Newcastle Knights head of football Peter Parr has opened up on Kalyn Ponga's form, and the chances of him moving to the halves.
The star fullback was excellent for the Queensland Maroons during a winning series over the NSW Blues during the 2022 campaign, but struggled to bring that form across to the Knights at club level.
The Knights missed the finals yet again, with the season finishing in controversy for Ponga after an off-field incident while he was out with concussion.
He ultimately moved to skip any chance of playing for Mal Meninga's victorious Australian side at the Rugby League World Cup, but will be after a big 2023 campaign.
Parr told Sky Sports Radio's Big Sports Breakfast that it was time for Ponga to become more consistent outside of the Origin arena.
“I think that is something that Kalyn is well aware of,” Parr said.
“His form for Queensland is impeccable and he plays those games like he wants it more than any other game he has played in.
“I think when you watch someone like James Tedesco, he plays like that every weekend.
“I think that is where Kalyn needs to get to. I think that is where Kalyn would like to get to.
“I know he has a great desire to get more consistency in his footy. He knows what he is capable of and he also understands that he hasn't done it on a consistent basis at club level.
“I think he is getting to the stage of his career where he needs to start owning this footy team."
It's a position switch which will interest Newcastle fans the most though.
The club have been linked with moves for Lachlan Miller and Tesi Niu, who could spend the 2023 season struggling for minutes at the Cronulla Sharks and Brisbane Broncos behind William Kennedy and Reece Walsh respectively.
To the present time, neither deal has gone through, however, Parr all but confirmed the club were on the lookout for a fullback which would in turn give coach Adam O'Brien the option of playing Ponga in the halves - something he doesn't currently have.
“I think Adam O'Brien would like to have the option of putting Kalyn into the halves,” Parr said.
“There seems to be a lot more speculation about that outside of the club than inside.
“I think ultimately Kalyn and Adam and the coaching staff will decide where Kalyn plays, but if we could snag a fullback I think that would give Adam some options to consider.
“At the moment Kalyn is the only established fullback in the squad, so what we would like to do is potentially snag a fullback and then that would give Adam options of where he could play Kalyn and other players of course.”
The Knights recently signed Jackson Hastings in a swap deal which sent David Klemmer to the Wests Tigers, and it was reported at the time that the club view Hastings as the ideal number seven to complement Ponga, should they be in the position to move him to the number six jumper.
The Knights' creativity in the halves was poor last year, and with both Anthony Milford and Jake Clifford moving on, the pressure for Adam Clune, Phoenix Crossland and the signed Tyson Gamble to deliver would otherwise be enormous alongside Hastings.
Simi Sasagi could have been another in the mix, however, requires a shoulder reconstruction which would rule him out for a substantial portion of 2023.
