Kalyn Ponga evades Wayne Bennett and Dolphins to sign a five-year deal with the Newcastle Knights extension

Newcastle Knights star Kalyn Ponga has settled theory surrounding his future, signing a five-year deal to stay in Newcastle. Kalyn Ponga has betrayed Wayne Bennett and the Dolphins to sign a worthwhile agreement expansion with the Newcastle Knights.

The 24-year-old’s new deal will kick in next season and will see the fullback stay with the club until 2027. Kalyn Ponga at long last put months of swirling speculation around his NRL future to bed on Wednesday, the Knights co-captain consenting to a five-year deal worth $1 million a season to stay in the Hunter.

Kalyn Ponga has stopped fevered speculation about his NRL future, declaring that he will stay with Newcastle on another five-year contract. The deal declared on Wednesday eliminates any threat of the 24-year-old connecting up with the Wayne Bennett-led Dolphins when they enter the NRL one year from now.

Ponga’s future had been at the center of much debate, with his agreement making the Knights migraines due to years of player options in support of himself. Those options virtually made the superstar a free agent.

It was uncovered earlier this month Kalyn Ponga met with Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett as the NRL’s incoming 17th franchise assembles its list. Ponga’s decision is one more blow for the Dolphins who are yet to bait a franchise cornerstone.

Kalyn Ponga was one of the Dolphins’ essential targets and the 17th club is currently expected to vigorously pursue under-contract Melbourne five-eighth Cameron Munster.

Kalyn Ponga had until June 1 to inform Knights management of his decision to exercise an option in his agreement to remain at the club in 2023.

The player options in the final two years (2023, 2024) of his four-year deal, which he signed in 2020, yielded all the negotiating power to the Queensland State of Origin delegate.

The Queensland Origin hotshot joins a long list of high-profile players to evade interest from the Dolphins in front of their introduction with the NRL next season.

Despite his unbelievable influence, Bennett has tried and failed to secure the services of Harry Grant, Christian Welch, Reed Mahoney, and Jahrome Hughes, among a few others, leaving the Dolphins still without a veritable marquee player for their inaugural season.

Albeit, in missing out on Kalyn Ponga, the Dolphins can be expected to increase their efforts to land Storm star Cameron Munster, who presently can’t seem to consent to a proposal on the table from Melbourne.

For the Knights, Ponga’s commitment will come as an amazing sigh of relief for the club, and fans amid fierce theory have loomed over the club over the last fortnight.

On Sunday, midway through Newcastle’s misfortune to St. George Illawarra, it was reported by News Corp that the Knights had pulled their proposal for Ponga after becoming annoyed in negotiations.

The report was then savagely denied by Knights coach Adam O’Brien, who named the claims “ridiculous” after the 21-16 misfortune to the Dragons.

Various reports then uncovered a power struggle between Newcastle authorities and Ponga’s manager and father, Andre Ponga, who had made talks drag out.

Revealing the deal on Wednesday, Ponga let it out was a relief to at last have his future sorted.

The statements permitted Ponga the opportunity to leave the club at short notification to change codes to rugby union or link with another club like the Dolphins.

“I would like to thank everyone who has helped throughout this process. I’m grateful for the huge amount of time and hard work it has taken to get this new five-year deal completed, especially my family and key people from the club.” Ponga said. “My teammates have been awesome, they have shown me every respect and patience, without any pressure throughout the negotiations. We are a very connected group and I am confident there are great things ahead for us. It has taken a long time to get to this position, I have always said big decisions like these should not be rushed and we have taken the necessary time required. There has been a lot of reporting and opinions throughout the last few weeks, which I understand completely, and respect is a part of the game. I would like to thank all of those who have given me the respect of allowing me the space and time I needed to come to this decision – I am excited to have it done and now I can get on with contributing to the club and city that I love.”

Since joining the Knights in 2018 from the Cowboys, Ponga has proceeded to feature for the club in 78 events Bennett recently met the Knights fullback trying to draw him to the club for their debut NRL campaign.

Be that as it may, the new Knights deal dispenses with those provisos and the opportunity for Ponga to switch clubs for the rest of the 2027 season.

Ponga’s new deal will initiate for the 2023 season, supplanting every current option and statement from Ponga’s current contract.

It additionally stops any chances of Ponga being targetted by New Zealand Rugby over a potential code swap.

Newcastle Knights CEO Phil Gardner said the club was excited to see Ponga committed once again to the club long-term.

He’s likewise represented the Queensland Maroons four times since making his Origin debut in 2018.

Ponga’s move to the Knights will probably see Cameron Munster’s future keep on dominating NRL conversations.

Negotiations to keep the playmaker beyond 2023 are looking challenging for the Storm, with reports the Dolphins have put forward a deal worth more than $1 million per year to bait him out of Victoria.

Sydney Morning Herald journalist Michael Chammas affirmed on Nine’s 100 percent Footy last week that Munster had been offered a two-year agreement extension worth $750,000-$800,000 per season to stay in Melbourne.

The 27-year-old Munster is off agreement toward the finish of 2023, and the NRL’s incoming 17th franchise, the Dolphins, has been especially keen on Storm players. The Bromwich brothers, Jesse and Kenneath, as well as State of Origin back-rower Felise Kaufusi, have all signed deals with the club from next season.

Ponga has played 76 games and scored 35 tries for the Knights in the wake of being poached by the club from the North Queensland Cowboys, where he made his NRL debut as a 17-year-old.

Presently 24, Ponga has proceeded to represent Queensland at the State of Origin level on four events, as well as including two times for the Maori All Stars and playing five games for the Kangaroos in the 2019 Nines World Cup.