is reportedly safe for now despite the club’s struggles as he is also under contract until the end of 2027 and the Knights would have to cough up a hefty payout if they show him the door.
O’Brien was asked whether the 15th-placed Knights were in the deepest hole of his five-and-a-half-year coaching tenure.
“How deep? I don’t know. I’ve got plenty of shovels,” he said.
“We understand that we’re not in a good place but we’re just going to have to work our way through it.
“We’re not firing through the middle as much as we’d like but I can’t put my finger on all of it just yet.”
Carrigan ‘good to go’ despite gruesome gash
A stitched-up Pat Carrigan has declared himself fit for Queensland’s State of Origin opener, despite a gruesome injury that required late-night cosmetic surgery.
The Brisbane forward collided with St George Illawarra’s Jack de Belin in the final minute against the Dragons on Sunday afternoon.
Blood poured from Carrigan’s mouth as he exited the field and was checked for structural damage, with fears he had broken his jaw.
Graphic warning: Photo below contains gruesome image of Carrigan’s injury
The 2022 Origin player of the series was cleared though, and had “30-odd” stitches inserted by a plastic surgeon on Sunday night.
Named in the No.13 by coach Billy Slater for next Wednesday’s Suncorp Stadium opener, Carrigan is the only Broncos player in the Queensland 17.
“Good to go, provided Bill doesn’t change his mind,” Carrigan said.
“The doctor said he put a few extra (stitches) in there in case I cop a bump.
“There was blood everywhere and the Dragons boys were freaking out, saying it was bad.
“Lucky I had a mouthguard in, otherwise I’d have a few teeth missing and an angry mother.
“It’s (my modelling career) in jeopardy … I’ll have a head like (Maroons teammate) Lindsay Collins soon.”
Carrigan hoped his time in camp could have a positive impact in club-land, where the 5-6 Broncos have slipped out of the top eight.
And he has a chip on his shoulder after the Blues won the Brisbane decider last year and the Maroons’ forward pack was criticised for being outmuscled.
“The proof’s in the pudding. We’re always going to be ridiculed in that area as a Queensland team, it’s been like that since day dot,” he said.
“We’ve got some wrongs to right.”
Slater didn’t think the lack of Broncos in his squad was any reflection of the state’s rugby league stocks.
“I think we’ve only got one Bronco in our Queensland team at the moment, which I don’t know if I’ve seen for a long time,” he said.
“Queenslanders are flushed throughout the NRL, they’re not just in the Queensland clubs.
“There’s a lot of Queenslanders throughout the whole NRL. I don’t think there’s any less Queenslanders in the NRL just because the Queensland-based teams aren’t playing well.”
with AAP
The Roarhttps://https://ift.tt/WrjM5n6 News: Knights concerned over Ponga early exit, Carrigan won’t miss Origin despite gruesome gash
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