Ponga sheds quad issue in vital step for Maroons
Joel Gould |
Kalyn Ponga has been declared a certain starter for Queensland in the State of Origin series opener after training with the team for the first time on Saturday.
Ponga had done his own training to the side of the main group on Wednesday and Thursday as he was rehabbing a quad injury he took into Maroons camp.
He had also done his own rehab running, but took his place with the main group for the first time in a huge boost to the Maroons as they target a 1-0 lead in the series at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.
Bench utility Tom Dearden spoke about Ponga at the side’s Twin Waters base just hours before the training session.
“Kalyn will be right to go. He missed the first couple of training sessions, but he will be ready to go next Wednesday night,” Dearden said.
“It’s just the type of player he is, he won’t miss a beat. He has been in this team a few times so he knows what to do when he is out there.”
Ponga will play as starting fullback for the first time since the 2022 decider at Suncorp Stadium when he was man of the match in a Maroons win.
The Newcastle captain was asked this week if he was ready to have his best game for Queensland.
“It’s knowing my role and nailing it,” he said.
“I have a job to do in defence, but that freedom to roam in attack and be an extension of our spine helping Munny (Cameron Munster) and Chez (Daly Cherry-Evans), that’s what I look forward to.”
Dearden will play in the No.14 jersey for the first time after filling in admirably for Munster last year when the champion Melbourne playmaker was injured.
He said he was ready for anything.
“We had a couple of training sessions and Billy (Slater) just said to me I have to be ready to play anywhere, and that’s the role of the utility player,” Dearden said.
“We have a bit of a plan around what’s going to happen there, but basically all I have been told is I could be coming on anywhere and at any stage of the game, so it’s about preparing for that.
“I am getting reps everywhere, a few reps through the middle as a ball-playing lock and also at nine. I’ve jumped in at fullback once too, so I am getting the reps everywhere and that will become clearer during the week.”
Starting hooker Harry Grant has helped Dearden prepare for what would be an unfamiliar hooking role.
“He has been really good. The one thing is making sure you give good-quality service, and that’s the most important thing about playing at dummy-half,” Dearden said.
“I have been getting a few reps with passing and making sure I nail my service at dummy-half. The best thing is standing back at training and watching what Harry does. He is one of the most crafty nines in the game.”
AAP
