Australian selector Darren Lockyer has declared that the World Cup Nines tournament will help revitalise Kalyn Ponga.
Lockyer believes the Knights' form slump in the second half of the season took the enjoyment out of the game for Ponga.
And next month's event could be the perfect platform to rejuvenate the rising star.
"Guys with good footwork and speed are going to have a lot more opportunity because of the space in the defensive lines," Lockyer told NRL.com.
"That is why Kalyn Ponga, with his footwork and speed, should see a mountain of space. I think that maybe at the back-end of the season at Newcastle, with everything that was going on, it looked like he wasn’t enjoying his footy.
"It is one of those competitions where he could find some really good form and start enjoying his footy. I’m not saying he was hating his footy but I just think it was a tough end of the year post-Origin and this is a great opportunity to get him back enjoying it again.
"Mal [Meninga] is keen to develop the young kids and this is a good pathway into playing the 13-man game and an opportunity for Mal to work with guys that he hasn’t in the past."
Lockyer said Ponga's game will translate perfectly to the Nines format.
"When he is at his best he is taking calculated risks and they are coming off. I think people love to watch him play because he is entertaining and because of his footwork and speed," Lockyer said.
"He also likes to fire that right to left bullet pass. While the Nines is new at this level it is something that can provide entertainment and X factor."
Players with quick footwork and an ability to break tackles will excel in the tournament, such as Warriors star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
Lockyer believes the New Zealand skipper is set to shine on the big stage.
"Roger finished the season well for the Warriors and has great footwork and speed so he is going to be a handful,” Lockyer said.
"At the Warriors, Roger is a great example of how when you give someone the captaincy they take a lot of pride in their team’s performance and their own. He is looking to be the best every week. He is a competitor and a leader by example and will provide entertainment in this tournament."
Rooster Victor Radley and Rabbitoh Cameron Murray are two other players Lockyer believes will perform well at Nines.
"Murray has probably got the best play-the-ball in the game so with the space and the momentum he provides the gaps will be everywhere," Lockyer said.
"Cam Murray can be dynamite creating that foundation of ruck speed. Then there is Radley who has a good passing game and is such a tough competitor. Both those guys are good laterally, defensively and with the football."
Lockyer concluded that fans will embrace the entertainment value of the game.
"It is a great entertainment product. We get to see a lot of players in the 13-man game have to play conservative and not take the risks that they would like to, but this game is conducive for those players to just play footy."
The World Cup Nines will be held at Bankwest Stadium on October 18-19.
