- Mal Meninga says he is angry with Kalyn Ponga
- Ponga has turned down the chance to play for Australia
- The couple have spoken since the announcement was made
Mal Meninga has revealed his disappointment at Kalyn Ponga’s withdrawal from the Kangaroos, with the coach saying he is unhappy with the Newcastle star’s decision.
Ponga shocked league officials on Tuesday when he announced via the Knights’ website that he would not take part in end-of-year testing and instead wanted to prioritise his club’s preparations.
The full-back claimed he wanted to focus entirely on winning the Championship title for the Knights and proving himself to be a great Newcastle player.
However, NRL rules state that players must be available for all representative matches unless injured, including Test matches.
It was believed that Ponga would be considered for Meninga’s squad for the Pacific Championships, which begin on October 18.
Meninga said on Wednesday that he had spoken to the 26-year-old and that he understood Ponga’s motivation, but was nevertheless disappointed with his call.
“Playing for the Kangaroos is the pinnacle of the game in this country,” Meninga said in a statement.
‘I was disappointed not only that Kalyn decided he was not available for the Kangaroos, but also with the process that led to that decision and announcement.
Mal Meninga has broken his silence on the storm that has divided the football world
Kalyn Ponga has turned down the chance to play for Australia in the upcoming international matches
“I have since spoken to Kalyn and while I understand his intentions, that does not take away my disappointment in his decision.”
The ARL Commission has made it a point to make international football a major focus, with Peter V’landys stating this week that he wants the Kangaroos jersey to reign supreme and the Pacific Championships to be a success.
Meninga said he was pleased with the chairman’s support.
“I am pleased that Peter V’landys has made such a strong case and I support the sport in ensuring that there is a proper process for excluding players from their country,” he said.
Ponga was not available for State of Origin selection last season, but that came after a lengthy spell out with concussion.
There are no injury concerns this time around, with Ponga confirming in an interview on SEN radio last weekend that he is fit to play for Australia.
But on Tuesday he did a somersault.
“I want to win a match, for me anything short of that is not a success,” said Ponga.
‘My focus has never changed from winning the championship with the Knights. That has been my goal since I joined the club in 2018 and that remains my focus.
“When I’m done, I want to look back on my career with a positive feeling. People also want to say what a great asset he was and that he represented our community to the best of his ability.
“At this point, I don’t feel like I’ve earned that. That’s why I’ve made this decision and I’ll work hard every day to pursue those goals.”
The NRL could still ask for more information from the Knights, with the possibility of sanctions if a player is not made available for selection without a valid reason.
Meninga had planned to include Ponga in his selection for the next round of matches
The Queenslander’s withdrawal means James Tedesco retains his place as Australia’s fullback and captain for the Pacific Championships.
The Sydney Roosters captain was dropped from this year’s NSW State of Origin team, but his replacement Dylan Edwards has since been struggling with a knee injury and is likely to miss post-season testing.
Tedesco meanwhile played perhaps his best game of the season, beating Manly to lead his team to the preliminary final.