Ponga stuns with scintillating 100m try

Kalyn Ponga has done his chances of a shock State of Origin call-up no harm with a brilliant 100m try capping off his efforts in the Knights’ defeat to the Titans on Saturday.

The 20-year-old’s name has been offered up as a utility option, in part because of his goal kicking, for Queensland following Cameron Smith’s surprise retirement.

While it still appears unlikely – and the man himself remains more concerned with his performances for Newcastle – Ponga is certainly in form and firing, and it was no more obvious than when he extended the Knights’ lead in the second half.

Just minutes after playing a key pass for Newcastle to hit the front with a try in the left corner, the 100m play started in their in-goal.

But when Ponga received the ball five metres outside the four-pointer was well and truly on.

He skipped through the defence and ran the remaining 80 metres untouched.

Ponga ended the match with stats of 210 metres, 12 tackle breaks, two line breaks and one line break assist, though Gold Coast managed to win 33-26 despite earlier having two men in the sin bin.

Rookie five-eighth Alexander Brimson was the man of the moment, scoring at the death to cap a remarkable comeback that ended a run of five losses for the Titans.

Gold Coast had immediately responded to Ponga’s scintillating run through Anthony Don to make it a two-point game with 15 minutes to go, and then they drew level four minutes later.

Ashley Taylor missed a go-ahead penalty goal moments after but they weren’t denied when second-gamer Brimson scooped up a loose ball after a spilled bomb at the line to score the winner.

Taylor converted from the sideline and nailed a tough drop goal to ice the much-needed victory and leave Newcastle teetering at 5-6 this season.

Gold Coast had both Moeaki Fotuaika and Jarrod Wallace sin-binned amid repeated time-wasting incidents, with the pair almost subbing in for each other in a penalty-laden second half.

with AAP