Newcastle Knights star Kalyn Ponga goes to Canada to save his NRL career after string of concussions
Kalyn Ponga takes a drastic step by flying to Canada for specialist treatment as she fights to salvage her soccer career after suffering a worrying series of concussions.
- Star has had four concussions in 10 months
- Knights won’t say when they will play again
- He flew to Canada on Friday.
Newcastle will only provide a return-to-play schedule for Kalyn Ponga once he returns from a trip to Canada, where he will seek specialist treatment for the latest in a series of concussions.
The Knights co-captain’s immediate future has been in serious doubt since he was knocked out attempting a tackle early in a second-round win over the Wests Tigers.
The concussion was Ponga’s fourth in 10 months and provided a final push for the NRL to change its head injury protocols, mandating an 11-day rest for any player who sustains a blow to the head.
Ponga missed the final six weeks of last season recovering from a concussion, and this time around the Knights have been reluctant to put a timetable on his return as head injury management remains a hot topic at the NRL.
Ponga lies battered on the turf after being knocked out during his first tackle against the Tigers in the second round. It was his fourth concussion in just 10 months.
The Knights refuse to say when he could play the 5/8 again until they see the results of his trip to Canada for specialized treatment.
As Ponga continues his recovery, the Knights have been consulting with Professor Chris Levi of Newcastle University and the Hunter Institute for Medical Research.
On Friday, the club shared the most significant update on his condition since the second round.
Following discussions with Professor Levi, the Knights determined that Ponga would fly to Canada on Friday with the club’s medical director, Dr. Jin Lee, for specialized treatment.
In Vancouver, Ponga will undergo tests using a device that measures brain activity that is not yet available in Australia.
Only after the results of these tests are received by the Knights will the club begin to consider when Ponga might return to the NRL.
The trip to Canada will give Pong access to a device that measures brain activity, and it’s not available in Australia.
The trip to North America for Ponga (pictured with ground assist against Wests) comes after Souths and Manly sent their stars Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic to a leading specialist in the US to treat injuries severe and recurring
“Concussion management is a complex issue for everyone involved, we see this as an opportunity to gather additional information to help Kalyn in his recovery,” Knights chief football officer Peter Parr said.
‘Our broader goal, under the leadership of Professor Levi, is to develop a model of care that will improve our ability to help players with concussions.
“Kalyn remains in good spirits and would like to thank everyone who has inquired about her health.”
Ponga’s trip to Canada follows similar recovery missions to the US by rival full-backs Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell and Ryan Papenhuyzen over the past 12 months.
All three consulted Philadelphia-based specialist Bill Knowles in an attempt to get rid of longstanding leg problems.